In this generation cyber-attacks are increasing and it’s never been more important for betting firms all over the world to ensure they have state-of-the-art software so their customer’s bank accounts aren’t accessed by hackers.
Hacking is well-known all around the world, with many punters opting to use the old fashioned way of placing a bet by going into the local bookies. While obviously not the Gen-Z way of doing things, the benefit of avoiding betting hackers stealing your money is knowledge that we should all know and can help you from avoiding becoming a victim.
In this article we’ll investigate what UK betting firms have been hacked in the past and what you can do to help avoid it.
Setting Up Your Betting Account
In the UK there are a high number of top betting firms that are available to the general public. Whether it’s walking down the road, watching your TV, looking at your phone or reading the newspaper, betting firm’s advertisements are everywhere and try to work their magic to gain further income.
This can be aimed towards new, current or former customers and they make use of all platforms to increase their income. Firms have been in the press a lot for the way they used to encourage betting and the effect it had on punter’s mental health. Such was the negative press, a number of charities have been created and campaigns run by betting companies have started, including BeGambleAware, SkyBet’s ‘Safer Gambling’ while PaddyPower have a range of content to help their customers.
Upon creating an account with these betting sites, punters are asked to fill in their banking details which will enable them to deposit money so they can start placing bets. Their banking details include their name on the card, debit card number, expiry date and the CVS number on the back of the card. You can deposit money via PayPal and other methods too however by debit card is the most popular way of doing it.
Who’s Been Hacked In The Past?
There’ve been a number of high-profile companies all over the world that have been hacked. Banks such as Santander and Tesco Bank, taxi service Uber in 2016, social platform Facebook and network company T-Mobile in 2021. The fact remains that hacking can
One of the recent victims of a hacker attack was betting giant William Hill. They, along with other companies that were in a number of industries, knew immediately that the attack would have a devastating impact on the business. Particularly in terms of lost profits from customers being unable to place bets during the most important football competition, the Champions League. The incident highlighted the need for proper cyber security measures to be in place to protect businesses from similar attacks in the future. Hill has since invested heavily in strengthening its IT infrastructure and implementing new technologies such as cloud-based solutions and advanced firewalls that are able to detect and prevent known threats before they can cause any damage.
Another company to feel the wrath of their customers were popular gambling site SuperCasino. In 2020, SuperCasino informed their users that a data breach incident had occurred. While financial data such as credit card information and payment credentials were protected, other sensitive data may have been exposed. The urged customers to change their passwords on all accounts associated with SuperCasino immediately.
The organization aims to ensure that their clients’ data and financial details are kept safe, however the recent breach has caused major concerns. Not only were 108 million wagers compromised, but also the personal information of customers associated with those wagers. This data included names, email addresses, IP addresses, and even payment card details. They too have also implemented additional security measures to ensure that no further breaches occur, however like any other site that have had their systems hacked into, their reputation will have taken some time to build back up.
Avoid Getting Hacked
Globally, 30,000 websites are hacked every day with 22 billion records accessed via hacking in 2021. This is an insane number when you consider the age we live in where many people understand the implications of being hacked. All betting sites will have their own software to protect their customers, often spending thousands of pounds to ensure this, knowing that one slip up could heavily affect their reputation in the industry. This doesn’t mean your account will never be hacked as there have been cases where hacker have managed to access some of the most high-profile companies in the world. Relying on the betting companies isn’t your only way of protection, there are certain weaknesses that hackers can exploit which you can avoid through simply being aware of what steps they take.
It’s always good to update your details when you can, preferably yearly. You may not be able to change your username, but you can request a new card at any time, change your password multiple times and even go as far as closing your account to create a brand new one. It’s important to not keep the same password for every app you use, and this includes your betting account. It is also important to use different passwords for each of your online betting accounts. This way, if someone manages to crack your password, they will only be able to access one account and not the rest. By taking this precautionary step, you can keep your funds safe from hackers by making sure that they do not have access to all of your accounts. Furthermore, if you believe that your password has been compromised, immediately change it and update all of your other passwords as soon as possible. To ensure the security of your online betting accounts, it is important to adopt a secure password policy and practice regular password changes.
Mobile data, even though you may be reluctant to, is your friend against public places’ Wi-Fi. It’s best to avoid connecting to any free WIFI hotspots when you are out in public. Even if you only use them for browsing the web or checking your emails, there is still a risk of having your personal information exposed. If you connect to a public WIFI and sign into an online casino, then your account information can be easily accessed by a decent hacker who is using the same network. This also includes using your friend’s devices as you never know if they’ve already got what they’ve downloaded in the past.
Installing antivirus whenever you can to avoid the most recent software hackers have been able to download and access. Make sure all of your passwords are strong and secure, and never share them with anyone else and use two-factor authentication whenever possible for added security. Additionally, configure your firewall settings to block access to any suspicious websites or IP addresses. Finally, always be aware of unexpected emails, text messages, or other communications that could contain malicious links. When betting online, always be sure to use a secure connection and reputable sites. Avoid downloading any software that may contain infectious code or hidden malware programs, and make sure to back up important data regularly in case of any security issues. Taking these precautions can ensure that your online gambling experience is safe and secure.
Hackers will normally target a large company with a lot of records and activity rather than an individual which is why it’s advisable to use a secure website. You can recognise one by how the URL starts – it should say ‘HTTPS://’. This should mean the website is safe, reliable and has maximum security on the backend of it.
It’s highly advisable to never keep a high amount of money in your betting account at one time. While many may see this as a way of saving any hassle of always having to deposit money, you’re actually more likely to be targeted by hackers. If hackers were to breach the website, all the money you have on the platform might get stolen with no way to retrieve it. You can also have a separate account just for betting, so when you withdraw from the betting site into your account, you can then transfer it to your main account from there and the hacker would have no idea where the money has gone.
A Final Note
The online gambling industry is one of the most vulnerable sectors to cybercrime and fraud, due to its vast worldwide reach and potential for significant financial gain. As such, it’s particularly important that companies and their users take all necessary steps to reduce the risk of malicious attacks. There are things you, as the user, can look out for and action as you should. We’re talking about your money, and in this day and age, protecting it should’ve one of the highest priorities we should have. Hackers will do anything they can to benefit from other people, which is why it’s important to be careful with what websites you choose to sign up with online.
