What to do if a casino does not pay out?

We know that many players doubt their ability to win at online casinos and are trying to figure out whether the casino is a scam or whether it is the user’s own fault. There can be many reasons why a platform does not process payments to players, both due to casino issues and player errors.

I am Julia Moreno, an online casino expert, and I will try to explain to you the reasons why payments can be blocked and what to do if a casino does not pay out the winnings you have earned while playing legally on their platform. Do not miss our tips on how to deal with such situations and how to get every euro you win at a casino!

Why might casinos not pay out?

It is not uncommon for players to complain about the casino not paying, often without realizing that the problem is not with the casino itself, but with the player. There are players who overlook very important aspects while playing, such as the terms and conditions they accept when registering with the casino or when accepting promotions offered by the platform. The rules of the games can also mean that the player cannot receive their prizes.

We always recommend that you carefully read all the information provided by the casino. In addition to enjoying the games, playing at online casinos can also win large sums of money. To avoid any problems, it is extremely important to know all the conditions that these platforms impose to receive money. This will avoid any surprises later.

Here are some of the main reasons why you may have problems receiving payments from the casino:

• You do not reach the minimum withdrawal limit. Each withdrawal method has minimum and maximum limits on the amount of money that can be withdrawn from the platform. There are those who try to withdraw money below the minimum using this method and for them it is impossible. Find another method available on the platform with lower minimum limits.
• Failure to meet the bonus requirements. Accepting a bonus or promotion also means accepting the terms of the bonus or promotion. If you want to withdraw money using a deposit method, you must use the methods and amounts specified in the promotion, otherwise you will not see the balance reflected in your account.
• Failure to meet wagering requirements. Once you accept a bonus, you must meet certain wagering requirements. This means that you need to wager the bonus amounts at least once, and you can withdraw the rest. If you fail to meet these wagering requirements, the balance will be removed from the account.
• Incomplete verification. All casinos are required to identify their players and will not allow withdrawals until they have verified their identity. To verify your identity, you must use a valid document (driver’s license, passport, etc.) that matches the information you provided when registering.
• Game malfunction. Sometimes the game software can malfunction, and casinos will indicate that if this happens, winnings from the game will be voided. To avoid these charges, casinos must prove that the software is faulty, not just give their word.
• Incomplete payment information. Some payment methods require accurate information to send money. While e-wallets only ask for identification (username or email address) to receive a payment, bank transfer withdrawals will require the account holder’s name and their IBAN code, which has a certain number of characters. Double-check your payment details when entering them to ensure they are correct.
• Withdrawal limits. Not only are there minimum amounts for withdrawing money from online casinos, but there is also a maximum amount that can be withdrawn from the platform on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. If you have had a winning streak, make sure you have not reached the limits set by the casino for withdrawing funds from your account. In this case, these are not restrictions on payment methods, but on the account itself.
• Suspicious activity. Problems logging into your account, or trying to log in from a remote location, as well as strange gaming habits, may be enough reason for the casino to take precautions and ask you for confirmation before allowing you to withdraw money. The casino may refuse to pay out until you confirm that you are indeed the owner of the casino account in question. These are measures to prevent someone from stealing money from your account or accessing your information.
• Player embargo. In some locations, a player embargo may mean that the casino will not pay you. For example, the balance that a player has at the time of withdrawal is being held by the authorities due to a legal embargo that may have affected it.
• Pending or overdue investigations. In the event that a casino is conducting an investigation into your account, whether due to suspicious activity, unusual transactions, or winning a large prize that requires verification, the casino may freeze transfers from your account to that account while the investigation is completed.
• Geographic or jurisdictional restrictions. While the internet provides access to casinos all over the world, some platforms may have issues paying out to players in certain regions. Some regions may have banned gambling for their residents, which may result in the casino refusing to pay out winnings and even deciding to block or close the player’s account.

If you find yourself in one of these situations, you already know what to do if the casino does not pay, fix account errors or meet the platform’s withdrawal requirements.

