When playing at an online casino understandably, safety is crucial. Before the world of online casinos, casino enthusiasts would visit land-based casinos, where the doors were guarded by big burly security guards, who’d ensure crime was kept to a minimum and safety was at a maximum.Read More
When it comes to online casinos, whilst there isn’t a terrifying large man guarding the doors, online casinos have invested in other methods to ensure optimal safety when players visit their online establishments. We’re committed in ensuring our readers find the safest casinos to play and wager their hard-earned cash, so to help; we’ve summarised our top tips on how to find a secure online casino in the UK.
Play at one of our top safe-rated casinos in the UK
Whilst there are plenty of safe and secure online casinos out there, there are also a great number of unsafe ones. Therefore, it is so incredibly important that you do your research before making your final decision of where you’ll be spending countless hours and hard-earned pounds.
Here at MyCasinoBonuses, we’re dedicated to providing you with all of the information you need to ensure you choose a safe and secure online casino. And what’s better? We’ve gone that one step further and categorised the safest casinos in the UK for you in this handy table found below. So what are you waiting for? Have a read and start playing safely and securely today!
Best Safe Casinos in 2019
| Rank | Casino | Bonus | Terms | Claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. |  | £88 No Deposit Bonus + £1500 Bonus | £20 Minimum Deposit. 30x Wagering Requirement Bonus + Deposit Amount. Bonus wins are £100 maximum, 90 days expiry time. | Claim Bonus T & C Apply | New Customers Only | 18+ |
2. |  | £100 Bonus + 25 Free Spins | £10 Minimum Deposit. No Deposit Bonus offer: No Wagering Requirement. Bonus offer: 45x Wagering Requirement. No Deposit Bonus offer. 7 day offer expiry. Bonus offer: Deposits made via e-wallets are not accepted. Offer available on selected games. | Claim Bonus T & C Apply | New Customers Only | 18+ |
3. |  | 100% up to £200 Welcome Bonus + 100 Free Spins | £10 Minimum Deposit. 35x Wagering Requirement. Once you've made your deposit, you'll receive an additional 40 spins on selected games the next day, and on day three you'll receive an additional 40 free spins, plus an extra bonus surprise! | Claim Bonus T & C Apply | New Customers Only | 18+ |
4. |  | 200% up to £300 Bonus on First Deposit | £35 Minimum Deposit. 30x Wagering Requirement on Bonus and Deposit. Bonus amount cannot be withdrawn. Deposits made via Neteller and Skrill are not valid. | Claim Bonus T & C Apply | New Customers Only | 18+ |
5. |  | 20 Free Spins No Deposit + 100% up to £300 + 100 Free Spins | £10 Minimum Deposit. 40x Wagering Requirements applicable to Free Spins, Bonus Spins and Deposit Bonus. 'Opt-in' to receive the promotion. Offer on selected games only. Max bonus is £300. | Claim Bonus T & C Apply | New Customers Only | 18+ |
6. |  | £50 Bonus on First Deposit + 20 Free Spins | £10 Minimum Deposit. 35x Wagering Requirement on Bonus. Deposits made via e-wallet are excluded. Free spins have no wagering requirements. Maximum payout from the bonus is £500. | Claim Bonus T & C Apply | New Customers Only | 18+ |
What to look out for when finding a safe online casino
Before making your final decision on whether a specific online casino is the right one for you, we always recommend you do your safety checks. After all, you need to ensure where you’re about to spend your hard-earned cash is safe and secure.
One of the first things we recommend you investigate is whether the online casino in question is licensed and regulated. It’s really easy to find out whether the casino you’re considering is licensed and regulated, all you need to do is scroll to the bottom of the homepage and look at the footer of the website. There you’ll be able to see the licensing and regulatory bodies, for UK online casinos those would be; UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), Malta, Gibraltar, Alderney and/or the Isle of Man.
It’s important to note that every licensed online casino has to adhere to the rules set out by the regulatory body if they want to remain in operation, failure to adhere to the rules could result in penalties and suspension. Another reason to choose a licensed online casino is that a licensed casino will ensure the casino and the data obtained by the casino is protected from hackers and security threats.
