How to Spot a Rogue Online Casino
To spot a rogue online casino before you make a deposit and get screwed over – is that even possible? Yes, it is, naturally, if you know what to look for.
It’s no secret, gambling at online casinos comes with many benefits and one of them is the abundance of choices available to South African customers. However, while in one sense, a wide selection of gaming websites is a good problem to have, on the other hand, it often confuses players (newbies especially) simply because a plethora of different options always leaves less time to make the right decision.
Although generally very safe and secure…
… the iGaming industry has its own scam artists, which just proves the popular saying: “There’s a few bad apples in every bunch”. The tricky part is being able to recognize that “bad apple” on time – before you deposit at such a place and lose your hard-earned money.
Not all rogue websites look nasty or scream dishonesty, quite the contrary. Many of them do not differ much from your usual online casino, well, except for a couple of cagey details that should alarm anyone who does not want to be cheated and ripped off.
Read on to find some clues to help you recognize them from a mile away.
Bad Reputation
Despite what many players think, not all rogue online casinos were launched with the idea to scam customers from day one. Many of them started as normal well-intentioned places but poor business planning or a string of wrong choices made them go rogue.
As a bad reputation is something that cannot be earned overnight, you will be able to find numerous “traces” of their unethical behavior on the web. Forums of renowned gaming portals with their Complaints and Rogue Reports sections are treasure troves of information about shady places and their tricks. Just a heads up, a couple of complaints written by (unreasonably) displeased players who believe that all games are rigged and all customer support agents are ill-mannered dummies are far from being a decent reason to deem a casino rogue.
On the other hand, if there are multiple issues with the same website, for instance, players complain about slow payouts or report that their accounts were closed without any explanation after they requested a cashout, then you have a good reason to continue your search for a trustworthy online casino. The same is true for the sites that were caught serving fake games, although this type of misconduct is seen rarer than banning players when they want to withdraw winnings.
Bonuses that are Too Good to Be True
No player wants to miss a great bonus offer, however, if a bonus looks too good to be true, it probably is. Yes, almost all online casinos use various promotions as part of their marketing campaigns, but only to the extent necessary to attract new or retain existing customers, not to jeopardize their business.
This is not to say, you cannot come across a hot ticket deal at a top-rated place but if someone offers you a huge 400% deposit-match bonus of up to R50,000, and, moreover, with low wagering requirements and no cashout limits, all chances are, you will never pocket your eventual winnings. In other words, bonuses that clearly stand out by their incredible “generosity” should alarm every player as they are a pretty sure sign of a rogue casino – if this is not the case, other websites would also offer them.
Unfair Terms & Bonus Policy
We never tire of repeating that reading the website’s General Terms and Conditions and Bonus Terms is of utmost importance. Make time to carefully go through the “boring read” before signing up as it can help you spot a potential scammer and as a result, save you money and nerves.
Probably, due to the fact that many punters skip the fine print, some rogue online casinos have no qualms about including disadvantageous terms into their policies. For instance, while surfing the vastness of the internet, you may run into a website that requires straight deposits to be wagered at least 10 times before making a withdrawal. One does not have to be a math genius to figure out that with this rule applied, their chances of pocketing winnings are pretty faint.
Any discrepancies in the T&Cs and ambiguity in defining what constitutes bonus abuse or irregular play do not bode well either, leaving the casino plenty of room for adjusting rules in its favor. Many rogue websites use the trick with the change of wagering requirements or game contribution. While a punter believes he/she has cleared the bonus, it somehow turns out that the latter had to be wagered 50x instead of 35x, or the particular online slot contributes only 50% towards the playthrough.
Ridiculously Low Payout Limits
The vast majority of online casinos set daily, weekly, or monthly withdrawal limits, which is absolutely fine. Plus, you will come across many websites that limit winnings they are obliged to pay for an individual stake to €250,000, of course, excluding progressive jackpots. Again, this rule complies with their licenses and, truth to be said, the sum fits the winning potential of the best-paying slots.
When you see that the standard payout limit is far below the industry average and players are supposed to settle for R10,000 or even less on a monthly basis, then again, it is not a good sign. If with a little help of lady luck you land a nice win, it may take ages to receive it or, even worse, the casino may offer you a lump sum payment but only half your original prize.
Also, avoid places that impose too many limits and even cap the amount of winnings players can cash out from progressive jackpots. Besides being unfair, it is often a sign that the casino is short on funds, and therefore, slow on payouts.
At SlotsZAR, we are fully committed to helping gamblers make the most of their gaming experience, recommending only secure sites with a good reputation. To find their next favorite, players just need to carefully read our comprehensive casino reviews intended to help them make the right choice. However, when browsing outside our safe island, always do your due diligence, all the more so, now you know how to spot a rogue online casino.