One of the most powerful tools when your online gambling platform is not dealing with your complaint is to contact your casino’s licensing authority.
Admittedly, some licensing authorities are better than others when addressing your complaint and contacting your casino. Each licensing authority has its individual complaints procedures and rules depending on the rules laid out by the government. Usually, these rules fall under the country’s consumer rights acts.
Online Gambling Licensing Authorities Covered in the Guide
These are the leading online gambling entities that oversee most of the online casinos we review here on Casinoplusbonus.
- The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC)
- The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)
- The Curacao eGaming Authority (CeG)
We cover these authorities because our online gambling portal provides content mainly for six countries with large English-speaking populations. These four licensing authorities are the most commonly used in these countries.
Before you Make a Complaint to a Licensing Authority
Before you complain about your online casino to the licensing authority overseeing its gambling activities, you need to make sure you have carried out the following steps.
- Ensure you have already made a complaint to the casino.
- If you have not made a complaint to the casino, the licensing authority or Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) provider cannot help you at this point.
- Once you have made a complaint, ensure you have a record of all correspondence with the casino’s complaints department to provide to the licensing authority or ADR provider.
If you have not filed a complaint with your online gambling platform please visit the following pages for advice:
In the accompanying table, you will see the main countries in which the team here at Casinoplusbonus provides online gambling guides, lists, and reviews.
| Country & Guide | Available Licensing Authorities |
|---|---|
| UK Casino Info | UKGC |
| Canadian Casino Info | MGA / Curacao / AGCO |
| NZ Casino Info | MGA / Curacao |
| Irish Casino Info | MGA / Curacao |
| SA Casino Info | MGA / Curacao |
| India Casino Info | MGA / Curacao |
In the content on each of the country guides mentioned in the table, you will find detailed information about which licensing authorities are available in which country as well as current gambling laws.
Four Licensing Authority Complaints Procedures
Now you understand all the information you need to get to the point of escalating your casino complaint to a licensing authority. The next step is to look at how the UKGC, MGA, AGCO, and CeG gambling authorities expect you to file an escalated player versus casino dispute using their offcial procedures.
Now the key to success when escalating online casino complaints boils down to three components:
- Patience is the first because these licensing authorities receive thousands of player vs. casino disputes daily.
- Making sure you provide all the correct information as per the licensing authority’s complaints procedure.
- Make sure you have complained to your online casino and given sufficient time for the complaints team to reply.
We understand that today, we expect immediate customer service, but the reality is that escalated complaints procedures can be quite frustrating and long-winded. For example, the UKGC requires you to escalate to an ADR provider, and a response could take up to 90 days.
UKGC Gambling Complaints Procedure
The UKGC has dedicated pages that give you all the information you need to complain to an online casino and how to seek advice from an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider. I am not a fan of this process because I’d prefer to make my complaint directly to the UKGC, but it saves the UKGC resources, and the licensing authority does regulate these ADR providers.
As a side note, it clearly says on the UKGC How to Complain page the following: “It is important to note that it is not mandatory for gambling businesses to have the Resolver tool in place, and as such not all gambling businesses will accept Resolver.”
Useful UKGC Casino Complaints Resources
| UKGC Website Resources |
|---|
| Complain About Gambling Business |
| How to Complain |
| Taking your complaint to an (ADR) provider |
| Your Rights |
UK Alternative Disputes Resolution Services
These are the main ADR services the UKGC recommends contacting. These services know the law regarding gambling in the UK and will bring any gambling company in the country in line if the platform or gambling business is treating you unfairly.
Resolver (UK)
This is an ADR but is not registered with the UKGC, and UKGC online casinos are not required to use this service. However, it is worth trying this service if you feel your online casino is not listening to your complaints.
IBAS (Independent Betting Adjudication Service)
IBAS is one of the most well-known ADR providers for the gambling industry in the UK. They handle disputes involving betting and gaming transactions.
eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance)
eCOGRA provides ADR services, and you can try this service even you the online casino is not registered with eCOGRA. The company is one of the first ADR services online even before the UKGC and the Gambling Act 2005 came into place in the UK.
