A Fair Gambling Codex for Players
While we feel strongly about online casinos delivering a fair experience for their players, those players should also make sure that they are behaving fairly and sticking to any rules that are in place.
It would be quite hypocritical for a player to expect fair treatment while they themselves are not playing with the best of intentions.
In some cases, not only will you be breaking the terms and conditions at the online casino, but you may also be breaking the law.
This codex will show you what you should and shouldn’t be doing when playing at an online casino. If you can follow the rules and best practices set out in this codex, you should never run the risk of breaking the rules at an online casino while also protecting your account and funds from being forfeited.
Always read the Terms and Conditions at an Online Casino
We cannot stress strongly enough just how important it is to read the terms and conditions at any online casino that you play at. You do not want to accidentally break any rules that could result in you losing winnings or even having your account banned.
In the terms and conditions of an online casino, you will be able to learn about all of its rules. Things like betting and withdrawal limits can be found here, while you will also learn about restricted countries and other rules that may affect you. Understanding the terms and conditions before you start to play will greatly reduce the risk of you breaking any rules unwittingly.
Also, make sure you read any bonus terms and conditions as well. These are usually found on a separate page from the general terms and conditions. There may be betting limits associated with bonus cash which, if not adhered to, could result in you losing any winnings that you have earned from bonus cash.
Never Create Duplicate Accounts
In order to weed out fraudulent behavior, all online casinos will prohibit players from creating and using duplicate accounts. While most of you will already be aware that multiple accounts are not allowed, some of you may not. You may have forgotten that you already have an account at an online casino or have forgotten the login details and thus made a new account.
In fact, many online casinos say that only one account per household/IP address is allowed. This means that if you live with somebody else that enjoys playing at online casinos, you will encounter problems if you both have an account at the same online casino.
If an online casino discovers that you have multiple accounts, you will lose any cash that you have deposited and any winnings you may have earned, and the accounts will all be closed. Furthermore, to avoid any issues, you should only play using an account that is in your own name. All of the information that you give to an online casino when registering should be accurate.
Only Use Your Own Payment Methods
Following on from using your own name and accurate personal information when creating an account, you should also make sure that the same can be said about the payment methods that you are using. Those payment methods should be your own and in your own name.
Fair online casinos are strictly regulated and, therefore, must ensure that they know exactly who is using their services. This is why players will have to undergo KYC (Know Your Customer) verification before they can withdraw any winnings from an online casino. This is to protect against money laundering while also ensuring that players are legally allowed to be at the online casino in the first place. If you are underage, from a restricted country, or using payment methods under a different name, your account will be closed.
Understand the Rules When Playing With Bonus Cash
We touched upon this a little earlier, but it is vitally important that you understand any rules that are attached to bonuses and promotions. You will need to know about the wagering requirements attached to the bonus, as well as any maximum betting limits, the types of games that you can play using the bonus cash, and everything else that is related to the bonus.
One thing that you should look out for is if there is a maximum limit on how much you can win. Some online casinos will cap this amount when using bonus cash. Also, it is always important to know what the wagering requirements are for any bonus. This is how many times you have to wager any bonus cash before you can withdraw it. This can be anywhere from 5x to 50x or, in some cases, even higher.
Do Not Play at an Online Casino if You are From a Restricted Country
As we mentioned previously, you should be reading the terms and conditions to see if the country you are playing from is permitted at the online casino. Online casinos are licensed by regulatory authorities that allow the casino to operate in certain jurisdictions around the world.
The casino you are playing at may not be allowed to accept or choose not to accept players from certain countries. In order to prevent your account from being closed and monies forfeited, you should ensure that your country is not on this list.
Also, do not try to circumvent these rules by using a proxy or VPN. While you may get away with it in the short term, it will eventually be discovered that you are not connecting directly from your device.
Never Take Advantage of Software Bugs
Though rare, online casinos may experience bugs in their software, which gives an advantage to players. While in instances like this, it may be tempting to try and take advantage, you run the risk of losing your account and funds if it can be shown that you have been doing so.
An online casino will always discover any bugs, and they will not pay out anyone that has taken advantage. In some instances, they may close the accounts of those that have benefited from any software bugs. We recommend that you report any bugs that you have discovered and resist taking advantage of them.
- Never Make a Complaint or Create a Dispute Unless You Are Sure
One thing you should never do is conjure up a fake claim or dispute against the casino. You will only end up being caught out, and this often leads to a bad relationship between you and the casino. It could even mean that your account is closed. Read our guide about ‘Conflict Resolution with Casinos’ to make sure that you do have a legitimate claim against the casino and how to go about solving issues with the casino. You should also remember to always be polite and courteous when speaking with the casino’s customer support agents and never use foul language. The price for losing your cool can also mean account closure which is the same policy for most companies - casinos or not.
Conclusion
If you want and expect fair service from an online casino, you should also be playing with the right intentions. Players can accidentally break the rules, which is why it is important that you make sure that you know and understand them beforehand. As for those of you knowingly breaking any rules or attempting to cheat the system, you will certainly deserve any consequences.
If you can follow the above codex and make sure that you are always playing fairly and following any rules, you will not risk losing your account and any money that you have won. Of course, you should also ensure that you are playing at a fair online casino – as those that do not have a reputation for being fair will look for any excuse possible to avoid paying out.