Casino does not process payment: ​​player account is blocked

There are many reasons why a casino has the legal right to block their players’ accounts. Most often, they do so because users do not comply with certain terms and conditions set by the casino or do not comply with legal matters required of players.

Here are some of the reasons why player accounts may be blocked:

• player self-exclusion;
• suspected fraud by the user;
• abuse of promotions;
• open multiple accounts;
• fake ID;
• incorrect user information;
• violation of child protection laws;
• usage of a VPN;
• long-term absence of the player;
• suspected money laundering;
• unusual betting patterns;
• use of prohibited software;
• inappropriate attitude;
• the casino is a scam site;
• the casino does not have money to pay.

Understanding why a casino might block an account can be difficult, especially if a player finds their account blocked overnight. We will try to explain it as simply as possible so that you understand why a casino might deny you access to your account.

Player self-exclusion

When a player wants to take a break from gambling, they can use the self-exclusion tools that online casinos have. This is a feature that we highly recommend for those who have problems controlling their impulses while playing. Self-exclusion allows players to temporarily block their accounts at will by setting a period of time for which they will be blocked. This way, the casino will not allow access or activity on the account until the self-exclusion time specified by the player has expired.

Suspected fraud by the user

Although it is common to talk and warn users about the possibility of casino fraud, casinos are also very careful with players when paying out prizes. Some players may commit fraud on platforms in different ways.

The casino does not make a payment if it suspects fraud on the part of the user. Instead, open an investigation to ensure that the user is not trying to deceive the casino by taking preventive measures. Usually, the online casino will contact the player to inform them about the situation and ask for additional information.

In any case, if the player finds that the account or funds are blocked by the casino, he needs to contact not only the support service but also the organization that issues the gaming license for this platform. This information can be found in the footer of the casino.

Abuse of promotions

Online casinos offer promotions and bonuses to attract new players and encourage others to spend more time playing on the platform. This is a very useful way to attract the attention of users who may play longer than their own funds allow, even risking more, since they are playing with a promotional balance.

However, some users may want to get more out of these promotions or avoid the risks that the game itself entails. There are those who believe that it is a good idea to create two accounts with which they can make opposite moves in one game and thus eliminate the risk, for example, in roulette.

Bonus terms and conditions usually state that the promotions are limited to only one time per user, computer, account or IP address. It is important to be familiar with the terms of the promotions, since players may unknowingly violate these terms by using bonuses on different accounts from the same address or computer. In this way, a player may find that the casino does not pay and his account is blocked without knowing why.

Open multiple accounts

Although it is possible to create accounts on the platform with different email addresses under the same name and surname, sooner or later the casinos will realize this and proceed to block one of the accounts. Usually, the most recent (and most used) account is blocked or restricted.

A player may forget that they previously registered on the platform using a different email address or create a new account because they cannot access the email address they originally registered with. In this case, we recommend contacting customer support first so that they can change the first email address of the platform or delete the old account. You must verify your identity so that they can take action on your previous account.

Fake ID

We understand that identity theft is widespread on the Internet and people are wary of using their data on online pages. What happens when this is done at a casino? Accounts are blocked or deleted. Casinos are required by law to identify players. This not only means that they must use their first and last name, all the information they provide when creating their accounts must be truthful. They must also use a valid identification document (passport, driver’s license, ID card) to prove that they are who they say they are.

It must be remembered that in all countries where gambling is regulated, it is necessary to pay taxes and declare income from gambling income, which can lead to the commission of a crime. We recommend that you do not use false information when registering if you want to avoid problems with the platform.

Incorrect user information

Using the Internet means creating multiple accounts with different passwords. Sometimes, different email addresses or different usernames are also used. All platforms require a password to access your accounts, and casinos are no exception. What happens if you enter incorrect login information? The platform will not allow you to log in. However, if you enter incorrect user information several times, the casino may interpret this as an attempt to compromise the security of the account and block access to it.

If you do not remember the access details to your casino account, you will need to recover them. In the same login form, you can find a link that will allow you to reset your password by entering your email address and clicking on the link that the casino sends to your email. Only in this way will you be able to unlock your account and access it again without restrictions.