Small Claims Court (UK)
If an ADR cannot resolve your dispute via mediation, you can apply to a small claims court. This does require legal help, and you may need the services of a no-win-no-fee lawyer if you don’t have the funds to pay for legal advice.
UKGC Licensing Rules for ADR and Online Casinos |
|---|
| Licensing Condition: All operators must partner with an ADR service to receive a UKGC licence. |
| Consumer Protection: ADR service must act responsibly and impartially when dealing with player complaints. |
| ADR Provider Approval: The UKGC oversees all ADR services in the UK to ensure the companies are acting according to UK consumer protection laws. If you feel your ADR provider is biased towards the gambling platform you are complaining about, you can access the UKGC ADR complaints procedure here. |
| Operator Obligations: All operators must answer any complaint you have. If you and the operator cannot agree, the operator must refer you to an ADR provider. The ADR provider and procedure must also be shown in the casino’s terms and conditions. |
| ADR Outcomes: The decisions made by ADR providers are binding on operators if accepted by the player, but players are not obligated to accept the decision and can still pursue legal action if desired. |
The disadvantages of using ADRs: They have 90 days to review your dispute, so don’t expect your complaint to be dealt with quickly. This is one of my main quibbles with the UKGC complaints system – escalated complaints to ADRs should be much faster.
Malta Gambling Authority Complaints
The Malta Gambling Authority (MGA) has a great reputation for player support, and I venture as far as to say it is better then UKGC’s procedure. The reason I say this is because rather than escalating a complaint from your online gambling provider to an ADR provider in the UK, under the MGA licensing, you get to complain directly to the MGA.
The MGA Complaints Procedure
- Simply log a complaint directly to the MGA using the form on the licensing authority’s website (provided in the accompany table).
- You will receive a support ticked number via the email you used to make the complaint.
- The MGA guarantees its team will review and reply to every complaint made.
- Await the decision of the MGA disputes team.
- You be referred to an ADR partner.
Useful MGA Casino Complaints Resources
| MGA Website Resources |
|---|
| Lodge a Complaint |
| MGA Complaints Process FAQ |
| Contact Us |
MGA Alternative Disputes Resolution Services
- eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance)
eCOGRA is a widely recognized ADR service that handles disputes in the online gaming industry, including disputes with casinos licensed by the MGA.
- IBAS (Independent Betting Adjudication Service)
IBAS provides ADR services for disputes related to betting and gaming transactions, including those under MGA jurisdiction.
ADR Group
-
- ADR Group is another approved ADR provider by the MGA, specialising in resolving disputes between consumers and businesses, including gambling operators.
Which Countries do These ADR Services Cover?
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Canada
- India
- South Africa
MGA Licensing Rules for ADR and Online Casinos |
|---|
| Licensing Condition: All operators must partner with an ADR service to receive an MGA licence. There is a new guidance for manual ADR reporting covering MGA casinos here. |
| Consumer Protection: The rules state that the ADR service must act within the rules and regulations of MGA consumer rights laws. You can read more about ‘Timeframes ADR service must respond‘ to your escalated complaint. |
| ADR Provider Approval: The MGA approves and oversees ADR providers to ensure they meet certain standards of fairness, independence, and competence. |
| Operator Obligations: Operators are required to inform players about the ADR service(s) available for handling complaints. This information should be readily accessible on the casino’s website and in their terms and conditions. |
| ADR Outcomes: Decisions made by the ADR provider are generally binding on the operator if accepted by the player, but players are not obliged to accept the decision and may seek legal recourse if dissatisfied. You can read more about ‘Do operators have to comply with ADR decisions‘. |
Disadvantages of using the MGA complaints procedure: Honestly, I don’t see anything that I could flag as a disadvantage. The process is clear, you can easily use the MGA website’s search function to find information, and accessing the complaints procedure is straightforward.
AGCO Online Gambling Complaints Procedure
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) uses iGaming Ontario as a subsidiary to issue licensing for online gambling companies. However, if your goal is to escalate your player Vs. casino complaint, then you can do this directly through the AGCO via the pages provided in the accompany table to this section.
