In the last few years, there has been a significant rise in online casinos that turned out to be nothing more than scams. By reading this list of the most common signs of a bad casino, players will hopefully be able to spot a con from miles away.
In addition to scammers, some go about things the wrong way and find themselves with their doors closed. Gambling is big business, and as such, it needs to run under strict rules which guarantee fairness for all participants.
Some countries only allow land-based games of chance, which means that no gambling sites can legally operate within these borders. This creates obstacles for those who want to gamble online as they need to find a way around these rules, and in most cases, they end up turning towards unregulated and unlicenced casino sites. However, there are ways to determine whether or not a gambling site is genuinely legitimate and worth your time. Let’s see how!
1. No Registration Required
The first sign of a bad online casino is when players aren’t required to fill out any forms prior to playing casino games such as roulette, blackjack, slots, etc. These sites are typically not regulated by any external authority, which means they are free to do anything they want. Playing at such casinos may include but is not limited to refusing payouts without any explanation whatsoever.
2. No Licence Information Present on Page
The second sign of a bad online casino is when there’s no licence number present at all on their site’s homepage. The fact that these establishments don’t want to reveal where they are based is a major red flag since it means that there might be something fishy going on in the background.
For example, regulated online European casinos are required to list their licence number directly on the homepage. This way, visitors can check that this licence is valid and that the casino website operates legally and according to local law. Any site that doesn’t want to share this information is most likely trying to con people and potentially steal their deposits, so it’s best to avoid them altogether!
All online casinos regulated by government organizations or independent gambling commissions abide by strict rules that guarantee fairness for all players who sign up with these websites.
However, regulation isn’t enough. Due diligence needs to be made on the part of players too, if they want to make sure the casino they are signing up for is genuinely legitimate.
3. No Adequate Terms & Conditions Section
A legitimate online casino will provide all players with a copy of their terms and conditions section. This document outlines the rules that one must follow in order to play at this particular gambling website successfully.
If there is no T&C link on the casino’s home page, then chances are good that there is something fishy behind the scenes. In addition, scammers make up outlandish rules that they repeatedly change to avoid people finding out about them. They may also use illegal practices to prevent withdrawals by setting specific requirements for users to fulfil before requesting any money be sent back their way.
4. No Responsible Gambling Section
Another major red flag for bad online casinos is when no responsible gambling policy can be found on their page. Since these websites are unregulated, the only way they can ensure players’ safety and well-being are by providing official guidelines regarding how much money one should bet at any given time, max bets allowed per session, etc.
Legitimate online casinos will always have responsible gambling practices outlined in their Terms & Conditions section because it’s an absolute necessity where fairness is concerned. By disregarding responsible gambling rules, these online establishments are not only making themselves appear untrustworthy, but they’re also setting up players to get into trouble with gambling addiction.
5. Fake-looking, Cheap Game Images
A sign of a bad online casino is if a website’s games look extremely cheap and fake. For example, the roulette wheel image isn’t perfect, so it seems as if pieces have been cut out from cardboard and pasted on top of it… The same can be said for online slot machines with thumbnails featured in poor quality.
Casinos should always invest in high-quality graphics and animations because this is the only way they can attract new people to join their online gambling site. This also shows that they care about providing an excellent experience to each player through slots, board games, or video poker titles.
6. Unresponsive Customer Support
Real casinos take pride in having professional customer support team members who know how to deal with any situation as quickly as possible. While con artists don’t bother hiring anyone for this position at all.
7. Cash Outs Declined
The seventh sign of a bad online casino is when players have completed all requirements to withdraw winnings but then find that the site holds these funds indefinitely. These casinos will often hold or reject withdrawals for no apparent reason. While there could be some reasoning behind it, it is more likely that these casino sites are simply trying to keep whatever money has been deposited in their accounts.
8. No Live Chat Available
The eight signs of a bad online casino can be spotted quite easily since if there’s no live chat feature available on the website, something must be wrong. Each and every reputable online casino will have a dedicated chat team that is available at all times to answer questions, solve player issues, etc.
If there’s no one around to help out while potential winnings are being held up or when one would like to withdraw, but the site won’t allow this, then it’s probably best to look elsewhere for an actual legitimate gambling destination because chances are good that this particular website is not any good.
9. No Linked Affiliate Program Partner Accounts
Most online casinos will often provide an affiliate program where properly vetted people can join to share links and invite others to sign up at the said online casino.
If no name or contact information is provided within the affiliate program’s Terms & Conditions section, then chances are good that this program has been created for nefarious purposes. These scams will not pay their affiliates, and if they do, it is usually with long delays or in amounts that are much less than initially expected.
Since this is the case, you should stick with online casinos that have already established good reputations over the years, so even if the sign-up and KYC process take longer, it will be worth the effort because, in return, you will get your fair share of hard-earned real money winnings.
10. Ignored Player Complaints
If no one responds when players file complaints about unfair practices, then something must definitely be wrong at the website under scrutiny.
Casinos should always pay attention to player complaints and act upon them as soon as possible because doing so will only improve the overall quality of their services. Ignoring these claims can result in many players leaving for other online gambling venues, which is why this must never be an option for casinos that wish to remain successful.
Conclusion
The nine signs outlined above will help players avoid bad online casinos. While these sites can change their modes of operation, certain standard denominator practices may uncover the truth about them in time.
Learning how to spot shady behaviour can make all the difference between finding a good gambling site or one that ends up cheating you out of your hard-earned money!
So there you have it – nine ways by which scammy online casinos operate to rip off their customers! Keep the nine “red flags” from this article in mind, and you should be able to prevent falling prey to a bad online casino or any other scammy activity as well.
Disclaimer: This article contains sponsored marketing content. It is intended for promotional purposes and should not be considered as an endorsement or recommendation by our website. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and exercise their own judgment before making any decisions based on the information provided in this article.