The general answer to this question is yes; they are protected in the same way. Since the mobile app is still a tool where financial transactions happen, they are subject to various laws that require them to use industry standards as far as security is concerned.
Today, we will explore what kind of security measures go on in a mobile casino app and an online casino website.
SSL
SSL stands for secure socket layer. It is an encryption technology where all the information that pass through between you and the casino are encrypted. Encryption means that the letters you type, or any information, will be jumbled. To be able to decipher the encryption, a person needs an encryption key. In a secure environment, only the casino operator or the financial institution has that key.
If a hacker steals the information that goes on between you and a casino or financial information, he cannot use it unless he has the encryption key. Today, many browsers and search engines make SSL a prerequisite before they allow their users to access a website. Google Play and Apple also have strict requirements for security. After all, the apps go through their platform, and the last thing they want is a major scandal.
In a typical website, the protocol for a URL is HTTP. This means the hyper-text transfer protocol. The problem with this is that it is not secure. A secure website with secure socket layer starts with HTTPS. The letter S is an indication that the website is secure, and that all information that passes through it are all encrypted.
Payment Methods
The kind of payment method used in a casino is one factor that will help you decide if it is safe or not. To begin with, large corporations like Neteller, PayPal, Skrill, and banks will not work with a casino company if it is not legit.
If the payment method has a process where the identity of the person can be traced, then it is a legitimate casino. If a casino asks you to deposit via Western Union, then you need to start to think twice. As you know, Western Union is the number one method used by fraudsters to facilitate transactions.
Why? Because at Western Union, the individual who receives the money can easily produce a fake ID. The employees of Western Union do not really have a verification procedure, much less an identity verification system.
Choose a mobile casino that accepts known entities in the financial world like PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill. For cards, choose casinos that accept credit cards. With credit cards, you can file chargebacks if anything should happen, such as an unknown deposit made to a casino account with your card.
Licenses and Certifications
Before a casino can legitimately operate, it must acquire licenses and certifications from government bodies. Examples of these are:
- United Kingdom – the body is the UKGC or UK Gambling Commission
- Government of Malta
- Government of Curacao
- Government of Cyprus
These governments have jurisdictions. These are rules that tell casinos where they can operate, or which players from which countries they can accept.
Before a government issues a license, the casino has to go through rigorous investigation and testing. All their systems will go through tests to determine if they can be hacked, or whether their computers are compliant with the regulations of the country that issues the license.
You will find the license of a casino at the bottom of its page. If the casino is not displaying a license number, then you have to move on and find another one. A legitimate casino has a license number displayed somewhere on its website.
To find out if the license is real or valid, just go to the website of the issuing body, and then search for the license number. If it does not produce results, then the casino may be a fraudulent company.
Certified Fair Games
All casinos, whether they are on a website or a mobile app, need to have certified games. It is rare for a casino to make its own games. Instead, they curate or partner with game developers.
In this case, it is the game developer that must have a certification from the government that the games they release are fair. By fair, what we mean is that the results of each round of betting must be random. The casino must not have the ability to rig the games to their favour. In the same light, the casino must be safe enough so players cannot hack the system and rig it to their favour.
The fairness of the game is measured via a random number generator, which is often referred to as RNG. The RNG is a software that a game developer incorporates on each and every game. It is the software which ensures that all the results of the spins or card outputs are random.
If a game developer does not pass this test, it simply means that the games can be exploited. You must choose a mobile casino where the games offered are from huge game developers like NetEnt, Microgaming, BTG, and more.
If the casino is manufacturing its own games, you have to check their certification somewhere from the mobile app or the website. Go to the issuing body and check if this license is valid and for how long.
Summary
Next time you play slots like Icy Wilds slot, make sure you choose a casino with a legitimate license to operate. Casino companies go through a long way to get their businesses launched. They have to submit a lot of documents, plus their systems have to go through a multitude of tests, not only for the security of the system but also for the fairness of the games.
It is not only the government that does these checks, but also third-party watchdogs comprised of gambling enthusiasts. These organizations have no interest, but they make sure that the games that the casino offers are all fair to the gamers—that the results are truly random.
