With sweepstakes casinos becoming increasingly popular in
the US, it is understandable that more and more people are paying attention to
safety online. While there's no risk of losing money through these sites as they are completely free to play at, there
are still plenty of reasons you should be careful.
Regardless of where you register accounts and play games,
there's always a risk that your personal data, such as your name and address,
could fall into the wrong hands. That's why you should only play games at
sweepstakes casinos that go above and beyond to protect their users.
Sweepstakes games sit at the top of some of the best
cashless casino trends that are growing popular in 2023. However, just because
you're not using real money doesn't mean you should take your safety any less
seriously. Let's take a look at a few ways you can tell if a sweepstakes casino
is legitimate and safe:
There's a full list of terms and conditions
It's not always true that the more terms and conditions a
site has the safer it is, but they do go a long way to reassure players. For
example, a legitimate sweepstakes casino will go into detail on whether it's
legal to play games in your state.
Look at all terms, conditions and use requirements before
registering with a sweepstakes casino. These details will tell you what to do
in a dispute and advise players on how a casino intends to keep their games
fair and data safe.
No one really enjoys having to read the fine print, but in
an age where our data is at the mercy of hacking attempts, it pays to know what
you're signing up to.
Their protocol is secure
This is a really simple point that all legitimate online
services should adhere to but look carefully at the start of your chosen
casino's web address. Does it say HTTP or HTTPS?
If it's HTTPS, you're safe to go ahead and start playing.
That's because this confirms a casino employs a secure protocol and that they
protect your data against would-be intrusion. To keep data sharing private,
casinos must ensure their sites are HTTPS protected as standard.
However, you'll likely find that there are still plenty of
casinos and other websites out there that use the outdated HTTP standard. While
sadly still commonplace to an extent, it's no longer safe to register details
at non-HTTPS sites.
There's a clear privacy policy
Alongside terms and conditions, all reputable sweepstakes
casinos should have a privacy policy in place. It's here where you can find out
what a casino intends to do with the data you provide, and how much data it
actually demands from you in the first place.
While the vast majority of casinos and online services set
up privacy policies as standard in the modern age, it's still worth checking
these details if you're worried.
For example, if you register at a casino and find you're
receiving unwanted spam emails or phone calls further down the line, your
sweepstakes provider may have sold your data to another party. Legally, casinos
and websites in general must advise you regarding what they do with your
personal information, and how long they hold it for.
You can always reject or accept cookies when you first head
to a casino ” providing they have such a policy in place! If something doesn't
feel right, you have every right to not sign up at a sweepstakes casino.
There's legitimate company information available
If some sweepstakes casinos seem too good to be true, it may
be that they are! Beyond reading the terms and conditions and ensuring you're
happy with how they handle your data, always check the full credentials of a
sweepstakes provider before you register and start playing.
This means checking that there's a legitimate, traceable
company behind the casino in question as the first step. Is there a clear link
to a registered company or provider supplied? Does the casino hide behind what
appears to be a fake name?
If you can't find any trace of legitimacy in the company
details, it's possible you may be heading into a scam. Also, check that the
details they ask of you are reasonable too ” this adds more to our point about
privacy policies, but if there's no company registration and their demands of
you seem a little extreme, it's time to look elsewhere.
They follow the law
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, always ensure that
your chosen sweepstakes casino follows the laws set by your specific state or
territory. Sweepstakes rules vary from state to state, meaning if your chosen
casino doesn't follow these regulations, it's not safe for you to join and
play.
Often, the least that sweepstakes casinos need to do is
specify that it's legal to play within an individual state. Otherwise, their
terms and conditions should advise if there are any territorial or state
restrictions preventing you from taking part.
Generally, the law in the US is that sweepstakes should be
free to enter. If there's any suggestion that you must pay money to enter a
prize game, your casino is likely shirking the rules.
Conclusion
While all the best new sweepstakes casinos seem as if they
offer excellent free fun, it always pays to look carefully at their security standards and terms. Otherwise, you
may find that your details have been shared with multiple cold-callers, and
worse, your personal data may fall into the hands of hackers.
Thankfully, checking that a sweepstakes casino is safe
shouldn't normally take too much time on your part. Look carefully at the fine
print and trust your gut. If something really doesn't feel right, it probably
isn't!
Above all, make sure to sign up with sweepstakes casinos
that are verified and recommended by trusted comparison sites and experts in
the industry. Once you're certain all the above details are satisfied, you can
go ahead and start playing!
