Online casinos offer ultimate convenience—no long commutes or crowded, noisy venues. Just your favourite games, all from the comfort of your home.
Casino apps can replicate many of the experiences you would have at a physical location: all your favourite games, tons of choices, even real dealers, and social features.
But with this convenience comes uncertainty. The internet, after all, is full of bad actors, unfortunately.
How can you tell that the real money casino apps you choose are legit? We take a look below.
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Are casino apps fair?
It's tempting to wonder if casinos could rig games, but real-money apps are strictly regulated. Odds, like those on slot machines, are set by random number generators to ensure fairness.
This is the same system used in land-based casinos. Remember that a screen is a screen, be it on a slot machine or your phone. The mechanics are the same.
You don't need to worry about rigged slots. You might focus instead on your chances of winning. You can find this information by looking at the “return to player” score. Many online casinos will include this number in their game descriptions.
For example, you might find a slot machine with a 96% RTP, meaning that, on average, for every $100 wagered, players collectively get back $96 while the casino keeps $4. That 4% is known as the “house edge.”
Naturally, individual experiences will vary, but the math holds up in favour of the casino over time.
Regardless, the games will be fair when you play at a fully licensed online casino. Casinos spend a TON of time and money getting licensed and certified. They aren't going to jeopardise their legal status by cheating.
Are casino sites secure?
That's the real question. Data breaches can happen to anyone. Yahoo, Facebook, and Marriott—billion-dollar companies, all with their share of cybersecurity setbacks in the headlines.
Online casinos take security seriously, but no online activity is 100% immune to cybercrime, whether it's an app used by the Pentagon or your favourite social media platform.
That said, the risks of using a virtual casino are no greater than shopping online. Online casinos are often even safer, especially compared to something as simple as opening a Shopify store.
👌 Building a casino? That's a lot more complex.
Some guy in a basement didn't make the apps you see online! They were created by skilled developers and thoroughly reviewed, tested, and assessed. You can trust that a lot of work went into ensuring the app's safety.
How to stay safe while playing online
Licensed online casinos are completely safe. But how can you know that you've found an honest platform?
You can verify your casino's legitimacy by contacting established gaming authorities, like the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority.
These organisations are similar to the Better Business Bureau but specific to casinos. If there are regulatory concerns or even an excess of user complaints, they will have more information on them.
- You can also get somewhat strategic about how you transact online. This is actually a good approach to take with any virtual transactions. Look for ways to protect your information.
- Virtual wallets, like PayPal or Skrill, are an easy way to stay secure because they act as a buffer, keeping your banking details private from the casino itself.
- Some people also like using Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies when playing online casinos.
- Crypto transactions are backed by blockchain, a decentralised ledger that makes it nearly impossible to alter or hack transaction data, offering an extra layer of security.
Taking precautions is good. Ultimately, however, the casino will do most of the heavy lifting.
Your own playing precautions
Your biggest responsibility in terms of player safety is just to make sensible gaming decisions.
💰 It helps to go in with a plan. How long do you want to play? What is the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend?
You don’t need to map out every minute of your gaming. Just have a general notion of what our evening will look like and how much you’re comfortable with spending.
Taking regular breaks can help. Many online casinos will now send you notifications suggesting you step away from the screen for a bit. This can help you stay within your budget and avoid impulsive choices.
Last thoughts
Most real money casino apps and sites are there to entertain you—not to take your cash or data. With the information above, you can make smarter decisions and play with reputable, licensed brands that have the player’s interests at heart.
Learn more about choosing safe casinos now. Read more on the Roger blog.
