Avoiding Risks With Our UK Casino Blacklist
This is precisely the topic of this article — we’ve pinpointed some of the worst online casinos found in 2021 and compiled a comprehensive list, so you’ll know which websites to stay away from and protect your money and your nerves.
How Do We Find Blacklisted Casinos
Blacklisted casinos are a big problem for both players and reputable operators, as they cast a shadow on the iGaming industry as a whole. For this reason, we must call out these rogue websites and contribute to putting a stop to their exploitation of players.
However, just as we are careful about recommending trustworthy platforms, we also take good care about which platforms we put on our blacklist. Our team of experts with years of experience in the iGaming industry collects information and complaints from players, checks them, and does thorough reviews of these websites to see if there are reasons for concern.
We check these platforms against the most important criteria a brand should fulfil to be considered legit. Therefore, if we find that the casino has no valid operating licence, uses fake software, delays or withholds players’ payment requests, or receives many player complaints, we automatically put it on our casino black book list.
What Are Blacklisted Online Casinos
Simply put, blacklisted casinos are gambling operators that conduct their business in an unprofessional, unethical and often illegal way. These brands operate without a proper gambling licence, have unfair terms and conditions, use pirated software, and find creative ways to avoid paying out the players’ winnings.
We must note that not all rogue casinos are made equal, so you won’t run into the same problems in each and every one of them, but they all exploit players in one way or another.
Why Do Some Casinos End Up On Our Blacklist
There are many reasons why a particular operator can make it onto our casino blacklist, but we’ve noticed several recurrent issues with most of these platforms.
Licencing Issues
Whenever we get the question, “Are online casinos legit?” The first thing that comes to our minds is the question of an operating licence. Suppose a platform has a valid operating licence issued by a reputable agency, such as UKGC or MGA. This means that it operates in accordance with strict gambling laws and can be held accountable if it breaks them.
Many rogue casinos have questionable operating licences or none whatsoever, meaning they have no obligation to conduct their businesses legally. In essence, they can do pretty much whatever they want and get away with it. Therefore, the absence of a valid licence is a major red flag in our book and is reason enough to blacklist a casino.
Software Issues
One of the most attractive features of a gambling website is its gaming portfolio. Established and reputable platforms feature diversified gaming libraries full of top-grade games developed by the best software providers in the industry.
Scam sites know the appeal of a well-put-together collection of games, but they find ways to avoid paying for the original software by hacking it and including it in their offer. Not only is this practice illegal in and of itself, but it also has a further purpose of tricking players and taking all of their money, as these games are almost always rigged.
Falsely Advertised Promotions
When it comes to the most appealing online casino features, generous bonuses and promotions are right up there with high-quality software. That’s why top gambling platforms feature competitive offers with fair terms, giving players a real chance to win some money.
However, since the rogue casinos’ main goal is to attract as many players as possible, these brands don’t shy away from advertising fake promotions, promising large amounts of bonus money and free spins. Even when these promotions are not fake, they often come with unreasonable terms, such as absurdly high wagering requirements, making it impossible for players to cash out.
Payout Problems
Each player who puts some money into a casino expects to get a reasonable return of investment with quick and straightforward withdrawals. While instant payouts are not always possible, reputable online casinos do everything they can to make this process smooth and hurdle-free.
On the other hand, blacklisted casinos may promise lightning-fast withdrawals and superb payout conditions, only to withhold or deny your payouts altogether. They do this by taking outrageous amounts of time to process your payment in the hope that you’ll give up and use the money to continue gambling on their platform.
What’s more, they can even seize your winnings under the excuse that you broke their terms and conditions. The most common false claims are that players didn’t complete the verification process and broke one of the betting rules.
Can a Casino Be Removed From the Blacklist
Once an operator gets on this list, it doesn’t have to stay there forever. We’ve witnessed many rogue brands improve considerably after changing their management or simply deciding to start conducting their business legally.If a brand is ready to change its ways, there’s no reason why we wouldn’t consider removing it from our blacklist. However, before we can do this, we have to be sure the platform has become a safe and reliable gambling space for players. Therefore, if the casino provides proof of legality and demonstrates trustworthiness over a significant amount of time, it can be taken off the list.
FAQ`s about Blacklisted Casinos
- What are blacklisted casinos?
Blacklisted casinos are online gambling platforms that don’t operate in accordance with the official gambling laws and ethical standards. The most common issues include the absence of operating licences, false promotions, security problems, unfair bonus terms, and fake software, to name a few.
- Why should players stay away from blacklisted casinos?
The casinos listed on this page operate in an unethical and illegal way, making them a dangerous place for the players’ information and money. When they play on these platforms, users risk being scammed by rigged slots and other games and never receiving their winnings.
- How can I recognise a rogue platform?
One of the first things you can do to recognise a rogue operator is to open its website and scroll to the bottom of the homepage. Here, you should see the regulation and licencing information, complete with the operating licence number. If this info is missing, you are most likely dealing with a rogue casino. However, the most surefire way to know whether a casino is rogue is to read player reviews or look at the list of rogue casinos on the Casinosters website.