Gambling online is fun and can be a great way to pass the time. Who doesn’t love to play games online? But as with every online activity, there are plenty of dangers, from fraud to addiction.
So, how do you gamble online safely? You do your research, pick reputable casinos, avoid giving away private details, secure your payments, and ensure the gambling site has an active, responsible gambling policy that can help you control your deposits and withdrawals.
Sounds like a lot of work.
We break it down to help you gamble safely online, doing most of the hard work for you.
How to Gamble Online Safely
Much of this advice isn’t specific to online casinos, but some simple advice on how to be safe when purchasing anything online. Ultimately, you must be careful whenever you give away credit or debit card details.
And there’s no getting away from the fact that Gambling is inherently risky, not just because you need to use your own money to play, but because its nature can be addictive.
Here are our four simple steps to gamble safely online.
1. Do your research before you sign up
Doing research shouldn’t be that controversial, but it’s the step almost everyone skips. You see a sweet casino bonus, click on it, and head into the casino like a deer in the headlights, hoping the light is big flashing wins and not a car.
The good news is that the online gambling industry is (for the most part) well regulated – meaning most of the online casinos you come across will be legit. But not all.
So here are some easy steps to take to ensure you pick safe casino sites to play:
- Use trusted third-party websites: or, simply put, read online casino reviews. Here at LuckyMobileSlots, we only work with trusted casino sites with a proven track record of fair play.
- Check the casino is regulated: somewhere on the website (typically at the bottom), they should say which gambling authority they fall under. When you click on their license number, it should take you to the relevant gambling authority casino-specific page. Move on swiftly if it’s not Malta, the UK, Sweden, Gibraltar, Alderney, or Curacao.
- Use a “local” online casino: we know that seems crazy in an online world, but if you want to play casino UK, find a UK casino like All British Casino. Find a casino that uses your currency and (ideally) can help you in your local language.
- Understand the T&Cs of the casino: Look, we are not saying you should read every last little T&C. We know you won’t. But read the T&Cs regarding (at minimum) how they handle deposits and withdrawals, whether they pay big wins in one lump sum, the casino bonus terms, and how they handle your data.
- Read up on the rules of casino games: Again, this seems obvious, but if you are going to play casino, learn the rules. Read the rules, whether that’s Blackjack, bingo, or how to play video slots online. Check out our selection of the best low volatility slots (with game reviews) as a starting point.
It doesn’t have to take days of research, but knowledge is power.
2. Know how to create a secure casino account
You think you’ve picked the perfect online casino, like the look and the choice of real money slots and games, and maybe even read some reviews. Now what? Just deposit and play?
Euh… no. You are missing a couple of common sense safety tips in your excitement to play.
- Choose a random username: Don’t give away private information like a birth year or name. Casinos can sometimes use the username to publish big wins or simply use it as your tag in tournaments and promotions. Anyone could see it.
- Choose a random unique password: We know, we know, it’s annoying having to remember passwords. But don’t use the same passwords across casino sites. Keep them unique so that no one can sign up to another casino and use your money to play if there’s a data breach.
- Use the play for fun feature: Casino games, especially video slots, will usually have a ‘play for fun’ button. That means you play the game without placing a real money bet. It allows you to test the functionality, learn the rules, and see if you like it before you commit real cash.
- Use antivirus/antispyware software and firewall: A simple tool that will quickly inform you if the website is fraudulent.
Seems simple, but you’ll be surprised how often people skip these simple steps.
3. How to keep your payment secure at an online casino
This is it. The nerve-wracking bit. You have actually to put your payment details into the casino and hope they don’t run away with your money. Hopefully, by now, you’ve done your research and feel safe enough.
Still, there are a couple of things you can do to give you peace of mind to gamble safely online:
- Look for the “https://” and padlock symbol: satisfied the casino is safe? Double-check when you put your payment details that the link is an HTTPS link (s is for secure) and has a padlock symbol. All your payments should be fully encrypted.
- Check your bank statements: Have the right amount of money come in and out? Are there any amounts you can’t account for? Contact your bank to stop the payments immediately.
- Use an e-wallet as an added layer of safety: It usually means you will have to give up the welcome casino bonus, but there are many benefits to using e-wallets – the first of which is that the casino doesn’t get your bank or credit card details. All they get is a secure encrypted e-wallet account. Even if you don’t want to use an e-wallet, the fact that they accept them is a good sign.
- Always log out of the casino at the end of the play: Don’t leave your casino account open for just anyone to have access to. It doesn’t matter if it’s your phone, iPad, or computer. Anything can be stolen, taken, or borrowed.
All casinos should be able to pay your winnings back in the way you deposited, if not directly to your bank account. If you are having problems, here is what to do if an online casino doesn’t pay out.
4. Use Responsible Gambling Tools Available
Any decent casino should take responsible gambling seriously. At the most basic, all casinos should allow you to take a breather from playing for a set period and stop you from playing completely if you so choose.
But the really clever online casinos will help you gamble safely by giving you full control of your spending at every step.
- Set yourself daily or weekly deposit limits: It’s simple enough, but the casino should allow you to decide to set a daily or weekly budget (even monthly). Once you’ve exceeded your budget, the casino should not allow you to gamble again until the following day/week. If you want to change the limits, they must give you a 24-hour cooling-off period before the change becomes permanent. This ensures you are not just changing the amount to gamble more quickly.
- Don’t spend more than you can afford to lose: This is the number one rule of gambling safely online. Don’t spend more than you can afford to lose. Think of it as ‘night out’ money. How much would you be comfortable spending on a night out with friends without feeling shame, guilt, or anxiety? That’s your budget right there.
- Never reverse charge a withdrawal: Good online casinos should not give you this option. The best casinos will allow you to lock that withdrawal specifically so you can’t reverse it. You clicked on the withdrawal button for a reason; wait for it to hit your account before you deposit again.
- Keep talking and listen: Whether it’s your friends, your family, or the staff at the casino, don’t hide your gambling. The staff should raise any concerns if you suddenly gamble more than usual and your friends and family know you better than anyone. Set a person as your ‘cool head’ if you think it’s getting out of control.
- Out of control? Close the account and seek help: A whole load of online help is available if you find that your gambling is getting out of control. In the UK, for example, GamCare provides free help and even a gambling self-assessment tool to help you figure out if your need help.
Are online casinos really safe?
That’s the question when we wonder how to gamble online safely. Are online casinos ever really safe?
Well-regulated and recommended online casinos are safe to play as long as you do your research and make sure they give you the tools to stay in control and deposit safely.
And if you are wondering what the safest form of online gambling is, we can only tell you that the safest form of games is the one you control. Control your budget, control your spending, and control your play.
How To Gamble Responsibly
If we have to recommend one casino that fits these criteria, it has to be Mr Green Casino. They not only provide you with the whole spectrum of possible games to play (including Blackjack, which gives you the best odds of winning).
More importantly, their Mr Green responsible gambling tool gives you full control of your spending and warns you if you start playing outside of your usual norm. It’s like a pre-warning system.
Add friendly and local customer service, lots of language and currencies, and fast deposits and withdrawals, and you won’t find a better casino to play.
