Online Casino Conflict Resolution
There are times when you may have read through all the ‘online casino conflict resolution’ guides possible and even gone as far as contacting support, but nothing seems to get you any closer to resolving the issue.
You may also come across some issues that most online casino support teams will give you a standard automated response without further investigation.
In such cases, there are steps and processes you should take in order to get to the bottom of the matter. When your online casino’s support shuns you away or seems a little lackluster in solving your issue, then you have the option of third-party mediation.
If you have already read our ‘Online Casino Disputes/Problems & How to Solve Them’ guide, but you need further assistance, then this conflict resolution guide should help you take your online casino complaint to the next level.
Third-Party Mediators We Will Cover in This Guide Include:
- PlayCasino.com
- eCOGRA
- Licensing Body
- Local Government Help
What You Should Do First
There are three vital steps you should take before making an official complaint with an online casino or going as far as seeking help from a third party.
- Make sure there is 100% an issue
- Speak with the support team (if you have not already done so)
- Make sure you have grounds to make a complaint
- Proceed to make a complaint to a third-party entity
Contacting Your Casino’s Support Team
Even though we continuously advise you to read through the terms and conditions of the casino before you contact the support team, this is not always possible.
Maybe you do not have time to read through huge chunks of text, or the terms and conditions are just too confusing. In such cases, just make sure you know specifically what the issue is so at the very least, you will understand the reasons provided by your casino’s support team if they have one.
- Make sure you have a clearer picture as possible about the issue (write it down)
- Contact support if you cannot solve the issue yourself or do not understand t&cs
- Explain your situation to the support agent and ask how you can take further action
- Stay calm and NEVER use bad language because this is grounds to close your account
Making Records of All Contact with The Casino
Make sure that you make a record of all conversations with your online casino’s support agent. You need records just in case the requirements the casino is asking for are not realistic, not feasible, unreasonable, or unfair.
This way, when you open a dispute with the casino either via the complaints channel or through a third-party mediator, you have a record of the casino’s reason for preventing a withdrawal, not paying out on a bet, and so on. This is vital information that will give the disputes team handling your case a starting point for their investigations.
In particular, complaints of unfair treatment should be recorded very accurately, as making such a complaint can be serious depending on the licensing body the casino uses.
What Happens If Support Cannot Solve My Issues?
Sometimes the support team is either not willing to solve your issue, not willing to admit there is an issue, or simply begin to ignore you. In some cases, support may take 7 to 10 days in-between replies, which is also unacceptable.
There are many good reasons why you may feel it is time to escalate your complaint, and luckily most online casino players are protected as there are some great options available to you.
- Check to see if the casino has a complaints department or procedure
- If number 1 fails, then ask for help from a third-party company for mediation
Issues That Usually Require a Third-Party
Very often, an online casino’s support team’s standard response to complaints related to inconsistent or unfair odds is to send an automated reply. You can hardly blame them in this case. Every month casinos have to deal with complaints from members that cannot accept they lost. If the casino escalates every complaint of this nature, it may end up losing money!
Complaints related to inconsistent or unfair odds will not go far without proof to back up your accusations. Your best course of action is to report such issues to the casino’s licensing body. Even then, not much action will be taken unless the licenser suddenly receives a flurry of complaints, and only then will the casino come under investigation.
Ways you can check the casino is being fair:
- Find out if the casino is certified by eCOGRA, which produces quarterly payout percentage reports.
- Look for RNG certificates from companies that certify the casino’s games
- Check how often the licensing body reviews the casino’s payout percentages
Complaints that often need escalating:
- Unresolved deposit/withdrawal/pay-out disputes
- Inconsistent gaming results
- Incorrect odds/payouts
DO NOT contact a third party if you have not tried to resolve the issue with the casino’s support team. If you do this, the third party may tell you to contact the casino first.
Third-Party Online Casino Conflict Resolution
If steps 1, 2, and 3 fail, then the very last resort is to contact a third party to log a formal complaint. Using this route will mean that you will get support from a mediator with no vested interest in the casino or you, and the help offered is free.
As a result, you will be given a non-bias judgment from an impartial third-party entity there to help specifically with conflict resolution between player and casino. Once the judgment is made, you will not have much wiggle room as usually the third party’s say is final, so as long as it seems reasonable, then in most cases, you should accept the final solution as a matter of good faith.
