Are Online Sports Betting Sites Reliable? Find Out How To Tell

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Are Online Sports Betting Sites Reliable?

Are bookmakers reliable or not

Newbies who are venturing into the world of online sports betting for the very first time are likely to be wary. There is an acute awareness of certain security risks that sites might pose. Luckily, there are a few standard regulations. There are also some other factors that legitimate casinos and online sports betting sites follow.

There are various ways in which online casinos and online sports betting sites secure its services. All of these methods are covered below, from certification to encryption.

If you have any doubts, most online sports betting sites contain extensive FAQ sections. You can get a good measure of a site here, as well as a sound idea of its level of customer service.


Security Concerns

When you sign-up or register with an online sports betting site, you’ll need to navigate through a cashier. This is normal during the depositing process. Depositing entails giving the site your banking or other payment method processing details. Punters want to give money to a website that has safety as a top priority.

If you aren’t a hundred percent sure of a site’s reliability, then you need to dig deeper or cut and run. Your information might be at risk, jeopardising your banking details, or worse. This is why you need exercise care when entering essential information online.

New casinos and sportsbooks appear online all of the time. That’s why it’s imperative to steer clear of blacklisted bookmakers and only seek out top-notch security. The following checklist of factors will ensure that a casino is far from a fraudster.


What Security Measures Do Betting Sites Adopt?

The security measures taken by betting sites are specific to certain aspects thereof. Take banking, for example. If you chose to use a Visa or MasterCard payment option, then you might encounter third-party verification.

This is for the bank’s security. A secure payment option, therefore, is legit and regarded as being safe.

The bank and the online sportsbook will not enclose any sensitive information. This method only verifies your identity. Bear in mind that only the most reliable bookmakers adopt all of the safety precautions we are going to outline in a moment. Below are some of the most common types of security measures adopted online. You should see some mention of these factors on any reliable site.

Security Measures at bookies
SSL Certificates

An SSL certificate is given to sites that have applied for, and which utilise, SSL encryption. The certificate is one way to show you that the casino or sports betting site has chosen to put itself under review. In turn, the site has also chosen to be accountable for instances of misconduct, if any occurs.

SSL stands for secure sockets layer, which is a scientific way of saying that your web connection to the site is secure. This security encryption technology allows users to share personal credentials and sensitive banking information safely.

SSL encryption certification covers sensitive data like card credentials, banking details or anything else that could be used against you.

Jurisdictional Licenses

There are three main ways that a legit sports betting site can adhere to the regulation. As a rule of thumb, punters should only sign up at licensed betting sites that have a valid document issued by a respectable authority. Look out for anything denoting these licenses or any agreement with online security companies to verify a casino.

Jurisdictional licenses refer to the location in which the casino or online sports betting site originated. Many are regulated under that state. However, each state can differ in its regulations.

A well-known example is UK based casinos and sportsbooks. It is the UK Gambling Commission that usually regulates these sites. This authority came into existence in 2007.

Below are some other gambling regulatory authorities. A clickable link can usually be found on the footer of licensed casinos that want to attract customers with their high standards. These licenses may differ per jurisdiction. Some only regulate online gambling certification, whereas others certify both land-based and online casinos. Some famous names include:

Security Companies

In addition to SSL encryption, there’s also the eCOGRA regulatory body and GamCare. The UK based eCOGRA regulation was established in 2003.

This body oversees casinos from Kahnawake to the Isle of Man. It provides a range of certificates and has verified hundreds of casinos. Keep your eyes peeled for a ‘safe and fair seal’, a ‘certified software seal’, or an ‘affiliated trust seal’.

If you still aren’t sure, eCOGRA provides a list of certified casinos on its site so that you can check it for yourself. Better safe than sorry. In fact, GamCare’s seal of approval is present on a casino site that features its sticker. This sticker signals that staff have been trained adequately to recognise problematic gambling patterns.

Software Testing Companies

A software testing company is an independent business that exists to ensure that casino software is running fairly. This is crucial for things like a random number generator. The software testing company will ensure that features like that remain random. It will also report any glitches or problems encountered to the site.

The site can then take the company’s recommendations and correct any faulty issues. Casinos and sports betting sites’ willingness to be held accountable like this is a very good sign. It will provide a smoother and glitch-free experience for its users. It is also used by the best bookies for eSports that need glitch-free platforms at all times. The last thing that you want is to encounter a technical fault right before a win.

Software testing is also vital for sites that offer virtual sports. Testing is always a must, especially where random number generators are involved. You’ll know if you’re looking at a reliable casino/sports betting site because it will provide fair chances to everyone.

Country-specific Licensing & Regulation

This licensing refers to the jurisdictional regulations discussed previously. Each license depends on where a casino or sportsbook operates from and whether it’s land-based or not. Each regulatory body consists of its own rules and procedures of website verification and certification.

Any legitimate casino site will have the relevant licensing body, described previously, on its main website. It will be on display alongside its license number. This is one of the most critical factors when identifying the top betting sites by country that are legitimate and demonstrate transparency. The casino is approachable for punters if disputes go beyond the casino.

Some country licensing might not be as strict as others. It’s essential to be aware of what license a casino is operating under and what it entails exactly. The jurisdiction must have three things: Decent standards of regulation, the desire to protect its customers and must be subject to auditing.

Any country-specific licensing should have a clickable link on the sports betting site. If not, then you can try contacting the relevant authority.

Personal Information

The bookie will take certain information from you when you register online. Many make its privacy policy available for punters. You can see exactly how the site stores your data and what can happen to it in the future. This is an additional safeguard that will help to put your mind at ease.

When you navigate around a casino site, you’ll see a link to the privacy policy at the bottom of the website. This policy outlines exactly what information the site is storing. The policy will cover everything from your account details to site cookies.

There’s usually an assurance from the casino as well. This will tell you that the casino won’t distribute any of your personal or private information beyond its site. There will also be information about what happens to your data if you close your account.

Your personal information will always be a top priority when it comes to security. This should hold true for any online site.

If you suspect that anything’s amiss, go back to these must-have factors for assurance.

Customer Service

If you aren’t sure about something, or don’t understand what measures a site has taken, then you can head to customer care. Between here and the FAQ section, a good sports betting site should have staff who are willing to accommodate your queries.


Bookmakers Reviews

One of the easiest ways to check if the site you’re interested in is safe and reliable is through reviews. There are hundreds of online sports betting sites, and the reviews at Siletbet cover the most reliable ones. Word of mouth is one of the longstanding signs of a sure thing, after all.

Many of our reviews have a section specifically dedicated to the security associated with a particular sportsbook. You can compare betting sites for all of your sports betting needs. A reliable website will adhere to the necessary regulations and will make sure that your experience is fair.

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    Katerina Gadzheva
    Certified Betting Expert
    Katerina Gadzheva
    Katerina is our main certified writer of iGaming content. She is knowledgeable about both casino and sports-related topics.