Thanks to mobile casinos, accessing an online casino game is quite easy today. These casinos usually provide a smartphone-compatible site and an app you can install to enjoy games such as poker, roulette, slots, craps, and baccarat.
However, the popularity of mobile casino apps has led to serious security concerns as there are lots of malicious individuals actively targeting them to steal personal information and financial data.
This means that before you install any online mobile casino app or start gaming, you need to put some protective measures in place.
Choose Reputable Brands
The most important decision you will have to make is the platform with which to game. You’ll come across many brands when looking for a mobile casino, but you must be careful to ensure you select a reliable one.
Choose one that has already earned a good name by providing high levels of integrity, transparency, fairness, security, and commitment to player satisfaction.
To analyze this, the place to start is the licensing and regulation. Before you even download the app, go to the website and check this information on the lower side of the main page, then verify it online.
From there, do a search online and look at reviews and testimonials from other users. Analyze these to get an idea of the casino’s fairness, security, customer support, and general reliability.
Only Download Apps from the Official Store
As a rule of thumb, never download a mobile casino app from a website, even if it’s the casino’s website. This is because these apps can often be insecure and an entry point for hackers to your device.
After analyzing the various casinos and choosing the one you’d like, visit the official website and click the link provided for your device, iOS or Android.
This link should not download the app. Rather, it should lead you to the official store. This is important as Google Play Store and Apple App Store usually carry out a rigorous screening process to ensure that the apps hosted there are secure and high quality.
Use Strong Passwords & Enable 2-FA
Besides installing a secure app, you also need to ensure that you protect your account from unauthorized access. The obvious starting point is the password, which needs to be very secure. You can use a password manager to avoid re-using a password or creating a weak one.
On top of the password, ensure that you also enable two-factor authentication (2FA). This is an important security step as it protects your account even if your username and password somehow fall into the wrong hands (breaches can always happen).
Secure Your Device
Your device is the gateway to your gaming apps, accounts, personal information, and financial details. This means that it should be at the top of your priority list when it comes to security. As a bare minimum, ensure that you have enabled Screen Lock, as this will prevent unauthorized people from getting access to the device.
From there, you can look at the permissions you give your casino app. The app shouldn’t ask for permissions it doesn’t need, such as your photos, and you can also deny it others, such as your location.
Lastly, ensure you keep your apps and operating systems updated, as this helps fix bugs and seal up potential vulnerabilities.
Be Wary of Public Wi-Fi
While we can all agree public Wi-Fi hotspots are quite convenient, they pose significant security threats. This is because these networks are usually less secure than private networks, and you never know who else is connecting to them – the network might even be a honeypot hotspot put up by cybercriminals.
When malicious individuals are connected to the same public hotspot as you, they can easily infiltrate your device and steal sensitive data through interception and malware attacks.
If you have to use a public Wi-Fi network, ensure that you also use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This will encrypt your connection and secure your traffic, protecting all your sensitive data.