How to Spot a Fake Casino App
Introduction
A little after the internet explosion in 1983, online casinos brought possibility and excitement into our lives, and forever changed the way we gamble. Online casinos were suddenly filled with fun casino games and mind-blowing possibilities to win Progressive Jackpots and top payouts.
Mobile casinos took a lot longer to become as popular as they now are. In 1994 the first Tetris game was played on mobile phones, but not until 2005 did Playtech launch a reliable and user-friendly platform available to everybody with a smartphone device. This gaming system was developed to be compatible with nearly all types of games including the slots, bingo and Poker.
As more casinos started getting involved in the mobile casino revolution, the industry quickly grew into what it is now. The mobile gambling sector became more competitive and casinos started to develop attractive gaming features and offered huge bonuses for new players, while some also introduced loyalty plans for their most loyal mobile casino clients.
The launch of iOS and Android around the beginning of 2008 lead to a sharp market growth and the opening of the first app store. In 2008 Google Play changed mobile gaming forever and game developers could now sell games directly to consumers instead of having to deal with phone manufacturers and mobile network operators. Texas Hold’em was one of the most downloaded paid apps only 5 hours into the launch of the App Store, and today we are spoiled for choice when it comes to mobile casino apps.
When you download a native application to your smartphone or tablet, you’re also installing the provider’s software required to access the online casino. Most online casino gamers enjoy playing their favourite casino games via an app as its very convenient and easily accessible. You can fire up a gambling app quickly, and no matter where you are, online casino games such as the slots, Blackjack, Baccarat and Roulette are never far away.
Today, casino apps are everywhere and anyone with a smartphone or tablet probably has many online casino games apps installed. With millions being spent on apps every day, there’s a growing threat of counterfeit phone apps that aren’t always easy to spot, but it’s possible. Read on to find out how to spot a fake casino app.
A real casino app must be licensed
These days, you can choose to download a large variety of apps. There are literally thousands of free casino apps and real money casino apps and of course, fake apps! But what is a fake app? Fake mobile apps are Android or iOS applications that mimic the look and functionality of a real app. This is done to trick unsuspecting users to download and install them so they can perform a variety of malicious actions.
To ensure safety and security, before downloading a casino app, check to see if the casino has a operating license, every legitimate casino has one. These are awarded by jurisdictions dotted around the world, for example, US casinos are licensed by the Kahnawake tribe in Canada and European jurisdictions rely on authorities such as the Gibraltar Gaming Authority, the Malta Gambling Authority and the UK Gambling Commission, considered to be some of the most reputable casino regulators in the world.
Casinos Hiding Behind Web Forms
Fake casinos don’t want to tell you who the owners are, or in fact offer any information on how to get in touch with them. A legitimate casino volunteers ownership information, addresses and phone numbers, an email contact address and often, they also have a Live Chat box . If you find only a simple contact form on the app website, it’s better to dig a little deeper.
Lack of Testing Certification
A regulated and licensed casino will want to show the fairness of their games. To do this specialist auditing companies are employed to run the games millions of times and the results are recorded and published to prove the casino games are random. The Return To Player percentage rate (RTP) is also calculated. One such company is eCogra, an internationally approved and an independent company based in London, eCogra is an approved testing agency that ensures player protection and standards. If you want to download an app, but they offer no testing certificate on their website, it could be a fake app.
Casino Payment Options
When it comes to online security, it’s always worth being a little extra careful. There are many malicious apps circulating the internet and players have to be certain the app is legitimate and safe to download. Besides the licensing information, web forms and the lack of a testing certification, a shortage of casino payment options is another way to spot a fake app. An online casino always offers a variety of payment methods and a variety of currency, or at the very least, a debit and credit card provider and a few other money transfer options such as an eWallet service like PayPal. Some fake apps only offer Bitcoin as a payment method, but if it isn’t accompanied by other payment methods, it’s best to find another app.
Look for payment methods like these:
PaySafeCard – Pre-paid vouchers that users can buy to make payments online. The top up card continues to be one of the most preferred brands when it comes to making purchases online or depositing at online casinos.
VISA – Most top casinos accept payments from all the major credit cards.
Mastercard – One of the world’s leaders in payment options accepted at nearly all online casinos.
Trustly – An up-and-coming e-wallet service that’s already a popular choice at many casinos. Trustly offers online gamers the possibility to pay quickly and securely.
Interac – One of the fastest and easiest ways to make your deposit, used at most online casinos. Developed by Canadians for Canadians.
For more information on payment methods, have a look through our CAD and NZD currency page.
Final Tips – How To Spot A Fake Casino App
Have a look to see who published the app and check to see for similar brand names. Sometimes fake app developers use brand names with slight, almost unnoticeable differences.
Check the reviews in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play store. A real app will likely have hundreds if not thousands of reviews, while a fake one will probably have zero.
Pay attention to the publish date. A fake app always has a recent publish date, while a legitimate app will have an “updated on” date.
Can I Play Casino Games Without An App?
Thanks to the HTML5 technology, most modern devices will have no issues when loading casino games to their mobile device. Playing your favourite casino games from your iPhone or Android browser will present no problems and the games in the mobile casino will function perfectly. Simply by accessing the casino online via device browser will result in a smaller modified and simple version of the virtual casino. Mobile casinos also allow players to accept Welcome Bonuses, access casino promotions, access the cashier page and contact customer service.