WATCH OUT: Telegram & WhatsApp Gambling Sites Can be a Fraud!
Online gambling has entered every pore of our society. In the past, people had to go to land-based venues to enjoy gambling.
From the early 2000s onward, you can gamble all you want directly from your home. Or on your phone – whatever you choose, you don’t need to take a trip to play your favorite casino games. As much good as that brought is, it also opened the door for unsafe gambling sites.
In the past few years, there’s been a massive influx of casinos on social networks. Social casinos on Facebook have been around for some time, but WhatsApp and Telegram casinos have overtaken their position in the past year or two.
Many people have been drawn by the ‘private’ experience recommended through groups on these chat apps. That has only led to a bunch of problems for many players since most of these casinos are rogue.
The problem is that the industry’s too overwhelmed to ‘patrol’ the Internet and shut these online casinos down. If you’ve ever been drawn to the idea of playing in these casinos, read our article first.
Are These Casinos Safe?
No, they’re not, and they will never be. The safety of online casinos is guaranteed by their license and the safety/security measures implemented.
Most Telegram and WhatsApp casinos don’t have a license – that’s why they circulate in secret groups instead of being advertised online.
How do They Lure New Customers In?
They use huge bonuses and incredible winning stories from fake profiles to lure new players in. Everyone wants a secret casino to join, believing that they’ll be a part of some posh group.
In the end, these casinos will only rob you of your money and leave you penniless. Even worse, there have been numerous cases of identity thefts which can have unforeseen consequences.
Did you know 4 out of 10 Indians have experienced identity theft online? If you sign up at a site like this, you will definitely become a part of the statistics.
Should You Enter an Information at These Sites?
Entering information at these casinos sites is a recipe for disaster. Legal online casinos transfer your data over secure SSL-encrypted channels, while these casinos don’t.
As soon as you enter your personal data, it’s openly available to third parties. Enter your financial details, and you might find your bank account empty soon.
In most cases, these fraudulent casinos are only active during the time the post goes live on the chat apps. As soon as players deposit, they tend to disappear.
Good luck tracking your lost funds. Since these casinos are unlicensed, no governing body will help you. Sure, the police will open up an investigation, but who can tell you if it will go very far? ₹615.39 crores has been siphoned from Indians in cyber fraud for the past 10 years. Do you want to be a part of that?
Recommendations When You Make a Payment
Once you have found a site you consider being worth its time to make an investment. You need to deposit to so you can play & win casino games for real money.
However, Cashup strongly recommends you to not use a Maestro/Visa/Mastercard since credit or debit cards are more prone to fraud.
There are many gambling sites accepting UPi or casinos with IMPS which are much more secure to use. Since the websites cannot steal your card details.
Exceptions – Promotions through Telegram & Whatsapp
For a while, chat apps such as Telegram and WhatsApp were the next big thing in social gaming. Both platforms allowed players to access their favorite games straight from the app anytime and anywhere.
You only need a smartphone that supports the apps and a stable Internet connection, and nearly anyone has both these days.
Some casino sites even started offering deals via the chat apps. Users could claim bonuses and play real money games from mobile and desktop apps and experience casinos on the go whenever they want to.
However, everything went sideways when rogue sites realized they can offer their services to unsuspecting clients via the apps.
Though, bear with us. There are some licensed casinos which offer deals via Telegram or WhatsApp channels. If they do, you can be sure that it’ll be mentioned on the front page.
10CRIC Casino, as an example, frequently sends out Telegram promotions:
Screenshot from 10CRIC’s Telegram channel.
Telegram promotion duplicated on the 10cric.com domain:
When you accept promotions over Telegram, make sure you are on the correct domain. Otherwise, this can also be a fraud.
How to Choose a Safe Casino Site
If you’ve thought about joining a Telegram/WhatsApp site with bonuses, Cashup Club recommends doing some research first. As mentioned, there are some secure online casinos offering their services via these apps.
But, before you claim anything or register, do a quick Google search on the casino. Dozens of hits should come up instantly, allowing you to determine if the casino is safe.
The top governing bodies in the world of iGaming are:
- Malta Gaming Authority
- Curacao eGaming
If it owns an MGA or Curacao eGaming license, there’s nothing to worry about. These are the two biggest governing bodies in online gambling and their license means a lot.
When a casino doesn’t display its license or claims it has one but doesn’t display a registered number, you can do a quick search at the respective governing body’s website to see if the site is licensed at all. If the license is revoked or expired, you’re better off trying your luck elsewhere.
The good news is that the casinos here at Cashup Club are 100% legit and guarantee a safe experience. Make your pick from our list, and you don’t have to worry about the safety of your personal or financial details.