Online casinos are now more popular than ever in the United Kingdom and across the world, and due to the rise in legally permitted online gambling activities on fully licensed and regulated websites like this, more people than ever feel the need to try and recoup and losses they incur, and a growing number of people have reported transaction disputes.
In many reputable online forums that I’ve found relating to the online gambling industry, a topic of discussion that has been hotly debated in recent years is how players have been requesting a chargeback on gambling transactions made on any real money gambling sites they have joined.
Some of these disputes have been fully warranted, but the vast majority are unwarranted and were typically made by disgruntled people who play on these sites and have simply not won, which puts a negative cloud over the industry.
Fortunately, today’s most trusted online betting website operators must have a reliable and effective complaint-handling process in place and be linked to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service to deal with any chargeback issues that may occur.
I consider myself lucky as I’ve never encountered issues like this before on any sites that I’ve joined. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at what happens for players with the chargeback option.
Is it possible to dispute a transaction made on a gambling site, and why would I ever attempt a chargeback?
Thanks to the protections offered by credit cards under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, it’s possible for UK online gamblers like me to dispute transactions on UK-licensed sites.
However, I’ve since found that this method is mainly for credit cards, not any other payment methods, and since UK-licensed sites no longer accept credit cards for deposits or withdrawals (since the legislation came into effect in April 2020), it’s basically ineffective.
The chargeback process is different from that of debit cards, which is far more complex, so the chances of receiving a successful chargeback when using a debit card to deposit on a UK-licensed site are almost impossible these days.
You would have to go directly through your card issuer (the bank that issued you your debit card) and provide them with solid evidence that the casino is in the wrong (which is very unlikely you will be able to do this unless something untoward randomly did happen on that site, and the operator was unwilling to rectify the situation for you).
For example, I recently discovered that Chase Bank, one of the world’s largest banks, views online gambling website charges as withdrawals, which effectively means it’s impossible to implement a successful chargeback. You can learn more about chargebacks on this page: casinomeister.com/blog/.
Three tips if you are concerned about trying to recoup any losses on your favourite sites
There are many reasons why a person might want to try and recoup their losses from their favourite sites, some of which include the following:
- A glitch in the system may have seen your preferred deposit option being charged twice for one transaction
- The operator of the site you just deposited on may be refusing to cash out your legitimate winnings
- Unauthorized transactions may have been made on a gambling site without your permission, even though you have never gambled on that site. This type of fraudulent activity is very unlikely to ever occur on a UK-licensed site
Before you start the chargeback process or attempt to withdraw any financial losses you believe you have legitimately incurred unfairly by not violating their terms, conditions, and general policies, I advise that you do so appropriately and consider whether you have a strong case before pursuing this route.
Here is a step-by-step guide with three simple tips for how you can dispute your transaction, recoup your losses, or issue a chargeback:
- Do not abuse the process, and only attempt to recoup your losses in any games you played, dispute your transaction or start the chargeback process with legitimate claims. You don’t want to get yourself in trouble with the law by attempting a fake chargeback claim
- Get plenty of photographic/written evidence/proof if you feel as though you have a case to start a chargeback dispute
- If you don’t seem to be getting anywhere with your bank or with the casino, your next step would be to try the Alternative Dispute Resolution service first, which the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) legally appoints in most cases to get legitimate issues resolved for players
Final thoughts
Filing a dispute with a website that offers real money online fruit machines, blackjack, roulette, and so on is relatively straightforward, based on stories I’ve heard and read about. You should always start by contacting the customer service support agents on the website you think you have a case with before going down the official channels.
Remember – chasing losses is never a good idea, so don’t feel tempted to play on in the hopes of winning your money back, even if you just want to break even. Check out this guide to recognising the signs of a developing gambling problem to ensure you’re always being responsible.
I would also remind you that false chargeback claims are an offence that could lead to receiving a hefty fine or imprisonment. In other words, just because you lost your deposit doesn’t mean you should take it out on the website where you lost your money unless you have a legitimate claim that must be dealt with.
