Going on holiday is the perfect opportunity to chill out. You’ll probably spend your downtime playing games on your phone or tablet. But when you connect to Wi-Fi in a different country, things can get complicated. Your usual apps won’t work or you’ll see ads for games you’ve never heard of.
This is a problem, especially for apps that use real money. The laws for online gaming and gambling change from country to country. What’s legal in the UK might be illegal where you’re holidaying. Using an unlicensed or illegal app could cost you your winnings or get you in trouble.
In this guide, we’ll show you three simple ways to check if your online games and apps are safe and legal to use abroad. These quick checks will keep you safe so you can get on with your holiday.
1. Look for a proper licence
Before you even think about downloading an app or signing up to a gaming site, your first job is to check if it has a legit licence. This is the single most important sign that a company is trustworthy. A licence is not just a fancy logo; it’s a guarantee that the operator is regulated by an official body.
Why a licence matters
A licence can be considered a government authority’s approval stamp. Gaming regulators such as the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority are in place to protect players. They set very strict rules that companies must follow to keep their licence.
A licensed operator must protect your money. They are required to keep player funds in separate bank accounts from their business funds. This means if the company goes bust, your money is safe. They also have to operate in a fair manner. A licensed company must use software that has been tested by independent labs to ensure the games are truly random and not rigged. They must also act responsibly. Licensed operators have to provide tools to help you gamble responsibly, and protect vulnerable players. And, they have to be secure. They must use high-level encryption to protect your personal and financial data from hackers.
Finding the licensing information is usually easy. Scroll down to the bottom of the website’s homepage. Reputable companies always display their licence details in the footer. You should see the name of the regulator and a licence number. Be very suspicious of any site that hides this info or just states it’s ‘certified’ without proving it. Unlicensed operators answer to no one – they can change the rules, refuse to pay out your winnings, or just shut down and disappear with your cash.
How to verify a licence
Don’t just take our word for it. Check the licence yourself. Regulators like the UKGC and MGA have public registers on their websites. Search for the company’s name or licence number to see if they’re listed. If they’re not on the register, the licence isn’t real and you should stay away.
This takes a couple of minutes, but it’s the best way to protect yourself from scams. Playing on a dodgy, unlicensed site is like getting in an unmarked taxi; you have no idea where you’ll end up.
2. Research the local laws
Just because a gaming site has a licence doesn’t mean you can use it from anywhere in the world. Online gambling laws vary to quite an extent. A site might have a licence from Malta, and be legal for players in many European countries but completely illegal to access from a Middle Eastern country like Dubai or an Asian country.
Laws are different everywhere
Before you travel, take five minutes to do a quick search on the local laws of your holiday destination. Every country is different.
Some countries like the UK have their own regulated markets, with a specific licensing system. Others only have one state-owned company that is allowed to offer online gaming. Some have no laws for or against online gambling, leaving it in a legal grey area. And many have laws that ban online gambling altogether. Playing in these places could get you fined or penalised.
Don’t just think “If the app works, it must be legal”. Apps and websites use geo-blocking to stop users from certain countries, but these systems aren’t perfect. You might be able to access and play on a site but if you win and the operator sees you were playing from a prohibited country, they can legally void your winnings and close your account.
You’ll see local ads while on holiday. It’s exciting to find a brand new casino you’ve never seen before with huge welcome bonuses. This is where you need to be careful. Before you sign up and claim the offer, you need to check that the operator is legally allowed to serve players in that country. A flashy ad doesn’t mean it’s legal, especially when you’re in an unfamiliar legal landscape.
The best way to stay safe is to know the rules before you go. A quick Google search for [Country name] online gaming laws’ will give you the info you need. If the law isn’t clear or gambling is banned outright, the safest thing to do is not to play at all. It’s not worth the risk or the trouble.
3. Use official app stores and read reviews
Where you get your app is just as important as the app itself. Where you download from can tell you a lot about how safe it is. For mobile gaming, always use the official app stores: Google Play Store for Android and the Apple App Store for iOS.
Official store safety
Both Google and Apple have review processes for the apps in their stores. They scan for malware and check for basic security standards. They have policies that developers must follow. For real-money gaming apps, they often require the developer to show proof of a valid gambling licence for the regions where the app will be available.
This isn’t foolproof, but it filters out the worst and most illegal apps. Be very cautious of any app that asks you to download it from a website, especially on Android. This process, known as sideloading’, skips all of the Google Play Store’s security checks. The file you download may be infected with malware that can steal your passwords, banking information or other personal details. Do not download apps from outside the official stores unless you are an expert and completely trust the source.
Look out for red flags in reviews
Community feedback is your friend. Once you find an app in an official store, take the time to read the player reviews. Don’t just look at the star rating. Read what people are actually saying.
A few bad reviews are normal for any app. But you should look for patterns. You need to look out for major red flags. Are lots of players complaining about payout problems, with comments like “I won money but they won’t let me withdraw it”? Are there stories of account issues, like “They closed my account as soon as I tried to cash out”? Poor customer service is another bad sign. If lots of customers are saying that the support team is unhelpful or impossible to reach, this shows the company doesn’t care about its users. Be cautious of buggy software as well. If you see reviews that mention crashes or games freezing, it could mean the app wasn’t designed too well.
Be smart about reading reviews. Some companies post fake five-star reviews to boost their ratings. These are often very generic and don’t give any real details. The most useful reviews are the balanced ones that explain both the good and the bad.
Conclusion
Protecting yourself online while on holiday is easy. It doesn’t take much effort. You can dodge the frauds and play safe, legit games by checking for a licence, knowing local laws and using official app stores. It will take only a few minutes of research to make sure your gaming is seamless and your holiday remains relaxing.
Published by HOLR Magazine.