Violation of child protection laws

When it comes to gambling, all establishments agree on one thing: minors should not have access to this type of entertainment. It is not possible to register an account in the name of a minor. In case a minor user registers at an online casino using a different date of birth (which makes him an adult), he must confirm his identity with a valid document.

All casinos are required to identify players. As soon as it is established that a registered player has not reached the age of majority, the casino will proceed to block the player’s access to the created account. Some platforms may take stricter measures to prevent minors from accessing the platform again until they have reached the age of majority.

Using a VPN

Some casinos prohibit players from registering in certain regions. There are many reasons why a casino may not serve some users based on their location, denying players access to the website directly. To access the casino services, players can use a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass these restrictions. However, evading these blocks by the casino may result in the player’s account being blocked or unable to process payments.

Casinos that do not provide services in certain countries avoid such players from registering as they have restrictions on some of their features, such as the ability to make payments to these destinations. Using a VPN may also be an activity prohibited by the platform, as stated in the terms and conditions displayed during casino registration.

Long absence of a player

Knowing that casinos have millions of players, it may seem strange in many cases that some players’ accounts are blocked or deleted. The reality is that players who have been inactive for a period of time may see their accounts frozen or simply disappear.

For security reasons, online casinos may block the use of accounts that have been inactive for a long time. So, when a player wants to access their account again, they must complete a verification process. This prevents third parties from accessing the platform with potential funds by obtaining old access details.

Casinos may also want to delete inactive accounts to save space on their servers. Before deleting an inactive account, the platform will send notifications to the user, letting them know when the deletion will occur and what to do to avoid it. If you do not want to lose your account even if you do not use it, pay attention to the emails you receive.

Suspicion of money laundering

Online casinos work with authorities to identify people who may be using gambling as a tool for money laundering. In the event that a casino or authorities suspect that an account is being used for this purpose, they may proceed to block it. The player must provide evidence that the source of the money is legitimate and that the medium in question is not being used as a platform for money laundering.

Unusual betting patterns

Players usually have certain playing patterns. When you enter a casino, you perform very similar actions every time. In case your playing style suddenly changes completely, for example, playing in sections you have never accessed before, with very different amounts and in very short periods of time, the casino may block the account and start an investigation.

The casino will contact you and inform you that an investigation has been launched and that someone other than you may have tried to place bets on your account.

Use of prohibited software

Using bots and other tools on the gaming platform is prohibited. We are not only talking about bots that can help during the game and which the casino considers as cheats or traps, but also about other small tools that can make your gaming process easier.

This type of software can be considered an unfair way to play with other users of the platform. So, if the casino determines that you are using unauthorized software, it will completely block your account and can carry out a permanent block, which will completely block your funds in the casino.

Inappropriate attitude

Did you know that your behavior in a casino can result in you not being paid? Players agree to behave well when playing on the platform, especially when it comes to games where they come into contact with other players, such as live games.

A bad attitude, disrespectful speech, foul language or insulting other players or platform staff can be grounds for an account being blocked. This not only affects the games but also the customer service, so it is important to watch your words even in the most tense moments. In the event that a casino blocks an account for such reasons, they may refuse to pay out the winnings.

The casino is a scam site

There are plenty of online scams, and casinos are no less. This is a sensitive topic, and although it is not very common, you may find that you cannot withdraw money from a casino, and it is not the casino’s fault. There are those who manage to copy a casino with the aim of defrauding users of the platform. These unwary players can fall for the scam and access the fraudulent platform, depositing money and never being able to withdraw it.

These scam pages do not allow you to play in any way. They try to trick users into registering and making a deposit. To avoid this problem, we always recommend checking the URL of the site, whether it has the appropriate security certificates and a gaming license. In our casino reviews, we always try to offer all official links to the casino. Avoid accessing the online casino through other addresses and avoid the possibility of entering a scam page.

The casino has no money to pay

Many regulators require casinos to have funds that can guarantee the payment of players’ winnings. However, some casinos may find themselves in a difficult financial situation. This is especially true for platforms that are new to the market. The casino may not have enough funds to pay out the large payouts that its players win. This is something that players who like games with low payouts will not face, but high rollers may find themselves in such a situation.

