Where To Complain About A Sportsbook or Casino

Unfortunately, issues happen when it comes to online gambling properties such as sportsbooks or casinos.

It doesn’t matter if you are using an offshore sportsbook that only accepts cryptocurrency, or using a street bookie that is completely regulated in the jurisdiction that you are in. Problems will happen. I mean I’ve had it happen at land based casinos near me, where I have had to dispute a ticket and had to actually go to the gaming commission due to an incorrect payout.

Sometimes, it is just a little mistake that is resolved quickly. In Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season for example, Bodog had a serious grading issue where they graded numerous overs, money line bets and point spreads incorrectly. This meant that bets that were a win were actually graded as a loss. However, they were quick to alert people of this on social media and fixed the issue promptly.

Unfortunately, sometimes sportsbooks won’t resolve issues that easily. They may grade a bet incorrectly and then argue with you about it – or perhaps the statistics site that they use to back up their data is incorrect. Or maybe you are stuck waiting on a withdrawal for a few weeks, even though they promised it was only going to be 24-48 hours.

The fact is – there are a wide variety of reasons for complaints that require external resolution. The Pogg.com reported 1199 complaints in the course of one year, as an example.

They also cover a variety of reasons for issues. Most issues end up being related to delays in your withdrawal, delays or issues with verification of your account which is often tied to the withdrawal, or issues with a deposit bonus and all of the terms and conditions related to that.

So here are some tips just in general if you have an issue with a sportsbook or casino and what you can do about it with notes about a few specific situations, then we will get into where to complain and how to handle it.

The most important thing you can do is calm down.

The worst thing you can do is act irrationally or emotionally. They are just like any other business and the person you are dealing with is a customer service representative who is just doing their job. They aren’t going to be very helpful if you go in yelling and swearing at them about the issue. Don’t go screaming and ranting on social media either.

Incorrectly Graded Bets

The first thing to do is see if it is a widespread problem, or if it is happening to just you. The best resource for this is social media because people WILL go screaming and ranting on social media. So you can search for the sportsbook’s name, and see if people are referencing it or of the sportsbook has mentioned the issue at all. If it’s a widespread problem, you can relax as it will likely be fixed promptly.

If you can’t see anyone talking about it, then the first thing you should do is verify you actually made the correct bet, and understand the rules. For example, let’s say you bet the Yankees to win a game on the money line. They’re losing, 5-4, the game is suspended and resumed the next day and the Yankees end up winning. Your bet is graded as a loss. This is incorrect, right? As the Yankees won.

Nope! It depends on the sportsbook. Some will void the bet and give it a push, but others may have the rule that it relies on the last completed inning. That’s why it is important to understand all of the rules in regard to the bet.

Take the time to ask someone. /r/sportsbook/ on Reddit is a good resource for that as they have a big community, and will be quick to help you with any issues in regard to the bet.

If you feel the sportsbook is incorrect, provide them with the data to back up the bet and prove that it won. Ask them what source they use for data, as you may need to go to the actual source if they have incorrect information.

Withdrawal / Verification Issues

You’ve hit a big win at the casino, or a big parlay far beyond your usual means, and attempt to withdraw only to be asked to provide verification documents, or your withdrawal is sitting there for a few days.

So first – here’s a little insider knowledge. A lot of gambling properties will delay most withdrawals simply because they know that most gamblers will cancel the withdrawal and start playing, and then lose the money. It may not be the morally correct thing to do, but these places are a business and it’s, unfortunately, something they do.

Be patient. Don’t cancel your withdrawal. Provide any and all documentation that they ask for. Even if they keep saying they need more – sometimes these properties are doing their due diligence in regard to making sure there is no fraud going on.

Also be sure to only deposit with your own information. Don’t use your wife’s credit card to deposit for example. Many casinos will have this buried in the terms and conditions that this is not accepted, and they will then void withdrawals and your winnings based on that.

The best thing you can do prior to even depositing is to peruse the terms and conditions of the property thoroughly.

Bonuses

One of the most common issues is bonuses. Honestly, this is one of those problems where you can handle it before it happens. When you claim ANY bonus be sure to read the terms and conditions thoroughly. If you aren’t sure of something, ask their customer service for help explaining it.

Chances are if you are having an issue with a bonus, it’s going to be that you didn’t read the wagering requirements thoroughly.

What To Do Next?

If you are having issues and you feel you are in the right and the casino or sportsbook is in the wrong, and their customer service is not resolving it, then what you can do depends.

If you live in an area where gambling is regulated, and they are a regulated property, you can inform them that you will report it to the gambling commission. Then you should go ahead and do so.

On top of that, there are third parties that may be able to help. Places such as ThePogg for casinos, or SBR for online sportsbooks can be helpful. Social media and Reddit can be good too.

What I would advise if you go that route is to create a webpage that lists all of the issues. Write it all in a fact-based tone, and only stick with the actual facts, along with screenshots and documentation to back it up. Then the ability for people to share it on the site as well. Contact media outlets as well. Most people only stick with social media but if an actual media outlet picks it up, that will help.

If you make a big enough fuss, but in a polite and cordial manner, it helps raise awareness of the issue and should hopefully help get it resolved. With so much competition out there, these properties don’t want bad press if they can help it.

Comments / Contact / Q&A:

Comment or Message *

Submit