Playing Without Getting Banned From Casinos

Whether you’re playing at a land-based casino or an online platform, licensed casinos will always have strict rules that players must follow. Ignoring these rules can lead to you being prohibited from entering a casino, and being allowed back in can be very difficult. In this article, we’ll look at the main reasons players get banned from casinos, how to avoid them, and information regarding how to appeal a casino ban. The rules across casinos are similar, so you can enjoy uninterrupted gameplay and ongoing promotions by keeping these guidelines in mind.

Common Reasons Players Get Banned

To get banned from a casino, a player would have had to breach the rules outlined by the site. This often involves engaging in unethical behaviour that can harm the player and the platform. Online platforms enforce these rules to ensure that they’re offering a safe gambling environment to all their players and that they're operating under strict guidelines set out by the UK Gambling Commission.

Cheating and Fraudulent Activities

Subsection 3 of the Gambling Act 2005 outlines that ‘cheating may include actions that involve actual or attempted deception or interference with the processes involved in the conduct of gambling, or with any other game, race or other event or process to which gambling relates.’ Here are some common ways that gamblers attempt to cheat the casino:

• Using stolen credit cards to fund their gambling account and withdraw winnings.
• Using stolen personal information to create fake accounts.
• Using software or tools to gain an unfair advantage in games.
• Influencing the outcome of events or games, sometimes in collaboration with others.

If you engage in the above activities, casinos can ban you instantly and even take legal action against you. You should be aware that casinos are constantly monitoring any suspicious activities on their gaming platform, and with new technology and tools, it’s becoming easier to detect fraudulent behaviour.

Tip: Always play responsibly and honestly at gambling platforms. Use safe payment solutions and don’t be tricked into thinking you can manipulate the outcome of these games. This is the best way to avoid receiving a ‘banned from casino’ letter.

Abusing Bonuses

You can often trigger a range of promotions when playing at online casinos. Typically, a platform will only allow you to trigger a bonus once. However, some players try to exploit these offers in the hopes that they’ll get more value than they’re supposed to. Here are some common examples of bonus abuse:

• Creating multiple accounts to keep triggering bonuses over and over.
• Attempting to cash out your funds before you fulfil the wagering requirements.
• Manipulating terms in ways not intended by the casino, such as making low-risk bets just to meet the wagering requirements.

Gaming platforms track player behaviour through IP addresses and device information. This means they can ban you if they see someone registering for an account more than once from the same device. Remember that if they find that you only log in to claim bonuses or have a history of unusual deposit and withdrawal cycles, they have the right to contact you about any suspicious activities.

Tip: Always read the bonus terms and conditions before you trigger a promotion. This will prevent any unnecessary surprises further down the line.

Underage Gambling

The Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Act 2019 states that, the minimum legal age for gambling in Ireland is 18’. This is something that casinos must take very seriously, and there are serious penalties for underage gambling. Casino staff have been professionally trained to pick out underage gamblers, and if you get caught, you’ll be permanently banned.

Land-based casinos will ask for ID when you enter their establishment, and sometimes will carry out random checks on players they suspect might be under 18. Similarly, when setting up an account with an online casino, you’ll often be asked to verify your identity in some way, ensuring you’re of legal gambling age.

Tip: Underage gambling is a serious problem in Ireland. To avoid breaking the law and being permanently banned from a casino, my best advice is to wait until you're at a legal gambling age to enjoy these games.

Disrespecting Casino Etiquette

Land-based casinos have strict rules when it comes to etiquette. If you neglect the rules of conduct, they can ban you from the site. Some of the most common reasons to get kicked out include:

• Disrupting players or being rude to them.
• Harassing or being rude to the staff.
• Show up at the casino very drunk, are rowdy and noisy.

When playing at online casinos, etiquette is just as important. Being rude or threatening towards the customer support team can lead to a suspension of your account.

Tip: Treat casino staff members with respect, both when you’re playing online or in person. This helps to ensure a smooth gambling experience.

Legitimate Strategies to Avoid Casino Bans

Follow the steps below to ensure you don’t get banned when playing at casinos:

Familiarise Yourself with Casino Rules

The most effective thing you can do to avoid getting banned on gaming platforms at land-based casinos is to read the rules of the casino and the specific game you might be playing. Here are a few things to keep an eye on when reviewing the rules:

• Withdrawal policies: Casinos limit how much money you can withdraw in a day, week, or month. Keep these in mind when making and requesting transactions.
• Betting limits: This is the minimum and maximum bet you can make when playing a particular game. It’s important to be aware of these so you don’t make too low or too high wagers.
• Bonus requirements: When triggering a promotion, know the wagering requirements. This way, you’ll know exactly what to expect when using a bonus and avoid getting upset about any terms you might not have been aware of.

Being aware of these rules ensures an overall smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience.

Play Fair and Responsibly

You might have seen statements of players stating that they were banned from a casino for winning on Reddit or other threads. Some players do indeed get banned when landing wins, but there will always be a legitimate reason why the casino does this. In most cases, this happens when players twist the rules or manipulate the terms and conditions in ways that the casino did not intend. If you win using shady tactics, most of the time, the casino will most likely notice and act.

To help you stay in control while playing, I highly recommend using the following tools:

• Deposit limits
• Reality-checks
• Time limits
• Loss limits

To read more about responsible gaming tools, read the ‘Tools and Features for Responsible Gambling’ section in this article. It’s important to know when to stop if you feel like you’re taking your playing habits too far and are being disruptive just for the chance to land wins.

