If your online casino or bookkeeper suspects you of foul play, you may lose access to your account. Freezing a user account is usually a last resort for legitimate websites, but it does happen. Online casinos do so only if they have enough reason to suspect the user of engaging in unfair practices.
And the user may think there’s no reason since he or she hasn’t broken any rules, but let’s get into it why people lose access to their online casino accounts and why it can happen in some cases.
Why Online Casino Can Block My Account?
While freezing an account is an extreme action, it is not uncommon and usually happens due to serious reasons, such as:
Using Multiple Accounts
Online accounts have a strict one-person, one-account policy. If they find you in violation of this rule, you may lose access to your account. Even if you try to outsmart the casino by registering multiple accounts in the names of your friends and family, the site can track you via your IP address, VPN signature, devices, or trading patterns.
Placing Sure Bets
Online sports books have a beef with arborists who place “sure bets” and chase guaranteed wins, time and again, using a loophole.
Fixed Games
If a given sporting event is found to be fixed and undergoes investigation, your bookkeeper will freeze your bets for that game (not the entire account) until the matter is resolved. If the accusation is true, you’ll get the money you wagered back, minus any profit.
However, if the site detects that you’re betting on such fixed games in a pattern, they’ll freeze your account.
Exploiting Information Delays
One form of exploiting delays in information reaching your bookkeeper (although rare) is post-goal betting. Let’s say that an event has already happened. And you know that the bookkeeper has yet to update information on the site accordingly. You rush to place a sure bet. That’s a red flag and can get your account banned!
Exploiting Loyalty Program Bonuses
Bonus bets can indeed be abused if you try to win back the whole sum through unfair means. One way someone can do this is to bet on two opposing outcomes for a given bet (and let’s assume that there are only two outcomes, or these are the two most probable outcomes). This way, they’ll win back the sum no matter what – this is cheating!
What Happens to My Withdrawal from Online Casino Winnings if My Account Is Temporarily Blocked?
Now that we have covered the possible causes of account freezing, where do we go from here? Let’s assume that the online casino has made a mistake – you did not violate any regulations (it can happen). What are your options?
Well, reach out to the customer support staff and explain your situation. Highlight why you think that they made a mistake. Maybe it’s nothing – they might only need to verify your identity. If that’s it, then you’ve got nothing to worry about.
But if the situation is serious, there are a bunch of possible outcomes:
- They can hold your balance and keep your account frozen during the investigation.
- The casino may close your account permanently, allowing you to withdraw your balance.
- They may reject the withdrawal altogether and close your account.
In the last case, if the site is licensed and regulated, you can file a complaint with the regulatory body because the site hasn’t let you cash out your winnings. However, if the site is unregulated, there’s little you can do in the face of such a theft.
Can My Account Be Blocked for No Reason?
While legitimate companies only use account freezing and banning as extreme measures, these tactics are all too common for illegal online casinos. Most of them make their money by stealing your balance.
They can close your account over false accusations or without explaining anything whatsoever. For instance, if you’re enjoying a win streak, they may limit how much you can wager. Or they may close your account and keep your balance. But If you choose a fast withdrawal casino sites, you will spend less time to get your balance back, as such online casinos usually have a fast support team.
However, if it is a legit company, and you feel that they’ve frozen your account for no reason, it is most likely a misunderstanding. Also, sometimes, sites can get geo-blocked; if your country bans the site (and the said casino does not allow VPN), you’ll lose access to your money.
In any case, your best bet is to contact the customer support staff and seek clarification!