Sometimes the casino does not pay out the full amount due to insufficient funds. In this case, the player must contact the platform to find out the reason for the denial of payment. Sometimes an agreement is reached to receive the full payment, sometimes the possibility of receiving the money in installments over time is allowed.

Casino fraud

It is important to know what to do if an online casino does not pay, committing fraud that affects the player’s interests. The first thing you need to do is contact customer support to request payment of the profits received or ask the reason why payments are not processed.

If you do not receive any response from the casino or an unexpected response, you can contact the gambling regulatory authorities and file a claim. In Spain, you need to go to the General Directorate of Gambling Regulation website and file a claim at this link.

Anyone who participates in gambling can file a complaint with an online casino regulated by the DGOJ. These complaints arise when an online casino acts against the interests of players. Not sure how to file a complaint? You can complain to the DGOJ online (with an electronic DNI or digital certificate) or physically on paper. To do this, you must provide a document that must contain:

• The details of the complainant, including first and last names, ID or identification number, email address and telephone number.
• Details of the representative, if you are acting on behalf of another person.
• Address for notification of decisions and updates.
• Accreditation of the representative, if the complainant is acting on behalf of a third party.
• Place and date.
• Signature of the person submitting the request, whether the affected person or the representative.
• The facts and reasons for the complaint, presented in an understandable form.
• The center to which the complaint is directed (DGOJ).
• Identification of the responsible person (the gaming operator against whom the complaint is made).
• All documents or evidence in the player’s possession that demonstrate facts that support the complaint against the operator, whether conversations, game history or screenshots of conversations and emails, etc.
• Confirmation of the complaint to the operator through their customer service and the response received through it or no response (in the event that the complaint filed through the service is not sufficient to resolve the issue).

Once the document has been completed and delivered to the DGOJ, you will need to wait for the regulator’s response. If the decision is positive, the DGOJ will be obliged to intervene and force the casino to make the corresponding payment.

How to recognize casinos that might not pay you your winnings?

Whenever I talk about casinos, we give tips and advice on how to choose a reliable platform. These same tips are also useful to understand which casinos may cause you problems. If you want to avoid the situation where the casino does not want to pay, you can do this by looking at:

• licenses
• security certificates
• Internet reviews
• user verification.

By taking these aspects into account, we can avoid having to think about what to do if the casino does not pay and eliminate any worries about it.

Lack of licenses

Having licenses is not easy. Platforms must adhere to strict security, fairness, transparency and more, as well as demonstrate that they have enough funds to pay out winnings to their players.

The fact that a casino operates without a license, in addition to being illegal, shows that it does not comply with some (or all) of the aspects required by regulators to issue said licenses.

We always recommend playing on platforms that have a valid license. Some platforms that operate illegally may display a false license number or a number that matches another platform. You can verify this by going to the footer of the casino and finding the license number from the regulator that issued it.

They do not have security certificates

All casinos that operate regularly have a variety of security measures. Security certificates not only protect user data, but also encrypt connections and all information transmitted between the user and the platform. Any website can get SSL encryption, but this encryption specifies the company that owns it. Because of this, many fraudulent platforms decide not to offer security certificates or use strange names in them.

Other users report payment issues in their reviews

There are many positive aspects to the internet, and one of the most prominent is the ability to express your opinion. There are many opinion platforms on the internet where users share their experiences on many topics, including casinos. Users share positive impressions about companies, especially when they have problems with them. 

Check out the different opinion platforms to see what users are saying. Those who encounter strange situations where casinos indiscriminately block accounts or online casinos do not pay players will be able to quickly determine whether this is a normal situation on the platform or something unusual.

They ask you for money to verify your account

Creating an account on the platforms is completely free. This is one of the biggest claims that online platforms have to attract players. Casinos even offer you to create an account to be able to enjoy their games for free and, if you want, place bets later. 

