How to Spot a Legitimate Online Gaming Venue
How to Spot a Legitimate Online Gaming Venue
The online gaming industry is massive. There are hundreds, if not thousands of gaming destinations out there, dealing in various branches of the industry - sports bets, poker, bingo, and casino games. And, as all industries, the online gaming one has its share of scammers. What makes them dangerous is that they often pose as legitimate gaming destinations, appropriating the unsuspecting players' personal information, and money. With online gaming spreading at an increasing rate worldwide, it is important to only trust the gaming destinations that deserve it. And for those not listed, here are three telltale signs that there's something fishy going on.
Company and contact information
This one goes for any business offering online services: if there is no detailed company information listed on a website, your alarm signals should go off in an instant. A legitimate business, no matter if it's a game provider or a news source, will have not only its name and email address, but its postal address listed on its website. If there's no such thing, you can usually expect delayed transactions, subpar services, or even a hidden agenda in the background.
User reviews
The users' voice is the most important metric to consider. You can find the non-scammy casinos online here, and on many other specialized websites, that provide detailed reviews on the gaming operators' practices and games. The websites that allow players to share their positive (and negative) experiences with others are a great way to separate wheat from the chaff.
Licensing information
All online gaming venues offering real money services must have a license issued by a licensing authority. One of the most trusted licenses is the one issued by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), but there are many others - Alderney, Gibraltar or the Kahnawake Gaming Commission - that are seen well by the gaming community.
There are in turn some that are far too permissive, like the ones from Costa Rica (which doesn't have a specific gaming licensing regulation). Others, like the one issued by the gaming authorities of Curacao, require the operators to pay a low percentage of tax, which makes it attractive for operators. While the Curacao Gaming Authority is legit, several gaming operators with such a license have been found to be less than honest in the past.
Third-party audits
The eCogra is an independent industry body based in the United Kingdom, founded by several stakeholders of the online gaming industry in 2003. Their goal was to create an entity with the power to check the safety of the gaming operators' practices, the fairness of their games, and the implementation of their safety and privacy policies. It provides compliance services to over 80 of the world's biggest gaming companies, developers and operators alike. Their "Safe & Fair" seal is issues for six months at a time, and it has to be renewed periodically by the operator.
