For a lot of punters, gambling is just a form of entertainment. At best, you make a few bucks now and then – especially with some good casinos that provide $200 no deposit bonus codes for Australia 2022. Sadly, not everyone shares this view. For some very unscrupulous individuals, it’s a booming sector where they can display their mischievous ingenuity to rob gamers and operators of data (personal, financial, etc.), intellectual property, and do all sorts of heinous things. But why gambling? Well, cybercrime has been a front-burner issue for a long while. It has, however, gained more attention ever since our lives have become more internet-based. Existing data categorically proves that the online gambling industry is money-loaded.
According to Statista, the international market size of the gambling industry climaxed at 231 billion USD in 2021. Guess what the figure could be in 2022? Now that’s a huge market! With gaming venues (mostly online casinos) and players increasing now and then, it’s obvious why the gambling industry is having a hard time with several attempts of cyberattacks. While this fight against cybercriminals is ongoing, it’s equally important for gamblers to be well-informed of this menace, what it is, and how not to fall victim. In this text, you will learn about different forms of cybercrime and practical ways to secure yourself, money and all, from these robbers on the Internet.
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Phishing
Phishing is a form of crime in which cybercriminals disguise themselves as genuine people; it could even be as a rep of the casino in question and start interacting via email or other forms of communication with their victims. Phishers will normally use phishing emails to send false links or attachments which they have programmed to perform a task after a click. Some will go as far as using the links to get the login credentials or account information of victims.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a malware designed to shut out a user or organization and prevent them from accessing files on their computer. What the hacker does is encrypt these files and afterward demand a ransom payment for the decryption. Cyberattackers place the victim in a tight position where paying the ransom is the only way to regain access. Some ransomware attackers could even steal information and use it as bait to further extort their victims.
DDoS Attack
This stands for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. This type of attack takes advantage of the capacity limits of a network’s services, for example, the structure that powers a company’s website. The DDoS attack will generate and send multiple requests to the target website to bombard the website with more requests than it can handle. This prevents the website from functioning correctly. DDoS attacks are common with online shopping sites, online casinos, etc.
SQL Injection
SQL injection (SQLi) can be used to influence a website’s data retrieving system, thereby making the website vulnerable. It generally allows an attacker to access data that they do not normally retrieve. This may include data belonging to users or any other data that the system can access. A successful SQL injection can give the attacker access to sensitive data, such as passwords, credit card details, or the personal information of users.
Practical Ways to Avoid Cybercrime When Gambling
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
- You have a role to play.
As much as online gaming venues must ensure their platform is secured, the job of securing your data and funds is still largely your responsibility. This is true as you have a role to play in all of these. Beginning with where you choose to gamble to your choice of passwords. It also boils down to your ability to question things that seem to be out of place, for example, exaggerated casino offers, no license certificate, etc. A lot depends on you, the gambler. Later in the text, you will see how some cyber crimes are carried out.
- Play only at licensed casinos
The Internet is such a free place that anyone can create a website, link some games on it, and pretend to be a legit casino. Online gambling venues don’t go through the stringent regulations and monitoring that land-based ones experience; hence, the reason why rogue casinos can operate for a long time before their cover blows. That said, some agencies and commissions ensure that an online casino is worthy of operating and providing authentic gambling services. We have the likes of the UKGC, MGA, eCOGRA, and tons of others. Always look out for a casino’s license certificate before you sign up, let alone give your financial details or even make a deposit.
- Do your due diligence in researching the casino before you start gambling.
One of the great things about the Internet is that it provides the space for people to freely air opinions, thoughts, and experiences. This doesn’t mean you have to take everything you see online as being true. However, if you check the right places, you can always get trusted information. Before you start gambling at a casino, check out online reviews about the casino, and read about people’s experiences with the brand.
- Confirm the casino’s provision for security
A reputable and trustworthy casino will have made provisions to protect its users from the operations of cyber criminals. One of the cardinal requirements for licensing is a standard security condition that must be satisfied by the casino. That being said, there are several ways online casinos make their platform free from cyber crimes. A popular strategy is the use of encryption technologies – SSL and TLS. To know if the casino’s website is secure, check the address bar. You should see a lock icon before the web address. If you click the icon, you will see a message which says, ‘Your connection is secure. That’s how you confirm that a site is secured.
- Beware of clicking unknown links or pop-ups.
Most casino websites are free from external pop-ups and links that aren’t owned by the casino. If you find any pop-ups or links suspicious, report them to the casino.
- Beware of leaving your details in public places.
Whenever you play in a public place like a coffee shop or cafe, don’t leave without logging out of your account. Do not save your password or username on the public network.
Why Avoid Being a Victim of Cybercrime
When cybercriminals attack an online casino, they try to steal information from the casino’s database. There is no telling what they can do with this information. So why should you care?
- Your data and resources are at stake.
Cybercriminals are desperate when it comes to getting what they want. They may go ahead to blackmail their victims into paying a ransom in exchange for their information. You don’t want to be in this state at all.
- The reputation and business of the casino are at stake.
Once word goes out that a casino has successfully been attacked, the casino starts losing credibility, and this may eventually lead to the closure of the business.
- It further taints the image of the gambling sector.
This is going to be on a large scale. Imagine frequent reports of cyberattacks and gamblers getting haunted and bullied by these online thieves; the government will be forced to stop issuing licenses to genuine casino start-ups. The government may even start ‘downsizing’ current ones.