Here are some of the third-party contacts used to escalate problems with online casinos:
- PlayCasino.com: if you signed up for the online casino you are having issues with via our website, then we will be able to mediate with the casino to help resolve the conflict. We will use our relationship with the online casino to help you to get a satisfactory resolution that is fair and strive to keep you informed every step of the way. Anyone connected to our website is a valued member of the PlayCasino.com operations, so you will be in safe hands.
Contact Us Page: Click here
- eCOGRA: a large number of online casinos bear the eCOGRA logo on their website. If this is the case, then you can escalate any unresolved disputes with your online casino to the eCogra team, who has a reputation for delivering the right decision. You can only open a dispute if the casino is registered for the eCOGRA Dispute Resolution Services and is an approved eCOGRA seal holder.
eCOGRA complaints Form: ecogra.org
Approved eCOGRA seal holders: List of ecogra.org safe and fair seal holders
- UKGC: if you are a UK casino player and your online casino has not resolved your dispute or is not giving you answers, then you can make a formal complaint to the UKGC. The UKGC follows EU as well as UK consumer rights laws and will make sure the casino sticks to its terms and conditions to the letter. Any decision you get from the UKGC will be lawful, fair and final.
Contact Us Page: gamblingcommission.gov.uk
Telephone: 0121 230 6666
Email: [email protected]
- MGA: Much like the UKGC, you can complain directly to the MGA, who will look into your online casino complaint and deliver a law-abiding fair and final verdict that the casino and you will have to accept. You can use the complaint/support form link below to contact the MGA to complain about casinos that bear the MGA licensing seal and a licensing number.
eCOGRA complaints Form: mga.org.mt
- European Commission: You can contact the EU commission's ‘Online Dispute Resolution’ page and log your complaint here. Again, the law will be the final overriding factor in any decision made by this entity.
Contact Us Page: gamblingcommission.gov.uk
Telephone: 0121 230 6666
Email: [email protected]
- Curacao Licensing: If your casino is licensed in Curacao, you may find some difficulty getting any support. This is a fairly secretive licensing authority and seems more angled toward the casino than the player. If you do have an issue the casino cannot resolve, then it might be worth contacting them. You can click on the Antillephone License Validation seal and use the complaints email address there or try complaining directly. The Antillephone license is authorized and regulated by the Government of Curacao, so it will come under these laws.
Contact Us Page: Curacao-egaming.com complaints
License validation complaints email: [email protected]
- Swedish Gambling Authority: Swedish citizens are protected by their own local licensing authority, much like the UKGC for UK citizens. If you have an issue with a casino licensed by the SGA, then you can log a complaint via email or telephone their customer services department for information on how to log a complaint.
Contact Us Page: spelinspektionen.se
Telephone: 46 (0)152-650 100
Email: [email protected]
- Legal Action: There are a few cases in which casino members have managed to successfully file and win a lawsuit against an online casino. Usually, one of the above methods resolves the issue, but in some cases where the casino operates in a far way jurisdiction, you will have to file a legal case locally. You will need a lot of cash, and the claim must have full proof. If you want to check company names and registrations, we have left some useful links below.
- Malta Business Registration
- UK Companies House
- Curacao Chamber of Commerce Business Registration
- Cyprus Companies House Check
What Happens When the Third-Party Mediator Cannot Help?
There are several reasons why an online casino may be able to escape the law, the threat of legal prosecution, and why the casino may eventually end up ignoring the mediator.
- The casino’s licenser is not legitimate: Some online casinos say that they have a license, but the licenser never imposes any strict rules on the casino. In these cases, complaining to the licenser will have no effect. The only way to avoid this is by making sure the licenser for any future online casinos is safe such as UKGC, MGA, and SGA.
- The casino will not deal with third parties: In some cases, the third party cannot help because the casino is not connected to them. For example, some online casinos will not deal with eCOGRA because of previous rulings in favor of the player. Also, the same applies to the above licensing issue.
In such cases, the best thing you can do is make others aware. Leave a negative review on PlayCasino or tell us about that casino so we can make others aware of the issue. You can also share your comments on Social Media and in online casino communities.
