When discussing the subject of safety on the internet, there is one topic which frequently raises its head – casinos. If you have personally had a bad experience at an online casino or you know someone who has, there is every chance you will be put off playing casino games online altogether. But why should you miss out on the fun, entertainment and potentially big winnings? There are a few simple steps you can take to ensure that you are only playing at a safe casino. Take the worry out of the situation and use these tips to finding a reliable and trustworthy operator on the internet.

Only Play at Licenced and Regulated Casinos

Did you know that for an operator to provide online casino games to UK residents, they must hold a licence from the UK Gambling Commission? A key part of the Commission’s role is to protect British residents when they gamble online. They have implemented strict standards to ensure that gambling is crime-free, that it is fair and open, and that children and vulnerable adults are protected. A company will only be granted a UKGC licence if they have proven that they operate with integrity, and meet the highest standards of player protection. As such, you should only ever play at an online casino that possesses a valid UK licence. If this is not displayed on the casino’s website, it is likely a rogue operator and you should steer clear of them.

Technical Security

Safe online casinos will use cutting-edge, sophisticated technical security to protect their customers. This includes using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt any personal data passed between your PC and the casino’s website. This level of protection is extremely important as you will be handing over your sensitive personal and financial data when you join an online casino. Without adequate protection, your personal information could be intercepted by third parties and you could become a victim of fraud. Reliable online casinos will also use the services of major security companies, such as Norton, to provide protection against viruses and to keep the casino and its players protected against cyber-attacks.

Fair Games

When you play casino games on the internet, you need to be sure that they are fair. Genuine operators enlist the services of internationally recognised and accredited testing agencies to verify that their games provide legitimate results. Independent companies, such as eCOGRA, GLI and TST, thoroughly analyse the results of thousands of rounds of games, to check for consistency and confirmation that the random number generator provides truly random results. A trustworthy online casino will proudly display the results of payout reports from such independent agencies to prove their integrity.

Do Your Research

There are plenty of reliable resources to be found on the internet which provide honest and unbiased reviews of online casinos. By spending a little bit of time looking at websites such as http://www.bestcasino.co.uk/ you can find recommended operators, which have proven to be safe, fair and trustworthy. These types of websites also give you the chance to see the various welcome bonuses and special offers for new players at a glance. This will help you to quickly compare safe and secure operators to find the perfect fit for you.

Safety… If ever there were a topic that instantly makes you yawn, this has to be it! But in our ever-increasingly cyber-filled lives, we need to know how to protect ourselves from the nasties that are out there. The internet is something that we take for granted these days. It feels like it has always been there. How on earth did we exist before we knew the ins and outs of our acquaintance’s lives on social media? Before we could watch the latest film releases without trekking to Blockbuster? Before we could sit on our backside in front of the TV and order our weekly Tesco shop?

There is no disputing that technology has come on leaps and bounds over the years. And there is no doubting that it has enhanced our lives in ways we could have only fantasised about in our youth. But it does come at a cost. How safe do you feel when you are online? There is forever some horror story emerging about online fraud and scams, grooming, cyber bullying. It seems the online world is a dangerous and scary place that we should live in constant fear of.

But enough of the scaremongering. A fundamental part of evolution is identifying dangers and adapting our responses to protect ourselves from them. The same is true when it comes to e-safety. Of course, there are some obvious points that we are all aware of; don’t give out personal data online, don’t give your bank details to an unrecognised company (no matter how much money you have apparently won on the Nigerian national lottery!) and don’t take for granted that the male-model look-alike who is trying to friend you on Facebook is not actually a 60-year old perv.

By taking a few simple precautions and using a little bit of common sense, there is no reason why you cannot be safe when you are online. This blog is here to challenge the dangers and to help keep you protected when using the internet. You’ll find plenty of useful tips, expert advice and general guidance. Come back regularly to see the latest posts about how to guarantee you stay safe online.