Gambling Addiction

Whenever you hear about Gambling, it is immediately followed by concerns about Gambling Addiction. The games themselves can be fairly addictive, with great graphics, exotic storylines, and exciting scores. However, add to that the thrilling prospect of making thousands of dollars, and it suddenly becomes very difficult to stop playing.

This is why it is best to stick with Online Casinos that have ‘Play Safe’ resources available. Websites with such tools available recognize the added danger that casino games come with. In order to battle that, they have in place tools such as setting limits, professional support systems, information on gambling addiction, and more. 

If you are playing at a new casino, or this is your first time in one, it is always a great idea to set spending limits. Different websites have different limits. One can offer daily limits, while others do weekly, or even monthly limits. Setting a limit before you start playing means that you are making that decision with a level head. Moreover, once you get into a game, you might not realize how much you end up spending. Putting a limit on your spending, withdrawals, net losses, etc, gives you a warning about your spending habits on online Casinos. This in turn helps you to not go over budget, and blow all your money at a Casino.

If however, you still find that the amount of time, money, and resources that you are spending is far more than you like, with play safe, you can ask casinos for a break period. This is great if you think you are starting to get addicted. Once you ask for a break, you won’t be allowed to log in by that particular casino, thereby forcing you to take a break, even when the addiction seems to get the better of you.

If you are searching out other casinos or using fake user IDs to continue your gambling habits even after you set limits and took breaks, it might be a good idea to look into professional help. Many online casinos are in touch with licensed therapists, associations, gamblers anonymous, and more, and can help get you in touch with professionals and therapists. They also usually have a list of symptoms to help you check in with yourself, and recognize any problem areas that require attention.

Payment and Other Issues

Legal Issues

One reason people are afraid of playing at online Casinos is due to the legal issues of doing so. Since gambling laws differ from country to country and even state to state, many people think that it is simply illegal to gamble.

National Gambling laws

The legal issues depend not only on the country according to National Gambling Laws but also on the registration laws of the Casino you are looking to play at. Many casinos, for example, are blocked for players from France, even though they are registered in a different country. In India however, as long as the Online Casino is legally registered in a foreign country and does not violate specific state laws, it is legal to play. Moreover, in many states, physical casinos are banned, but online casinos are not. 

This is why, many online casinos such as Betshah cater specially to an Indian audience, with Indian games, Indian regional languages, Indian sports, and more. Also, it is amongst the top 5 casinos listed at Casinofox.in which proves its credibility.

Registrations and Licenses

All this, however, depends if the website you are using is actually registered and Licensed. Not all countries give out legal licenses to gamble. This is why before playing, it is absolutely essential to check out a website’s credentials. If you scroll to the end of an online Casino’s homepage, you should normally find the government or country that is allowing them the license. Along with that, you will normally see a license number and the type of license they have. Casumo for e.g; mentions that it has remote gaming licenses no. 126 and 127. What that means is if you were to visit the Government of Gibraltar’s official website, you will find their license mentioned listed under the given number. This is a great way to find out if a website is actually registered with an authority, or if it’s a fake website 

Keeping away from unregistered websites is the key to keeping all your gaming activities above board. The second thing to do is to look up your country’s or your state’s laws about gambling, specifically online gambling. 

Payment legalities 

On top of ensuring that the website is legal, it is always good to be aware of the payment methods you are using to accept payments from online casinos. Many payment methods such as Gpay are okay to use for deposits but are illegal to use for withdrawals. Some others such as direct bank payments are legal in certain countries but not in others. Thus, before using your preferred banking methods for casino withdrawals, it is always a good idea to take a look at the legalities surrounding them, the tax rules, and how to announce your winnings when filing your taxes. 

Data safety and Fraud 

Most legal, licensed casinos use a whole host of tools to keep your data safe. The UK gambling commission even says that your money and identity are as safe in a casino as it is in the bank. This is because licensed online casinos encrypt your data in very much the same ways as banks do.

To make sure that the online casino you are playing on is safe, make sure to check out the following security measures. Without these markers and tools, your data can be compromised, and you might even be on a fake site. 

• SSL Encryption: The site you are accessing should have a 128-Bit or 256-Bit SSL Encryption. What this does is it jumbles up your financial data in such a way that no outside 3rd party can read it, and therefore steal your data. To check for such available encryption, check for a little padlock symbol right next to the URL.

Most well-known websites from google to Facebook have this symbol, and most websites without it are a cesspool of pop-up ads, malware, and more. It is always a good idea to avoid websites, especially online casinos that do not have any SSL Encryption. 

• PCI Compliance: Websites that handle credit card or online banking often have to comply with certain standards called ‘Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard’ or PCI in short. These regulations make sure that the financial information that you are accessing through a website, is safe. PCI compliant websites put up layers of firewall, anti-virus programs, encryption and protection for financial details, and more. Always see if an online casino mentions the safety precautions they use. If PCI compliance is not mentioned, it is best to avoid the site. At the very least, don’t use or save credit or debit cards on such sites. 

Conclusion

Online casinos can be fairly safe ecosystems as long as you are on a legal, registered site that uses every tool available to keep you and your information safe. Before you sign-up for a site, make sure to take a look at all the safety protocols a website is following. Once you have signed up, make use of play-safe tools to restrict your finances, so that you don’t end up spending more than expected, and stay on top of your mental health.
Online casinos are great fun if you stay vigilant. So stay safe and play on!