When Should You Raise a Complaint with a Casino?
If you have ever played at a website that offers a range of computer-generated fruit machines and the classics, such as poker, roulette, craps, blackjack, and baccarat and have encountered either a technical issue, an issue regarding your account or one of the promotional offers, as I have in the past, and wondered if it’s worth complaining about, you’re not alone.
On this page, I will discuss some of the most common reasons game users often complain about the sites they have joined and why they are usually wrong to lodge that complaint in the first place.
I will also discuss what typically warrants a complaint and the best ways for you to try and resolve any you make.
What are the most common reasons players complain about real money fruit machine sites?
There are many reasons why a person might feel they should file a formal complaint about the website they have joined to play their favorite digital content in real money mode.
However, the more people I talk to (users and experts) and the more I look into the official complaints that have been made, I find that most of them seem to be about the same recurring issue and didn’t need to be made in the first place.
Alternatively, the issues that warrant complaining are usually resolved around 99% of the time.
The four most common things I’ve found that customers complain about are the following:
- The operator may not have come good on the bonus or promotional offer it was offering
- Problems/delays with payments, such as the deposit not arriving in your account or the withdrawal taking forever to be processed
- A technical issue playing one or more of their titles
- People experience temporary account restrictions, meaning they can’t withdraw, usually because the KYC account verification process hasn’t been completed
What other things do people complain about on sites like this?
Some of the other issues I’ve heard being complained about are more superficial and do not warrant making a complaint. For example, I’ve read some of the complaints, most of which are from disgruntled members who have not won.
The same thing happens at land-based venues. For example, sometimes, when people don’t get their own way, they can lash out, which is when the security guards step in.
Websites don’t have security to step in, and the only way for users to vent when they lose their money is to lodge a complaint or write negative/false reviews about that site, which brings a dark shadow over the industry, especially when the information they are complaining about isn’t true.
When I first played at online iGaming sites, I must admit that I never read the terms and conditions, which many users still fail to do today. It’s the reason why they don’t get the most out of their bonuses and feel the need to complain to someone.
The one thing I have found is that most of the time, unresolved complaints are usually made about ‘rogue’ sites controlled by unscrupulous operators.
These scam/fake sites are typically unlicensed and unregulated (or licensed and regulated by bottom-tier/rubber-stamp licensing jurisdiction, which is just as bad as being unlicensed) and must be avoided at all costs.
I recommend sticking to legitimate sites because they will have a proper complaints process in place and will do everything they can to ensure your issue/query is fixed/resolved.
If they are unwilling to help, then you can go through a couple of other channels.
For example, you can approach the licensing authority/regulator/commission that the site is licensed and regulated by, and they will be able to file a complaint for you and see it through to the end.
In other words, when all else fails, and you don’t seem to be getting anywhere with your chosen website, you will have the proper legal backing and support you are entitled to as a user by approaching the authority that licenses and regulates that site.
How can I raise a complaint about an iGaming issue?
If, for example, you have signed up to any of the top-rated casino sites currently featured on askgamblers.com and encounter something you think is worth complaining about, and the customer support doesn’t seem to be helping, you might want to think about using the AskGamblers Casino Complaint Service (AGCCS), which has resolved over 21,700 of the complaints they have received.
I’ve used them on a couple of occasions, and on both occasions, their dispute resolution team has sorted things for me in no time. On one occasion, I was too impatient to wait for my withdrawal.
The payment method I used meant I had to wait a little bit longer than usual. On another occasion, I was disconnected halfway through a free spins bonus round on my favorite slot machine, so I complained.
I didn’t realize that when I next launched that game, it would take me back to the exact point where I was disconnected, so both complaints were pointless. However, sometimes you may need to complain.
Final thoughts
I’ve learned that it’s always best to go through the proper channels and provide as much evidence as possible (perhaps include screenshots and a detailed description of why you are complaining) to resolve your complaint in as little time as possible.
Most of the complaints players make don’t actually warrant being made in the first place. To avoid feeling let down and that you should complain about something, you should always read the terms and conditions and general policies of the site you have joined.
Finally, only sign up to highly recommended sites with positive reviews because you shouldn’t ever encounter any issues worth complaining about on sites like this.