No casino will ask you for any amount of money to verify your account. Some platforms that scam users tend to charge small amounts of money that do not seem suspicious to verify the authenticity of accounts upon registration or to verify the payment methods that will be used to deposit or withdraw money during the game.

Seek legal advice from a lawyer

Getting money from an online gaming platform can be difficult. The DGOJ can easily take responsibility for intervening in a dispute if the casino does not pay the player and no agreement is reached between the parties. It is important to include all the information for the claim, and although a person can collect all the necessary data, a lawyer can be of great help.

What happens when the casino does not operate legally in the country? What to do if the casino license is issued by an organization other than the DGOJ, or if it contains illegal conditions? Casinos always use different reasons not to pay players, either by blocking accounts, indicating that there is a suspicion that the player has cheated or attempted to commit fraud, or that the terms specified by the casino have been violated. At this time, it is important to seek legal advice from a lawyer specializing in this matter.

Gather information for a lawyer

Before contacting a lawyer, it is important to gather all the information that the professional will need so that he or she can advise us on the next steps. Here is the information that we recommend you gather before contacting a law firm:

Account information. Find all the relevant information about your account or accounts, usernames, registrations, account numbers, email addresses and any contact types regarding account creation. It is important that the registration date information is visible as it may be relevant when filing a claim.

Transaction history. Collect a complete history of the transactions you have made at the casino, both deposits and withdrawals, as well as payments in the same games using the different payment methods you may have used (bank transfers, debit or credit cards, e-wallets, etc.).

Message log. Take screenshots of all your communications with the casino and player support. Before complaining to the organization or the court, you should try to resolve the issue directly with the casino. All your conversations with them can be crucial. Look for records of conversations via the chat system, tickets and email. If communication took place via telephone calls, record the dates of these calls, their duration, and a summary of the conversations during these calls.

Gather evidence. Take screenshots of any part of the casino website that may be misleading or contains misleading advertising. The terms and conditions of the platform may be fundamental and may also change over time, be sure to write down what they say at that time and whether there were any notifications of changes. It also records the results of games and error messages. Suspicious documents or actions are important, as well as errors when interacting with the platform.

Once you have all the information, it is also a good idea to write down in detail what problems you encountered when using the platform, creating a chronology of events from the moment you started your activity at the casino until now. Be sure to correctly state what happened, the problem and how it was solved, as well as the responses (or lack thereof) from the casino.

State the damage you suffered as a result of the problem with the casino, both monetary losses and other types of damage you may have suffered (e.g. emotional stress) as a result of the casino’s actions. You should provide evidence to support your allegations, such as bank documents showing losses or transactions or the result of the account at the casino itself.

Prepare your questions

Seeking legal advice is mainly used to resolve doubts about whether something can be done about a situation or whether it is really worth taking action. Before you go to a lawyer, think about what you want to know. Typically, it is important to ask yourself about:

1. Legal basis of the case. It is important to understand what claims can be made if the casino has failed to pay out money or has taken other actions that are detrimental to the player. Is there any basis for a complaint? This will depend on the platform’s terms and whether it has breached them, violated consumer rights, committed fraud or caused the player to misinterpret the terms.
2. Jurisdiction. Identify the jurisdiction in which the platform operates to prepare a useful legal strategy. Casinos can be established in different countries and licensed by entities in other parts of the world, and this is a key aspect that should not be overlooked.
3. Legal process. Ask a lawyer what steps need to be taken if you want to sue, including costs and how long the case can remain active.
4. Chance of winning. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the casino, what the probability of winning is and the different scenarios that may occur after winning.

Financial preparation

Any legal process has costs and you need to be prepared for them. If the platform goes to court, it is important to understand the attorney’s costs, whether they charge an hourly fee, a flat rate, or work for a percentage of the case. You should be prepared for these costs, as well as the possibility of incurring the costs of litigation if you lose.

When filing a lawsuit, casino attorneys may want to discuss the possibility of compensation outside of court. Consider what amount of money would be adequate compensation for the alleged damages. This way, you will be fully prepared for a lawsuit if you decide to go that route when the casino does not pay or has harmed you in some other way.

Frequently asked questions