We have compiled the most common types of iGaming scams that players encounter.
1. Fake Online Casinos
One of the most prevalent threats is the fake online casino – a fraudulent gambling website created solely to scam players. At first glance, these sites often look highly convincing. Scammers imitate real casino platforms, using flashy visuals, professional-looking logos, and even fake license numbers or fabricated player reviews to appear legitimate. In reality, fake casinos operate without any valid license or regulatory oversight. Their sole objective is to persuade players to deposit money or surrender personal information, with no intention of offering fair games or honoring payouts.
How to recognize: The primary indicator of a fake casino is the absence of legitimate licensing information. If a site doesn’t clearly show a valid license from a recognized authority (or uses a dubious licensing body you’ve never heard of), be very cautious. These sites may also have poor website quality (broken links, generic game software, or text copied from elsewhere) and often lack real customer support channels. Another red flag is if the casino only offers unconventional payment methods like cryptocurrency or wire transfers to strange accounts. Scammers love payments that are hard to trace or recover.
To avoid such traps, do research before you register at any new casino. A basic search often shows whether a platform has been flagged as rogue or listed among blacklisted online casinos. Look for reviews from other players and see if there are patterns of complaints like “never received withdrawal” or “site won’t respond after deposit.” And if you encounter a site that you suspect is a fake online casino, do not deposit and report it to warn others.
2. Phishing and Identity Theft Scams
Phishing is a classic internet scam where fraudsters pretend to be a trustworthy entity to trick you into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links. In the context of online gambling, phishing scammers often impersonate legitimate casinos or payment providers. You might receive an email that looks like it’s from a well-known casino platform or e-wallet service, claiming there’s an issue with your account or offering an exclusive bonus. The communication creates a sense of urgency (“Verify your account now or it will be suspended!”) and usually contains a link that takes you to a fake login page. If you log in there, you just handed your username and password to the scammer. Alternatively, the phishing message may ask for your credit card details or other personal data under some pretext. These emails or texts look convincing, even using the casino’s logos and a sender address that appears authentic at first glance. Another variant is impersonation through fake support chats or social media. For example, a scammer might lurk on gambling forums or social networks and approach users, pretending to be an official representative of a casino. They could offer “help” with a bonus or a payout issue, then direct the victim to a fraudulent site or request account details. Some players have also reported receiving phone calls from people claiming to be casino staff, informing them of a “prize” and asking for banking information to process the payout.
How to recognize: Legitimate casinos will never ask for your password via email or chat, nor will they ask you to reveal your full payment card details via unsecured channels. Be skeptical of any unsolicited communication about your gambling accounts. Always double-check the sender’s email address (scam emails often have an inconspicuous misspelling or odd domain).
If you get a message about an issue with your account, do not click the provided link, but instead, navigate to the casino’s official website yourself or contact their support through verified means to confirm if the message was real. Use two-factor authentication on your casino accounts when possible, so even if you accidentally divulge login credentials, the thief cannot easily get in without the second factor.
3. Rigged Games and Unfair Software
Rigged games scams occur when an online casino tampers with game software or uses non-certified games that don’t follow true random odds. Every legitimate online casino game (slots, roulette, etc.) uses a Random Number Generator (RNG) and is usually audited by third parties to ensure the outcomes are fair and the house edge is as advertised. Scam casinos ignore these standards. They might use pirated or altered versions of popular games or fake “original” games programmed to give losing outcomes far more often than normal. For example, a rogue slot machine might silently reduce the payout rate from ~95% to 50%, so you inevitably lose money over time.
How to recognize: This scam can be difficult to detect at the moment because gambling inherently involves losing streaks. However, watch out if every game on a site feels “impossible” or if outcomes defy normal probability in extreme ways. Another clue is the source of the games – reputable casinos host games from well-known software providers, whereas scam sites might have a lot of “proprietary” games with generic names or knock-offs of real games. No third-party testing certificates or fairness seals is a big warning sign. A trustworthy casino will often display badges from labs like eCOGRA, iTech Labs, or GLI showing their games were audited. If those are missing (or just fake images of them), be cautious.
Your best defense is to stick to licensed casinos and well-known game providers so you know the odds are legitimate.
4. Fraudulent Bonus Offers
Bonus scam sites will advertise outrageously generous offers, like a “$500 no-deposit bonus” or “500% welcome match up to $5,000.” While legitimate casinos do offer bonuses, they come with reasonable terms (wagering requirements usually in the 20x–40x range of the bonus) and are actually achievable. In contrast, scam casinos use bonuses as bait with predatory terms hidden in fine print. For instance, a fake casino might let you claim a huge bonus, only to bury an impossible wagering requirement like 100x or more, meaning you’d have to bet, say, $100,000 to unlock a $1,000 win. Some even set a tiny maximum cashout (e.g., you can’t withdraw more than $50 of a “$1000 bonus”) or other tricks to ensure you never really benefit. The worst offenders refuse withdrawals entirely. When a player attempts to cash out, they may be accused of “bonus abuse” and have their account permanently blocked without payment.
