Trust forms the bedrock of all online interactions. Without it, transactions are jeopardized. Online communications, engagements, and information dissemination rely on ironclad security. Take online banking as a case in point. Customers have no qualms about registering a bank account and transacting online.
A combination of factors alleviates fears, notably the bank’s reputation, security protocols, and a relationship of trust between the bank and its clientele. Unfortunately, many companies offering their goods and services to customers over the Internet don’t have the same brand recognition among customers. However, it’s essential to establish trust from the get-go.
Trust in Entertainment
In the entertainment arena, notably the casino games industry, several realities come into sharp focus. Foremost among them is the need to differentiate between shady and legitimate social casino operators. Absent this reality, it’s impossible to distinguish good from not-so-good.
For a traditional online casino, licensing, regulation, affiliation with respected gaming authorities, and independent oversight play an integral part in building trust with players.
Understanding why all these checks and balances are put in place is essential. Social casinos operate in a different realm. They don’t require licensing and regulation —at least not in the traditional sense.
Players realize that no gambling takes place at social casinos. Yet, the option to purchase coin packages is available. Several safeguards must exist whenever financial transactions processing occurs, such as affiliation with reputable payment processing solutions like Discover, Visa, or MasterCard.
These credit card providers are respected for their safety protocols. SSL (secure socket layer), firewall protection, and username/password-secured logins. Plus, the registration process at social casinos ensures that only registered players can access accounts through dedicated social media logins or user-generated login data.
What About the Companies Offering Social Casino Games?
It is somewhat surprising that more players don’t conduct due diligence of the management/ownership companies behind social casinos. A quick Google search instantly reveals plenty of helpful information, which can be used to determine the brand’s credibility.
For example, sites like Trustly or the BBB are excellent resources for gauging player opinions of social gaming platforms or the companies behind them. It only takes a moment to conduct a rudimentary search of the company’s reputation.
Fortunately, social casinos are not online casinos in the sense that no gambling activity is permitted whatsoever. That means payment-related problems are absent. So, too, are the wagering requirements that millions of players have become accustomed to in online casinos.
How Social Casinos Work: A Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s how it works: Let’s say you decide to play social slots at one of the leading providers. After completing the registration information (social media logins are the fastest), you move on to the business of gaming. It’s a fun-filled pursuit. Naturally, two types of virtual currencies are available. The one is typically known as gold coins but can go by any other term at the social casino.
This virtual currency has no redeemable cash value. It cannot be transferred between players and is usually only available at the operator where it is offered. Next, you have the option to play with sweepstakes coins. These cannot be purchased directly; they are offered for free when you purchase gold coins (or equivalent) in packages. You can also collect them through promotional offers.
When players buy coin packages, they only buy the non-redeemable, fun play coins, typically gold coins. You will be given a certain amount of SCs for free, depending on the package you buy. This is important; it indicates no direct correlation between your coin packages and gambling. It’s kind of like playing arcade games with faux coins, tickets or plastic tokens.
The exchange ratio between sweepstakes coins and US dollars is invariably one to one. That means if you have 10 sweepstakes coins, it has a value of $10. The only requirement is that your sweepstakes coins balance must meet a certain threshold. The cash value must be determined from winnings of sweepstakes coins, not purchases of gold coins + free sweepstakes coins.
Software Providers: The Backbone of Social Casinos
As you can tell, there is a lot to understand about social casinos. Fortunately, there is also another way for regular players to gauge the credibility, authenticity, and trust factor with social casinos. It’s evident through the software providers you see on site. Take a look at some of the games.
You will notice casual slots, video slots, jackpot slots, perhaps even card games and table games. The software providers are the companies that created these games. Most social casinos are multivendor operators. That simply means multiple software providers pool their talents. This gives players a much greater variety of games to play. All of the software providers and the companies that own them are fully licensed and regulated in their respective countries, territories, or jurisdictions. In other words, if you see recognizable names, it’s a good sign. Viewed in perspective, all of these points should give you all the assurance that you need to play social casino games at your preferred gaming operators.