Encrypted Logins
When signing up to an online casino, it’s important to take note of whether the password you’re being asked to enter is encrypted. The best way to tell if you’re being asked to enter an ‘encrypted’ password is by the requirements of the password. If the password you’re being asked to enter is; of a certain length, has numbers, has special character requirements and if you have to use capital letters, usually means that the password is encrypted.
We also recommend that you read the terms and conditions before signing up to a casino, paying particular notice to how your data and information is stored. Lookout for whether your data is stored on a private, secure and encrypted database – if the terms and conditions stipulate this, then it’s a good sign. In previous years, certain casinos stored their information locally which meant it was easier for hackers and employees to access information, luckily as technology has progress, this is no longer the case.
Enhanced Online Security Protection
Another thing to look out for on top of providing a secure password to the online casino of your choosing, is the additional option of a RSA token. An RSA token is essentially an electronic device that will provide you with a randomly generated code. Once you have the randomly generated code, you’ll need to input it alongside your password to access your account, thus providing an extra level of safety and security.
It’s important to note the integration of RSA tokens to a website are a great added safety extra. However, there are many safe online casinos that haven’t added this functionality yet, so if you find an online casino that doesn’t include an RSA token, don’t completely disregard it – keep reading our tips to check whether the casino you’re considering includes other safety and security features before making your decision.
Is the Online Casino Website Secure?
Identifying whether the online casino you’re considering is ‘secure’ is really crucial, as a secure website means that the data obtained via the website is completely secure and safe from hacks. It’s really easy to identify whether a website is secure or not by the following:
Ensure the online casino website has an SSL certificate
You’ll be able to tell by looking at whether the website contains a https://. You can do this by looking at the web address in the web browser. The ‘s’ in https:// stands for secure. If the website has a http:// – it means the website is not secure and should potentially be avoided.
Ensure there is a lock symbol in the browser bar – this demonstrates that the website is authentic and secure.
Web browsers including; Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari show the lock symbol in the web address providing the user with the pages original identity and demonstrating that the website hasn’t be altered by hackers.
Ownership of the Casino
Another way of identifying whether an online casino is safe or not, is by looking at whether it’s owned or part of a larger group. It’s really easy to ascertain this information, as any reputable casino will have an ‘About Us’ page which will include this type of information. Including details such as when the casino was formed, which company is running the online casino, and its contact information.
You may come across some online casinos that don’t have an ‘About Us’ page or they may include limited information about their history – in this case we recommend you check out the casinos terms and conditions for more information. If after reading the terms and conditions it’s still not conclusive we recommend you find an alternative online casino.
Just remember, any safe and secure online casino will display any ownership information, casino history and contact details, because they have nothing to hide from their customers.
Check out the Payment Methods
When it comes to assessing the safety of an online casino, it’s important to look past the online casino itself and examine elements associated with the online casino, for example payment methods. Whilst the online casino may be safe and secure, it’s important to identify the payment methods they are using to pay their customers are equally as safe and trusted.
We recommend you look out for the big players when it comes to payment methods, brands like; MasterCard, Visa, PayPal, Neteller and Skrill amongst others. The aforementioned payment methods are established, tried and tested, so you can be assured your money will be safe in transit.
Levels of Identification
When identifying whether an online casino is safe and secure you should also pay special notice to the level of identification you’re being asked to provide when signing up. If the online casino you’re considering doesn’t ask for information to verify who you are i.e. provide a copy of your ID before accepting your first deposit or withdrawal then perhaps think again, as how does this online casino know they are paying the right person?
It’s important to provide identification such as a passport or a driver’s license, in addition some online casinos will go as far as asking for your most recent utility bill to ensure you really do live at the address you’ve provided.
Whilst providing a photo, or scanning your ID and utility bill may seem laborious, it’s actually a really good indicator that the online casino you’ve selected is safe and secure. So it’s a big thumbs up from us!
How to Protect Yourself When Signing up to an Online Casino
When it comes to finding a safe and secure online casino in the UK, we hope you found our tips above helpful. Whilst it’s super important to ensure where you’re wagering your hard-earned cash is safe, it’s also crucial to ensure you understand how to protect your own personal information online. Here at MyCasinoBonuses.co.uk, we have put together our top tips on how you can make sure you are keeping your personal details safe and secure online; found below:
Choose a Good Password
First things first, choose a good password. Sounds really simple right? Wrong! You’ll be surprised how many people use really easy to guess passwords like:
- Password
- letmein
- 123456
- Their other half’s name
- Their date of birth
We strongly recommend you choose a password that is personal to you, with the following requirements:
- Include numbers
- Include special characters: !@#%
- Include a combination of capital and small case letters
- Ensure your password is over 6 characters
- Most importantly, keep your password private!
