Online gambling platforms are among the top forms of entertainment nowadays. However, unsuspecting players can easily fall victim to online fraud, as scammers can be found in pretty much any niche, especially online gambling. Moreover, casinos are also under a lot of suspicion as money launderers tend to use them for clearing their crime proceeds, and you don’t want to be associated with those platforms. This is pretty much true for any part of the world or country, including Africa.
Of course, there are some means that can help you easily identify a reliable platform for gaming. Veteran players from Africa already know how to find an operator they can trust. Here we will provide you with some tips on how to find safe and legal casinos in Africa.
Legitimacy
The first thing you need to do, in order to check if the casino is legitimate, is a minor background check. To be precise, you need to see if they are licensed, as well as where they are licensed or who regulates them. Legitimate platforms tend to disclose this information in the footer of their site, and some of them even have their license number displayed. If it’s not there you can check about the section, FAQ section or ask their customer support.
Then you need to visit the regulator’s site and see if that information checks out. Now, just because a casino is licensed or legal doesn’t mean it’s safe or that they won’t try to trick you. This is why there is a strong debate on whether online casinos are safer than physical institutions. As you continue to read you will get a good idea why a license doesn’t necessarily mean security.
Safety
A legitimate provider with a poor website is not safe. If a site doesn’t use encryption or safe protocol, it’s more likely to be hacked and the user information on that platform or server can be stolen. Since your credit card and email information are there, a hacker could easily gain access to it, which can result in more problems down the line. Always make sure to check if the site is using the “HTTPS” protocol before you decide to create your account or play there. It doesn’t mean that the owner has ill intent, it just means they are sloppy and that can put your information in jeopardy.
Payouts and Payment Options
Casinos with more payment options are generally better options. That being said, you should always check if their deposit and withdrawal methods are the same. If you don’t have effective means of withdrawing funds, then the overall play experience will suffer. You can look up other sites that rank fast payout casino platforms, and find out which one has the best overall user reviews. Fast payouts indicate quality payment methods for withdrawal and fewer hurdles for money transfers in general. Basically, a site that pays out your winnings quickly, doesn’t scheme in the background and tries to figure out how to deny you your cash.
Mobile-friendly Sites
Today, it’s really important for almost any site to have a mobile-friendly design. Its visibility within a search engine is strongly influenced by this factor. Meaning if a platform is not mobile-friendly, it can indicate that the owner refused to do a bare minimum, and user experience is not their top priority. The same applies to payment methods, if someone is not allowing you to have easy access to your cash, and to their platform, it shows they are not serious about his business, therefore who knows what are their true intentions.
Game Selection
A site with a vast game library needs to collaborate with multiple developer companies. This means they have partnered up with several reputable companies that care about their reputation. It also shows they want to provide a superior user experience. So, sites with lots of different slots, from different developers, and with a good selection of live games are typically more trustworthy.
Bonuses
Bonuses are typically a great player incentive, but believe it or not, they can also be used to determine if an operator is a safe choice. If the welcome offer looks too good to be true that’s because it probably is.
These promotions tend to have long terms and conditions, which you accept the moment you accept the bonus. In fact, some operators give you the bonus automatically, and you have to go out of your way in order to reject it. The bonuses can come with hefty wagering requirements, which can basically prevent you from accessing your winnings. Always go over the terms and conditions before accepting the bonus and read the wagering requirements.
Customer Support
Finally, you can interact with their customer support in order to test their responsiveness. Now, a site with a lot of customer queries can have slow support, so it doesn’t mean that they are not to be trusted. However, if you are asking about their license, or terms that should be clearly stated, and the support agent is being dodgy, then chances are that platform is not entirely trustworthy.
Conclusion
So, these were some suggestions on how to check an online gambling platform in Africa or anywhere else in the world. A lot of big providers usually pass these tests with flying colors, as they have a big player base that is satisfied with their service overall. If reviews on multiple sites are similar and mostly positive, then a site should be safe.
Bio:
Ashley Boyd is a detail-oriented sports blogger and content writer. She also loves to cover topics related to the iGaming industry, like top online casinos, slots, and poker tips. In his spare time, he enjoys playing video games and watching psychological thrillers.