Online Casino Disputes and Problems: How to Resolve Them
Online casino problems can arise from time to time. Even so, most online casino players are fortunate enough to play without encountering any issues.
If you are among the smaller number of players dealing with a casino dispute or problem, help may be available. Start by checking the FAQs and relevant terms and conditions, then contact the casino’s customer support team.
You may also be able to ask an independent third party to mediate between you and the casino. For example, if you joined an online casino recommended by Al Buraq Regina, our conflict-resolution team may be able to help mediate the issue.
This guide outlines available support options and how to use them to address an online casino dispute as quickly and amicably as circumstances allow.
Identifying and Understanding Your Online Casino Problem
Start by describing the problem as clearly as you can. The following are common online casino issues, followed by a 4-step method for addressing them.
After identifying the problem, follow these steps:
Step 1: Read the sections on common online casino problems to find relevant information
Step 2: Check your online casino’s FAQ and Terms & Conditions for an explanation
Step 3: Contact customer support and ask them to resolve the issue
Step 4: If the casino cannot resolve the issue, refer it to a third-party service
Ideally, your issue will be resolved during one of the first steps. If you reach Step 4, read Al Buraq Regina’s ‘Online Casino Complaint Resolution Guide’ for more information.
What to Do About Deposit or Withdrawal Issues
Deposits and withdrawals are a good place to start, since support teams arguably receive more payment-related questions than questions about any other aspect of online casino operations.
Why Was My Deposit or Withdrawal Denied?
Check the FAQ and Terms & Conditions for details such as:
- Whether you have exceeded the daily, weekly, or monthly withdrawal limits
- Whether you have provided enough identification and/or proof of address
- Whether fraud has been suspected (a login from abroad, through a VPN, or using a new computer)
- Whether other accounts are registered at your address
- Whether your withdrawal method is up to date (for example, a new card or new e-wallet password)
Why Hasn’t My Deposit Appeared, Even Though My Financial Account Was Debited?
Cryptocurrency is behind one of the main deposit problems seen at online casinos today. See our guide to cryptocurrency casinos for more information.
- For a cryptocurrency deposit problem, first confirm that you used the correct public key. If not, recovering the funds may be difficult. Contact your crypto wallet provider to ask whether they can be recovered.
- With fiat currencies, the casino may have held the deposit for security reasons. Check your email or contact the casino promptly. It can clarify whether the issue is with the casino or your financial institution. Unlike cryptocurrency, the funds should be held somewhere and may be recoverable if your account is legal and belongs to you.
What Are Common Bonus Complaints and Issues, and Why Do They Happen?
99.9% of bonus disputes arise from a misunderstanding of the bonus terms and conditions. Players who raise these complaints are often new to playing at online casinos and may not yet understand exactly how casino bonuses work.
Common Online Casino Bonus Issues
Each issue below should be addressed in a clause in the casino’s bonus terms and conditions. If one applies to you, the relevant clause should usually explain what happened. Remember that bonus funds carry wagering requirements before they can be withdrawn as cash.
This means your casino account will generally show two balances:
- ‘Bonus Money’ balance
- ‘Real Money’ balance
Wagering Requirements Are Higher Than Expected
The two most common explanations are:
- Not every game contributes 100% of each bet toward wagering requirements. Eligible slots may count 100%, but the terms can exclude certain slots from the bonus. Many table-game bets, including blackjack and roulette, may count for only 5%. The casino’s bonus terms should include a table showing how much each game contributes toward the wagering requirement.
- The terms may cap the amount of each bet that counts toward wagering requirements. For example, the limit could be €5. If you bet €10 when the maximum is €5, only half your stake counts toward the bonus wagering requirement, or the casino may void the bet altogether. Often, the maximum permitted stake is 20% of the ‘bonus money’ balance. With €200 in bonus funds, the maximum bet would be €40. Some casinos use a fixed maximum instead of the 20% rule, so check how your casino bonus limits bets made with bonus funds.
Bonus Funds Disappear From Your Account
Bonus money usually has an expiry period that starts when it is credited. When that period ends, the bonus funds disappear, leaving any ‘real money’ balance if you did not meet the wagering requirement.