When to make a complaint
The AGCO provides Ontario players with an interactive questionnaire to determine the right time to escalate your player versus casino dispute – When is it time to make a complaint?
Using your online casinos complaints procedure:
- First make sure you have complained directly to your online casino’s complaints department.
Escalating your complaint to the MGA:
- Log a complaint directly with via the ‘Submit a Complaint’ page.
- Provide proof of and all correspondence with the online gambling platform’s complaints department.
- The AGCO will make an initial review within 2 days of receiving your complaint.
- If the AGCO believes you have a case, they will inform you and it will take up 5 weeks for the compliance team to review your complaint.
- Should the AGCO rule for or against you, the decision is final for both parties (you and the casino).
For complex compliance issues, the AGCO’s complaints compliance team may take 3-6 months to resolve the matter. Also, unlike the UKGC and MGA, there does not appear to be any mention of an ADR partner needing to step in at any point during the procedure.
- Please note that the procedure outlined in this section is only for players who are residence of the Canadian province of Ontario.
Helpful AGCO Casino Complaints Resources
| AGCO Website Resources |
|---|
| AGCO Submit a Complaint |
| AGCO Resolving Complaints |
| AGCO Internet gaming complaints |
| iGaming Ontario’s Complaints/Disputes Service Standards |
| Ontario Courts |
Disadvantages of using the AGCO complaints procedure: As with all licensing authorities, the main disadvantage is that it can take several weeks for the complaint’s team to resolve the dispute. Secondly, you cannot appeal the dispute, so your only route forward is to use the Ontario courts.
Curacao Online Gambling Complaints Procedure
Unlike the MGA and UKGC licensing authorities, the Curacao eGaming licensing authority does not require online gambling sites to use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services. Instead, its processes involved with escalating unresolved player Vs casino disputes are similar to those of the AGCO.
However, some online casinos licensed in Curacao may voluntarily engage ADR services to enhance their credibility and provide better dispute resolution mechanisms for their players.
Using your online casinos complaints procedure:
- Make sure you have exhausted all channels with your online gambling platform’s complaints and ADR partners.
- The operator must investigate your complaint within 7 days
Escalating your complaint to the CeG:
- Gather all the dispute communications with your casino and document it.
- Escalate the complaint to the Curacao eGaming Licensing Authority using the ‘File a Complaint with CEG‘ webpage listed in the accompanying table.
- The Curacao eGaming complaints team will review your complaint and may contact you and the gambling platform for additional details.
- Once the authority has investigates, it will make a decision, which is final for both player and casino.
Helpful Curacao Casino Complaints Resources
| Curacao eGaming Website Resources |
|---|
| File a Complaint with CEG |
| Public and Players Support |
| Disputes between End User and Operator |
Which Countries Does The CeG Cover?
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Canada
- India
- South Africa
- Many other countries globally not covered by Casinoplusbonus
Disadvantages of using the Curacao complaints procedure: It can take quite some time for the authority to make a decision, which is not uncommon for any licensing body. Also, if you need to file a court claim, you will need to hire a Curacao law firm.
FAQ
How much does it cost to file an online casino dispute?
There are no costs. All licensing authorities mentioned in this guide must offer a complaints service free of charge and can never charge you for this service.
How much must I pay for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services at the online casino?
You never have to pay for ADR mediation services. Also, the ADR partner or the online casino can never request that you pay for any costs.
Do I need to pay the licensing authority for player vs casino dispute resolution services?
No. Under the gambling laws of the UK, Canada, Malta, and Curacao, dispute resolution services or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services players have a right to access free of charge.
What should I do if my casino does not respond to my complaint?
If the casino does not respond, document all your attempts to contact them and escalate your complaint to the appropriate licensing authority.
What if I live in a country not covered by these licensing authorities?
Casinoplusbonus covers six specific countries – The UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and India. In this guide, one or more licensing authorities cover all these countries.
What if I don’t live in one of the six countries not covered by Casinoplusbonus?
If you are not from one of the countries we cover, but the online casino accepts you as a member and allows you to deposit, pass KYC checks, and withdraw, you can complain to the licensing authority. If you signed up to the casino via our website, please see our Submit Casino Complaints to Casinoplusbonus page.