Although the internet is highly accessible and many of the world’s citizens can build a website if they want to, that doesn’t mean it’s possible to build an online gambling business overnight. Setting up a successful online gambling operation takes careful thought and planning.
One of the biggest questions is, how will the company make the setup secure? How will it protect itself and protect players? Technology plays a crucial role in this and other aspects of the business. Below is a look at the technical side of setting up a secure online gambling operation.
Setting up the technical side of a secure online gambling operation
Unfortunately for fans of real money online casinos and other online gaming service providers, there are lots of charlatans and shady operators out there. Online gambling service provision generates vast amounts of money, but not all operators are looking to pay players what they’ve won fair and square. Instead, they want to steal details and money from unsuspecting players, which makes security paramount for legitimate operators and players.
Licensing
Before implementing technical security measures, the first step is obtaining a license from a relevant regulator to operate legitimately. You can display details of your licensing on your gaming website. This is the start of creating a safe gaming environment for players, who can complain to the regulator if you’re unable to resolve an issue to their satisfaction.
Set up SSL encryption
Having designed the website and built the website, the next step is to make it secure.
One of the very first measures to take before going live is to equip it with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certification, which secures any communication or data transfer over the internet. This protects transaction details and other data exchanged between the operator and the player. No third party can access them.
How can you tell if a website is SSL encrypted? Look at the URL. You’ll find a symbol of a padlock to the left of the URL, and the URL itself will start with “https://” instead of the older “http://”.
Install a firewall
Firewalls are a crucial barrier between a site’s server and the traffic to it. They set parameters that decide whether traffic from a source on the internet can access the website’s server. This stops hackers from accessing the server and stealing players’ data and other valuable information.
Set up two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) makes it almost impossible for malicious actors to hack players’ accounts. When a player logs into their account with their password, they must then confirm their identity via another means. This could be via a one-time code sent to their email or mobile phone, which they must then type in to access their account. This tightens account security because malicious parties won’t be able to supply the details requested to complete the second step.
Add secure methods of payment
Consumers know cybercriminals are out there waiting to pounce on any security holes in igaming websites and other sites where customers provide financial details. This makes them a little wary of supplying financial information to credit their accounts.
Digital wallets have solved all this, however, by allowing users to link their accounts to an email address. Whenever a player wishes to make a payment to their account or collect some winnings, they simply need to provide their email address instead of any bank details.
Other methods of payment include bank transfers and debit card payments. Some casinos also accept cryptocurrencies. Many payment gateways use encryption to make transactions unreadable to criminals. Some use tokenization, which transforms data into symbols.
Incorporate antifraud software
Antifraud software is an important part of an online gambling operator’s security setup and protects both the company and the players. The software incorporates machine learning, artificial intelligence, and algorithms to detect unusual patterns in play and spot anyone committing fraudulent activity on the site. It can then advise the operator and even shut out the unscrupulous actor in real-time. At the same time as protecting operators from fraudsters and hackers, antifraud software keeps the gaming services fair for innocent players by stopping others from gaining an unfair advantage over them.
Other technical considerations when setting up your operation
Security aside, there are other technical considerations to ponder when setting up your operation. These include:
- Choice of content management system
- Choice of online gambling software
- Game selection
- Customer support features, such as chatbots
- Mobile app and how your website will render on mobile devices
- Promotion of your business via social media and other digital channels.
Remember that once you launch your online gambling operation, you should conduct regular security audits to identify any breaches or potential threats and address them as quickly as possible. Cybercriminals are looking constantly to exploit any gaps in security. The sooner you can identify any and fix them, the safer your website will be.
