Blacklisted Casinos

Blacklisted Casinos sites in the UK

Assuming you’re already familiar with the term “Blacklisted”, on this page we will explain how to spot blacklisted casino sites so you can better avoid them. 

Listed below are examples of UK casino sites that don’t have a licence, are known to not operate fairly, have complex terms and conditions, and either take long to pay players or don’t pay out players’ winnings:  

What does the term “Blacklisted Casino” actually mean?

A blacklisted casino, simply put, is a casino that can’t be trusted and, in many cases, does not treat players fairly.

While the most obvious reason for casino sites being blacklisted is due to the lack of a licence to operate, they may become blacklisted due to other reasons like unfair terms and conditions, payment issues, bad or nonexistent customer service, alongside various other reasons.

The aim of our page is to equip you with information about how to distinguish a trustworthy casino site from an untrustworthy casino site so you can avoid spending any of your money at such a casino. 

Why casino sites get blacklisted in the UK and how to spot them

There are various reasons why casino sites get blacklisted in the UK, and here are some of the most common reasons:

No licence

For any UK casino site to be verified as a trusted casino site, it must first have gone through a vetting process conducted by the UK Gambling Commission. Without a valid gambling licence, a casino site cannot be trusted.

Find out more about how gambling licenses work in the UK through the following link. 

Not paying players

Some casino sites, when they realise that players who are playing at their casino sites are winning a lot of money, may withhold winnings or change their terms and conditions (often referred to as “spirit of the bonus” terms).

Unfair games and RTP rates

At trusted casino sites, you will come across games operated with a Random Number Generator (RNG); a software that generates billions of random numbers on a frequent basis in order to maintain fairness in gameplay.

You will also find things like Public RTP rates for slots available at these casino sites. However, if you find yourself playing at an untrusted casino site, you will notice that the RTP rates don’t add up, and in many cases, the games will be rigged in favour of the casino site. 

Unauthorised software

Unsafe casino sites tend to use unauthorised software by unknown game providers in their games. 

If you are unsure about how to spot games created by recognised and safe game providers, we suggest you have a look at our Game Providers page for an introduction to the most common game providers in the UK. 

Weak security and privacy protection

Trusted casino sites abide by General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) principles in order to protect their players’ personal data and transactions. 

If you happen to be playing at an untrusted casino site, on the other hand, it is unlikely that such measures will be in place, thereby putting you at a greater risk of things like identity theft and fraud.  

The GDPR website has different sections dedicated to explaining data protection security, all of which you can find here. 

Misleading Bonuses

There is nothing more frustrating than signing up for one thing and getting something completely different. 

Some unlicenced casino sites in the UK are known to advertise misleading bonuses that inform UK players about certain types of bonuses but as soon as the players make a deposit to claim these bonuses, they turn out to not be as advertised. 

To avoid playing at a casino site that will potentially offer you a misleading bonus, you can browse our Casino Bonus page to find casino sites that offer players legitimate bonuses. 

Unclear Terms and Conditions

Unlicenced casino sites are notorious for making their terms and conditions, especially for bonuses, so complex that it becomes almost impossible for players to withdraw their winnings.

Some casino sites even go as far as to not offer a full list of terms and conditions to keep players from knowing how bonuses work.

Bad or nonexistent customer service

One of many things that are often picked up on at untrustworthy casino sites is either bad customer service or no contact options at all. 

In the case of no contact options being available at a casino site, there would be no way for players to dispute a claim about a misleading bonus, for example.

Our Casino Site Catalogue lists a number of casino sites with great customer service. Some of these include but are not limited to casino sites like Parimatch, 21.co.uk, Casushi, and Spinyoo. 

Complex withdrawal process

After a player has been verified and met the wagering requirements created by a casino site, the withdrawal process should be fairly easy. Nevertheless, this is not the case at casino sites that don’t want any of their players to receive the funds they’ve won. 

At such casino sites, you’ll find highly complex withdrawal processes that involve having to jump through several hoops to receive one’s winnings. In the end, some players who have been victims at such sites report that they never received their winnings.

Players can be “blacklisted” too

Casino sites aren’t the only ones who get blacklisted. This can happen to players too and boils down to a number of different factors, such as fraudulent activity, irresponsible gambling, hostility towards customer service agents or other players, etc.

Countries like Belgium have a system in place called Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS) that blacklists troublesome players. 

While every casino site may have different reasons for blacklisting its players, you can still gather information about how to play responsibly at any UK casino by visiting our Responsible Gaming page. 

Conclusion

While there exist a vast number of trusted casino sites in the UK, there are a few that raise alarm bells, and these are casino sites that we do not want you falling victim to. 

Knowing what to look for when trying to spot blacklisted casino sites will save players lots of time and money. 

With these useful tips, you should be able to spot an unsafe casino from a mile away. Visit our casino sites to check out plenty of trusted UK casino sites, all with valid licenses so you can enjoy a safe and fun casino experience.