Make Use Of The 2-step Verification
Whilst two-step verification can be frustrating at times, we strongly recommend that you use it, as that additional level of security via email or mobile phone authentication assures the online casino that it’s really you that has logged in. Plus, any online casino that has 2-step verification is committed to the safety and security of their customers and their data, so it’s a big thumbs up from us!
Choose Good Answers to Your Security Questions
Who remembers the answers to the security questions they’ve been asked? It’s safe to say not many people do, because they are usually things we don’t think about, or things that have happened in the past. However, we strongly recommend when choosing the answers to your security questions they are as recent as possible, relating to aspects of your current life, whilst ensuring they are answers nobody will be able to guess easily.
Change Your Password Regularly
It’s important that you change your password regularly. We recommend changing your password every 4-6 weeks. Be sure to keep track of all of your password changes, and most importantly, remember what your new password is!
Install Anti-virus Software
Whilst this may be a precautionary, it’s always good to install anti-virus software and a firewall to protect you and your data from any possible viruses and trojans. Most laptops and computers these days have built-in anti-virus protection, however, we recommend you double check and if you haven’t got any installed, purchase some to be safe and secure.
Check the Statements From Your Bank
Finally, it’s important you check the statements you get from your bank to ensure firstly you’ve been paid, secondly, you’ve been paid the correct amount and, thirdly you’ve been paid on time. It’s also crucial to keep an eye out for any mysterious payments, if once you’ve signed up to an online casino you’ve noticed mysterious payments are going out, contact your bank for more information immediately.
Does the Online Casino Have Third-Party Verification?
When choosing a safe online casino, it’s important to discover whether the online casinos software is verified by a trusted and established third party. It’s also crucial to check whether the safety, security and fairness of the software being used by the online casino can be proved. If you’re unable to find proof that the online casino in question is working with a third party auditing company then, we recommend you reconsider the safety of the online casino you’re considering.
The benefit of an online casino working with a third party auditing company is that the third party company will test the online casinos software on a regular basis, to ensure that the casino games are deemed ‘fair’. Each online casino game will be tested over a million times to guarantee complete unpredictability, whilst ensuring the standards are identical and equally as authentic to that of a land-based casino.
Once the online casino passes the rigorous testing and reviews, it’ll then be certified by the third party auditing company and will be giving a form of certification as proof – this certification will proudly be displayed on the online casinos website. The well-known third party auditing companies are; eCOGRA, Technical Systems Testing (TST) and Gaming Associates Pty Ltd amongst others.
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Casino Security
Is it Safe to Play at Online Casinos?
The short answer to this is YES. However, when it comes to anything online, you need to do your due-diligence and research the online casino you’re considering before committing to spending your hard-earned cash there. At MyCasinoBonuses, we’re committed to providing our readers with as much useful information as possible to help them make the right informed decision. On our website you’ll find the best UK online casinos, the safest UK online casinos, the casinos that offer the best welcome bonuses, the biggest free spins offers and more – all of which are completely unbiased and provide detailed information to help you choose right.
Are Online Casinos Secure?
Similarly to the answer above, YES. There are many online casinos in the UK that are safe and secure. Key points to note when assessing the security of an online casino is; ensure the online casino has an SSL certificate, it’s licensed and regulated by an established gambling authority and it offers reputable and secure payment methods. For more detailed information, read more here.
What is a ‘blacklisted’ Casino?
A blacklisted casino, is a casino that has essentially been deemed unsafe for a plethora of reasons, such as:
- Poor customer service
- No payment of winnings
- Unfair games – i.e. not regulated by a third party auditing company
- Requests for customers to phone them on a chargeable number in order to verify their identity
- Spamming players with marketing messages
- False advertising
If you identify any of the above traits, we strongly recommend you steer clear of the online casino. Here at MyCasinoBonuses, we’ve identified a comprehensive list of the safest UK online casinos, who ensure the safety and security of their players is one of their most important priorities, found here.