5 Top Tips to Avoid Dodgy Casino Sites
Online casinos have become more popular than ever in recent years. This has resulted in the rise of gambling websites that offer the highest bonuses, fastest payouts, and all the thrills and spills of a great gambling experience. While most of the sites are good and reputable, there are a few suspect operators that prey on the less savvy gamblers.
In most cases, the latter are only after your hard-earned money and are not interested in providing you with good entertainment. Well, not all of them. The good news is that you can easily identify the dodgy platforms and avoid them with ease if you know how. In this article, we have identified five red flags that indicate a casino is not reputable, and offer you some great tips to help you avoid being scammed or ripped off.
Verify the casino’s license
The first thing you should do before joining any online casino is to verify that it is licensed and regulated. A legitimate casino should have a license number displayed on its website from a recognized gambling authority such as the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority or another regional body, depending on where the casino is based.
Regulatory bodies do not issue licenses to just anyone, as they have to ensure that a casino meets all the required standards in terms of fairness, player protection and financial security. If a site does not have a license number or provides a vague statement without any proof, this should be your first red flag and a warning to stay away. If you are not sure if a casino is licensed and regulated, you can always verify its license number with customer support or on the relevant gambling commission’s website.
Look at reviews
It is always best to listen to what other people are saying about a casino before deciding to gamble with them. One of the easiest ways to know a casino’s reputation is to check out what other players are saying on forums, review sites and social media. You can also go to the casino’s website to see if players have posted comments and reviews. If you read or come across multiple reviews about delayed payments, unresponsive customer support, outdated technology or outright scams, then it is a clear sign that the casino is unreliable.
On the other hand, if a casino has a good reputation among its players, then you are most likely to find positive reviews and comments. However, it is important to be selective about this, since not every negative review means that a casino is dodgy. For instance, some players might have an issue with delayed withdrawals that is not the fault of the casino. On the other hand, if you find multiple similar complaints, then that is not a good sign.
In most cases, if a casino is reputable, the reviews will be overwhelmingly positive. Just take a look at the top 20 UK casinos – almost all of them are loved by critics and players alike.
Check payment methods
Another tell-tale sign of a casino’s legitimacy is the payment methods it accepts. Reputable casinos will only partner with well-known and trusted banking providers, e-wallet and mobile payment processors to ensure the security of players’ financial transactions. If you only see unknown processors, long withdrawal times or a limited number of withdrawal options, then chances are the site is a scam.
Dodgy casinos and untrustworthy operators will always find a way to make it difficult for you to withdraw your winnings. They may come up with unnecessary hurdles or hidden fees and charges that will frustrate you in the end. The best way to avoid this is to take note of how the casino handles deposits and withdrawals. If you find it easy to deposit your money, but withdrawing it is a nightmare, it is best to stay far away.
Read the fine print
No one likes going through endless pages of terms and conditions, but when it comes to online casinos, the devil is often in the details. Rogue casinos and untrustworthy operators will often use the terms and conditions as a shield for unfair practices. For instance, some of the casino terms to look out for include crazy wagering requirements, hidden fees and charges, and rules that prevent you from cashing out your winnings.
A trustworthy casino will not have a problem with you taking time to read the terms, and the conditions will be written in plain and clear language. If the rules and regulations are vague, unclear or hard to read and understand, then it is an indication that the casino is not operating with your best interests at heart.
Take note of customer support
If a casino has good customer support, then this means that they care about their players and are likely to be trustworthy. A good online casino will have multiple channels, such as live chat, email or phone support, through which players can contact them. They will also provide fast and efficient responses to players’ queries and problems.
On the other hand, if a casino has poor customer support, this is a clear indication that they are not trustworthy. Most dodgy casinos will have only a contact form on their website and will either respond very slowly or not at all. To know whether a casino has good customer support, you can try contacting them and see how they respond to your query. If they respond promptly and professionally, then you can rest assured that they are trustworthy. However, if they are slow to respond or are unhelpful, then you should steer clear.
Wrapping up
Checking for licenses and payment methods, reading the small print, listening to other players and checking customer support may seem like an unnecessary hassle when all you want to do is play, but it is necessary. At the end of the day, online gambling should be all about fun and not stress. In fact, gambling becomes even more fun and enjoyable when you have the peace of mind that your money is safe and you can trust the casino.
The more due diligence you do, the more you are likely to be able to relax when playing. In this light, online casino sites that are unreliable are likely to make it difficult for you to withdraw your winnings. Some of the methods that they use to make it hard for you to cash out include unnecessary hurdles, hidden fees and charges, and unresponsive customer support, among others. Avoiding these sites is therefore the best option, and as mentioned above, it doesn’t have to be difficult, as long as you are careful.
