Before we even get to the meat of the matter, we would like to share some words of wisdom with you. Choose your casinos carefully before you start playing. Know what to look for in good casinos before you wind up in a situation that could have been avoided in the first place. It's much easier to avoid settling on a bad casino than it is to haggle over your money once you've deposited it there.

If you find yourself in a situation where you did not get a bonus that was advertised on the casino site but you seemingly meet all the requirements for receiving the bonus; or if you made a withdrawal but it is pending for an undue period of time; or if you think that the casino games don't pay out fairly, then you need to take the necessary steps to have your issue resolved.

The casino does not honour your bonus or you did not receive the amount you were expecting

Many times, bonuses advertised at online casinos are very difficult to qualify for because you have to meet pre-set minimum wager requirements which are sometimes too high to reach. Some games do not even count toward the wagering requirement. A good example is the game of Craps. If this is your game of choice, take note that you won't receive any bonuses.

Be sure to read the fine print on the casino's website in the bonus terms and conditions section and confirm whether you, in fact, qualified for the bonus. If you think you are being slighted, the first thing you should do is contact the casino directly and enquire into the specific terms of that bonus.

The casino does not honour your withdrawal

This issue is #1 on the Player complaint list. Electronic or eWallet payment methods are the fastest ways to receive your winnings, especially if the casino does not use credit cards to process withdrawals. If you reside in the United States, NETeller, US Credit Cards, and PayPal cannot be used to process your withdrawal request. You may also use a bank wire transfer, especially if you are withdrawing a large sum of money. Cheques via courier are also a good idea too, but it is not advisable to request cheques via the mail, as they sometimes get lost or take weeks to reach you.

The casino games are rigged!

To be perfectly honest, the casinos understand that it isn't in their best interest to cheat because they would get a really bad reputation that would probably prevent people from playing there and possibly shut them down for good. The online gambling community, despite its thousands of betting sites, is small and word travels very fast, especially where cheating sites are concerned. Also, most casinos use software from reputable online providers which in turn uses a Random Number Generator (RNG) to ensure complete randomness of their games from Blackjack to Video Poker.

Remember, an online casino really doesn't need to cheat because the odds are always stacked in their favour. Think about it, why would a business go into business if it will only lose money? They will always make money from Players in the long run.

How to resolve your dispute

Beware! This is most often a long and drawn out process and you shouldn't expect a quick resolution. But, if you do run into a problem, here are the steps that you should follow:

• Contact Customer Support in writing




You must ensure that your issue is documented in as detailed a manner as possible, preferably in email format, so that the casino can easily verify their records. Follow up with a telephone call or Live Chat message advising that you have emailed the communication. You can also ask the representative how soon you will receive a reply to the email, so you know how long you can expect to wait. Be sure to document each communication with the casino in each email message you send, so that there is a clear record of the number of times you made contact. With this said, you should give the casinos enough time to do their investigations and respond to your email. During your communications, whether email, Live Help, or phone, you must be professional at all times. Do NOT use abusive and threatening language as this may give the casino a valid reason to cancel your account without resolving your issue. Your bad behaviour may also act against you should the matter be escalated to a 3rd party or outside agency for review and resolution.



• Contact a 3rd party adjudicator




This should be done if you are dissatisfied with the resolution the casino has put forth. One such agency is eCOGRA. Many casinos have the eCOGRA seal of approval, which has a strict code of conduct for operating casinos. You will need to contact them via email. As with most similar accredited agencies, dispute resolution is taken very seriously. If the agency rules in favour of the casino, then you should consider revoking your claim. If they rule in favour of you, then the casino should comply. If the casino, however, fails to comply or if you are dissatisfied with the agency's response, you should move on to the next step, which is to post it in the public forums.



• Get the word out




You can also use this option if, the 3rd party agency rules in your favour, but if you are dissatisfied with their resolution. Go on the public gambling forums and discuss your issue. Be very careful which forums you use to air your views, especially if you are still expecting some form of resolution, because some forums are fake and will not do anything to help. Real watchdog sites, like Casinomeister will follow up your issue and are pretty good with recovering players' monies from the online casino sites. You can use Casinomeister's "Pitch A Bitch" section to explain in detail what happened or in most cases what didn't happen. Why is Casinomeister so successful? Because they have a huge Player following, have been around for almost a decade, and carry a lot of weight in the industry. Casinos rarely antagonize Casinomeister as it can be very detrimental to their organization.

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