Are Social Casinos Safe?
Let’s answer this straight away so there’s no confusion: if you play at a social casino we recommend, you will be entirely safe and secure.
Why? Because we’ve tested them repeatedly and can vouch that they have high security, fair games, and great reputations.
But let’s not leave it there. Let’s examine why US players can trust the social casinos we recommend…
Our Trusted Social Casinos
First, let’s take a look at our trusted social casinos, which you can see listed below:
No Need to Play for Real Money
One of the biggest concerns potential players have is the safety of their money. After all, what’s stopping a casino from taking your money and running?
Well, at social casinos, you never need to deposit anything in the first place, so there’s nothing to worry about! Social casinos allow you to collect gold coins, which are regularly given out via promotions, and play games with them. Sure, you can't then exchange winnings for money, but you still get the excitement of playing a vast range of online casino games.
Of course, most people prefer to play for real money though, so how can cash and personal details be kept safe when playing?
Trusted Payment Methods Used
Perhaps the most important way social casinos keep your money safe is by partnering with trusted online casino payment methods.
Nearly all social casinos will allow you to pay with credit and debit cards. You wouldn’t think twice about using them at Amazon, so why be concerned about using them at casinos? After all, credit and debit cards have excellent fraud protection, so if anything goes awry, you can claim back your money straight away.
Don’t want to input your card details at a social casino? Then you’ll be glad to hear most also allow e-wallet payments. By using an e-wallet, you’ll never have to give card details out to casinos, as the e-wallet acts as a middleman. Major e-wallets also offer refund guarantees if money is taken without permission, which only adds to their security.
And if you’re really opposed to online payments? Some social casinos allow payment methods like Paysafecard, where you physically purchase a card from a store and then redeem it online. So you never need to input your banking details anywhere.
So, providing you use a trusted payment method, you’ll be safe when depositing money at a social casino. The simple fact that a social casino even offers these reputable payment methods strongly suggests that it is a safe and reputable place to play.
SSL Encryption Used to Protect Details
SSL encryption is used at all the online and social casinos we recommend. It’s non-negotiable. But if you need to double-check, just look at the URL—if it starts with ‘https,’ then SSL encryption is enabled.
We’re not going to discuss the finer points of SSL encryption—mainly because it’s complex and goes over our heads—but here’s a quick explanation. Essentially, it’s a security protocol that uses a secret key to scramble information provided over the Internet, which only the intended recipient can decipher. This makes it nearly impossible for unauthorized third parties to intercept and understand the details.
SSL encryption is pretty much standard across the Internet nowadays, so if you see any site that does not use it, steer clear.
Games from Reputable Providers
So, we’ve established your money is safe. But what about the games? Surely someone in the background is pulling the strings, ensuring you don’t win?
While it’s true that online casino games are nearly always weighted in favor of the casino, nobody controls your results when you play games from a reputable name. Instead, everyone has the same chance of winning. This is done through the use of a random number generator.
A random number generator is a complex algorithm built into all casino games, and it randomly generates a number on every turn or spin. This number is then used to determine the exact result. Random number generators are highly secure and can’t be tampered with, so there’s no way for the casino or anyone else to scupper your chances of winning.
But what if the casino random number generator is built incorrectly, deliberately designed to screw you when you play? Sure, it’s possible, but not with reputable software providers. This is because they have their random number generators tested by independent testing houses, the most famous of which is eCOGRA. They verify that these random number generators are indeed random, protecting players in the process.
It goes without saying that all social casinos we recommend use online slots and other games from reputable software providers, such as NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, and Relax Gaming.
Regulatory Compliance
Okay, so here’s where things get a little murky. While real money online casinos in the US must be regulated by government agencies, such as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, social casinos have no such requirement. This means that they’re not regulated at all.
We understand that this can cause reservations. That’s why we don’t recommend playing at just any social casino. Instead, you should only play at trusted social casinos - sites that have consistently proved themselves to be entirely honest and trustworthy.
We’ve spent a long time narrowing down the most trustworthy social casinos and deliberately only recommend sites that can be trusted implicitly. If we recommend a site, you can be sure it’s legit. We wouldn’t risk our reputation recommending sub-par and dishonest social casinos to our millions of readers.
Responsible Gambling
All reputable social casinos should offer responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limits and self-exclusion. Players should use these if they feel their gambling is getting out of control.
Responsible gambling organizations are also located in every state. Also, 1-800-GAMBLER operates nationwide and provides support for those suffering from problem gambling throughout the US.
Conclusion: Are Social Casinos Safe?
Quite simply, yes, they are, but with one caveat: you should only play at a social casino we recommend. As with most things online, most social casinos are safe, but a few spoil things for the rest.
Our team has identified safe and secure social casinos that offer a trustworthy place to enjoy casino games. Every name on the list further up this page has sufficient security to protect players and offers safe payment methods and games from reputable providers.