A Guide To Security At Online Casinos For Canada
The issue of security at online casinos is a rather dry subject. In today’s modern world, with threats abounding in the form of online fraud, identity theft and attacks by hackers to name but a few, security is something that we all have to take very seriously indeed. Safeguarding your hard-earned CAD is important. Once you’re satisfied that all appropriate security measures are in place, you can enjoy all the rich entertainment your online casino can provide without a care in the world.
There are three main levels of security that we, as a review and comparison site, take into consideration when we make our selections of the top secure Canadian online casinos. The hard questions we want answered are:
Is the online casino properly registered, licensed and regularly assessed by a governing body?
Is the information for each player secured by the latest encryption technology?
Are all the financial transactions protected by top-level security?
Are the games fair and above board?
If an online casino can answer with a resounding YES to these questions and all the subsidiary ones, it stands a chance to become a featured site for our valued Canadian players.
PERCENTAGE
SPEED
Oversight of online casinos by regulatory bodies
A trustworthy online casino will have a licence issued by a reputable jurisdiction. Examples of countries that host online casinos include Malta, the Isle of Man and Antigua. Licences are issued by international governing agencies.
One of the most well-known of these is eCOGRA. That stands for “e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance”. eCOGRA assesses how secure a casino is and looks at what methods are used to keep players’ transactions safe. Any casino that meets its specifications is entitled to feature the eCOGRA logo on its website. When you see this, you know that the online casino is trustworthy and you can play there without worry.
Another seal of approval you might come across is that of Technical Systems Testing. A Canadian company, TST, provides a range of auditing services to secure online casinos. TST is widely respected as being one of the leading test and compliance organizations in the gaming industry.
If an online casino fails to meet any of the elements of the code of practice of its governing body, its licence is summarily revoked and it can no longer continue to trade.
Over the years the internet has moved from an unregulated entity to a medium with more protection for users. In line with this, online casinos have moved from loosely regulated businesses to credible, global corporations that place substantial emphasis on providing players with a secure gambling environment. It’s a win-win situation.
Data security
The online casinos that make it to the top echelons of our selection processes must have the latest high-tech data protection measures in place. In order to gain our trust, they have to use 128-bit SSL Encryption. This level of encryption is used by banks and retail giants around the world to protect their customers’ payment details. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and this feature safeguards communication between two points on the internet. Your data is transmitted in an encrypted format, making it impossible for a third party to intercept.
To check out the security features of a particular online casino of your choice, you should be able to find a ‘security’ tab. Head on over to this page for all the information you need. If security information is not available, it could be a clue that the casino is not prioritizing high standards of security and it is probably not a good idea to entrust it with your details.
Fair play
Sometimes players wonder whether online casinos rig the games in their own favour. This is one of the key issues of online casino security. The mechanism that drives all types of games is RNG, which stands for Random Number Generator. Whether it is slot machines, dice games, card games or any other type, RNGs generate the spins, rolls and deals. This means that the outcomes of the casino games are a product of chance and are not influenced by external tampering. Casinos that value their professionalism and integrity will provide information about their RNG and have it audited at regular intervals.
The casino makes its money by means of the house edge, or payout percentage. The payout percentage is the average rate of return for a particular game. For slots, the payout percentage is typically around 95%. This means that 95 cents out of every one dollar wagered is returned to players in the form of winnings, and the house obtains an income of 5%.
Additional security measures you can take
Avoid setting up your account with an online casino, or any other internet business, when you are using a public computer. It is never a good idea to key in your personal data or financial information when using a computer at an internet café or at a library. Casino security cannot be guaranteed when using public networks.
Ensure your PC, Mac or device has a firewall together with good anti-virus software. You can’t be too careful when safeguarding your money and your financial identity.
Go with your gut – if something doesn’t feel quite right on whatever site you happen to be playing at, it probably isn’t.
Stay informed and check out our list of rogue casinos and those that have been blacklisted. Rogue casinos are unlicensed, unregulated and may have a history of defrauding players. Imagine the disappointment of winning the jackpot of a lifetime, only to find that the casino doesn’t pay it out.
That’s quite enough of the dry stuff. Why not pick one of our recommended secure Canuck online casinos, let your hair down and aim for some awesome wins today.