Global revenue for online gambling reached over $60 billion in 2021, making it one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in history. This rapid growth has introduced an endless stream of online gambling options, but not all of those options have your best interests at heart.

Some will use your personal info without your permission, while others go as far as using skewed odds to put you at a disadvantage. If you want to play online poker and other online casino games, take note of the six warning signs covered below.

1. Low review scores

One of the quickest ways to check whether a service provider is legitimate or not is to browse customer reviews. We live in an age where consumer feedback is critical for commercial success, and a casino that can’t provide a safe environment for players will undoubtedly have negative review scores.

If you’re playing live poker online, don’t go for the first website that catches your eye. Select a few options and check reviews for each site. After comparing review scores and noting the benefits and drawbacks of each option, you’ll have a much better idea of which websites are worth your time and which ones you should avoid.

2. Poor customer service

Quality of service is incredibly important, whether it’s the response rate of support staff or the gaming experience itself. Real online poker sites take pride in their ability to streamline your experience, respond to issues timeously and provide any additional support you may need.

Casino sites with poor customer support will have substandard response times. The overall experience for the end user is far from ideal, and some sites don’t even bother to provide basic guidance. Avoid these sites at all costs. If you’re uncertain about a site’s legitimacy, log a general query with the support staff and see how long it takes for them to respond.  

3. Lack of protective measures

When you play poker online for money, the site you play on needs to have adequate protective measures in place. Digital theft and other forms of cybercrime are all too common nowadays and reputable casino sites understand how important it is to have systems that can prevent these infiltrations from occurring.

For example, check the address bar of your web browser. When you land on a site’s homepage, is there a secure padlock on the left-hand side of the bar? If there isn’t one, it means that the site isn’t secure, and you should proceed with caution. Keep your antivirus on at all times and always browse secure websites only.

4. Bogus bonuses

If sign-up bonuses and membership rewards seem too good to be true, use the power of consumer choice and compare the bonuses for different sites. After a few comparisons, you’ll find that competitive incentives tend to average out, and any site that offers above-average bonuses should be scrutinized before you sign up. 

Playing poker with a live dealer in an online casino is a marvel of modern technology, and these state-of-the-art casino games don’t need to shout and scream for your attention. The value of the entertainment offered should speak for itself, and any additional incentives tend to be few and far between on trusted gaming sites.

5. Lack of rules and regulations

In order for gambling to remain fair to all gamers, there’s a strict code of conduct for casino sites. What this means is that, although different sites are behind all of the biggest tournaments, the rules for Texas Hold’em poker will be the same no matter how big or small the online poker tournaments may be.

Regulators ensure that sites adhere to these rules, and any site that wants to offer online gambling has to be certified beforehand. Licenses have to be verifiable, which means that you have the ability to confirm a site’s authenticity. This information is usually displayed off to the side of the page or at the bottom of the site’s homepage.

6. Dubious payment methods

When you’re playing for money, the biggest concern is the security of transactions. Essentially, players have to trust electronic payment systems to handle the financial side of things. Not only do these systems have to be able to be recognized by official financial institutions, but they also have to be airtight from a cybersecurity perspective.

In the same way that licenses for gambling content have to be visible, verified payment options will be listed clearly on any reliable casino site. The one thing you shouldn’t do is take everything at face value. Check, re-check and verify all aspects of the site you’re interested in, and pay close attention to the six aspects we’ve mentioned.  

Play safely with Borgata Online

Here at Borgata Online, we provide a secure environment for a premium poker experience. All of our poker games use the latest security technology, keeping you safe and ensuring that your time spent gaming is entertaining from start to finish. Register now and discover the best that the world of poker has to offer.