Privacy and security in online gambling

The online gambling industry has grown significantly in recent years and this offers players the opportunity to play easily and quickly from home or on the go. But with this growth, new challenges have also arisen in terms of security and privacy. Players should be aware of the risks associated with online gambling and take the necessary steps to protect their personal and financial information. In this article, we take a closer look at the most important security and privacy issues in the online gambling world and provide tips on how to play safely and responsibly.

Online safety at online casinos

Security is an important issue at online casinos, as there are several risks associated with playing online gambling games. One of the biggest risks is that as a player you can become a victim of fraud or scams. Unfortunately, in addition to the legal offer, there are also rogue online casinos that, for example, do not pay their players or manipulate the results of the games in such a way that the odds are in their own favor. In addition, there is also a risk that your personal or financial information can be stolen when hackers gain access to the online casino’s servers.

One way to minimize these risks is to play at reputable online casinos that have the proper licenses and certificates. You can often easily check this by looking at the license details of the online casino and checking whether it has been issued by a reliable authority. For Dutch online casinos, the Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) is the regulator that issues licenses. Online casinos must comply with strict rules for this license and they must also be connected to the Cruks system.

How does the Cruks system work?

The Cruks system is a registry intended to prevent gambling addiction. Cruks stands for Central Register Exclusion of Games of Chance and was created to prevent people who have problems with gambling from continuing to play at online casinos and other providers of games of chance.

Players who want to voluntarily exclude themselves from participation in games of chance can be included in the Cruks register. This is possible, for example, because they notice that they have problems with gambling and want to do something about it themselves. However, players can also be involuntarily registered with the register by gambling providers if the operator is concerned about someone’s gambling behavior and believes that they need help.

As soon as a player is included in the Cruks register, this person can no longer participate in games of chance at affiliated games of chance providers for a period of at least 6 months. Online casinos are required to consult the register before admitting anyone to their online games of chance. In this way, people with an addiction are prevented from continuing to gamble and getting into trouble.

What data is included in the Cruks?

The Cruks register includes various details of players who have themselves excluded from participation or who have been registered by providers of games of chance. The data that is stored is:

1. Name and date of birth
2. Citizen service number (BSN)
3. Period of exclusion
4. Details of the gambling provider that the player has registered with or from which the player has self-excluded

The Cruks register therefore contains sensitive personal data that is handled and secured with the utmost care to ensure the privacy of the persons concerned. The Cruks register is an important means of combating gambling addiction and promoting responsible gaming. It is not possible to unsubscribe from Cruks during the period of exclusion. But gambling without Cruks, in an unlicensed casino, is still possible.

How crypto casinos are used to bypass Cruks

Online casinos without Cruks are casinos that are not connected to the Cruks register and therefore do not have a Dutch license. In these mostly foreign casinos, different local rules apply, or there is no supervision at all, which means that they can offer many anonymous payment methods, for example. An example of this is crypto casinos, where players can pay with Bitcoin, Ethereum and E-wallets, which guarantee their privacy.

Crypto payments are not allowed in legal online casinos in the Netherlands, because money flows and identities cannot be checked with them. In offshore crypto casinos it is therefore possible for players to remain anonymous, partly because no personal data is often required to create an account. Crypto casinos are therefore used to circumvent Cruks because they are not required, or have no possibility, to consult the Dutch Cruks registry. This also allows players who are included in the register to be admitted.

For people who have excluded themselves from participating in games of chance or are registered in the Cruks register, it is still possible to continue gambling at a casino without Cruks. However, using crypto casinos to circumvent Cruks is not legal and can lead to problems such as aggravating gambling addiction and risking hefty fines. But also the safety and fairness of the game cannot be guaranteed at crypto casinos.

Anonymity versus security – where is the line?

When it comes to regulating crypto casinos or casinos without Cruks, a balanced approach is necessary, as the benefits and risks of this form of online gambling must be carefully weighed. For example, we can look at ways to regulate and monitor crypto casinos worldwide, so that they do comply with the same rules and regulations as legal online casinos, but the question is whether an online casino without a license is waiting for that.

Simply banning crypto casinos is a complex issue and it is important to note that crypto casinos are not necessarily illegal. In some countries, this form of online gambling and payment methods are regulated and these online casinos have also received local licenses for offering games of chance. Although crypto casinos usually do not comply with the same rules and regulations as online casinos in the Netherlands, the big difference lies in the regulator who should provide players with a safe environment when they issue a license to a casino operator.

A lack of adequate supervision and control of fairness, transparency and safety can lead to higher risks of gambling addiction and financial crime, which ultimately falls on the player. However, having a choice of where you want to spend your money is also a form of freedom, in which players must make a choice themselves. Ultimately, it is up to each government and legislator to decide whether and how crypto casinos should be regulated, and the line between security and anonymity is an issue that many of them are now considering.

Playing at online casinos without Cruks – do or don’t?

If you are looking for a safe and reliable gaming experience, it is usually not advisable to play at online casinos without a reliable gambling license. A license from the Dutch KSA, as well as the Maltese MGA and the UK Gambling Commission, are leading regulators in the gambling industry, providing assistance in disputes. Licenses from other regulators are known for not or hardly intervening, so that the casino operator is not checked for the fairness of the game.

For Dutch players, the Cruks register is an important tool for preventing gambling addiction and protecting vulnerable players. If an online casino without Cruks is not affiliated with the Cruks register, this means that the casino does not comply with the rules and regulations that apply to legal Dutch online casinos, according to https://casinowithout permit.co/. At an online casino that is affiliated with the Cruks register, you can have yourself excluded from participation in games of chance and you can set a limit to your gaming behavior.

Furthermore, it is wise to only deposit money via safe payment methods and never share personal information unless you are sure that it is a reliable online casino. By taking these measures, you can enjoy playing at online casinos with peace of mind and you can also be sure that your personal and financial information is in good hands.