Safe Online Casinos

Finding Safe Casinos To Play At

Trustworthy and reputable casino operators out there have one thing in common, which is to make money. However, you can not lack a few UK casinos that will go to the extent of using unscrupulous means to make those huge profits. One will misuse some of the sensitive information you provide like banking details.

You may ask yourself how we classified any of the casinos as a secure casino online. Well, there are certain criteria we used to prove their genuineness.

• For starters, they are licensed and controlled by official regulatory bodies which means they are 100% legal.
• Secondly, they have adopted sophisticated technology which ensures that you’re transactions and personal data are secure.
• Also, all these reputable casinos are socially responsible gaming providers.
• To top it off, they provide players with authentic and fair casino bonus offers.

Beyond Casinos: Safe Gaming Sites

As a result of the recent changes made to the Gambling Act, any online casino that wants to offer its services to UK players must be licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Consequently, this makes life easy for players from United Kingdom in their quest to find honest gaming sites.

In the UK, gambling licenses are not just reserved for online casinos but for all types of gambling. These include:

• Bingo: Any bingo competition that runs with a cash prize game needs to obtain a license to do so legally. If running as a prize game in unlicensed family entertainments centres, travelling fairs or adult gaming centres, you are excluded.
• Arcades: different types of arcades exist but those operating in adult gaming centres and unlicensed family entertainment centres need to obtain a license.
• Gaming Machines: if the payout on a gaming machine (or fruit machine) is below a certain amount, a local council permit covers them without the need of a gaming license.
• Lotteries: online lotteries can only be run to raise money for a good cause and not for private or commercial gain. Large society lotteries and any lottery promoted by a local authority requires a gaming license. However, small society lotteries that are run locally are only required to be registered by the local authority.

In simple terms, if a casino is not licensed and controlled by the UK Gambling Commission, then do not try to gamble at that casino. There is a likelihood that such a casino is not reputable or trustworthy.

Why Do Safe Casinos Need To Be Regulated?

In short, to prove they are above board.

• The license forces companies to provide protection for their players. When the UK became a regulated market in 2014, it forced all companies who wanted to operate here to obtain a license or stop trading. Before that, companies were operating on any European license with the UKGC being optional.
• Now that the UKGC has been in operation since 2005, they have had time to apply all their knowledge to form the basis of the UK license, now known as one of the more stringent in the industry.
• Companies that operate without a casino license are doing so legally but will find that they are not allowed to operate in most European countries any more. This is because there is no way of knowing if they operate diligently and with customer safety in mind.

A lot of sensitive personal data is given upon registering at an online casino and further financial information is handled when payment and withdrawals come into play. Large payment operators will not accept casinos without license. All Paypal casinos UK have a license.

Regulating Jurisdictions

Different countries around Europe, including the UK, have chosen to monitor gambling more closely, and are now known as regulated markets.

• Specific criteria have to be met for each market rather than just one broad set for all. Online casinos can obtain as many of these casino licenses as they choose and they can then operate in any of those countries. This usually comes with the stipulation that at least a part of their operating business is situated in that country, so further scrutiny can be applied more easily. Other countries have chosen to not have a regulated market and allow casinos to be remote.
• The Malta Gaming Authority is one of the oldest and most recognised around Europe. They issue casino licenses allowing companies to operate in most European countries, other than Spain, Italy, Sweden and Denmark, which also have regulated markets. But this doesn’t mean that they are any more or less safe than others.

As a general rule, when playing in Europe, casino licenses obtained from either Malta or Gibraltar will mean that the casino is safe to play at. Overseas, Canada is represented by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and the Curaçao Gaming Control Board is also very well respected. If you want to find pout more, feel free to check our full guide to all the gambling licenses available.

The Registration Process in the UK

When you choose to play at a safe online casino, you first need to register with them. This requires your name, address and date of birth, and is necessary to provide the casino with the information needed to double check your entitlement to join. The two main factors that are considered at signup include you being over 18 and also that you have not previously registered yourself as wanting to be excluded from gambling sites.

This is all part of the process of ensuring gambling in the UK is as safe as possible. In the past, criminality went hand in hand with gambling, which is why the licenses have come into force. Money laundering is also now impossible, as your withdrawal method needs to match your deposit method, something to keep in mind when requesting your winnings.

Responsible Gaming

All safe online casinos have a duty to their players to assist in the detection and refusal of any player that is deemed to have a gambling problem. This is why UKGC regulated casinos have procedures and policies in place to help with deposit limit settings and exclusion options.

If you feel that you need a break from gambling, you can become self excluded for a specific period of time. This can not only give you a chance to reorganise your finances, but also determine if your gambling is having a bigger impact on your life than you thought. If you feel you have a problem, closing your account can be done through the customer service team and help can be sought through the UK gambling helpline.