What makes online casinos safe or not?

To meet this demand, the online casino market has become highly saturated with providers that offer the latest deals and bonuses to attract and retain players on their site. However, with so much choice for players, it can be difficult to identify which sites are safe.

It's easiest way to find safe online casinos is to pick one's from a list on a trusted site like https://www.bestcasinosites.net/safe/. However, it's also vital to know what signs to look out for when selecting a safe online casino to play at. Here's some of the top signs you should look out for…

Casinos that avoid payouts

Requesting to cash out on a casino site should be an easy process. While it's difficult to know if you're a new customer, make sure you read reviews of the site first to see if other players were able to access their winning easily.

Once you do try to withdraw winnings, look out for sites that give you the runaround when trying to complete this process. Often, fraudulent casinos will ask for multiple forms of identification, over and over, or 'investigate' a players account.

If this happens to you and you don't receive you payout within a few weeks, steer clear of that site in the future and don't invest any more money into your account.

Bonus spam

Fraudulent casinos will often offer players a bonus, however you'll find that they just keep coming and you can't opt out of them. Most of the time, this is to force players into the terms and conditions of the bonus which means your winnings will keep rolling over.

In this case, players usually end up losing most or all of their winnings back to the casino. This is just another method so that the casino doesn't have to pay out.

Licensing

Any legally operating casino will be licensed by a local authority. If you choose to play at an offshore casino, check who the local licensing body is where they are based. All casinos should be licensed by at least one governing body and this ensures your rights as a player are protected.

Licensed casinos are also frequently audited to ensure fair and transparent practices, so you can have peace of mind that everything is happening legally.

Technical security

In today's online world, it's essential for sites to have good cybersecurity measures in place. This is especially true for casinos that are handling a lot of money. A couple of ways to ensure a site has good security are to firstly check there is a padlock icon in the address bar. This means the site has an up to date digital encryption certificate that protects the identity of players.

You could also check for a secure payment logo at the footer of the page to ensure that the site has safe payment practices in place. Even better, the most secure sites will accept cryptocurrencies too.

It's also a good idea to turn on a VPN if you can to ensure there's no prying eyes on your online casino session.

Transparent policy

A reputable casino site will have clear and transparent terms and conditions and privacy policy. In addition, they should also have a detailed and easy to find 'About Us' page too. The policy will cover terms on bonuses, promotions, withdrawals and general customer service and should be consistent, easy to understand and not contradictory in any way.

If the terms and conditions are unclear, hard to find or constantly changing, it's probably a good sign that you should find another, more trustworthy casino site.

Software

A reputable casino will be using software from a well-regarded and reputable provider and should be able to provide info on the software they use. What's more, reputable software providers are accredited by organisations like eCOGRA, that regularly test the software for fairness.

Look out for accreditation and partner logos on the casino website. These will usually be in the About Us section or in the footer at the bottom of the page.

Ownership

You wouldn't spend money with an online retailer without having an idea of who they were first, so why do the same with a casino? Many casino sites are owned by larger organisations and holding groups, which offers extra security and reassurance for players.

If the casino site is new then make sure you do your research on them before departing with your money and personal information. It's worth checking their credit history and reviews from other customers. If you can't find any info then it might be best to steer clear and opt for an online casino with a longer history

Overall, while it's great that there's so many online casinos to choose from, players need to stay vigilant. The internet opens up many opportunities for aspiring casinos and many startups offer great services. However, there are also some that don't intend to operate fairly. Keep your eyes peeled and follow the above advice and you'll be sure to have a great time at the online casino.