Some ‘bonus money’ balances may also disappear if you fail to log in during a specified period, such as 10 days, even if the bonus itself expires after 30 days.
- The ‘bonus money’ balance has usually expired
- You did not log in during the required period
Winnings From Bonus Free Spins Not Added to the ‘Real Money’ Balance
Free spins may sound like free cash, but winnings are generally credited to the ‘bonus money’ balance and only rarely to the ‘real money’ balance. Once classified as bonus money, winnings are subject to specified wagering requirements, which may differ from the main bonus play-through requirement.
- Free-spins winnings are added to the ‘bonus balance’
- The free-spins portion of the ‘bonus balance’ is subject to wagering requirements
Only Some Bonus Free Spins Winnings Were Credited
Almost every free spins bonus has a maximum-win limit. For example, if the cap is €250 and you win €450, only €250 will be added to your account.
- Free spins bonuses usually set a maximum limit on winnings
- Winnings above the cap are not credited
Bonuses Voided
This is unusual, but it can happen. One common reason is that multiple people at the same address claimed the same casino bonus. Other reasons may include being located in a country that is not eligible for the offer.
- Most casinos allow only one bonus per physical address
- Your country may not be eligible for the bonus
Less Money Was Credited to My Account Than Expected
Bonus cash, free spins and bonus credits often come with a maximum-win cap. You might expect to receive €500, but the bonus terms and conditions may limit eligible winnings to €200.
How Should You Handle Bonus Disputes?
A bonus dispute is easier to resolve when you have the facts clearly laid out. Follow the steps above to determine exactly what happened:
- Identify the specific bonus issue
- Review the bonus terms and conditions carefully
- If the bonus T&Cs do not resolve your question, contact customer support
- Describe the exact issue to support and explain how you tried to resolve it using the steps above
Support may not be able to reply right away in every case, since calculating wagering requirement claims can take time. If your bonus was voided, however, the casino will usually notify you promptly.
Al Buraq Regina Casino Reviews
You can also explore the Al Buraq Regina casino reviews here. Each review explains the welcome bonus terms and conditions, including:
- Wagering requirements
- How each game contributes to wagering requirements
- When bonus money expires
- The maximum bet allowed while using bonus money
My Account Was Banned for a Terms Violation
In some cases, a casino may ban a player’s account after identifying a breach of its terms and conditions. The casino may be right, but automated detection can make mistakes, so an apparent violation is not necessarily definitive until the details are clarified.
Multiple Accounts
You might sign up for a casino to play multi-table poker, or because someone in your household already plays there. A friend might also access the casino through your Wi-Fi router. In either case, the casino could ban an account under a policy that allows only one account per IP address.
How to resolve this issue
The breach could be an honest mistake. Contact the casino; it may be understanding if you agree to close one of the accounts. If a friend logged in at the same time, explaining that you now understand the casino’s policy on multiple accounts may persuade it to reactivate the accounts for a first-time offender, but this is not guaranteed.
Multiple Email Addresses
Opening multiple accounts using different email addresses is not allowed. There is usually little chance of reversing the decision, and the related accounts may all be banned.
How to resolve this issue
If you opened an extra account on a whim because you wanted a new one, the casino may let you keep one account if this was your first offense.
I Was Disconnected and My Balance Has Not Updated
This can happen to mobile players and is often easy to fix. In 99.9% of cases, the casino session times out and the funds are credited to the casino account. In the rare remaining cases, if the money has not been returned, check your game history. The funds may be stuck and require support to release them.
Other Casino Problems
Other, less common issues may also come up. These could require referral to a third party, since an online casino is unlikely to accept the following allegations without a review:
- Unfair treatment
- Inconsistent gaming results
- Incorrect odds or payouts
How to Handle and Report Online Casino Disputes
Whatever the problem, try to keep your emotions in check. Sending an angry claim filled with negative comments is unlikely to help and could even lead to an account ban if the casino considers your language abusive. If you are upset, keep your message formal and give the casino a reasonable chance to investigate. If that does not seem to help, consider contacting the licenser or a third party for mediation.
For advice on escalating a complaint, see Al Buraq Regina’s ‘Online Casino Conflict Resolution Guide’.
