Online Casino doesn’t pay out? Take these steps!

Regular online casino players usually have to deal with this issue: a casino is delaying payments or is not paying a cent at all. There are several reasons to reject withdrawals and it’s important to check if the casino made the correct decision. Is the Casino licensed in Panama, Curacao, Gibraltar or Isle of Man? Most probably you can say goo bye to your money as casinos can do almost anything in those so-called “Cowboy-countries”. Other jurisdictions are more strict and will leave you with a strong case if the withdrawal is rejected for a non-legit reason. Reputable licensees are the MGA (Maltese License system) and any other local European (such as the UK gambling Commission) and US state authority handing out casino licenses.

First step: Check if the Reason is Legit

Some online casinos will reject withdrawals for any reason they can find. If you read this article this will most probably reflect to you as player and hopefully you have a strong case! The reasons below are guidelines used by most online casinos but it can defer a lot from case to case, not every issue is the same. Contact us in case you want us to publish your story or have a look at your case.

Casino Bonuses – Breaking Terms

Casino bonuses are one of the top reasons to reject withdrawals. Most players, especially beginners, will think it’s just a nice extra present. Unfortunately bonuses are used by many online casinos to void any winnings made. A common reason for confiscating money is betting more than allowed – usually the Maximum bet is 5 EUR/GBP/CAD/USD/NZD or a percentage of the initial deposit – Check the bonus and general terms for these kinds of rules. In this case your deposit is usually refunded if you didn’t win with the Bonus Money. If the bonus rules are displayed correctly on the respective casino websites you do not have a case.

Responsible Gaming – Did you have another account?

Players creating an account within the same group can be in trouble if they’ve closed one of their accounts before. Deposits should be returned and winnings voided of the revenue generated after you’ve closed a player account.

Do they need to verify your account?

There is another possible reason why the casinos hasn’t processed your pay-out yet – they are waiting for documentation. When a player has requested (total amount) a withdrawal of €2300 or more, they legally have to request documentation to verify the player account. Documents you can expect to be requested are:

• Proof of identity – you will be asked to send in a copy of your ID card of passport;
• Proof of address – you will have to provide evidence that you are residing at the address that you have listed in your player account. You can do this by for example sending a copy of an official letter or utility bill. Keep in mind that the document can’t be older than 3 months.
• Proof of Payment – depending on the payment method you used to deposit, you will have to provide evidence that you are the owner of the used account. For example, if you’ve made a deposit via your VISA card a copy of the front and back of the card is required. Always protect yourself by blacking out details that the casino doesn’t need, such as the middle part of your card number and the CVC code on the back of your card.

If the casino has requested these documents it’s no wonder you haven’t received your withdrawal yet. Once you have sent all the documents the casino will check them and approve them, or let you know if something is wrong. After the verification of your account is complete, they will start processing your withdrawal. You can speed up the process by simply taking photos with your phone. Just make sure all the necessary information can be read properly and the full document is visible.

Second step: Take action

Are you sure that you did not violate any terms or does the casino fail to provide you with a valid reason for the refusal? Then it may be time to take some action. A casino can only deny a withdrawal request if they have the grounds to do so, however this unfortunately doesn’t mean that rogue casino’s won’t try to find a way. There are several things you can do in order to try to get the ball rolling:

Contact the regulatory body that provided the license

If the casino won’t help you, it’s time to go to the source. Check which license the casino has, and get in touch with the regulatory body that provided the license. Most big casinos based in Europe will have a license from the MGA in Malta or the UKGC in the UK. They have strict rules which operators have to follow in order to keep their license. Get in touch with them and explain the situation in detail. If possible include copies of the conversations you’ve had with the casino already.

File a complain on an arbitrage forum

It might not be the “official” channel to file a complaint about an online casino, but arbitrage forums can have a massive impact. Lots of experienced gamblers seek to these type of forums for advice, news and as a middle-man to file complaints. Serious online casinos often have one of their employees answer questions / handle complaints on these forums. The difference is, is that now it’s for the whole world to see. And like any business – online casino’s care about their reputation. They will be more likely to give you what’s rightfully yours.