Online Casino Scams to Avoid in 2024

Who’s shocked that online casinos can be risky places to play?

Certainly not us.

If you’re an avid online gambler, you must be aware of scammers and hackers out for your money. 

Unfortunately, many gamers fall victim to online casino scams every year. So, we decided to discuss the most common cons and what to do if you encounter one. Finally, you’ll learn tips on protecting yourself and preventing falling for scams in the first place. 

Stick around for all the info!

Most Common Online Casino Scams 

Before you play gambling games online, you must be aware of the different scams there. That’s why we’ve prepared an online casino scams list to help you pinpoint how you’re being targeted and what the scammer aims to achieve. 

Sadly, online casino scams in Canada are a dime a dozen. So if you don’t take precautions, you might be setting yourself up for loss. 

Here are some of the most common ways casino players have been scammed: 

Deposit theft

Arguably the most common scam out of the bunch, deposit theft is unfortunately very widespread. Sometimes, players make deposits, but their funds never show up in their accounts. Or, they may receive a notification that their deposit was declined, although they had enough money. 

Keep in mind that this might just be a glitch or a one-time accident. But if it happens to you, reach out to customer support right away. 

Non-payment

Online gambling scams can take the form of casinos that don’t pay out. Here, the player wins money, but the site claims they don’t meet the wagering requirements for withdrawal, even if they do. Alternatively, the site may say there has been an “error” with a deposit.

If you’re encountering problems receiving your winnings despite meeting all requirements, it’s likely that you’ve been scammed.

Bonus scams

Since most online casinos offer some type of bonus to persuade players to play, some scammers will often use this to their advantage. Namely, they’ll create fake offers that seem too good to be true (and they are!) and then trick gamblers into depositing money, resulting in them being unable to reap any benefits. 

Personal information/banking theft

Out of all the online casino scams in Canada, this might be the hardest one to avoid. When creating an account at an online casino, you’ll be asked to provide personal and banking information, like your legal name, address, date of birth, social security number, and credit card information to proceed to the next step of the application process. 

Unfortunately, hackers and scammers can access this information and steal your identity or commit other types of fraud. 

Malware

When most people hear about online gambling scams, they think of malware. And for good reason, because hackers can steal your information by infecting your computer. This malicious software can give strangers access to your personal data and they can threaten you for money (ransomware). 

Here, the best thing you can do is mind the links you click on and the websites you visit, and install a good antivirus program. Remember, phishing constitutes fraud, so if you find the person responsible, they will face severe consequences.

Rigged games

Some scammers create fake online casinos and rig the games so you can never win. By doing this, they encourage you to keep playing (and losing) in the hopes that you’ll eventually give up or deposit even more money. 

Unfortunately, these scams are harder to prove than blatant fraud, as casino games don’t necessarily give you the best chances of earning overall. 

Non-existent customer support

A tell-tale sign that an online casino is a scam is if it doesn’t have a functioning customer support team. Typically, this means that if you run into any problems, you won’t be able to reach anyone for help and will, consequently, lose your money. 

Luckily, you can easily check the response rate of customer support representatives at any casino before signing up simply by asking them a few questions about the casino. If they never respond or take days to do so – steer clear. 

What to Do If You Encounter an Online Casino Scam

If you think you’ve been the victim of online casino scams, there are some things you can do to ensure it doesn’t happen to anyone else:

Spread the word

Undoubtedly, one of the best ways to warn other people about online gambling scams is to write about your experience online. Nowadays, everyone can look up any information, so you can make sure that whenever someone searches for the scammer casino they get bombarded with negative reviews. 

If you have real-life friends that are also gambling enthusiasts, you should warn them about the fraudulent casino, as well. 

Contact the casino’s license provider

If the casino is licensed by a reputable and legit organization, you can file a direct complaint with the company issuing the license. However, bear in mind that this may not always lead to results. Either way, any action you can take is worth a shot. 

Go through gambling blogs

Last but not least, you can sift through numerous gambling blogs and forums to determine how well they have rated the casino and what the reviews say. Usually, these sites are inundated with people sharing their experiences, both good and bad, and that’s exactly what you need. 

To help other people avoid your predicament, post about the online gambling scams you suffered and advise others against visiting the culprit casino. 

How to Prevent Falling for Online Casino Scams?

Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent falling victim to casino scams. If you follow the tips, you could be saving yourself a headache, at least until you’re sure of the casino’s legitimacy.

Do your research

Unsurprisingly, the most important thing you should do before committing to an online casino is research ferociously. If you have your eye on a betting platform, read its reviews and see what other people are saying. Of course, if there are more bad reviews than good ones, it’s probably best to avoid the site and look elsewhere.

Install an antivirus software

Piggybacking on our brief explanation on malware and spyware scams, it’s wise to install an antivirus program on your computer that can help protect you from online threats. After all, over 11% of cyber attacks and security breaches in Canada come from viruses, so why not equip yourself with precautions that enable you to browse worry-free?      

Make small initial deposits

When you’re first logging into a new casino, it’s always a good idea to make small deposits instead of going all in straight away. This way, if the casino turns out to be a sham and you’ve fallen victim to online gambling scams, you wouldn’t have lost much money. And yes, any money lost is unfortunate, but losing $10 or $1000 won’t hit you in the same way.

Check if the casino has a license

All legitimate online casinos have a license from a gambling regulatory body. Generally, you can find this information on the casino’s website, often at the bottom. If you can’t find it or the casino doesn’t have a license, that’s a red flag. Here are some licenses you can find at online casinos:

Although this is by no means a comprehensive list, the abbreviations above are the most common licenses listed on online casinos. 

Read the T&Cs

Before creating an account and inputting sensitive information, read the casino’s terms and conditions. Yes, all of it. By doing so, you’ll know exactly what you’re agreeing to and won’t be caught off guard by unfamiliar practices or requirements. If you are, you’ll have legal grounds to sue.  

Conclusion

Online casino scams are becoming more and more prevalent in today’s perpetually online society. But, there are always ways to protect yourself. 

By familiarizing yourself with the types of possible scams and understanding what you can do to avoid or prevent them, you can ensure you’ll never fall for tricks and chicanery. 

Be vigilant and always do your research. With a little bit of caution, you can have an enjoyable time gambling.