Prime Qualities of Secure Online Gambling Sites
What makes an online casino safe for Canadian players?
If you’ve visited this website before, you may have noticed by now that, what we primarily do is investigate and report on the safety, security, and overall efficacy of online gambling sites. That, and we script a good bit of gaming news relative to the Canadian community. Our mission is to provide a unique source of quality content that our readers can truly benefit from.
Today’s material is of particular importance. Today, we’re going to discuss the four prime qualities every online casino should be built upon. These are the qualities that represent secure online gambling sites. If any single one is missing, the site cannot—and most certainly should not—be trusted. Today, we answer the most important question of all question…
What Makes an Online Casino Safe for Canadian Players?
Your safety and security should be paramount; valued above all else. Some players look for big welcome bonuses, maximum game variety, or VIP perks. But without proper player protections in place, what good are any of these other qualities?
First and foremost, the following four attributes must be accounted for. Then you can seek out all the games and bonuses you want, but only from websites that fit the bill. For the record, you won’t find any online casinos on this website that do not live up to these standards.
#1 Reputable Regulation & Licensing
Any online gambling site can claim to be licensed. Most can claim to be regulated, too. But where is that license and regulation coming from? Each jurisdiction has its own set of standards, and some set the bar way higher than others.
Each licensing jurisdiction enforces its own set of guidelines that their licensed operators must abide by. European jurisdictions are the strictest, therefore the best for players. The UK, Alderney, Girbaltar, Isle of Man, Malta—these are all top-notch licensing authorities that don’t let any bad seeds slip through the cracks.
Central American jurisdictions, such as Antigua, Curacao, and Panama, are more lax, and cater mostly to websites that accept players from black-market countries, like the US. Costa Rica is so bad, it should be ashamed of itself for even distributing licenses! There’s no regulation whatsoever—avoid those websites like the plague!
Learn more: Why Licensing and Regulation Matters
#2 Longevity & Reputation
These qualities go hand in hand. A good reputation for fast, reliable payouts and customer satisfaction is imperative. But a good reputation cannot solidify in a short period of time. The longer an online casino has been in operation, the more you can trust the accuracy of its reputation. I cannot possibly count how many websites showed up, seemed great for the first few months, then vanished into thin air—with all their player’s deposits in tow.
A website that’s been around for years, if not a decade or two, will have developed a reliable reputation, whether it be positive or negative. Obviously, you’re seeking a positive one. Try not to focus too much on antiquated mistakes, though. Many operators have improved significantly over time, so a few bad reviews from years back regarding slow payments is okay, so long as the problem didn’t persist.
Learn more: What makes an Online Casino Reputable
#3 Software & Security Technology
The software employed by an online casino should be certified safe and fair by independent auditors. Most will provide a seal of certification verifying this information.
Advanced security technology should also be in place to ensure the website and its servers cannot be hacked, potentially compromising the personal and financial information of their customers. Standard 128-bit SSL encryption is must!
It’s worth noting that software certification and security standards are, in fact, mandated by reputable licensing jurisdictions.
Learn more: Certifiably Fair Online Casinos
#4 Operator / Player Account Segregation
No one thought much of this until 2011, when the US Department of Justice seized control of Full Tilt Poker (and a few other iGaming domains) and demanded they return American player funds. Turns out, there weren’t any funds to return. The heads of the poker site had spent all the money. Oops! It wasn’t just Full Tilt that made this mistake, but they were the most (in)famous for it.
Since then, all responsible online gambling sites maintain at least two bank accounts. One holds the company’s business funds, while the other holds player account funds. This way, should anything go wrong, players are guaranteed they’ll get their balance refunded.
Account segregation is another aspect that properly licensed and regulated websites are required by law to maintain.
This concludes our tutorial on secure online gambling sites!
Congratulations, you’re brain just got smarter! Now, the next time you go seeking out a new iGaming operation to conduct business with—or maybe this is your first time, in which case you’ll be off to a great start already—make sure each of these qualities are present. By doing so, you can rest assured knowing the online casino is safe for Canadian players.
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