Do Cheats Really Prosper at Online Casinos?
Back in the olden days, cheats used to abound at casinos, managing to win huge amounts of money through their dishonest play. With the advent of online casinos came a new influx of potential cheats, however they ran into an industry that was well-prepared – an industry with the tools needed to prevent anyone from making money dishonestly. This article will show some of the ways people try to cheat, and why they hardly ever succeed.
- See some common cheating strategies
- Understand how online casinos combat cheats
- Find out what happens to those caught cheating
The Ways People Cheat at Online Casinos
When casinos went online, those looking to cheat had to get inventive. This was because traditional cheating tactics, such as card counting and bribing dealers, would no longer be able to work. One of the earliest forms of online casino cheating was collusion, and this was found mainly at the poker table. This was a process whereby a group would all sit at the same table, and target an individual player unlucky enough to be seated with them. By sharing information about cards, they could easily make the right bets and skew the odds firmly in their favour. This was effectively stopped though, as casinos started to take the IP addresses of those playing and stop those with identical addresses from sitting together.
Another form of cheating is for a player to use an automated programme to play for them, which always plays to the absolute optimum strategy. This can be useful in some forms of video poker, where the RTP for perfect play is actually over 100%. Online casinos aren’t stupid though, and know that perfection is impossible all the time. So, they monitor the players and will suspend anyone suspected of using this kind of tactic.
With the advent of online casinos came a new influx of potential cheats, however they ran into an industry that was well-prepared.
How Casinos Prevent Cheating
The online casino business is a multi-billion-dollar industry, which means that they have huge amounts of money to use protecting themselves against cheats – something that they do very well indeed. The main way in which they do this is by employing a team to check for suspicious activity at a site, which is also backed up by programmes monitoring the different games. Any suspect activity is then flagged up, and the player in question will have some explaining to do.
It should also be remembered that many casinos are linked to each other, often being owned by the same group. So, if a player is caught cheating at one casino, they are likely to be barred from registering with another. Changing an email address won’t let them in either, as IP addresses will be monitored, as will any bank accounts used to deposit or withdraw.
What Happens to Cheaters at Online Casinos?
Those caught cheating at an online casino are usually simply booted from the site, as the amount that they’ve won generally isn’t enough to warrant a full-scale prosecution. They will have all of their money taken from their account first though, as per the terms and conditions found at the majority of online casinos. It is possible to appeal this decision; however, a player will need a particularly compelling excuse in order for the casino to reverse its decision.
There are some people who manage to scam huge amounts of money from an online casino though, and if they’re caught, they won’t get off quite as easily. This is because the casino is likely to prosecute them to the full extent of the law. This could lead to large fines being handed out, or even prison sentences being given. This is yet another reason why cheating at an online casino simply isn’t worth it.
How Casinos Are Prevented from Cheating
A huge concern for many is that the online casinos themselves are cheating, however this accusation is nearly always completely unfounded. In fact, it is virtually impossible for an online casino to get away with cheating nowadays, thanks to the huge amounts of regulation they are subjected to. The main body responsible for overseeing online casinos is the UK Gambling Commission, and any casino with British players has to be regulated by them. They constantly look at every aspect of the casino, and ensure that players never have their trust breached.
There are also things in place to ensure that results at a casino are completely random, such as Random Number Generators. You can find out the security and safety measures in place at a casino simply by looking at the logos on the bottom of their page. It does still make sense to exercise some common sense when playing at a casino though, and if you feel that you’re being cheated, you should step away immediately, before then reporting the casino to the relevant authority.
It’s also important to mention that the reviews here on this site will tell you all about the safety and security of different online casinos. We know what to look for when it comes to this area, and will tell you straightaway if we think that there’s something suspicious. So, to keep yourself safe, only ever play at an online casino recommended by us.
