When it comes to sports betting, it’s typical that punters are on the lookout for sportsbooks with best odds. However, what should also be prioritized is safe gambling, especially if you are planning on placing your bets online.
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It’s definitely fine to place your bets online. Cybersecurity nowadays is well-improved, but there are still a few things that you should always consider when placing your bets online. This is to make sure that you won’t be bothered by fraudulent activities. After all, the internet is still a place where many of these happen.
Sure, many local governments are already finding ways to make gambling safer for their locals. In the UK, the Gambling Commission has released new regulations last year that can protect its locals from risks of gambling.
One of these is ensuring that no gambling advertisements would make it on the UK Television before 9 PM. Online gambling ads are also prohibited and online casinos are required to conduct a verification process within 72 hours after a player registers on their website.
The UK’s effort to improve the gambling situation in the country seems to be focused on solving underage gambling and online fraudulent activities that affect their locals. Online casinos operating in the country are actually in good terms with this as safe gambling also appears to their priority.
Almost the same things might happen in Kenya this year. The government in Kenya appears to be focusing on its gambling industry as well. They are already working on banning gambling advertisements in the country. At the same time, taxes for operators may also get higher.
The private gambling companies in Kenya are known to be battling the tax raise. This happening can affect the gambling options that are available to Kenyan players and of course, many are not happy about it. Based on recent updates, the Kenyan government may still be after the private gambling companies and so even if they have already won their case against the tax increase, the private sector of the industry may still have to go through a lot this year.
Now, with these, it’s obvious that the urging of many governments for safer gambling can be a bit complicated. This is why the players or punters themselves should also bet responsibly. Responsible gaming is a must to make sure you avoid the risks of gambling. Here are some of the practices that players should be carried out every time they place bets online.
- Check for license
This should be the first thing you should look at whenever you’re choosing an online sportsbook or casino to place your bets with. An online bookie or casino with a license means that it is at par with the requirements of the jurisdiction.
You should also check if it’s legal to place your bets online wherever you are. For example, in the US, only a few states allow local betting. Some of these states are New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Delaware. However, know that some of these states don’t allow online betting yet like in New York.
- Check on a site’s reputation
It’s part of being a responsible gambler to check on the reviews of a casino site or online bookie. Go outside the website and check real and honest reviews from customers. Check whether an operator has issues with payout delays or customer service.
- Read the policies
Don’t be guilty of skipping the terms and agreement section when you’re creating an account with an online bookie or casino. Make sure that you read what their policies are. Some casinos require a minimum amount of deposit and withdrawal.
Many people are usually having problems with the withdrawal amount, however. There are still online casinos that are not upfront with this so make sure you check.
- Choose the best payment option for you
Online bookies and casinos nowadays offer many payment options for their players. The best option really depends on what you have and your needs. Nowadays, many now prefer using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for this.
The use of cryptos when gambling allows players to remain anonymous. Transactions with cryptos only require a wallet address and that’s it. This makes transactions easier, quicker, and much safer for many. If you’re not comfortable placing your credit card, debit card, or any banking information online to gambling sites, then go for cryptocurrencies or digital wallets like PayPal.
- Set a limit
Aside from making sure that you avoid fraudulent activities online, another risk that you should avoid is gambling addiction. This is one of the problems or issues that many countries are facing and avoiding this will really start with you.
When gambling online, always make sure that you set your limit. This could be with the amount of money you’ll gamble with, the number of matches you’ll wager on, or the number of hours you’ll spend on gambling. Setting a limit and sticking to it is very important to avoid gambling problems.