Online casino problems

You can play with confidence at the casinos listed at Hundred Percent Gambling. In the unlikely event you DO encounter a problem, drop me an email and I'll try to help.

If you contact me, by all means kick of with a brief note of introduction, but when it comes to the nitty gritty of your issue please provide me with full details. I'll need:

• Your name
• your account name with the casino
• A detailed description of the problem.

If the casino has identified you as a fraudster then there is little chance of persuading them to change their minds even if you're innocent. If you actually are a fraudster, it really is easier all round if you don't waste my or any other mediators' time.

If you want to go about the search for assistance off your own bat there follows an explanation of the approximate "procedure" for tackling an online casino issue, and the various avenues of assistance available.

First step: work with the casino

Before doing anything else ensure that you've exhausted all avenues with the casino first. You may have got stuck with an unhelpful, misinformed or just plain ignorant customer support representative. Try to speak to someone else - there will hopefully be more than one email address listed on the casino website. If at all possible, try to get hold of the manager.

Be polite, professional and adult in your communications with them. Casino support reps have a frequently thankless existence in a badly paid job, and losing your temper with them when they appear less than helpful won't assist in the resolution of your problem.

Mediation

If you end up drawing a complete blank with the casino, it's time to start looking for outside assistance.

Do you remember how you discovered the casino in the first place? From a website? From a promotional email? Contact the webmaster of the site in question - they'll have a business relationship of sorts with the casino and may be able to assist. If you clicked through from one of the links on the site, the webmaster will be able to identify you as one of "his" players and will have a better negotiating position.

If you can make no headway with the webmaster from whose site you first accessed the casino, there are a number of sites, of varying degrees of independence and integrity, that may be able to offer assistance.

Governmental and quasi-governmental regulators

Most territories that allow online casinos to house their operations within their jurisdictions have a governmental body of sorts to look after them, collect hosting fees and endeavour to give an air of respectability to a business which even today doesn't sit much higher than the porn industry in the estimation of many people. As far as player protection goes these agencies are largely useless, but many do at least ostensibly offer a dispute mediation process. You can read about them on the online gambling regulation page, which includes links to several blog articles I've written on the subject, none of which will inspire you with confidence in the prospect of a positive outcome in the event you decide to seek their help, but since most of them do offer their services in one form or another it's always worth a try.

Casinomeister

Casinomeister has been in business since 1998. Sign up for the newsletter and register with the forum - both required, somewhat inexplicably, to be entitled to contact the webmaster about a dispute - then file your complaint in the complaints section.

Gambling Grumbles

Gambling Grumbles was one of the very earliest mediation services created. It was initially discontinued in 2003, but re-opened its doors in November 2009 under the management of one of the two co-founders, Steve Russo.

In order to avail yourself of their services, you need to first read their requirements, then register (home page top right) and send them an email, describing the problem.

The GPWA

The GPWA is a large affiliate organisation. Although its focus is not the player, it has a very large membership of the affiliate business partners of casinos, and as such is an influential voice. It has an unethical behaviour reports section where player complaints may be posted.

Ecogra

Ecogra was set up in 2003 as a joint initiative between software providers Microgaming and Cassava, with the aim of bringing the online casino software auditing process basically "in house" rather than employing outside auditing agencies.

As well as signing of on their clients' books they offer a disputes resolution procedure. The person to contact is the "fair gaming advocate" - fill out the player dispute form and submit it.

Playtech disputes service

Playtech scored low on the backup they provide the players on behalf of their licensees for a very long time. This may have taken a recent turn for the better with the setting up of a dispute service similar to the RTG equivalent. Fill in the players enquiry form and submit it.

RTG Central Disputes System

Central Disputes System is service offered by software provider Realtime Gaming for mediation between licensees and players. To take advantage of the service, fill in the dispute form.

There's one important point to note:

All claims must be submitted within 60 days of the date of dispute

If you miss the two-month expiry date will they refuse to hear your case? I'm not sure.

Complaining on the online casino message board forums

This is almost always the first port of call for disgruntled players, as it combines a request for help with getting things off your chest. However, it's frequently not the best way to go: if you make public accusations against a casino you may very well end up antagonising them and potentially damaging your chances of a favourable outcome. However, in the unfortunate event that all other avenues fail, this is the only remaining way to go.

Posting about an issue

Be factual. Don't insult anyone, however tempting it may be. Give all relevant details and be precise and unemotional. If someone gives a response you don't like, don't insult them - counter the argument. If you're in the right, people will come to your side; if you're in the right but come across as obnoxious and belligerent, you may still fail to engender sympathy.