Online casinos have come a long way over the last decade. Now, it’s just as common to play slots and roulette online as it is to walk into a casino. While you have more options for playing at reputable online casinos, there are still scams that you need to be on the lookout for.
Here are some tips to help you avoid online casino scams.
1. Only Play at Licensed Casinos
One of the best ways to avoid online casino scams is to make sure that you’re only playing at licensed casinos. Every reputable and regulated casino must comply with stringent gambling rules.
Two of the most reputable gambling authorities are the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission. If the online casino is licensed, it will display and link the licence number at the footer of the page.
If you can’t find a licence number anywhere, it may be best to avoid playing on onlinecasinogames.co.nz.
2. Understand the Terms and Conditions
Most people ignore a website’s Terms and Conditions page, but when it comes to online casinos, it’s one of the most important pages to read.
While you don’t necessarily need to understand every single section, it’s important to make sure that you understand the rules when it comes to:
- Your profile
- Deposits
- Withdrawals
- Wagering requirements
- Bonuses
The Terms and Conditions page can give you some eye-opening information about the casino’s rules. Some casinos have predatory terms that could make your gaming much less fun.
3. Avoid Bonuses That Seem Too Good to Be True
Online casinos offer all kinds of bonuses to attract players. If a bonus sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Casinos are in business to make money. They can’t turn a profit if they’re giving too much away for free.
Most online casinos offer similar bonuses. Some are a little better than others, but if you find a bonus that’s significantly better – or sounds a little too good to be true – then you may be walking into a scam.
The casino may have wagering conditions that are unrealistic, the games may be rigged, or the establishment may be stealing your money.
The bottom line? Stay away from casinos with outrageously generous bonuses.
4. Check Online Reviews
Another great way to avoid scams is to check online reviews from other players. If a casino is stealing people’s money, you can be sure that they will complain about it online. Sites also provide straightforward reviews of online casinos.
An online casino with no reviews can be just as bad. It may be a new, fly-by-night site that’s only around to scam people and run.
A reputable, licensed casino will have good reviews from players. Even the best online casinos will have a few negative reviews (you can’t please everyone), but if the majority are positive and seem genuine, then the risk of a scam is much lower – especially if the casino is licensed.
5. Check the Payment Options
When you’re reviewing online casinos, take the time to check the payment options that are available. Make sure that they offer reputable and well-known payment options, like through Skrill, PayPal or bank transfers.
If the casino only accepts payments from obscure payment services or cryptocurrency, then this is a red flag.
Reputable payment companies hold their partners to high standards when it comes to financial transactions, so questionable online casinos won’t meet their standards.
In addition to looking at the payment options, check out the fees they charge. Some casinos charge really high fees for withdrawals and deposits. Although not technically a scam, casinos can use these fees as a way to get more money out of players.
6. The Return to Player (RTP) is Nowhere to be Found or is Too Low
Some casino scams go beyond just stealing payments and fraud. Game rigging is a big problem. If the house always has such a big edge, your chances of winning are next to none.
One way to determine whether games are rigged is to check the return to player, or RTP.
Reputable online casinos will clearly display their RTP. If you can’t find any information on the site’s RTP or if the RTP is below 80%, then it’s best to avoid the site entirely. Ideally, the RTP should be at least 94%.
7. The Withdrawal Process is Too Slow
When you get lucky enough to win at an online casino, the last thing you want is to wait for your winnings. Even with the best online casinos, there’s still a waiting period for withdrawals.
Before you can withdraw your winnings, you’ll have to go through a process to verify your identity. But what if you go through all of this, and the casino still refuses to pay up? There’s nothing more frustrating than scoring a big win and not being able to take home your winnings.
Unfortunately, this type of scam is becoming a common problem. The casino may start out paying on time, and this helps them develop a great reputation among players. Then, somewhere along the line, they start taking longer and longer to approve withdrawals.
Here’s where online reviews can be useful. If you see that the newest reviews are mostly negative and people talk about withdrawals taking a long time, look for another online casino.
8. Customer Service is Lacking
A reputable online casino will have responsive and helpful customer support. If you can’t find any way to contact the casino or if their support team won’t respond, that’s a red flag.
Even if the casino isn’t a scam, you still want to know that if you have a question or problem, someone will be able to help.
Poor customer service is a sign either of bad business or a potential scam. Either way, you don’t want to play at a casino that doesn’t offer any customer support.
Playing at an online casino can be fun, but being scammed out of your money isn’t. Use these tips to help protect yourself against scams.
