However, if you’ve done that with no results, and they simply refuse to pay out your casino winnings, your next step is to contact a third-party dispute resolution provider (more on those below).
Finally, if all else fails, and a casino is trying to genuinely cheat you and you are getting nowhere, you can contact and complain to the gambling license authority, who may choose to investigate the casino further.
What can I do if an online casino refuses to pay money?
Can a casino hold winnings? Yes, absolutely, and there’s a whole load of reasons why they can decide to refuse to payout. And when they do, the situation can sometimes feel helpless. But there are solutions.
We’ve written about some of the more common reasons why a casino won’t pay out. If your reasons are on any of the lists, chances are that even a third party or gambling licensee won’t be able to help.
But if you are faced with fraud or a scam casino, or even a bad decision made by a bad casino agent, take these steps to resolve the situation.
1. Take screenshots of everything
After any big win, we ALWAYS take a screenshot. Sometimes, it’s bragging rights, but mostly, it’s to make sure that when we close the game, we have proof of a big win.
Take a screenshot of your casino wallet. Of the messages you get when you try to withdraw. The customer chats when they try to explain why you can’t withdraw.
You’ll need all of these to take any further action; otherwise, it’s your word against theirs.
2. Talk to the online casino and listen
Look, we hate the terms and conditions as much as anyone, but more often than not, when a casino refuses to pay, it’s because of a misunderstanding.
- Maybe you’ve got duplicate accounts.
- Maybe you used someone else’s credit card with a different name.
- Maybe you still have wagering requirements to complete before you can cash out.
- Maybe you used a VPN and are gambling from a country where online gambling is illegal.
These (and plenty more reasons below) are non-negotiable. No third party, license or court of law will help you out.
3. Follow the casino complaint policy
We know this could be long, boring, and frustrating. But keep a record of everything you send them, the process you went through, and any communications.
What do you do if an online casino doesn’t pay you? You keep records of everything so you have evidence to mount against them down the line to the right authorities.
4. Use Third-Party Casino Resolution Websites
It may seem strange to go to a third party rather than to the governments who have handed the casino a license to gamble, but who do you think is likely to get things done faster?
Unfortunately, depending on where you live, you may have different resources available. As a European, these are the best places you can go to:
Who to contact when online casinos refuse to pay:
- Ask Gamblers Casino Complaint Centre: From the home page, you can chat with a live agent about your issue, or raise a ticket explaining your problems. With over 1,000 casino partnerships, they will seek out a solution directly with the top tier of the casino.
- Casinomeister Forum: Look, we know this site looks old, but it’s been helping gamblers since the dawn of the internet, and it helps them now. Not only will you find other gamblers who can help if they’ve had similar issues, but most casinos online will have a representative on the forums. Nothing like airing your dirty laundry to get attention and a good resolution for everyone.
- Casino.Org: with a 2 day response rate. If you are looking to get an answer fast, this is for you.
- ARN (Sweden Only): An independent General Complaint Board set up for Swedish resident in trouble.
- The Pogg (UK only): Free and credited by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, this is as legitimate as it gets.
- Resolver (UK Only): In association with MoneySavingExperts.com, this website comes recommended by the UKGC themselves to help resolve matters with any UK business.
Usually, any of these services should quickly be able to let you know if you have a case. If, for some reason, they believe you have a case, but the online casino is still refusing to resolve the issue, then you are left with only one option.
You have to go directly to the Gambling Authority.
Can licensed casinos refuse to pay?
Yes, they can, but as long as you play on well-regulated and well-licensed casinos, you have the option to go directly to the source and ask them to shut down the gambling site.
This should be your last resort. Mostly because complaining won’t mean you’ll get your money back, and if your issue is not a licensing one (i.e. you don’t agree with the T&Cs VS they haven’t paid out a jackpot), you probably won’t hear much further.
Gambling License authorities are after the big fish – they want to fine a casino big for breaking big rules. Like when the UKGC fines 888.com 9.4 million for not carrying out financial checks.
But if you think your case is exceptional enough to be heard, by all means, go for it.
The Gambling License Authority Complaint Websites:
You may be playing in Switzerland but find that the casino holds a Maltese gaming license. This is incredibly common, but any licensed casino should put its full license and registration number on the footer of its website.
If it’s not there, you are not playing on a licensed casino,
- The UK Gambling Commission Complaint
- Malta Gaming License Support
- Curacao eGaming Support
- The Swedish Gambling Authority Contact Centre
- Danish Gambling Authority Complain Centre
As far as we are concerned, these are gambling authorities we trust enough to gamble on. However, most countries will have their own gambling authorities should you need to speak to someone closer to home.
However, they won’t be able to help with a casino based abroad.
Can you sue online casinos for not paying out?
Yes, you can sue an online casino for not paying out. The problem you have to ask yourself is which court of law you will have to sue under, as online casinos can be based anywhere.
For example, if you play under a licensed casino in the United Kingdom or Sweden, they will be subject to the UK or Swedish courts. But if you’ve played at a Curacao casino that doesn’t hold a UK or Swedish license, you’ll have to deal with the Curacao courts in the Netherland Antilles.
A nice holiday, for sure, but how much money do you have to throw on the fire?
A licensed casino doesn’t make it risk-free
Holding a Malta Gambling license is probably one of the best in the world because it allows casinos to have a European base by a clean authority who genuinely keeps a watchful eye over fraudulent behaviour.
However, a Maltese-licensed online casino can accept players from Canada, New Zealand, and most of mainland Europe.
Only a few countries, like the UK, Sweden, and Denmark, demand that casinos hold licenses for their citizens. It makes it hard to sue outside of those licenses.
Why you should play at trusted casino sites
For the most part, it usually never has to go as far as a complaint to a gambling licensing authority.
When a casino online does not pay out winnings, most of the time, it’s down to a technicality or misunderstanding. Most of the time, you can resolve the issue directly with the casino or with a resolution website that has a partnership with the casino.
No one wants a scandal; no one wants you to walk away unhappy.
The problems come when you play on scam casinos that have no partners, that aren’t trusted partners with sites like LuckyMobileSlots.com.
Don’t get scammed, and make sure you only play on trusted casinos that keep things clean and have a great reputation with players all over the world.
If you are wondering where you’ll find such a unicorn, look no further. Trading for over 10 years, Mr. Green Casino is fun and rewarding and keeps social responsibility at the top of its priority list.
