Identity Verification for Online Gaming Platforms – What’s in Store?

With the rising Identity technology trends and the proliferation of smart devices, more than 1 billion people stream from online gaming platforms on a monthly basis. The developing interest in the online gaming sector is inevitable due to which the industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% from 2020 to 2025. This increase in numbers has likewise attracted bad actors and cybercriminals, especially as more personally identifiable information is available online.

The lack of proper identity authentication mechanisms for e-gaming platforms has paved the way for fraudsters to execute their malicious plans. To address these customer safety concerns, a viable identity verification (IDV) solution is a need of the hour.

The Current-day Context of eSports

The advent of interactive games and the subsequent engagement of online gamers during the COVID-19 has given rise to eSports platforms. Various eSports websites have witnessed massive development in terms of onboarding and user engagement. But potential loopholes in the customer journey and security controls makes an ideal ground for hackers and imposters to deceive businesses using different deceitful tactics. Let’s have a glance at some common scams that have infiltrated the e-gaming sector.

Social Engineering Scams

In phishing or social engineering scam, users are oftentimes fooled by pesky criminals into giving away their identity information. Fraudsters essentially email victims from a fake gaming website that has an attached link and asks the user to provide their login details and passwords. As soon as they click on the link, they land on a fraudulently set up webpage that requests payment information. These credentials and stolen information is then used to hijack existing accounts, in identity theft, issuing new credit cards, etc.

Ill-created Mobile Apps

Cybercriminals exploit technical vulnerabilities to forge online gaming products and services. The destructive computer program is then used for stealing confidential information from the user’s account which includes credit card PINS, emails, passwords, addresses, etc.

Online Harms for Minors

Cybercriminals can easily manipulate minors through in-game communication channels. Some famous games like PUBG incorporate this feature – seemingly which is intended for a better gaming experience, but often ends up violating minor protection regulations.

Micro-payments require online gamers to provide credit card details for making the transaction. Scammers gain access to the account details by deceiving players on digital platforms and websites or by using information from the dark web.

Identity Verification Safeguarding Digital Platforms

Various e-gaming websites are now striving to deliver such services that are compliant with KYC/AML obligations. On the flip side, the majority of eSports platforms are faced with challenges like stringent compliance obligations, age verification of minors, and the constant threat of cybercriminals.

The increasing risks of monetary crime, impersonation fraud, and ID theft over online gaming websites has created the need for better frameworks for identity user authentication. Taking into account the age of online gaming customers is as important as verifying their identity information, which is why IDV which come with age-supported checks are essential.

Fraud Prevention

A decent alternative for distinguishing digital ID theft is to use an AI-powered system that performs identity verification of players in real-time. The solutions require clients to provide identity proof in the form of a government-provided ID that is used to authenticate their presence.

Considering this situation, an IDV solution requires online gamers to take a selfie of their face which is then matched against the picture present on their ID records.

Biometric-powered IDV solutions

Cyber actors use 3-D spoof attacks, animated symbols, replayed videos, eye cut tools, and impersonation fraud to outwit Know Your Customer checks. A state-of-the-art identity authentication system considers unique facial characteristics for biometric verification. Utilizing artificial intelligence, these solutions analyze graphics and video-based data to examine whether they come from a live person or not.

Complying with Age Verification Obligations

Regular age gates incorporate checkboxes where online gamers are asked “Are you 18 or above?”. By basically marking the option atomic, this age check can be easily bypassed. To protect minors from gaining access to violent, R-rated, and adult-centred games, document-based checks and facial recognition technology is significant during digital identity verification. With this strategy for advanced age checks, dishonest customers using illegitimate IDs can be taken down.

Summing Things Up

• The eSports industry has various prevalent scams including phishing offers, minor targeting, and fake mobile gaming applications

• To prevent phishing attacks, fraudulent applications and websites, malware, and hack attempts, identity authentication services can be employed by e-gaming platforms

• Liveness checks permit online businesses to differentiate between legitimate and fraudulent players

• Utilizing identity-based age verification, minors protection can be ensured online