Within the vastness of the internet, there are rogue online casinos that, portraying themselves as legitimate operators, dupe unsuspecting players out of money and personal information.
While the majority of online casinos are respectable providers that offer their gamblers hours of quality playing time, occasional unscrupulous operators give the industry a bad name. Although these rogue casinos represent a tiny fraction of the industry, they have become synonymous with both player grievances and outright horror stories reported by disgruntled players.
Whenever you shop online, you stay alert for situations that might result in your personal information being compromised, or you being offered counterfeit merchandise. Similarly, you should be as vigilant when selecting an online casino where you deposit real money to play.
Online Casino Blacklists
The easiest way to identify a rogue casino is to verify whether or not it appears on an online casino blacklist. These are readily available online and list casinos based on the severity of their transgressions. While some infractions might seem minor, we advise against throwing caution to the wind. There is no need to set yourself up for disappointment, especially when there are tried and tested alternatives available.
Issues that Lead to the Blacklisting of an Online Casino
For a casino to be blacklisted, it needs to create a severe and repetitive transgression against its players. Here are some of the misdeeds that often result in blacklisting:
- Payment issues – matters relating to money are the most common concern of any online gambler. We often hear stories of payment delays, but some casinos have refused to pay out a winning altogether, hiding behind lies and excuses. In some cases, the offending gambling website is under financial pressure and can’t afford to pay out a winning.
- Unfair games – all online casino games, except live dealer modes, are run by random number generator (RNG) algorithms. Respectable casinos have their RNGs routinely certified to ensure fair play. However, dodgy casinos lie about the randomness of their games and often only allow wins on small wagers.
- Gambling license issues – all legitimate online gambling websites are regulated by gambling commissions under whose jurisdiction they fall. Sadly, some operators obtain licenses from questionable authorities, while others operate with expired, revoked or counterfeit permits.
- Misleading advertising – there is a plethora of sketchy websites that make promises that they don’t intend on keeping. These include dubious online gambling sites that advertise unrealistic bonuses, unlikely odds and false welcome incentives.
- Inadequate or non-existing customer service – a great online casino comes standard with a dedicated and helpful 24/7 customer service desk that can be reached via email, telephone or live chat. Your alarm bells should ring when casinos fail to answer calls or respond to emails.
Scandalous Sites and Biggest Offenders
While the list of rogue websites is continuously updated with new culprits, here is a list of some of the marked offenders in the world of online gambling:
- BTC – this casino lures players with the prospect of transacting in bitcoins but has left a large number of players hanging, as is apparent when reading customer comments on their Facebook page.
- Prism Casino – another provider riddled with negative customer comments on social media, with players often waiting months to get paid their winnings.
- Casino Atlanta – this site became notorious for using pirated software, which means that some of its games were likely rigged.
- Grand Reef Casino – players often complained that they win when playing for free but almost always lose when playing for real money.
- Slots of Vegas – this casino operates without a license and players have complained that payouts can take as long as a couple of months to materialise, even for smaller amounts.
- Crazy Luck Casino is infamous for its non-responsive client support, failure to pay and has even used a fake license in the past.
- Coolcat Casino – Coolcat’s road to notoriety came about when it offered phantom bonuses that were impossible to cash out.
While blacklists tend to portray the other, less appealing side of online gambling, you should not be disheartened. Rogue casinos are exceptions and not the rule. The majority of the industry is made up of fully licensed sites with good track records and fair play. Check out our list of highest payout online casinos in Canada.
