Is Online Poker Safe?

Whenever anyone asks me what I do for a living, I kind of cringe on the inside because I already know where the conversation is going. As soon as I mention online poker, the follow up question will invariably be one of these 3 questions:

1. Is online poker legal?

2. Is online poker safe?

3. How much do you make / lose?

Geez.

The answer to two of these questions can be found here and here. Today, we’re going to talk about the safety of online poker. But first, let’s talk about the dangers of online poker, because danger is more exciting than safety.

The Dangers of Online Poker

Ok, this headline is a little dramatic but I guess it fits. Online poker really isn’t any more dangerous than any other activity on the internet. Just like using your credit card to purchase things off eBay, you use your credit card to purchase virtual chips at online poker sites. Anytime you use your credit card on the computer, you’re taking a small risk.

As long as you keep a decent virus scanner and firewall on your computer, you should be fine. Hell, I feel safer giving my credit card number to PokerStars than I do handing my card to the drugged out McDonalds worker who could easily go in the back and jot down my credit card number. (No offense McDonalds workers – I used to work in fast food too.)

Besides that, people also worry about trusting their money with poker sites that they can’t physically see or touch. That’s an understandable concern but you should think about it the same way as you think about online shopping. As long as you only shop with large, reputable vendors, you’ll be fine. The same thing goes for online poker.

My Most Trusted Poker Site:

Finally, the issue raised most often by moral objectors to poker is problem gambling. Politicians and fun-hating commies all over the world claim that online poker makes it so easy to “click the mouse and lose your house.” It seems logical, at first glance, to assume that online poker increases instances of problem gambling. After all, you would think that online poker makes it more convenient for problem gamblers to feed their addiction.

Conversely, recent studies in the UK (where online poker and online gambling are legal and regulated), instances of problem gambling have gone up zero percent since online poker became legal.

Sadly, your government is probably the single greatest danger in online poker. If you live in the United States, you have a greater risk of the US Government stealing your money than any poker site stealing it. Thousands of players were affected in 2007 when the FBI froze players’ funds for more than six months during an investigation into the poker funding company, Neteller.

It’s hard telling what the various governments of the world will do regarding online gambling and poker but it generally looks like things are going better for poker. You’ll still find the occasional, errant politician or prosecutor looking to make a name for himself, but generally things are improving.

Playing Safe Online Poker

If you follow a few simple precautions, playing online poker is completely safe. The first and most important thing you should do is make sure you have a good antivirus program and a firewall. Most antivirus programs now come with firewalls so if you already have an antivirus program, you probably have a firewall.

Next, the most important thing you can do is play at large, well-known poker sites with a solid reputation. 99% of online poker sites are safe but there have been a couple in the past that have failed for various reasons. As long as you play at one of the poker sites reviewed here at BeatNoLimit.com or at many other websites, you’ll be fine.

With regards to problem gambling, it’s an issue that only affects about 0.6% of online gamblers. The best way to combat problem gambling is to be honest with yourself and learn when to give up. If you ever suspect you or a loved one has a gambling problem, there are several resources you can quickly access on the internet:

National Council on Problem Gambling

HelpGuide.Org

Gamblers Anonymous

And when it comes to the government, there are several things you can do to protect your interests. The first is to be an informed voter and to make your voice be heard through your vote. Second, you can join the Poker Player’s Alliance to help fight for online poker in the United States. In other countries, you might find similar groups as well.

So what’s it all mean?

Online poker is safe enough for me and for hundreds of thousands of people around the world. I’ve played online poker for years, made countless withdrawals and paid the bills with my earnings and haven’t had any problems or major concerns. I only hope that our government starts to look at the issue with logic rather than with political greed.

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