This happened in the early 1990s, when I was a young engineer starting an internship at one of the companies that helped create the smart card industry. I believed my card was secure. I believed the system worked. But watching strangers casually extract something that was supposed to be secret and protected was a shock. It was also the moment I realized how insecure security actually is, and the devastating impact security breaches could have on individuals, global enterprises, and governments.
But, within the iGaming world, trust is essential and in fact what drives engagement and retention. It's also all to do with the payment method, and the way casinos and betting platforms handle security, transparency and speed of all transactions. For instance, the best online casinos that payout do so quickly and efficiently. There are no surprise fees, no high withdrawal requirements and so on. As such, consumers develop trust in the brand and keep coming back.
The method is as fast and easy to use as tap-to-pay on mobile devices, largely because it literally uses the exact same technology. The worst part? Thieves only need to be within arm's reach to steal personal financial information their victims did not even realize was exposed. Indeed, ghost tapping is the newest evolution of longstanding card scam fraud. And this technique pays. Within a recent three-month window, scammers in Singapore used this method to steal nearly a million dollars from victims.
Subscriptions are everywhere-from software and streaming to fitness and education-but many teams still struggle to accept subscription payments smoothly. The most common pain points emerge at the worst possible moments: confusing checkout flows that spike abandonment, security and compliance anxiety that slow launches, and cancellation experiences that feel like mazes and erode trust. Addressing these issues upfront turns recurring billing into a dependable revenue engine, rather than a source of support tickets.
The NCAA and online payment service Venmo announced a partnership Tuesday aiming to combat abuse and harassment of college athletes, some of whom have reported receiving unwanted requests for money from losing bettors and solicitation for inside information. The NCAA-Venmo partnership features a dedicated hotline for athletes to report abuse and harassment, education on account security, and increased monitoring. Venmo's security team will monitor social media trends and events during games, such as last-second missed field goals, that have triggered surges in unwanted interactions.