SSL Encryption – Why It’s Essential For All Online Casinos
The Need for SSL Encryption in Online Gambling
Here’s an interesting fact for you, the average business spends $3.86 million to recover from a data breach. This figure comes from the data research site, ibm.com. Every year, thousands of online businesses suffer from security breaches. One of the issues is that not every company takes SSL encryption seriously.
What Is SSL Encryption?
SSL stands for “Secure Socket Layer. Whilst using a website on the internet, it’s a type of data protection to keep your personal information secure. In some businesses, it’s mandatory for genuine operators to have their sites secured through SSL. This includes such industries as finance, online gambling and health. The six-million-dollar question is why gambling with SSL is so important and necessary.
Curbing Phishing Attacks
According to the FBI, in 2020 phishing was the most used method for online data attacks. So what exactly is phishing and why is it so dangerous? Well, it’s a type of online scam using sending voice, text, and email messages, that appear to come from genuine sources.
An example would be that you are enjoying playing slots and table games at an online casino to win the jackpot like Bovada Casino. A scammer could send you a phishing email saying that you’ve managed to win the jackpot online with $15,000 going into your casino account. There may well be an email which requires you to fill in a form with your personal details. Another common method used is that the scammer will ask you to download a file that will explain how you can transfer these funds to your bank account. Once you open it, then welcome to a whole Pandora’s box of malware. Something that could either sit on your computer recording every keystroke, or be transferred via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your mobile phone, and start going through all your banking details.
Look For The Padlock Symbol
Having proper SSL protection protects you from such phishing scams simply because it needs a stamp of approval. Every site that is secured with SSL encryption will have a locked padlock symbol showing in the address bar. You’ll also notice that these sites will have a URL that begins with HTTPS. If you do have to receive an email from an online casino, but you notice there’s no padlock symbol in your browser address bar, then the chances are it’s come from a scammer and it certainly doesn’t represent a real website.
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SSL Encryption For Hiding Sensitive Information
What’s great about SSL encryption is that it shows no one else can intercept your personal information when you’re on the internet. A major reason for this is that it makes use of HTTPS. Some years ago websites, were unsecured and they just used HTTP to move your information around the web. Unfortunately, HTTP doesn’t hide your personal information. Meaning that it’s open to interception by third parties.
SSL protection hides your passwords, images, addresses and usernames. In fact, it hides every piece of information that a reputable gambling site would ask of its customers. Living in the age of KYC (know your customer) this may include such information as your email address, phone number or credit card information, and social security number. Below are the main aspects of utilizing SSL encryption.
- SSL Checker identifies any problems with your certificate
- SSL checking websites (sslshopper.com in the figure) identify any problems with your certificate
- Identifying Genuine Gambling Sites
In order for a company to receive an SSL certificate, it needs to be authenticated by a reputable certificate authority. Essentially these authorities are checking your website to ensure that the proper contact details and other essential features which revolve around trust are present. No other online operator with the same name can receive an SSL certificate. For example, as you’re well aware Bovada Casino is a secure online gambling platform. Now if a fraudster were to create an identical site, then they wouldn’t be able to obtain an SSL certificate. And you will be able to identify the imposter site simply because it didn’t have a proper security certificate.
Improved SEO Rankings
SEO stands for “search engine optimisation”, a process by which Google, Bing and other search engines are continuously helping websites to rank higher in their search results. Obviously, it goes without saying, that the higher the ranking, the more potential website visitors and therefore the possibility of more paying customers. Search engines make use of a number of indicators in deciding how high or low they should rank a website. One of the most important ones of these is that the site features SSL encryption. In this case, a site with this will rank higher than those without.
With so much competition among online casinos constantly trying to entice new customers to play their jackpot games, then every online casino wants to be in Google’s good books. After all, the company controls 80% of all web traffic and there are literally thousands of online casinos fighting for market share. To this end, no online casino like Bovada Casino could afford to operate and make a profit without showing an SSL certificate.
Building Trust With Customers
Another important factor for online casinos is that, if they wish to grow, they will need to build trust with their customers. Showing an SSL certificate is a great way of doing this. Many online gamblers are nervous about passing their personal and banking information to third parties such as online casinos. So it’s super important that they feel that their data is in safe hands. The takeaway here is that displaying an SSL certificate is good for any online business that deals with either personal or banking information. The SSL certificate illustrates the fact that the betting site is trustworthy and safe. If there were to be a toss-up between a site displaying an SSL certificate and one without one, then all gamblers would go for the former.
Protecting Account Credentials
In today’s age of internet fraud and scamming, it’s a certainty that your username and password will not be safe if using a website that’s not secured using SSL. After all, it’s much more difficult to hack a secure site. Although an intelligent hacker could still use social engineering or phishing to obtain your login details. However, this is going to be much more challenging than finding a site without HTTPS protection.
Complying With Regulations
As a gambler, you’re probably aware that all the top and reputable casino websites need a gaming licence. These are from government agencies and their security bodies. They include such entities as the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. It’s an essential requirement of obtaining a licence that the site in question shows an SSL encryption certificate. That’s because many of these regulations and licencing requirements are there in order to protect the customer.
Gambling regulations also require online casinos and sports books to comply with many other strict rules and regulations with regard to how they handle your money, as well as ensuring the games are all fair. But most importantly, to ensure that all gamblers are safe. Many of these rules are in place as a means of ensuring problem gambling is minimal.
Conclusion: Why We Need SSL Encryption
Today we seem to be living in a world of data breaches, fraudsters, hackers and scammers. This means that online security is indispensable. Today all online casinos and gambling websites will be secured using SSL encryption. The same goes for casino gambling apps. Though SSL encryption is today’s standard process by which data is hidden away from prying eyes, it does more than just hide a user’s information. SSL also enables casino websites to improve their ranking with Google. Furthermore, it promotes trust and confidence in gamblers, as well as prevents unwanted security breaches. All in all, it’s an essential ingredient for increasing your jackpot winning chances.
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