How To Report an Online Casino—Resolve Problems Quickly

Playing at an online casino is a thrilling way to enjoy your favourite gaming activities. Still, even if you’re playing at a respectable establishment, you may run into issues from time to time. These are usually solvable with the help of the casino’s customer support, but bigger problems might arise if you don’t do your research and choose a suspicious, unregulated online establishment. 

Depending on the severity of the issue, you may need to file a complaint against the casino with its regulator. Prevention is always the best solution, so the easiest way to deal with issues is to avoid them altogether by playing at vetted, respectable casinos. That way, even if something happens, you’ll be able to find a solution with the help of the establishment’s customer care. 

With this in mind, we’ve put together an extensive guide to dispute resolution with iGaming venues—read this article to learn how to report an online casino and solve any problem! 

Different Casino-Related Issues

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No matter how reputable the casino is, there’s always a chance of having an issue. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common problems: 

When you encounter one of these issues, you can take several courses of action. Among other things, you can:

1. Check the casino’s FAQ section
2. Read the casino’s Terms and Conditions
3. Contact the casino’s support staff
4. Report the casino to its regulator

Check the Casino’s FAQ Section

Most respectable casinos have a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section, where you can find answers to some of the most common questions. For example, when you need some help accessing a feature or navigating the interface, the FAQ section will likely be your first and last stop. 

The FAQ page rarely solves complex issues or bugs. The format also ensures you’ll only receive short answers to your questions. If you need more in-depth information, the casino’s Terms and Conditions section might be a more appropriate destination. 

Read the Casino’s Terms and Conditions

A Terms and Conditions page is a document which outlines the rights and obligations of both parties in the context of online gambling and related local and international laws—the two parties being you and the casino. If you’re playing at a respectable and legal establishment, the Terms and Conditions section is designed to protect both the casino and yourself. 

This section typically contains in-depth information about: 

1. Data privacy policies
2. Account conditions
3. Wagering requirements for player campaigns
4. Companies that operate the casino
5. Available banking methods and limits

Data Privacy Policies

Registering and playing at an online casino involves sharing your personal and financial data with that online establishment. You will provide personal information during account creation and when verifying your identity—a necessary step before sending and receiving payments from the casino. 

This type of information can be easily misused if it ever falls into the wrong hands. That’s why you want to be sure that your casino has favourable data privacy policies and doesn’t share your data with third parties. If you suspect the casino is breaking its own data privacy rules, you can report them to the relevant regulatory body. 

Account Conditions

Every online casino has account-related conditions, which you automatically accept when you sign up. These ensure the casino has the legal right to ban your account if they suspect you’ve broken its rules.

In most cases, a casino will only ban you if they catch you cheating or having duplicate accounts. The venue’s Terms and Conditions outline specific cases. This is useful if you believe your account was wrongly banned and want to appeal to the casino or its regulator. 

Wagering Requirements for Player Campaigns

Most casinos have player campaigns designed to attract new players and keep existing ones. Before you can receive casino funds or other perks through these campaigns, you must fulfill their wagering requirements. 

If you’re not sure what to do, the casino’s Terms and Conditions usually outline both the general wagering requirements for the whole establishment and the specific requirements for individual campaigns. 

Companies That Operate the Casino

Every casino has an operator—the company responsible for running the website and servicing its players. Learning about the designated operator is vital if you want to know how to complain about an online casino. 

If the company in question is a known entity in the online gaming industry, you’ll probably be able to resolve your issue by just talking to their customer staff. An unknown company that’s registered in a suspicious jurisdiction may be running a fraudulent casino, and you should report them to the appropriate authorities. 

Available Banking Methods & Limits

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A variety of deposit and withdrawal methods is a telltale sign of a reputable casino, where there’s a lower chance you’ll encounter any major issues. 

Besides being more certain about a casino’s reputation, there are other benefits of playing at regulated venues with tons of banking options. Here are a few examples:

• Bank transfers—Often come with additional fees, and the transactions can take longer 
• Credit card withdrawals—Instant, but require you to share more financial info with an online casino
• Bitcoin, eWallets, and pre-paid vouchers—decent options if data privacy is a priority for you

If you’re interested in exploring all available payment options across different casinos, here’s a list of the most frequently used ones: 

• Visa 
• Payz 
• Mastercard 
• iDebit 
• American Express 
• Instadebit 
• Neteller 
• Bank transfers 
• eChecks 
• PayPal 
• Paysafecard 
• Maestro 
• Apple Pay 
• Skrill 
• MuchBetter 

Before trying to report an online casino for an unprocessed withdrawal request, check out its withdrawal policies—that’s where you’ll see the venue’s general ETAs for payments. It’s a good idea to play at casinos that aren’t tardy with withdrawals—respectable establishments usually provide specific ETAs for at least some of their payment options. 

Contact the Casino’s Support Staff

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Even after going through a casino’s FAQ section and reading the Terms and Conditions, you may still need assistance to solve your issue. That’s when it’s time to turn to the establishment’s customer support. Since you’re playing at an online casino, all your correspondence with its employees will be online or via phone. 

Generally, online casinos give you the following options for contacting customer support: 

1. Email
2. Live chat
3. Phone line

While the phone line is the most direct option, it won’t always be available. If there’s a toll-free phone to call, expect it to only function during local business hours. 

Reaching out via email is a hassle-free option if you can frame your question in writing, but it’s only useful for non-urgent questions. The support staff will usually respond to emails within two business days, but these ETAs vary across venues and may depend on the complexity of your issue. 

Live chat is excellent for simple questions and quick responses, and it’s usually available 24/7.

Report the Casino to Its Regulator

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There are several entities with which you can file a complaint against an online casino, namely:

• Casino support staff
• Casino regulator
• Alternative dispute resolution provider

If you want to file a complaint with the relevant casino regulator, check which governing body is responsible for that specific casino. After that, find their contact information on the regulator’s website, and make your case. 

Bear in mind that, in some jurisdictions, casinos are allowed to stipulate that any disputes are resolved via arbitrage—meaning an impartial, third-party mediator. If the casino’s Terms and Conditions outline such an arrangement, you’ll have to contact their chosen dispute resolution provider.

From the moment you start corresponding with the casino, you should keep a record of all exchanged communication. If you intend to report an online casino to its regulator, this will be essential—you’ll need to present evidence. 

Even if you want to speak to the casino’s customer support regarding a minor issue, it’s crucial to save all emails and keep a copy of your live chat messages. This can also come in handy if you need to remind yourself of previous conversations and have a clear view of the facts. 

Avoid Issues by Playing at Respectable Online Casinos in Canada

Source: Michał Parzuchowski

Reporting a casino can be a hassle, which is why most people would rather avoid it. The easiest way to do that is to choose a respectable, well-regulated casino. 

To save you the trouble of finding such casinos yourself, we’ve compiled a list of ten reputable online venues licensed by Canada’s gaming regulators: 

Keep in mind that different gambling regulators apply varying degrees of scrutiny to their licensed casinos. Research the regulatory body to learn how stringent and thorough they are before playing at a licensed establishment. 

Featured image source: PDPics