Gaming online is a huge activity these days – indeed, it has positively skyrocketed in terms of its popularity. People all over the world boot up games of every kind at all hours of the day. Gaming via the internet is an activity that has brought us together across borders.
But we’ve also got to recognize that even if we’re just playing super simple browser games, we’re connecting to the internet. That comes with some associated risk. Even so, the risks used to be a lot higher, especially if you were using an unsecured Wi-Fi network. Now, though? Things have changed a little bit. Cybercrime has gone up, but cybersecurity has also skyrocketed, helping users stay a whole lot safer as they surf and play. That’s true even if you’re someone with minimal computer know-how!
So, what changes have altered the face of gaming online to make it safe even for the uninitiated? Let’s find out.
Change 1) Online Payment Systems Have Improved
Not all online games require payment info, but for those that do, this is absolutely, utterly fundamental. Imagine you’re playing at an online casino, for example. You’re just about to boot up a roulette game or join a round of poker. You’ve got to input your card details first.
In the past, this would have involved actually writing your bank account details into the website, account number, address, and all. That’s not great! Those numbers were key to keeping your bank account secure and if anything went wrong, it could cause major issues.
Now, though, safety has massively improved in a myriad of ways. First: you’ve got multiple payment choices. No longer do you have to put the bank details in at all. You can use a digital wallet, turn to crypto, or access a payment platform. All of these let you keep your banking details to yourself while still accessing online games.
That means that if you want to play a roulette game in today’s world, you can just link your digital wallet up! Add its details to the casino of your choice, and your experience will be so different. Any winnings from the roulette game can be transferred to your account from your digital wallet at your leisure, and you don’t need to worry about anything – leaving you free to enjoy the playing experience. There also won’t be any interruptions to the roulette game; digital wallets are designed to work seamlessly with platforms like casino platforms, meaning everything can be automated for maximum fun!
Change 2) Antivirus Has Improved
Excellent antivirus software is an immutable need in today’s digital landscape. The internet is full of malware and you’ve absolutely got to have strong antivirus protecting your machine if you’re going to be playing at casinos or other gaming websites online. That’s true even if you won’t be entering card details or other personal info. Connecting to the internet without up-to-date antivirus software isn’t going to serve you well! Downloading games without antivirus software could be seriously dangerous, and even just engaging with browser games sans said software is likely to be a major issue!
Fortunately, though, there’s another element to this. A lot of people are now gaming via their phones, and phones are far better designed not to get viruses in the first place – because you’ll rarely download anything from a browser, but instead use trusted stores to install your apps. You do still need to be careful, for sure, but most everyday users don’t even need to add antivirus software to their phones. As long as you’re getting your games from the app store, you’ll generally find that the built-in protection is plenty!
Change 3) Improved Encryption Standards
Another huge change lies in our encryption standards. Don’t panic if you aren’t sure what that is. Encryption tech is something that organizations tend to handle, not something that users generally need to worry about – but if you’ve ever noticed that “HTTPS” at the start of a web address… well, that’s what we’re talking about. The security offered by improved encryption standards means that even when you’re sending data via the internet, it’s kept pretty safe from hackers.
Of course, on your side, you’ve got to make sure you’re using reputable sites that actually focus on this stuff. To use our earlier example, if you’re looking to play roulette online, you should select platforms that are encrypted and favor options that tell you about their approach to security. The best and most reputable places are likely to be proud of the things they do – and they want you to feel safe and at ease when you use their sites. By being a little discerning and making sure you pick options that have that HTTPS at the start of their address, you’ll be ensuring the connection is encrypted and minimizing the risk of data theft.
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