Blacklisted Casinos

Blacklisted Casinos in Canada 

First and foremost – all the online casinos we feature are legit. Still, outlaw casinos (or, what the industry calls rogue operators) are plenty. They’re known to keep outside of jurisdictions that can properly police their dubious business practices. As a result, players should always conduct some due diligence about online casino websites before signing up or making deposits. A few points to consider include whether the casino is licensed by a respectable national entity (such as the UK Gambling Commission or Malta Gaming Authority), what its online reputation is with other players, and how long it has been in business. 

Classic warning signs of outlaw online casinos artrueo good to be true’ special offers, a non-existent customer service department and player complaints about slow and/or no payouts. Recognizing any one of these issues is more than enough reason for Canadian players to head for the hills.   

What does “Blacklisted Casino” actually mean?

A “Blacklisted Casino” is the warning label the online gambling industry applies to outlaw operators who have proven their intent to defraud players. Whether it’s your money or your life (personal data), these bandits will use any means at their disposal to take your hard-earned cash and run. A blacklisted casino should be avoided at all costs and players can easily arm themselves with current, updated lists of the worst of the worst before signing up or making deposits. While licensing authorities continue to do their best to eliminate illegal operators from the industry, the task is a challenge that appears neverending. At the moment, players who share their negative experiences and name names remain the first and best line of defence.     

Why do casinos get blacklisted in Canada and how to spot them?

Our Blacklist of Casinos operating in Canada arms readers with the information they need to make sound choices and reinforces the value of the online casinos we recommend. Player protection is our paramount concern and our vetting process includes years of international experience in online gaming. The decision to add a casino to the blacklist considers a number of factors however, players can often ask themselves a few common-sense questions that will usually reveal a dubious site that may not have been listed yet. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, chances are…  

No licence

Legitimate online casinos go above and beyond the rigorous vetting process, that most international finance companies are subject to in order to acquire licenses that are recognized worldwide as the pinnacle of trustworthiness in the industry. Total transparency of ownership, financial strength (capacity to withstand large payouts consistently) and voluntary auditing of operations and games by accredited third parties are just a part of this process. 

Unlicensed online casinos, on the other hand, are not subject to supervision and do not risk the huge penalties and/or closure that can be imposed by licensing authorities. Operating from vague locations outside jurisdictional reach until their operations are flagged, these fly-by-nighters depend on players who remain unaware of the protections licensed casinos to provide.  

Not paying players

“The cheque is in the mail.” Blacklisted casinos are all about taking and keeping your money. They typically lure players into depositing funds with unrealistic bonuses and promises of huge winnings. When it’s time to make a withdrawal, onerous terms and conditions, thirty-day processing requirements and astronomical transaction fees are offered with the hope players leave the funds on deposit and spend it out. In some cases, flat refusal to pay based on fictitious regulations and/or a customer service team that has left the building leaves players with no alternative but to absorb the loss and walk away. Choosing a licensed, recommended online casino eliminates the potential for blacklisted sites and protects players from unscrupulous operators.    

Unfair games and RTP rates

Pirated games rigged in the online casino’s favour are just one of the tricks of the trade. This is a particularly common problem with slot games, the bread and butter income earners for most online operators. But other popular games like Blackjack, Roulette and Craps are also susceptible. Players wager under the impression that they will eventually win however, the chances of this have been manipulated to reduce or even eliminate the possibility of a payout.

Licensed online casinos only offer games and technology that have been internationally certified for fairness and that are under constant audit by third-party providers such as eCogra and Gaming Labs International (GLI) who inspect and verify game integrity.

A large part of this process includes Random Number Generator (RNG) technologies embedded in the games that assure every spin, card turn, dice roll etc. has been chosen at random by a computer calculating millions of possibilities. The RNG games offered by licensed casinos guarantee fairness to all players, the promise of which is backed up by both the Licensing authorities and the certification providers.

Unauthorised software

Nearly every game technology developed by the top tier software companies that supply the online casino industry globally takes thousands of labour hours and a huge financial investment to create. Additionally, these companies pay third-party auditing companies like eCogra and GLI to certify their game offerings for fairness. This verification process is ongoing and assures the software company’s licenced casino partners that its games meet and exceed international licensing standards. Players can be assured that games produced by companies such as Microgaming, Evolution, Pragmatic Play Ainsworth, and some of the best providers are verified as safe, fair and trustworthy.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, outlaw operators have been busy cloning bootleg copies of the most popular games and stripping out the RNG protections players and licensed casinos depend on for fairness. Difficult to identify for most novice players, these pirated games are deliberately programmed to reduce or even eliminate winning payouts, instant grounds for a casino being blacklisted.    

Weak security and privacy protection

Outlaw casinos talk the talk but the fact is they could care less about player privacy and in most cases will try to sell player’s personal and financial information onward. This can lead to identity theft, fraud and hacking issues that can be far more costly than leaving some gaming cash on the table. Players should only consider providing financial and personal information to licensed casino operators who employ end-to-end encryption technologies, private data protection statements and voluntarily provide governmental consumer assistance information in case of disputes. 

