How Online Casinos Manage Security
By Space Coast Daily // August 27, 2020
Anyone’s who’s ever set foot inside a casino knows that gaming establishments take their security very seriously. Always at the forefront of cutting edge security technology, like facial recognition tech, RFID chips, and biometric vaults, brick and mortar casinos set the standard that we come to expect for venues that offer real money gaming.
The same is also true in the digital realm. Just like a brick and mortar casino, reputable online casino brands operate in the real money gaming world, so they need to employ sophisticated cybersecurity methods to ensure that both their platforms and their customers remain safe and secure.
Encryption
The foundation of cybersecurity for casino platforms, data encryption remains one of the most effective methods of online protection, and is used by every reputable and licensed online casino operator across the world.
Online casino platforms typically process huge amounts of customer and financial data per day, including personal details like a customer’s name, date of birth and registered address, as well as the numerous financial transactions that are processed through a platform, such as wagers and payouts.
To ensure that all of this important information remains secure, operators will typically use different methods of data encryption throughout their platforms, the most widespread being end-to-end encryption.
As a minimum, you can expect a reputable online casino platform to feature HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) and Transport Layer Security (TLS – formerly known as SSL).
Both these methods scramble any data entered into a webpage and change it into unbreakable strings of code, which can only be accessed and read by the intended recipient.
Websites that are secured by HTTPS will display a padlock icon in the URL bar of a browser and, since today’s browsers take HTTPS seriously, websites that aren’t secure will be marked differently.
Gaming Licenses
Valid Gaming Licenses awarded by authorities and bodies like the Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission, and the Gibraltar Gambling Commission and Authority have a two-fold effect on the security of an online casino.
Not only do they prove that a casino is legal, transparent, and operates on a provably fair basis, they also guarantee that the platform adheres to the highest standards of customer protection.
Random Number Generators
Random Number Generators (RNGs) are at the heart of a secure, transparent, and provably fair online casino. They ensure a completely random outcome for each of the casino games offered by a reputable platform, from progressive jackpot slots to blackjack and roulette.
In a brick and mortar casino, cards are randomized through the process of shuffling, whether that’s per deck or from using a casino shoe. Obviously, this process can’t be replicated online, which is where RNGs come in.
In simple terms, an RNG is a sophisticated algorithm software that is embedded into an online casino platform.
When a casino user initiates an action, such as spinning an online slots reel or clicking “deal” in a casino, poker, roulette, or blackjack game, the RNG produces a completely random number that is then put through the game’s software to generate a result.
This result is then shown as the cards or spin of the wheel. The presence of an RNG in a platform ensures that online casino gaming is as fair a practice as possible.
Independent Audits
Every component that goes into creating an online casino platform, from the games themselves to the software systems underpinning it, as well as any associated apps or downloads, are subject to regular auditing by independent companies.
In today’s security-conscious landscape, regular independent testing is a requirement for any online casino operator that wants to retain its operational license.
Therefore, you can expect a reputable online casino platform to display up to date information about the results of its recent audits alongside the details of its gaming license.
Specialized auditors operating in the iGaming landscape include:
eCOGRA – one of the most respected bodies in the industry, eCOGRA test and verify UK-based online casino and iGaming platforms. Committed to fair gaming, the company tests RNGs and measures online casino practices against its own highly regarded guidelines.
TST – another recognized independent auditor in the iGaming realm, TST is an international company that tests everything from RNGs to sportsbook operations, poker systems, and full-scale cybersecurity.
Verisign – this North American company also has offices in Australia, China, India, Switzerland, and the UK. Experts in preventing cyber attacks, Verisign provides technical audits and RNG testing to the global iGaming industry.
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