How to Not be Cheated

The major objective of online casinos is to provide players as much entertainment as possible in a safe and secure environment. There’s no doubt that there are many casinos that make sure they do everything possible to comply with the highest standards in the industry. However, there are some casinos and casino operators who choose to deliberately cheat or be just plain sloppy in their operations, much to the chagrin of its members. Therefore, it is important to be aware of such casinos, also known as rogue casinos, and be able to identify them.

To begin with, rogue casinos often go beyond the definition of a ‘rogue’. Many of these casinos continue to operate and are guilty of customer negligence bordering on criminal intent. In addition, there are others that thrive as fly by night operators and simply disappear without a trace, leaving their members stranded, and most importantly, ripped of their hard earned money. These blacklisted casinos are a blot on the otherwise reputed casinos in the online gambling industry world over.

Rogue or blacklisted casinos are masters at the art of circumventing industry regulations and laws. They tend to have cheating software, commit bonus fraud, refuse to pay players their dues in terms of winnings, and indulge in false advertising. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are numerous ways that blacklisted and rogue casinos tend to swindle members out of their money. The bottom line is that anyone reading this must learn to become an astute player, spot the red flags, and avoid these types of casinos like the plague.

How to Spot Rogue Casinos

That all begins by being able to identify which casinos are rogue. And one of the simplest ways to do so is to check the websites of watchdog organizations. Nevertheless, this is just the beginning. You need to be able to study the casino’s site since some rogue casinos may slip through watchdog organizations. All it needs is a couple of hours to sift out the chaff from the rest.

Check the casino’s operator:
The first thing to look for is the casino’s operator and owner and their address. If the site lacks this basic information then this is definitely a candidate for rejection. If the owner is mentioned then check to see of the owner operates other casinos and is possibly listed on a stock exchange. If yes, then these are casinos definitely worth checking out. You can always do an internet search on the operator/owner to learn more about them.

Check the casino’s jurisdiction:
The next way to identify if a casino is rogue or not is from the jurisdiction they have obtained their license, the software provider, and if their games are audited by a reputable organization such as eCogra and TST or Technical Systems Testing. If the site lacks information on any of these then they are a candidate for being blacklisted. Some of the reputed licensors include Malta, United Kingdom, Curacao and Kahnawake. However, licenses from St. Kitts and Belize may not mean that the casino is credible.

Check the casino’s software:
A rogue casino may not likely be powered by leading software providers such as Microgaming, Net Entertainment, Real Time Gaming, and Rival. However, this should not influence your decision. In addition, only reputed online casinos publish reports from their auditor such as eCOGRA or TST on a regular basis. Make sure to spend time checking these reports.

Check the internet and ask peers:
Even by doing a simple search with the casino’s name the words ‘rogue’ or ‘fraud’ will bring up results if there is anything to be found. Also check out peer reviews on forums because these are often the best and most honest opinions about what is really happening at some casinos.

Reasons why Online Casinos may be Blacklisted

• Lack of or slow payments.

• One of the major reasons why players visit online casinos is to try their luck at winning a few dollars or more. However, this is what a rogue casino can deny them. They make take ages to process a withdrawal request or simply come up with a million excuses why your winnings were confiscated.

• No transparency with RNG – Real Number Generator.

• Sites that fail to use a proper Random Number Generator that is frequently tested by reputed labs such as eCOGRA or TST, are definitely on the blacklist of many players. A flawed RNG will only lessen your chances of winning.
Bad practices and bonus fraud.

There are casinos that fail to protect players’ data with proper encryption technology and tend to circumvent the law to accommodate deposits. Some casinos may also offer a most generous welcome bonus but won’t adhere to the bonus arrangement advertised. They may simply not pay the bonus or revise the terms after you’ve registered. Such casinos are best avoided.