How to Proceed If Your Online Casino Won’t Pay

Let’s say you are playing online blackjack and hit the winning streak of a lifetime. Being a responsible gambler, you decide to walk away a winner. To further secure your prize, you decide to put in a withdrawal request. After following the prescribed rules and enduring a statutory “pending period,” your money doesn’t come. What do you do?

Before you panic, you should immediately contact the online operator’s customer service department. It might well be there is a very good reason for the payment delay. Here are some common issues that cause reasonable withdrawal delays:

• You have not properly fulfilled the terms and conditions of withdrawing money
• You have not yet met wagering requirements related to a bonus you received **
• The online casino has not been able to verify your identity
• You violated stated rules like not having duplicate accounts or are guilty of VPN usage

** Note: Dealing with bonuses can be confusing. Casino Extreme, for example, has many no deposit bonus codes, tournaments, and other prizes with each one having different terms and conditions.

When you do contact customer service, one of two things is likely to happen.

First, there could be a good explanation. Reputable online gambling operators tend to do things by the books and will offer a good explanation for the payment delay. Remember, such online gambling operators have to maintain good standing if they want to keep existing customers, draw new customers, and stay in the good graces of regulators.

The second thing that might happen is you get no response or excuses without viable explanations. This is a common occurrence among failing and rogue online gambling operators. Now, you could find yourself in a battle for your funds. How you proceed at this point could make all the difference if there is any chance you will get your money.

How to Proceed If Your Online Casino Won’t Pay

At the point you sense a problem is brewing, all communications should be done in writing. Emails should suffice. Here are the steps you should take going forward.

Contact Management

After your initial interactions or lack thereof with customer service, your next step should be attempting to contact a site or customer service manager. It’s possible the problem only exists because there was a misunderstanding with the initial customer service rep. 

Contact Ownership

If you get a similar response from the site’s management, you might want to consider contacting the website’s owner. It’s possible they aren’t aware nor would approve of how your issue is being handled. If you cannot reach ownership or they behave in a similar fashion, it’s likely you are dealing with a rogue online gambling site. 

Contact Regulators in Your Jurisdiction

While most rogue online gambling operators are not licensed, there are some that are licensed by regional regulators like the UK Gambling Commission. If the site you are having problems with is licensed, the regulator’s complaint department will usually take an interest in your complaint and contact the operator in question. It’s possible they can obtain a result by threatening fines and or the loss of licensing. 

If the operator in question is not licensed, you should still contact the regulatory body in your region. They might well be interested in going after a rogue online operator that is cheating gamblers. Regulators can go after rogue operators with criminal charges, though that might not be enough to get you paid.

Reach Out to Watchdog Sites

If you are still nowhere near getting a reasonable resolution to your complaint, it’s possible you can find an “online gambling watchdog site” that will be happy to advocate on your behalf. Sites like Casinomeister have consistently been able to mediate problems with operators because even rogue operators hate negative reviews. Also, watchdog sites usually have experienced resources they can employ to pursue issues until resolution.

Beyond this step, you might have to accept a resolution is not forthcoming. 

How to Avoid Problems With Online Gambling Operators

The best way to ensure you will always get paid upon request is to restrict your online gambling activities to only the best and most reputable sites. As a rule of thumb, here are the steps you should take when selecting an online gambling site:

• Stick with operators that have been in business for at least 5 years
• Stick with operators that are licensed by reputable regulatory agencies
• Read reviews and research watchdog sites to establish an operator’s reputation
• Always read and follow all site and bonus terms and conditions 
• Strictly follow all withdrawal requirements to prevent payment delays

If you follow these steps, there is an excellent chance you can avoid the aggravation that comes when you struggle to claim your gambling winnings.