Considered the strictest data protection laws in the world, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) has been modified and adopted by a number of countries. The Canadian equivalent is The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Document Act (PIPEDA)  which guarantees Canadians that their personal data is being protected by businesses operating in Canada. Online casinos that don’t offer GDPR or PIPEDA data protection to players are highly suspect and prime Blacklist candidates.   

Misleading Bonuses

It’s human nature to want more for less. Outlaw casino operators know this and use Pie-in-the-sky promises of big winnings and frequent payouts to lure unsuspecting players to their sites. Unrealistic high-value bonuses are often offered to sign up and/or deposit real money, after which players come to find out that purposely vaguely worded terms and conditions (T&C’s) that govern payouts are nearly impossible to meet. Players would be wise to read the fine print about bonuses before making a financial commitment or better; eliminate the risks entirely by visiting our recommended licensed online casino operators who offer brilliant, safe and realistic bonuses to new and existing clients.

Unclear Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions (T&C’s) are a fundamental part of the online casino industry and shouldn’t be overlooked. While the language might be a little hard to chew, it is a necessary requirement to inform players of the licensed casino’s operating guidelines before they make a financial decision to sign up and/or deposit. Important information like deposit and withdrawal limits, payout processing times, wagering requirements and bonus details are highlighted, a few of which may change from time to time as new bonuses and promotions are introduced. 

Blacklisted casinos post deliberately vague and confusing terms and conditions which leave them plenty of wiggle room to avoid paying out winnings. If the T&C’s are not specific and easy to understand, players would be well advised to get out of Dodge.       

Bad or nonexistent customer service

It’s a fact that the quality of customer service can make or break a business and as sophisticated consumers, Canadians have little patience for poor performance. Licensed casinos invest heavily in Customer Relationship Management (CMR), usually provide support in real-time and often go the extra distance to ensure that their players are provided with satisfactory solutions.

In contrast, online operators on (or due for) the blacklist typically ignore consumer issues, delay and defer support with excuses, refuse to return calls or address email inquiries, and/or provide a customer care department that for all intents and purposes has left the building. Poor customer service is a blazing red flag and among the top reasons operators have been added to our blacklist of online casinos.

Too complicated a withdrawal process

If the process to withdraw player funds is burdensome, chances are that an outlaw casino operator is at work trying to prevent access to player funds. There are two obvious warning signs that players can take from this. One is that it’s not normal. The online casino industry has a fairly set standard of rules and regulations governing withdrawals. Any deviation from these norms is grounds for concern. 

The second red flag is the narrow choice and lack of quality in the payment processing companies. The best and most well-known payment organizations won’t work with casino operators that haven’t been thoroughly vetted and maintain an excellent record of customer payment protocols. If players don’t recognize or can’t adequately research the partnered payment providers, the online casino is probably blacklisted or about to be.       

How to report an unsafe casino

If you’re a casino player in Canada and experience any irregularities during your gameplayer, you can forward your query directly to the Canada authorities – who tackle such matters with both privacy and efficiency.

Players can be “blacklisted” too

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…” Casinos around the world have been blacklisting players since time immemorial. It’s no secret that the business has always attracted some seedy characters and in the old days, operators would share player information as a form of mutual protection against cheating, theft and more.

The advent of the internet and the global growth of online casinos has retooled the dynamics of player blacklisting. Apart from identifying the scam artists, cheaters, money launderers and anyone else suspected of attempting to conduct illegal activities at casinos, operators have also adopted player safety practices that ensure individuals who may be considered at risk are also restricted from accessing casino products and services.

How does this work? Many countries have adopted Responsible Gambling legislation that provides casinos with additional tools to protect players. Belgium has set a leading example by the creation of a national player blacklist called the Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS).  

EPIS primarily bans individuals suspected of possible criminal activity from registering at online casinos or visiting brick-and-mortar casinos and other gambling venues however, players (or concerned family members acting on their behalf) can opt for self-exclusion and voluntarily be listed with EPIS as part of a responsible gambling program. For Canadian players, more information can be found at the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC).

We at CanadaCasino also feature a dedicated Responsible Gambling page where players can players in Canada can find helpful tools such as time management and budgeting so they can manage better their gaming experience.

Conclusion

Your money or your life. Unless and until global regulators tame the explosive growth of online gaming, rogue casino operators will continue to prowl the internet. Players looking to defend their hard-earned cash and personal data have some excellent ammunition to choose from when confronted by online casino outlaws.

All the casinos we feature here at CanadaCasino feature acclaimed international licenses, high-end encryption technologies and reliable customer service. All of these online casinos work with globally recognized game providers.

Author

Lara

Casino Content Writer

Lara thinks that being happy is all about sipping beer by the sea with her favourite peeps. She understands people through conversation and tries to laugh her way through life. Cooking and writing are at the core of her being, and finds casino reviews to be the most interesting part of her job.