Online casinos have become quite popular in Asia, and are actually a big industry around the world. But as with anything that has to do with money, while lots of operators have come up to claim a share of the market, lots of bad players have also come in.
These aren’t like regular casinos that offer fair games and proper payouts. Instead, their aim is to take advantage of players. Some are easy to spot, but others aren’t.
Before you choose one and deposit your money, you need to have a clear idea of how scam and rogue casinos look like. This will go a long way in ensuring you only install legit platforms like the 1xbet app iOS, which will protect your money and personal information.
What are Scam Online Casinos?
Scam online casinos are the pure bad actors that have no intention of operating fairly or even legally. They only exist for the sole purpose of disappearing with your money.
For example, it can be a clone of a popular casino website. When you log in, it picks up your details and uses them to transfer funds from your account on the real site. It can also be one that, when you deposit, you can’t really withdraw your money.
Here are a few characteristics that these casinos usually have:
- They don’t have a legitimate license, although they may show a fake one on their home page.
- The games give you a smaller chance of winning than they claim (rigged).
- They usually have technical issues when it’s time to pay out.
- The customer support doesn’t really exist.
- Site disappears after some time, locking players out.
These usually have no intention of giving you any money, but we’ll see how you can avoid them.
What are Rogue Online Casinos?
Now, apart from scam casinos, we also have rogue ones. These operate in the grey area. They are not a total scam, but you still have faith in them.
These types of casinos usually have a regulatory license, so they look legit from the outside. But then, they use some loopholes or predatory policies to take your money when you least expect it.
For example, if you win small, they’ll gladly pay out. But when it’s time for you to cash out big, they’ll suddenly develop technical issues. Even worse, they may make a dubious claim that you’ve misused the site and ban your account (along with your funds).
Here’s how you can identify them:
- They have a license, but the issuing authority is relatively weak. You can’t trust it to do proper oversight,
- They tend to have slow payouts or KYC checks that are only convenient for the casino (like when it’s time to withdraw a huge amount).
- A quick look at the rules on bonuses and withdrawals doesn’t leave you satisfied. They are either unfair or (intentionally) confusing.
- You can raise an issue with the support, and they ignore you. If not, they’ll deliberately be unhelpful.
- When you look for online reviews, there are lots of complaints.
Since they’ll still take advantage of you, you need to ensure that you stay away from them.
How to Avoid Untrustworthy Casinos
As you can see, you need to do some proper analysis before you settle on an online casino.
Check if It has a Valid Gambling License
This should always be the starting point. But since some can be licensed and still be untrustworthy, only go for the big bodies. And on top of that, verify the license with the authority’s website.
Read Reviews from Other Users
Lots of other users have been there before you, so check what they have to say. Sites like TrustPilot and Reddit can help with that. It’s okay if you find one or two people who had issues. But when it’s a dozen reviews about payments or account closures, that’s a pattern.
Test the Customer Support First
Is the customer support actually real, and is it helpful? The legit platforms respond fast, and they usually offer multiple support channels. If it’s only a chatbot or the responses can’t be counted on, you may want to rethink where you put your money.
Inspect the Bonus T&C
Untrustworthy entities usually have big bonuses as their main aim is to lure you in. But when you look at the terms, you’ll find that these aren’t as attractive as they seem. If the wagering requirements are 40x and above, you won’t really benefit from the bonus.
Look for Trusted Software Providers
The game providers will tell you the type of casino you are looking at. Prioritize respectable names like NetEnt, Microgaming, Playtech, and Evolution Gaming, and they usually vet the platform first. If you only find knockoffs, stay away.
