The Sunday Mail
Online gambling in Zimbabwe is in quite favourable conditions. It has been legally allowed since 2002 after an amendment to the Lotteries and Gambling Act was made. Particularly favourable are the conditions for offshore gambling sites that are actively entering the Zimbabwean market. Among them, many of those use credit card details for processing deposit and withdrawal transactions.
Given the specifics of the developing gambling industry in the region, the insufficient awareness of the risks, and the lack of experience in managing credit card funds when gambling, many casino players fall for the bait of scammers who steal personal data, money, and so on. Read on to learn more about credit card casinos, risks related to these sites, the current landscape of the gambling market in Zimbabwe, and methods to deal with potential problems.
Why Online Casinos Targeting the Zimbabwean Region
The gambling market quickly responded to these changes after the region began actively developing digital technologies. First of all, this caused an active growth in the number of young gamblers who got access to the games.
Domestic Zimbabweans have also noticed this trend. For example, the marketing manager of Mashonaland Turf Club, Chamu Mkhembere, says that the arrival of new players confirms the industry’s growth. On the one hand, this is a plus for the economy. But on the other hand, there are also serious drawbacks:
- Absence of well-working regulatory mechanisms to control offshore casinos.
- Low awareness of risks among Zimbabwean players.
- Economic problems that push people to play.
As for the last point, labour economist Godfrey Kanyenze described this situation straight: “People are under the pressure of an inefficient economy, so they are looking for quick wins because the usual mechanisms for acquiring assets are limited.”
Picking the Secure Online Casino to Deposit with a Credit Card
First, it is important to pick a reliable gaming site to protect your personal and financial data. If you are unsure where to start, you can simply check out a nonstopcasino.org list of credit card casinos that are trustworthy. Or, if you are feeling more confident, you can select a casino yourself. Below, you can find the key features you must pay attention to checking reviews, contacting the customer support service, and more.
Learn Feedback about a Casino
It is important to visit independent review sites and check the feedback about a particular casino. On such sites, newly registered and active users often leave comments on the casino’s pros and cons, share their experiences, and more.
Check Licence
The site must feature a relevant license issued by a reputable regulator. For example, there may be Curacao Gaming Control Bondy, Malta Gambling Authority, and more.
Explore Security Issues
Make sure that site supports encryption protocols. First of all, it relates to the SSL protocol that protects your data as it travels from your end to the casino site.
Read T&Cs
The section with T&Cs must be clear and understandable. Make sure there is no ambiguity and undertext. If you face anything like that, contacting the customer support service and clearing everything out in advance is better.
Gambling-Related Scam
Zimbabwean gamblers often experience different types of fraudulent activity while playing at casinos that accept credit cards. This is why knowing cybercriminals can steal your card details is crucial for any online casino player to be able to protect their credit cards. Below, you can find some advice to get you started.
- Getting the card number, account holder name, expiration date, and CVV/CVC code. With their help, scammers can make purchases on the Internet and transfer money to another account.
- Social engineering is when scammers get information about a user’s account.
- Creation of fake sites that are quite similar to real casinos. The option is also called phishing.
- Also, gamblers may experience fake casino software that is aimed at stealing sensitive data after installation.
- When depositing, some scam casinos may force users to sign up for unknown services that can lead to unauthorized recurring charges.
There are also outright fraudulent sites that refuse to pay players under early pretexts, actually swindling money from them.
Ways of Avoiding Online Casino Scams
The following methods can help you protect yourself from financial losses and get the best experience ever.
- Always register at reputable sites with relevant licenses.
- Pay attention to security measures: check the HTTPS of the site, SSL protocol, and ability to activate 2FA.
- Double-check the payment methods that support credit cards.
- Try to use a separate credit card to deposit/withdraw on the site and never share its details with third parties.
- Regularly check your profile and report in case of scam activity.
Constantly educate yourself to stay informed about possible problems.
Conclusions
The gambling industry in Zimbabwe is experiencing rapid development. This is manifested in the growth of both active gamblers and offshore casinos that are actively entering the market. Along with the advantages of injecting investments into the country’s budget, such a trend carries its own risks.
This is primarily due to the increasing fraudulent activity targeting credit card users, especially those who like to play at online casinos. Phishing, fake sites, and sensitive information theft jeopardize the security of players’ assets. To deal with it, a comprehensive approach is needed that includes both a change in the regulatory framework and a set of relatively simple actions at the level of an individual gambler (checking a casino license, exploring security methods, and so on).