Maintain Proper Conduct

When visiting physical casinos, you’ll usually see a list of house rules you must always follow. These help create a safe and friendly environment for everyone. Often, these rules remind visitors to:

• Be polite to players and staff members.
• Be appropriately dressed to enter the premises.
• Stay calm when losing.
• Avoid entering the premises drunk.

Players must also be respectful to the customer support team, even when playing at online casinos. Avoid being rude to the customer support team or leaving abusive messages in the case of a loss; this can lead to your account being suspended.

Use Bonuses Wisely

Again, I’d like to reiterate that it's essential to understand the terms and conditions before claiming bonuses. This will help ensure a smooth gaming experience and prevent future disappointments, especially regarding things like wagering requirements and time limits that you may not have been aware of.

Here are the main things to keep in mind when triggering promotions to avoid getting banned:

• Make sure you don’t claim more than one bonus per account.
• Don’t create multiple profiles to trigger the same promotion.
• Ensure you fulfil the wagering requirements before requesting to retrieve winnings.

What to Do If You're Asked to Leave

If a platform asks you to leave the site, it’s essential to remain calm and understand why this has happened. Here are some tips to help you take the right steps.

Understanding Your Rights

A casino can ban you from its platform at any time. However, when playing at licensed sites, you’ll usually receive an explanation (unless this ban is required by law in the case of suspected fraud). Please note that if you’re found to be cheating or engaging in fraud, the casino has the right to forfeit your funds.

Appropriate Responses to Casino Requests

If you were banned and are not sure why, I suggest keeping in mind the following:

• Remain calm; don’t harass the staff, as this can be used against you.
• Reach out to the casino for clarification on why you were banned.
• Review the terms and conditions and check whether you violated any of them.

When and How to Appeal a Casino Ban

The UK Gambling Commission states that if you think an account has been closed unfairly, and that the casino is not acting according to its terms and conditions, you can complain directly to the gambling business. Here are the steps they’ve outlined to go about doing this:

• Read the terms and conditions linked to your account or transaction.
• Find information on how to contact the business and review their complaints procedure. For online players, a tool called Resolver can guide you on how to submit a complaint. If this happened at a land-based casino, you can complain to the staff and ask for their complaints policy.
• Give the business any important information about the complaint, such as dates, times, and money spent. If you have any evidence, you can also submit it.
• The gambling business has 8 weeks to address the complaint; they will then tell you the next steps that you can take, when possible.

If you’re unhappy with the outcome, you might be able to complain to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider. Please note that to do this, you’ll first have to file a complaint with the gambling business. For more information about this, you can click here.

Consequences of Being Banned

When a casino bans your account, you’ll often lose access to your funds. In some cases, the ban may only be temporary until the casino investigates suspicious activity related to your account; if everything turns out clear, you should get your funds back.

Please note that in the case of self-exclusion, the casino is required to return any remaining balance to you.

Short-Term vs. Permanent Bans

There are two main types of bans that casinos can place on your account:

• Temporary suspensions: These usually happen due to minor violations, such as account verification delays or other technical problems. In this case, you can appeal to the casino to get the matter resolved.
• Permanent Bans: This is for more serious or repeated violations, such as fraud or bonus abuse. It will often be difficult to be allowed back into the casino if you’ve been permanently banned, and appeals are unlikely to change the situation.

Impact on Future Gambling Opportunities

When you're banned from an account, the casino will permanently prohibit you from entering the platform, even after a couple of months or years have passed. In the case of fraud, licensed online casinos have the right to report this behaviour to the Commission. This could result in a serious escalation of the issue and even legal consequences.

Besides that, remember that gaming platforms are often part of a large network. If you’re reported on one platform, the gambling business can share that information with other casinos, making it difficult to access other casinos.

Understanding Self-Exclusion

If you feel that your gaming behaviours are becoming problematic and you’d like to take a clean break from playing games at an online casino, then you can choose to ‘self-exclude’ yourself. Let’s have a closer look at what this entails.

What is Self-Exclusion?

The UK Gambling Commission defines self-exclusion in the following way: ‘Self-exclusion is a tool used by those who have recognised that their gambling is harmful to them. It is for those who wish to stop gambling.’ When playing on licensed gaming platforms, you’ll always have the option to self-exclude.

If you want to block access to all gaming platforms instead of just specific ones, you can use tools like GAMSTOP, GamBan, and BetBlocker. These tools will restrict your access to all gaming sites for a set period. This can range from a couple of months to years, or even permanently.

As mentioned, please note that in the case of self-exclusion, the casino is entitled to return any funds in your account.

How to Self-Exclude

To self-exclude from a betting site, follow the steps below:

1. Log in to your casino account and head over to your profile.
2. Check for the self-exclusion feature; make sure to read the terms and conditions while you’re here.
3. Contact the customer support team about your request and define how long you’d like to be excluded from the casino.
4. Confirm your details; your request will be processed within 24 hours.

In the case of land-based casinos, here is the typical procedure:

1. Visit the venue you want to self-exclude from.
2. Speak to one of the staff members and let them know your request.
3. Take some form of personal identity with you to help the staff find your account.
4. Choose how long you’d like to self-exclude and sign the agreement.

It’s important to only play these games responsibly and within limits; serious problems can occur when gambling takes over your life and you play with money that you can’t afford to lose.

Here are some resources you can reach out to in Ireland in case you think you or a loved one has a problem with gambling:

• Gamblingcare.ie
• Gamblers Anonymous Ireland
• Extern Problem Gambling

For more information about responsible gaming, you can check out our dedicated page here.

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