Playing pokies online is a popular pastime for players around the world, offering you the chance to experience all of the excitement of gambling in a brick-and-mortar venue from the comfort of your own home – and, more recently, while on the go while using your tablet or smartphone. As is the case with all online activities (from shopping to watching films), many participants worry about their safely. Particularly since you are spending money every time you play your favourite online slots, you want to be able toe rest assured that you are safe to do so.
You’ll be pleased to know that online pokies are indeed safe. A number of protocols and systems are in place at online gaming sites and among online pokie developers to ensure that you and your personal details remain secure while you gamble online.
Random Number Generators
All online pokies run on Random Number Generators (RNGs), which ensure that a random outcome occurs on every spin. The RNG creates random sequences every millisecond. When you hit the spin button on an online pokie, the RNG will create hundreds of number sequences per second and the moment the game stops spinning, the final sequence will determine which symbols are displayed on the reels.
It does not have a memory, so it cannot determine whether a big win has been paid out recently and there is no way to pre-program the results of an RNG.
Random Number Generators are rigorously tested before they are put to use in any online slots or online pokies game. Game developers employ both in-house and third-party auditors to ensure that the game results are entirely random, so you can rest assured that the games you enjoy playing aren’t rigged.
Online Gaming Regulation
Online casinos work hard to ensure that their games always deliver a fair and random outcome. So, you will find that they test their RNGs on a regular basis using auditors like eCOGRA. Since 91% of players consider RNG fairness reports important while playing at online gaming sites, operators aim to cater to these needs.
Auditors conduct payout reviews monthly on slots, table games and poker games. RNG reviews are conducted twice a year. During this process, the auditing team works hard to ensure that the games at various sites continue to operate fairly.
Are My Deposits Safe?
You can rest assured that your money is safe when playing pokies online at trusted casinos. Be sure to double-check that the site at which’re playing is regulated by a reputable gaming authority, who will ensure that the casino covers all players’ account balances.
You will also want to ensure that all of the information that you’re sending to the casino is being sent using an SSL. This means that your data is encrypted and no one will be able to intercept your communications with the site. Trustworthy online casinos are also PCI compliant, which means that your banking details are securely handled.
Ensuring Responsible Gambling
One way in which online casinos ensure the safety of their players is by encouraging responsible gambling. It can be very easy to get carried away when playing your favourite pokies online, and casino operators want to make sure that you’re only spending as much money as you can afford and that you’re not committing too much time to play casino games. These are just a couple of ways that online gaming sites and games developers ensure that you gamble responsibly:
Reality Checks
At several online casinos, the registration process will require you to set a Reality Check Interval. This means that every half hour, hour or two hours (you can set you interval up to six hours), the system will remind you of how long you have been playing. A popup will appear and inform you, and you can choose to logout right away.
Many online pokie developers have also built reality checks into their game software. These intervals are pre-determined, and you will be reminded every hour of how long you have been playing.
Self-Exclusion and Time Outs
If you find that you’re spending too much time and money playing pokies, you can choose to take a time out of exclude yourself from online gaming sites. A “time out” is a short period of time up to a month where you cannot log in to your account while self-exclusion periods last 6 months or longer. During this time, you cannot access your account or play any casino games at the particular site that you are barred from.
While you can easily just sign up to another site, there are some systems in place to prevent you from doing so. Many online casinos operate as part of a group, and self-exclusion could apply across that group of casinos. However, online gaming sites will advise you to exclude yourself from any online casinos that you are signed up to on your own.
When deciding where you should play pokies online, be sure to the read its FAQ. Find out about their Gaming Authority, RNGs, SSLs and PCI-compliant banking systems. When confirmed, you can rest assured the playing online pokies is safe, and enjoy!
About the Author
