The online betting industry is a multi-billion business. People flock to online casinos to bet on their favorite games either for leisure or to earn money. With many online casinos having paid out billions of shillings to lucky winners, it’s only true that people will continue to try their luck. However, what happens when you bet on your favorite games and win a huge amount of money, only for the casino to refuse to pay you?
How do you get them to honor their promise and release the money you earned fair and square? There are various reasons why an online casino would refuse to pay a player. In this article, you will learn all about that, and the steps to take to get your money from them.
Why Would a Casino Refuse to Pay Out Winnings? There are numerous reasons an online casino can decline paying out your winnings. Here are some of them in detail.
You Might Be Dealing with a Fraudulent Casino
Refusing to pay out players’ winnings could be an indication that the casino is trying to cheat them by using insubstantial excuses or even canceling withdrawal requests. You need to be wary of fraudulent casinos as there are several online.
If the casino you are betting at doesn’t pay your winnings or give you lame excuses and doesn’t follow up to try and resolve the issue, you should complain to its regulating company. Reputable online casinos provide their license information on their websites in the footer section.
You Have Not Met the Wagering Requirement
Online casinos require players to wager their deposit money a certain number of times before they can cash out any winnings from the money. If a casino refuses to release your winnings, first check to confirm that you have met the wagering requirement before trying to withdraw again.
You Failed to Provide Verification Documents
Before a casino can pay out your winnings, it has to verify that you are who you claim to be. Among an online casino’s vital Terms and Conditions is identity verification, and you need to read the user agreement before registering a betting account.
To avoid verification problems, players need to provide the required documents for the same. They include an ID, proof of deposit, and a utility bill dating back to not more than 90 days.
What to Do If a Casino Refuses to Pay Out Your Winnings
If you have met all the above requirements but the casino still refuses to release your money, there are several ways you use to get them to pay. Some of them include:
Contact Support Staff Armed with Evidence
After winning at an online casino and they don’t pay you, the first step should be to stop the game until you get the problem solved. Have screenshots of your winnings, payment history, balance, chat history, or save emails. These are all vital in case of a dispute.
Proceed to contact customer service, and listen to their side of the story. If they point out a violation on your part, ensure that you understand everything. Have them explain everything so that you can understand which violation you made. If they try to blow you off and don’t offer you any explanation or facts, take the next steps.
Contact Gambling Commissions
Find out the gambling commission regulating the said casino and write them an email. Such information is provided by the casino in their website’s footer section. Since online casinos value their reputation and strive to avoid players’ complaints, they will do their best to handle the situation. They might offer you other gifts on top of your winnings, including free spins and other bonuses.
When and How to Take Legal Action
If the above methods don’t yield fruits, go the legal way. However, remember that most online casinos might be based outside your country, which means you’ll need a lawyer from where the casino is located. The process of filing a lawsuit could prove expensive and exhausting.
Armed with your evidence, contact a good attorney who will formally contact the casino on your behalf and give them a chance to respond. Normally, the casino will agree to settle the matter out of court. However, if you feel that the settlement isn’t sufficient, take the case to court.
Since the casino might be in another country, you don’t have to attend in person unless when giving your testimony. Once the judge listens to the evidence from both parties, he will make a verdict. If you win, you get compensated but if you lose, you’ll be mandated to pay the casino’s legal fees and yours too.
