The iGaming industry incorporates numerous forms of entertainment, but probably the most popular one is online gambling and internet-based casino games. If you prefer to play online, you’ve probably noticed how many of them as for ID verification. Let’s be honest, it’s irritating, but there’s definitely a reason behind it or even several reasons. In this article, we’ll analyze the advantages and drawbacks of ID verification, and figure out why KYC is important for a proper online gambling experience.
How Online Casino Players Benefit from ID Verification
Identity verification is good for a lot of things. First and foremost, it ensures you are who you say you are, and it’s a crucial step before you start playing for real money. It prevents fraud, helps protect minors from the dangers of gambling, and enforces responsible gambling all at once.
Helps to Prevent Fraud
Fraud is not unheard of when it comes to online gambling. Malicious users are always targeting casinos to get unauthorized access to players’ financial and personal data. Cybercriminals do this by hacking unsafe casinos or registering multiple fake accounts. They can then spam other members and try to steal their data.
Identity verification, that’s a problem of the past. KYC checks protect the casino and players too. If the casino suspects fraud, they can report users to the authorities, who can then take the necessary steps to prevent it from happening again.
Contributes to Minors Protection
Underage gambling is a big problem, and without verification checks in the past, it was a rampage. Many players lied they were 18 or 21 or over that age just to play casino games for real money when they were underage instead. With KYC checks and ID verification, it’s no longer a problem. It’s not one of the ways online casinos ensure minors are protected from the dangers of online gambling. It may be a drop in the sea, but it’s still a drop nonetheless.
Enforces Responsible Gambling
Gambling should be a means of entertainment before anything else. It should not be seen as a source of income – that’s a blueprint for failure and irresponsible gambling. ID verification helps casinos keep vulnerable players in check. If you’ve already registered with a responsible gambling program and you’re trying to join a new casino, the ID check will be more than enough for you to be banned.
And for good reason. This measure is a great weapon in the fight against the gambling problem, which is much bigger than you think. By checking their ID and verifying accounts, online casinos can monitor vulnerable players and ensure their habit doesn’t go awry.
The Drawbacks of ID Verification When Gambling Online
For all the good it does, there are a few key points against ID verification in online casinos. While the pros far outweigh the cons, this lengthy process can take time, and it also sends too much info to an operator that might possibly be a scam.
Withdrawals Are More Difficult
While it’s necessary to verify your account in order to withdraw winnings, it also makes them unnecessarily more difficult. Some online casinos will seek documents on every withdrawal, further delaying the already lengthy process. This can make players irate. Some of them bypass these limitations by playing at no-verification withdrawal sites listed at NonStopCasino and other resources. Others just give up looking for their winnings, resulting in subpar casino reviews.
Verification Procedures Are Lengthy
Verification procedures should take about 24 hours on average, but let’s be real – most take much more than that. As a matter of fact, casinos can cite too much commotion as the reason they’re having trouble verifying your account. Or they can send you back and forth citing old documents and approve only documents that are aged no older than 6 months. In that case, it can feel like forever, while preventing you from withdrawing your hard-earned winnings.
Disclosing Too Much Personal Info
Regardless of the good intentions behind it, ID verification means sending too much information to a casino that might be unsafe. Scam sites can use this to their advantage and make your life a living hell. This is why you should always pick reputable casinos that won’t leak your personal info. Even then, we believe an ID check might be enough, but those utility bills or bank statement requirements are a bit too much.
Conclusion
While ID verification checks are important, there are a few downsides to them. But, in the end, the pros far outweigh the cons, making KYC checks very important for a proper online gambling experience. Of course, you should only send your personal documents to trustworthy casinos. If you send them to unlicensed casinos, they might be sent to the highest bidder, sending off a trigger of problems.
