There is something about casinos that seems to bring out the worst in some people, or rather, the greed to win huge tends to encourage people to cheat. Many people have gone into the thinking they could beat the system, but the truth is, they can’t.

They spend billions of dollars every year on security – employing some of the high-tech methods to catch everyone from a garden variety cheater to card counters and even high-level operations like the MIT Blackjack Team. You can read more on this page.

The Basics of Physical Casino Security

Employ dozens of ways to protect their money and their casinos. Each of them uses a different tactic. However, there are three common strategies almost every casino, from Las Vegas to the American Indian casinos, uses to ward off cheaters.

The Eyes on Floor – Casino Staff

If you have ever visited something like this, you have probably noticed the hoard of casino employees walking around the floor. These employees serve various functions; fixing stalled slot machines, making changes, assisting visitors, etc. However, all casino employees have one thing in common- they are trained to spot cheating.

Every employee on the floor has their ears and eyes peeled for suspicious behavior. They have undergone hours of training from advanced security teams. Chances are, you will get spotted.

Table Managers and Pit Bosses

The dealer isn’t the only one watching your poker table. Casinos also have table managers and pit bosses. They are trained to notice patterns that could indicate any red flags at the poker table.

Most casinos assign a pit boss or table manager to one specific table or any area of a table. If there is a high-stakes game going on, you can be assured at least one pit boss is watching that table like a hawk.

Eyes in the Sky

Casinos don’t just rely on the human eye to watch over their investment. Every major has a set of security cameras that look over the flood. These cameras are angled to watch the tables, the slots, the cashier, and just about everywhere in the casino.

Odds are the casino you frequent has dozens of security staff who spend their days with their eyes glued to the security camera monitors. Security staff positioned at the monitors are equipped with two-way radios connecting them with other employees. Chances are, a cheater won’t make it out of the building if they try.

The urge to cheat your way into winnings can be great, especially for gambling enthusiasts. People who frequent one casino can start to believe that they “have things figured out.” Odds are, they haven’t. They invest a large portion of their holdings in stopping these people in their tracks.

Online Casino Security: Five Ways to Protect Yourself When Gambling Online

Online casinos have opened doors most gamblers never thought possible. Gone are the days of having to reserve our gaming to once or twice a year when we could make the trip to Las Vegas.

Now, anyone of legal age with a debit card can gamble at any top-rated and high-rated online casinos. However, certain inherited risks come with gambling online, the security of your personal information, and the home computer being the biggest.

A reputable online casino such as FanDuel will work effortlessly to protect your personal information. These casinos have internet security staff and offer a level of privacy you would get from a bank or online shopping site.

However, any player must protect themselves as well. Below are the five best ways to protect yourself, your computer, and your financial information when gambling online.

Five Ways to Protect Yourself at Online Casino

1. Only Play at a Reputable Online:

The internet is flooded with websites offering online gaming, like jackpots online, and some of these are far more respectable than others. To reduce your risk, play at a website that you recognize.

2. Research Any Online Casino Before Joining:

With a few dollars, any web owner can make a website look like the most trustworthy site on the internet. It’s especially true of websites that deal in monetary goods. To be safe, you should research thoroughly before giving away any personal information.

A good way to research is by checking online reviews. Other gamblers write reviews for people like you. Do a quick Google search with the online casino’s name and review. You are likely to come up with hundreds of results.

3. Protect Your Computer by Adding a Firewall:

Despite an online casino’s best efforts, a hacker may still get through. To reduce your risk of getting spyware, or worse- becoming a victim of identity theft, you should do everything you can to protect your personal computer on your end.

First, increase the security settings on your computer. If they are set to a lower setting, bumping it up will significantly reduce your risk. You should also install a Firewall. Your computer manufacturer may have already provided this software for free. Once the firewall is installed, make sure you have it running before you sign up for the online casino.

4. Be Cautious of what you Download:

Most online casinos have a software platform that they require a player to download before they can gamble at the site. Even if you have researched the site thoroughly, you should still run any program through a virus checker before installing it on your computer.

If you notice the site asking you to download additional programs, make sure they are necessary and safe before you install them. You can ask around online forums frequented by online gamblers or send an email to them directly.

5. Consider Using an Alternate Credit Card:

If you can, consider using a credit source other than your primary debit or credit card. This way, if the card is stolen, the thief will not have access to your checking account. Also, the chances are you will be able to cut them off before they drain your financial resources entirely.

You may also consider using Paypal’s create-a-credit-card feature. If you use Paypal, it will make you a temporary credit card number that you can use at any online site. The number works just like a Visa or Mastercard that links to your bank accounts but is incredibly difficult to steal. Since the card number is only good for a short time, this method will only work if you plan on visiting an online casino for a while.

They are a safe and enjoyable pastime. As long as you do what you can to protect your information and computer, you should not have any problems gambling online.