Are Casinos doing enough to protect UK players from Fraud

Online casinos have started to gain traction in recent years, and more options are available now than you can count. These casinos have made this world a global village. You’ll easily find a casino to play at regardless of which country you live in and which payment method you use.

However, this abundance of options has its own set of perils. While some casinos are well-reputed, others have been trying to attract business without any regard for industry laws and regulations. Casino fraud comes in all forms and it could be anything from identity theft to financial irregularities. This has especially increased ever since more online casinos have started accepting deposits and withdrawals in cryptocurrencies.

The US especially has seen an uptick in crimes related to casinos in recent years with losses amounting to millions of dollars. There have been reports of organized crime syndicates and various factions trying to launder money through casinos worldwide. Although the FATF’s guidelines and KYC regulations are making it harder for fraudsters to continue, there’s still a long way to go.

Alternatively, the UK has been at the forefront of preventing illegal and fraudulent activities and has been successful to a large extent. This success is mainly owed to stringent regulations and strict enforcement. Our list of the latest UK Online Casinos features only the best and licensed casinos where players can experience complete security. These casinos strictly adhere to regulatory guidelines and offer fair odds to the players.

Let’s take a look at which measures are deemed necessary by the casinos to curb such activities and protect their players. Read on for more.

Casinos in the UK have a very strict set of procedures

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) acts as the regulatory body overseeing all gambling-related activities in the UK. The Commission also issues licenses to the casinos and the casinos operating inside the UK have to be licensed by the Commission. Moreover, the UK Gambling Act (2005) is the official legislation regulating all gambling activities in the UK. The Gambling Act prevents gambling from becoming a source or accessory in crimes or disorders and fraudulent activities. In addition to this, the Act also protects minors from accessing casino services in any form and controls problem gambling. It also ensures that casinos conduct their business fairly and honestly. After a casino is licensed by the Gambling Commission, the casino must adhere to certain guidelines to keep its license. The Act has a separate section detailing the license conditions and codes of practice. For instance, casino operators are required to keep the funds of their users in separate bank accounts. They’re also required to disclose to the customers if their funds are insured or not. Moreover, all terms and conditions related to payments including deposits, withdrawals, and payment options must be stated clearly in the casino’s terms and conditions. Similarly, there are several clauses on anti-money laundering which require the casino to authenticate the player’s identity. KYC regulations and a few others have become instrumental to the safety of both the casinos and the players.

KYC and proof of income documents become very important

Know-Your-Customer (KYC) is an internationally accepted set of regulations that verifies the player’s identity. The need for this arose because various factions and individuals associated with criminal activities would use the casino to launder money. This was also deemed necessary when the authorities found out that money was being laundered to fund terrorism and facilitate crimes worldwide.

In some instances, fraudsters would take the cards of victims without their consent and perform transactions without their knowledge. The US has seen multiple cases of this type of fraud in the last few years. However, the KYC regulations have significantly improved this state of affairs. Admittedly, submitting your ID and proof of income documents is a painful process. However, it helps the casino ensure and verify the customer’s identity and prevent others from stealing their identity and passing as them.

Another key benefit of this procedure is that they help the consumer from overspending and going beyond their budget. This could save you from falling into bad debt and facing monetary troubles. The casinos typically ask for these documents when you’re making your first deposit or when you request a withdrawal.

Despite the stringent regulations, a lot of sketchy casinos are still operating that don’t require KYC documents from the players. Additionally, these low-rated casinos sometimes withhold the player’s money and don’t let them withdraw it. They employ a cohort of tactics to scam players out of their money. However, we strongly recommend sticking to only renowned and licensed casinos such as the ones on our lists to stay safe.

Players can only withdraw to the same payment method as the deposit

Another form of online fraud is when scammers use the victim’s bank account to deposit money into the casino. Then, they withdraw it to their own bank account and legitimize the funds because the casino paid them out. Oftentimes, the victims have no idea of what’s happening until it’s too late and their funds are already withdrawn.

This could happen for any number of reasons. For example, the user’s credit card could be stolen and misused without their knowledge. Their financial information could be compromised in any way that could result in unauthorized usage.

Most reputable casinos nowadays make it mandatory for players to use the same casino payment method for both deposits and withdrawals. This prevents unauthorized usage as the casino balance would go back into the same bank account only. It’s also an effective indicator of the casino’s legitimacy as good casinos care about the safety of their players.

Speaking of payment options, PayPal is one of the safest options for players in the UK. Players can use PayPal for both deposits and withdrawals with complete peace of mind. Refer to our list of the top UK PayPal Casinos to find a trusted casino.

UK Gambling commission leading the charge in protecting players

The UK Gambling Commission is committed to protecting players from being scammed and suffering financial losses. First, they have a detailed set of guidelines that the casino must follow to apply for a license. The casino has to display a complete structure of the organization and demonstrate a perfect ability to be able to handle all financial transactions. This includes having sufficient liquidity to meet customers’ withdrawals.

In addition to this, the casinos have to be competent enough to effectively provide all services to the players. Secondly, they urge the consumers to be aware enough to know their rights and report in case they have any complaints. Empowering the players is an effective strategy to keep them safe.

The last and ongoing part is the Commission’s vigilance. The UKGC ensures that all licensed casinos adhere to the highest standards of operation and follow the code of practices. This includes random inspection of the casino by the Commission to ensure that they’re offering fair odds to the players. They also make sure that the casino has enough protection in place to protect users’ data in case of a cyber-attack.

One of the parameters is making sure that online casinos use effective RNGs (random number generators). These generators give players a fair chance of winning and the casino can’t control its outcome to selectively reward players. The outcome is entirely free of any influence and makes for an authentic casino experience.

UK Online Casinos are amongst the safest in the World

These are some ways that scammers exploit and scam people out of their hard-earned money. Players should stay vigilant and never share their personal information with anyone else and store it only in a safe place. Moreover, the online casino space in the UK is one of the safest in the world thanks to the UK Gambling Commission.

Make sure to register only at licensed casinos and read their terms and conditions before committing any money. Playing at renowned and licensed casinos will not only protect your data but also give you a fair chance of winning. Stay safe and best of luck.