Stinks from a Mile Away! 3 Signs Those Casino T&Cs Are Fishy

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Last Updated: March 20, 2023

Written by: Alex Zlatanovic

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It’s true what they say, it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, especially in online casinos. Sure, there is no risk without rewards, but it's important to know what to look out for to ensure your gaming experience goes off without a hitch.

That’s where terms and conditions come into play.

Online casino terms and conditions are designed to safeguard your gaming experience, establishing rules for fair play and detailing the responsibilities of both players and operators.

While online casinos may be offering seemingly fantastic bonuses and promotions as a way to entice new players and retain current ones, they may not be as beneficial as they appear.

As such, proper terms and conditions will help players avoid falling prey to a scam and losing out on major earnings.

This is why reading an online casino’s terms and conditions can never be emphasized enough. The fact there are dodgy operators offering bogus bonuses out there should instill enough caution (and fear) in you to read through operator’s conditions thoroughly.

Before you can win big, it is essential to understand the terms and conditions prior to claiming any bonuses. Follow our guide on the 3 signs to determine whether the terms and conditions are not quite right.

#1) Unclear License and Legitimacy Practices 

Looking for a new online casino can be a daunting task and with many popping up almost daily it can be hard to determine which are worth your time and which you should stay far away from.

In order to narrow down your search, we suggest reviewing the casino’s legitimacy practices located in their terms and conditions

Check to see whether the legal age requirement is stated anywhere. If it's nowhere to be found then the casino allows underage gambling which means you are dealing with an unregulated casino and should avoid it at all costs.

Unregulated casinos often lack the financial backing that more reputable online casinos enjoy. As such, winnings can often go unpaid.

Unregulated casinos also operate without supervision and do not follow any of the operational guidelines designed to prevent theft, money laundering and fraud.

To avoid getting into a sticky financial situation, look out for the casino’s gambling license, which can only be issued by a trusted gaming authority.

This can usually be found on the homepage of the casino’s site with more licensing details such as the account number given to the casino by a legitimate licensing body such as the UKGC or the Malta Gaming Authority.

Players should also look out for online casinos that have licenses from Costa Rica or Kahnawake, as they have been known to exercise unfair practices.

#2) Dodgy Games

From Roulette to Poker and everything in between, casino games are a fun and enticing way to win some cash.

However, like with any game, they do come with their own rules and regulations which are generally ironed out in the casino’s terms and conditions, under the Terms of Service (TOS) section.

Licensed casinos are responsible for the fairness of their games’ outcomes and will employ a Random Number Generator software embedded in the game that projects millions of possible outcomes.

As its name suggests, RNG software does not allow for the game to be rigged at any point.

Legitimate casinos will also have an eCOGRA seal, which signifies that they have received an approval from an external board who have conducted an in-depth review. This can be found on the website’s footer as well as located in their terms and conditions.

Unfortunately, untrustworthy casinos may opt to hide undesirable conditions by using unclear and confusing terms. This is a big red flag and could mean that you might end up in a situation whereby you won’t be able to claim your winnings or even ever win at all.

#3) Suspicious Data Usage

When registering for an online casino you will need to provide personal information such as your full name, home address, email address and phone number to be able to gain access to the platform.

Within the casino’s terms and conditions, they have an obligation to explain what the data will be used for and how it will be stored to ensure its safety in case of a data breach.

Regulated online casinos will implement several security layers such as SSL encryption, to guarantee that your data will not land in the wrong hands, resulting in identity theft or financial fraud.

The casino must also be transparent and disclose what will happen to your data if you close your account and how long will it take to get deleted.