With Canada embracing the online gambling industry, players can now access dozens of online slot sites. However, Canadians can also access offshore slot sites. Unlike the regulated sites, some unregulated sites are not trustworthy. In essence, they are nothing more than unscrupulous “betting platforms” out to defraud players. As such, it is important to verify the legitimacy of online slots sites before signing up.
However, verifying the legitimacy of slot sites can be tricky. For starters, there are many sites to choose from and many factors to consider. Moreover, every site, including the illegitimate ones, markets itself as the best. As such, it helps to know what to look for. This guide covers various factors you should consider when verifying the legitimacy of online slots sites.
Licensing & Reputation
Never trust an online slots site if it is not licensed and regulated. Licensing is crucial because it means that the site is regulated and therefore obligated to act fairly towards its clients.
While offshore sites can be licensed internationally, you can never be too sure. As such, try focusing on platforms licensed and regulated here in Canada.
The site should be licensed by your respective provincial gaming authorities. Every provincial regulator has databases that you can check to see whether the slot site is listed. Moreover, check whether the operator displays their license number on their site.
Besides licensing, the site’s reputation also matters. As such, check what the casino’s clients are saying about it, and ensure that the reviews are honest.
Security & Data Privacy
You may still be vulnerable to risks from third parties despite an online slots site being licensed. For example, hackers can steal and use your personal and financial information. This is why you should check the site’s security features.
End-to-end encryption is a standard, reliable security feature for legitimate online slots sites. As such, check whether the website has an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate.
However, a security breach isn’t the only thing that can be compromised. Many illegitimate slots sites distribute or sell their players’ data with third parties. As such, ensure that the site has a strict data privacy policy.
Game Selection & Fair Play
Legitimate slot sites try to satisfy all of their players’ varying preferences and tastes. To this end, they try to offer as many games as possible. Besides slots, many sites also offer table games and specialties. Moreover, their games feature varying themes and playstyles, especially slots. And, as if that’s not enough, they keep growing their selection by adding new games. As such, explore the site’s games selection.
Fair play has a beneficial impact of licensing on players in Canada. As such, you don’t need to worry about fair play if the site is regulated in Canada.
Web Design & Mobile Platforms
Legitimate online slots sites invest in good-quality web design to make their platforms easy and enjoyable to use. As such, open the operator’s website to get a feel of how it works. It should have a neat user-interface for easy browsing. It should also load quickly and work smoothly on different browsers.
Many players today bet on the go via their mobile devices. In a bid to keep up with their clients’ needs, legitimate slot sites also have mobile platforms. At the very least, the site should be mobile-responsive, in which case you can play via your mobile browser. However, it would be preferable if the site had downloadable mobile applications for a smoother playing experience.
Customer Support
The quality of customer support services can tell you a lot when trying to verify the legitimacy of online slots sites. Notably, illegitimate sites don’t offer any form of customer support. They already know that they will have many complaints to deal with. In contrast, legitimate sites try to address all of their customers’ issues. They have customer support departments that usually run 24/7. Moreover, their customer care agents are resourceful and friendly. While support channels vary between different sites, they usually include live chat, email, and telephone.
Responsible Gambling Solutions
Trustworthy operators are concerned about the risk of gambling addiction. As such, while responsible gambling features are not a legal obligation for slot sites in Canada, most legitimate sites still offer them. However, illegitimate sites wouldn’t bother. As such, check the site for responsible gambling solutions like limits and self-restriction.
Conclusion
Online slot sites have many more features than these. However, these seven are the most important ones to consider when you want to verify the legitimacy of online slots sites in Canada. Most importantly, don’t forget to verify the site’s license, as that alone takes care of most of the other concerns.
