Emerging technologies are transforming online gambling. Global online casino revenue is climbing all the time. At the same time, the expansion means players face many risks, including identity theft and money laundering. Bad actors can steal the identity of players and commit fraud in numerous ways. Online casinos must be able to ensure that players are who they say they are and that they are of legal gambling age. Near Field Communication (NFC) is an advanced technology that can offer a solution for this.
What is NFC technology?
NFC technology is a set of communication protocols. It typically involves an NFC chip and a reader such as a smartphone. This enables wireless data transmission between the two. When two NFC-compatible devices, such as a smartphone and an NFC tag, touch each other or are nearby, this establishes a connection. When online casino apps verify user identities in this way, it helps to reduce the risks of financial crime. It can also help online casinos to restrict minors from access.
Electronic identity documents
Electronic identity documents contain an RFID chip that encodes personal information to protect it. Many countries have already switched to electronic identity documents. They offer higher resistance to forgery, which makes them a more reliable proof of identity than physical documents. The chip is digitally signed and protected with advanced cryptography. Checking the authenticity of documents is even possible remotely using NFC-enabled smartphones.
More affordable NFC-enabled devices
With higher accessibility to NFC-enabled devices, people are accustomed to using mobile phones instead of payment cards. NFC verification therefore poses fewer issues than ever before. The software may even offer automated data entry, which can prevent typos and frustrations.
Unfortunately, certain groups of users may use budget mobile devices that don’t use NFC technology. Casinos could create special flows for these players such as video interviews or on-site verification with ID readers. The problem is that this can be costly and add friction to the verification process.
Quick and accurate verification
NFC verification enables online casinos to confirm player identities quickly and accurately. Almost 80% of smartphones use NFC technology already. It takes only a few seconds to swipe an electronic ID card using a smartphone. The data transfer speed is quick, which helps to enhance the user experience.
Educating users
Online casinos will need to educate players if they want to protect them against cybercrime. One of the online safety rules they can teach them is to practice safe browsing. Cybercriminals can try to tempt them with dubious games to download. One careless click could result in exposing their personal information. When players know the importance of protecting their private and confidential information, tricking them is harder.
AI and machine learning
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are some of the technologies that help to automate the process of online gambling verification. They can make it more efficient and faster. By identifying suspicious patterns of behavior, AI can help reduce the risks of fraud. The use of AI chatbots is already prevalent in online casinos and other forms of AI and machine learning can offer many benefits, including more safety and security.
Biometric verification methods
Some online casinos already use biometric identity verification methods, such as facial recognition technology. In this case, the quality of the document scan and the user selfie will define the process. Users with non-biometric I.D.s often have to go through more verification hoops than those who use biometric verification methods. Biometric data is unique and hard to falsify. When pairing NFC technology with biometric information, identity verification is very dependable.
