In recent years, the online gambling industry has experienced phenomenal growth as casino enthusiasts come to recognize the convenience that online casino gambling offers. Playing at the online casino allows gamers the freedom to enjoy real money gaming entertainment at any time and from any location, based on their personal preferences.
You can choose from any of the casino’s dozens of table games, slot machines, lotteries and specialty games and play on your personal PC or mobile device at your leisure. Everything is available at the swipe of your finger, from gameplay and bonus give-aways to multiple opportunities for online banking, free play opportunities and real cash wins.
Some gamers have expressed concerns about the ability of the online casino to ensure safe and fair gaming opportunities. Are the games safe? Are customers’ personal details secure once they’ve submitted those details to the casino? Are online banking transactions to and from the casino secure? What technology is used in the games and how is that technology monitored for transparency?
Following are some basic points that guide gamers as they navigate the new world of the online casino.
Regulatory Frameworks
The online casinos rely on the licensing authorities in the countries where game developers are based to ensure compliance with industry standards. These regulatory bodies - including the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA), which is the one we, at Grande Vegas use - enforce strict regulations and professional conduct. They audit the games to check that each game’s Random Number Generator is functioning properly and assures that every spin of the dice, every deal of the cards and every spin of the reels results in a random result. The regulatory frameworks can, if necessary, provide recourse in case of disputes.
The RNG is the backbone of every online casino game. The RNG technology assures online players that their gaming experience will involve an equal and unbiased chance to win. The RNG operates via a sophisticated algorithm which is designed to generate random and unpredictable results.
All online casino video games, including poker, blackjack, roulette and the slot machines, are powered by a RNG. The RNG ensures a level of transparency that players can rely on so that they are able to trust the integrity of the games they play.
Transparency
Reputable online casinos publicize their gaming machines’ Return to Player percentage (RTP) so that gamers know, right from the beginning, what kind of winning opportunities the machine offers.
Return to Player (RTP) is a term that refers to the percentage that will be returned to a player depending on bets made during the game. If the RTP percentage of a game is 95%, that means that for every $1 deposited, $.95 is returned in winning payouts. Obviously, the higher a game’s RTP, the more chances you have of winning.
Publicizing the games’ volatility is also a way to add a level of transparency to the gaming experience. Volatility involves an estimate of how much and how often a gaming machine pays out.
A machine with low volatility pays out small wins in quick succession. While a high-volatility gaming machine pays out big wins which are more infrequent.
Whether you want to play a game with a high-volatility machine or one with low volatility depends on your preference but it’s good to know what type of machine you’re playing.
eBanking
Online casinos conduct financial transactions using ebanking services. Some casinos rely on one specific type of ebank while others give players their choice so that the gamer can make deposits and withdraw payouts in a way that suits his or her personal preference.
Transactions between your casino account and your ebanking account are accomplished using the highest level of online security. The casino encrypts all transaction details with 128 BIT encryption technology which you can ascertain with the online bank’s SSL certification.
These include transactions between the casino account and evoucher and ewallet services, wire transfers and credit and debit card transfers. Stringent verification processes used by both the online casinos and the ebanks prevent both theft and fraud.
Many online casinos now support blockchain technology, which offers another step towards ensuring fair, safe and transparent casino gambling.
Players who use cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, can transfer funds using a transparent and immutable ledger. This eliminates fraud and builds trust.
Advantages to the player in using cybercurrency for payments and withdrawals include the elimination of intermediaries, lower fees, better exchange rates and the possibility of maintaining anonymity.
Future
As online casino gaming continues to evolve, it is increasingly important to stay up-to-date regarding the safety, fairness, and transparency of online casino gambling.
When online casinos implement robust security measures, adhere to regulatory frameworks, ensure that their RNGs are updated and support different methods of ebanking and blockchain technology, it’s possible to rely on the casinos to provide players with a trustworthy and safe gambling environment.
In such an environment, the player knows that the games are fair, his/her personal information is protected and that the casino operates in an atmosphere of transparency.