How to recognize: If you come across a bonus offer with terms that are overly complex, poorly explained, or deliberately vague, it’s usually a sign to walk away. Be especially cautious of extremely high wagering requirements. Anything significantly above the industry norm of roughly 30x–40x should raise concerns, while requirements of 100x or more are generally unrealistic. A casino’s reputation also matters. Established brands may promote large bonuses, but these offers are typically accompanied by clear conditions and accessible customer support if issues arise. By contrast, little-known casinos that make extravagant promises are often attempting to lure players with the intent of exploiting them. Large bonuses are not always scams, but they are frequently red flags, particularly when paired with phrases like “no rules” or “guaranteed easy money.”
Always evaluate bonuses in the context of the casino’s reputation. When in doubt, it’s safer to refuse a suspicious bonus than to accept and get tangled in a scam.
5. Withdrawal and Payment Scams
In a withdrawal scam, a rogue casino makes it nearly impossible for players to cash out their money. Withdrawal requests may be repeatedly rejected using vague excuses such as “technical issues” or “audit checks.” In some cases, new conditions are suddenly imposed at the payout stage. Players might be informed, for instance, that they need to make additional deposits in order to "complete verification." One common tactic involves demanding an upfront fee or “tax” before releasing winnings. Believing a large payout is waiting, victims pay the requested amount, only for the scammers to disappear or invent yet another fee. In the end, the promised winnings never arrive. Scams can also occur on the deposit side through fraudulent payment processors. A casino site may appear to support standard payment methods, but when a player attempts to deposit, they are redirected to an unofficial or suspicious payment gateway. These fake portals can steal credit card details or apply excessive “conversion” fees without properly crediting the account. For example, a player may deposit $100, only to see a confirmation stating that $50 was credited while the remaining $50 was deducted as fees.
How to recognize: If a casino has unreasonably long payout times or a pattern of complaints about non-payment, steer clear. A delay of a few days for KYC verification is normal, but if weeks go by and you get only silence or new demands, something’s wrong. Furthermore, always check for reputable payment options. Trustworthy casinos partner with known providers like Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Skrill, etc. If a site lacks all common options and pushes you to use obscure methods or crypto only, be cautious. Also, watch the URL when handling payments. If you’re suddenly on a third-party site with a strange URL that doesn’t match the casino or the known payment processor domains, do not proceed. If customer support is unhelpful or keeps giving you the runaround about why you can’t withdraw your money, that’s a telltale sign of a scam.
Withdrawal problems are a clear signal to pause play. How a casino processes a pending payout reflects its reliability.
6. Identity Theft and Data Misuse
Identity theft and data breaches in the online gambling sphere refer to cases where a casino (or someone posing as one) mishandles your private information, leading to its theft or misuse. This can happen in a few ways. A shady casino might directly sell players’ data to marketing companies or other malicious actors, violating privacy laws and your trust. Another scenario is when a fraudulent “casino” site is actually a front to harvest personal and financial info. You think you’re registering to play, but the scammer’s main goal is to collect as many identities and credit card numbers as possible, which they will then use or sell on the black market. The consequences of identity theft in this context go beyond losing a bet. They can include unauthorized charges on your credit cards, loans, accounts opened in your name, or phishing attacks targeted at you using the info you provided.
How to recognize: Check if the casino site is using SSL encryption (look for https:// and a lock icon in the address bar). Read their privacy policy to see how they handle your data. If a site or its agents ever ask for unnecessary information (like your email password or social security number, which are not needed for gambling), that’s a huge warning sign of a scam. Also, consider using unique passwords for casino accounts and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) if available to prevent account takeovers.
Stick with casinos that have a track record of security. If you suspect a site may misuse your info, do not complete registration or send them documents. And for added safety, monitor your financial statements and credit reports if you’re an active online gambler. It can help you catch any identity theft early.
7. Casino Malware and Fake Apps
As a final scam category, beware of malicious software disguised as gambling apps or programs. Scammers have found ways to create fake casino apps (often for Android devices, distributed outside the official app stores) that contain malware. These apps might actually function as a casino game to avoid raising suspicion, but behind the scenes they could be doing things like logging your keystrokes, stealing saved passwords, or copying personal files. Similarly, some fraudulent online casinos will prompt you to download a “desktop client” or software, which can be a vector for viruses or spyware if the source isn’t trustworthy. Users who installed those apps ended up losing money and compromising their personal data, as the apps allowed initial small wins to gain trust and then locked out any real payouts.
How to recognize: Be extremely cautious of any casino app that asks you to sideload it or install it from an unofficial source, as this is a common method for spreading malware. Always check the app’s download count and user reviews before installing. Apps with very few downloads and a large number of generic five-star reviews, especially repetitive comments like “Great game, love it!” posted by different accounts, should raise immediate concerns. Legitimate casino apps typically have thousands of downloads and detailed, varied feedback from real users. It’s also important to examine the developer information. If the developer name seems unfamiliar, lacks a website, or has no verifiable history, it’s a strong indicator that the app is not operated by a reputable casino brand.
To stay safe, only download casino apps from official sources like the Apple App Store or Google Play Store (for jurisdictions that allow gambling apps). Apps on official stores undergo some security vetting and are less likely to contain malware. Also limit the permissions you grant. A casino app shouldn’t need access to your contacts or photos.
