Can Online Casinos Cheat Players?

Online gambling is a great way to enjoy the casino without the hassle of having to leave your home. But is it safe to play online?

While it is possible for online casinos to cheat players, if you investigate carefully before signing up and watch for warning signs, the vast majority of online casinos are safe for players. Read on to learn more about how you can avoid online casinos that cheat players.

How to Avoid Being Cheated by an Online Casino

As we mentioned in the introduction, while there are many legitimate online casinos, there are some that are scams. Below are some of the red flags to watch for to ensure you don’t become a victim of a scam casino.

1. They Approached You

Legitimate casinos do not need to rely on unsolicited texts and emails to find their audience. In fact, this is the number one sign that a business is a scam in any industry. Remember, legitimate businesses, other than when they first open, rarely need to do direct marketing to find their audience.

This doesn’t mean you should shun other marketing, such as a well-placed ad or a social-media collaboration, as purchasing these usually requires verification, unlike the ability to mass send an email or text.

2. Check for Registration

Although there are a few exceptions, most countries require online casinos to register with the authorities. This means that 99% of legitimate casinos must be registered with some authority, and this information should be readily available on their site.

It is important to note that when you do find the regulatory information, you should cross-reference it to ensure it is legit and actually registered. Most sites have to provide you with a registration number, which can be easily verified online.

3. Look At History

The most common way casinos scam users is by opening a website, running legitimately for a few months, then disappearing overnight with everyone’s funds. This means that you should be skeptical of new online casinos, especially if no one in your circle has ever heard of them.

That being said, if you find a site that is unknown but has been around for ten years, then chances are it isn’t a scam, as most scammers don’t want to wait that long.

4. Ask How Results Are Verified

All legal casinos are generally required to report how they come up with their numbers. Most online casinos use a random number generator, and if you request it, they will provide you with a way to check that your results were really generated by that machine.

If you can’t find the information at first glance, don’t be afraid to ask. But if they won’t provide information on where their winning numbers come from or how they are provably fair, run.

5. Evaluate a Website as a Whole

The casino industry is one of profit, and any reputable casino will take some of that profit and use it to make their website and user interface better. If you arrive at a gambling website riddled with spelling errors, lagging graphics, or anything else cheap-looking, chances are the creators might be funneling winnings somewhere else or waiting to pull the rug and run.

6. Check Reviews and Blacklists

People become angry when their money is stolen, and they will often utilize multiple avenues to express their frustration. If you are curious about a particular site, google their customer reviews and then make your decision. It’s also a good idea to search the name of the casino plus the word ‘scam’ to see if any related newsletter articles pop up.

It’s hard to always maintain up-to-date blacklists, but it’s always a good idea to take a gander to ensure you aren’t falling for an old scam.

How Casinos Cheat Players

Unfortunately, casino scams do pop up from time to time. Below are the most common ways casinos scam customers.

1. Rug Pulls

Rug pulls are the most common scam. They occur when a casino starts up, builds a repertoire and customer base, before disappearing one night with everyone’s funds. While the individual losses are limited to what’s in your account when the disappearance happens, they can net a large amount of money for their perpetrators.

2. Delayed/No Payouts

This one can be tricky, as most casinos do have a time frame for withdrawals, and it is often 48 hours. However, if you find a casino and its withdrawal times are always changing or they refuse to allow you to withdraw at all, you’ve definitely been caught in a scam.

3. Not Using a Random Number Generator

This last one is the most difficult to spot. But basically, casinos that don’t use any sort of provably fair method for finding their winning numbers may be scamming you. The only way to spot this is to do the math on several bets, which most individuals are unwilling to spend time doing. However, if you can prove this, there is a chance you will get your money back, or the company turns to a rug pull scheme to save face.

Remember, losing is part of gambling, and just because you are losing doesn’t mean you are being cheated. However, if you lose 500 out of 500 times, it might be time to pull out your calculator and see what’s going on. 

Overall, the majority of online casinos are legitimate, and that is why they’ve been around for a long time. But if you get an email about a new casino, definitely remain wary until you check their licensing, website, and deposit/withdrawal policies. It is good to get into the habit of only leaving a small amount of money in your account at any given time, just in case the website ends up being a rug pull scheme.