This is a question that many people ponder. If they enjoy a winning streak at an online casino, will they be hit with a ban as a direct result? In general, online casinos love people to hit the jackpot on one of their games: it’s a great means of promoting the platform, and the game that paid out tends to see a huge spike in players subsequently.
In short, the answer is no: winning lots of money won’t get you banned from an online casino. But – as with everything in life – it’s not quite that simple! There are some circumstances where winning big may contribute to receiving a ban. And you could also be banned from an online casino even if you don’t hit a winning streak.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know about online casino bans, who is at risk of getting one, and what to do if you’ve been wrongly banned.
Operational Dysfunction
A casino could refuse to pay out winnings if an operational dysfunction resulted in the win. In other words, if something went wrong with the computers controlling the games. However, this falls on the casino to prove that this was the case; otherwise, they’ll be forced to cough up the cash.
A blackjack player in the UK won a £1.7 million jackpot in April 2021 on a well-known gambling site. The operator refused to pay, citing an operational dysfunction as affecting their systems’ algorithm and therefore playing a part in the win. However, in court, the operator lost the case and was ordered by the judge to pay out not just the initial jackpot but accumulated interest on the sum, too, to the delight of the now-wealthy winner!
What About Card Counting?
This is where things may get a little more tricky. In general, card counting is not considered to be illegal. However, it’s widely frowned upon by brick-and-mortar casinos, and you may find yourself removed and banned from the establishment if you’re suspected of doing so. However, you’ll usually get a warning first. And there’s no need to worry about this issue in an online casino, for obvious reasons.
What Will Get a Player Banned from a Casino?
If you somehow figure out how to cheat a casino, you will get banned. Here are the other ways to get yourself booted out post-haste.
Cracking the Codes
In the case of online casinos, the platforms keep a close eye on things to guard against hackers using advanced techniques to beat the system. This may be through the use of so-called betting bots that deploy highly technical tools to crack a game’s PRNG algorithm, allowing them to make a bet at a specific time to give them a significant edge over the house.
Online casinos are fighting back with the use of equally advanced software to identify suspicious patterns of betting and expose the users behind them. Once this is done, these individuals will be banned for life from the platform.
Violating Policies
Consistently violating casino policy will get you banned from an online casino. What does this look like? Bothering or being abusive to other players via the in-game chat is likely to do it, as is being rude to a live dealer after a bad beat. If you’re guilty of frequent poor etiquette, in terms of the casino’s policy, you could be at risk of being hit with a ban.
Abusing Promotions
Creating multiple accounts may seem like an easy way of making the most of a welcome offer or other types of promotion, but it could end badly. Casinos are very mindful of this kind of activity, and their software can detect if an individual is responsible for multiple-sign ups by tracking down the originating IP address….and subsequently banning the player.
Underage Gambling
And, of course, underage players will be banned from an online casino when they’re discovered. This is something to be especially mindful of, as the legal minimum gambling age often varies by country: in some regions, it’s eighteen, but in others, it’s twenty-one.
Can an Online Casino Legally Ban Me If I Win Too Much Money?
As private companies, technically, online casinos can ban anyone they want at any time they want, and for any reason – they’re not even required to tell a player why they’ve been banned. However, it’s important to remember that banning players simply for winning too much is likely to be damaging to the platform and its reputation. Word would quickly spread via social media and other sites, resulting in a potential loss of revenue for the casino itself.
However – in cases where a player seems to be enjoying a particularly spectacular winning streak or where suspicious betting patterns are identified, the platform may investigate, and – if the rules are deemed to have been broken and the money won by cheating, then this player can expect a lifetime ban from the online casino.
How is a Ban Initiated?
If an online casino decides to ban a player, they’ll follow a set process to do so. The player will usually receive an email stating that they have been banned from the platform – a reason may or may not be given for the ban. If a reason is supplied, it’s likely to be vague.
Subsequently, the player will no longer be able to access this online platform and will be banned from other casinos operating under the same gaming license. As well as the player’s account being immediately closed, any winnings and deposits remaining in the online account will be confiscated..
What if I Have Been Banned Wrongly?
If you’ve received a ban from an online casino but have done nothing wrong, there may be a way to put things right and reclaim any funds that you’ve had confiscated by the platform. You’ll need to contact the local gambling regulator to open a case. If the case concludes that there’s been no cheating or other form of foul play, you can expect your funds to be returned.
Online Casino Bans: The Bottom Line
Casinos don’t like banning players – and especially not simply because they’re enjoying a winning streak! Just because you’ve had a few big wins isn’t usually enough to get you banned from an online platform. As long as there’s been no cheating or any violation of casino policy, you shouldn’t be at risk of a ban.
Players who experience big wins are a great advertisement for an online casino and can significantly increase visitor numbers, something that’s great for the platform, its brand, and visibility. So, the bottom line is, if you’re playing fairly, then you should be free to hit the jackpot without being worried about being slapped with a ban for doing so!
