By Shaan Khan
A quick google search for online bingo sites will reveal the game’s popularity with an overwhelming number of websites to choose from. It’s a no-brainer for software developers to create bingo websites with the online bingo industry amassing £900 million in revenue within 2019-2020.
However, navigating the virtual world of online bingo can be trickier than your traditional brick & mortar bingo halls due to the ongoing war on cybersecurity that continues to escalate, with data breaches that put your privacy at risk, ransomware that steals your money or scammers who trick you into giving them cash for a false reward.
The following tips will help you identify the dark side of online bingo sites and how to stay clear from then.
Safety in Numbers – Secondary Research
First and foremost, a swath of articles from bloggers and publications have listed their most recommended online bingo sites, outlining their experiences in detail, pointing out the pros and cons, and comparing them with competitors.
You should browse a handful of these relevant articles to build a more valid picture on the safest places to play. This will narrow down the risk of finding a biased article fabricating claims about an online bingo site to grow its popularity or for the writer being paid to promote a site without audience discretion.
To further narrow down the chances of being misled by paid-off writers, always search for a pool of user reviews for an online bingo site recommended by articles.
Many review websites allow users to comment and rate online bingo sites, and with the larger pool of user reviews, the higher chance the reviews are legitimate.
Investigate Yourself – Primary Research
Instead of secondary research where you take other people’s word on the legitimacy of an online bingo site, you can further eliminate risk by being savvy through identifying the red flags of a non-secure online bingo website.
Primary research is an excellent way of not being deceived by individuals lying to you about a website to increase their profits. It also comes in handy when a new online bingo website jumps onto the scene with very few reviews but an interesting theme, concept or reward system that’s grabbed your attention.
Identifying Red Flags:
Padlock – Check the website address bar for a locked padlock logo once you’re on the online bingo site. If the logo does not appear as explained, your privacy and data are not protected, and you should exit the website.
If the locked padlock appears, select it for more information presented by your browser that confirms website security is in place using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) so you can continue using the site.
Legal Validation – Online bingo sites in many countries require gambling licenses from the government. Websites will display the legal approval and validation from governments and relevant committees in the copyright section of their website, usually found on the website’s footer or about us sections.
PayPal – Websites that only accept card payment and bank information can be fishy since it gives them the power to be fraudulent. However, if they accept PayPal, it’s more difficult for a website to steal money from you since PayPal does not give websites access to your card or bank details.
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