Playing online casino games has become all the rage this past decade due to the proliferation of smartphones. While online casinos are not a new thing, with the first appearing on the internet in the mid-1990s, there is no doubt that advancements in mobile devices gave these platforms a boost that’s sending them into new revenue stratospheres.
Naturally, since the number of people gambling online is higher than ever, security is on everyone’s mind. Anything that has to do with transferring financial information over the internet cannot be taken lightly and should follow procedures that ensure maximum safety. With the vast array of new online casinos popping up each day, its super-important that players are wary when choosing their gaming home and making sure that adequate precautions are in place.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Encryption
A brief definition of SSL encryption is that this is the standard technology used for safeguarding data exchanged between two systems. It makes data transfer secure by encrypting information, or in other words, scrambling it using keys that make it impossible for hackers to decipher said data and understand what the parties are transacting.
One of the most important aspects of any online business is creating an environment where customers feel confident that their information is safe and that all financial transactions go through smoothly. An SSL certificate goes a long way in establishing this trust by creating an encrypted connection via private and public keys that work together to keep you safe.
Antivirus and Antimalware Software
While a gaming site may do its part and have adequate protection measures in place, users also have to pull their weight. Having quality antivirus and antimalware software on your computer or mobile device is of the utmost importance. Software like these scans your device’s files and applications and then compares what it sees to the information stored in its database. Those that it matches to software established as malicious or dangerous, it quarantines or deletes.
Users need to know that they will not likely download these malicious programs from an online casino, but from shady sites, they have visited in the past. Once they are on their device, they can record their keystrokes or open a backdoor for entry by hackers. However, with adequate protection, all this is unlikely, and all financial information should remain safe.
Multi-factor authentication
Rather than just entering a username and password, most sites today have upped their game by introducing other authentication options that curb cyber-attacks. If you’ve ever been to an online gambling site, you’ve likely noticed a 2FA or two-factor authentication option in your account page, which lets you set up a second layer of security.
Think of it like this, your username and password is the first layer, but this is a little extra that makes it almost impossible for third parties to gain access to your account. The second factor could be a text code sent to your mobile phone, or it could be biometric data, such as a fingerprint or a face scan.