Can you really get banned from a casino?

Yup! It’s entirely possible to be banned from casinos. While this likely doesn’t surprise you, what I think is interesting is that it’s not just cheaters who get the boot.  There are more ways than the obvious ones to get suspended or banned from casinos, offline and online.

Chances are, if you’re a respectable player who follows the rules, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever be banned from a legitimately run gambling establishment…at least, not by the business itself, anyway.

Still, I think it’s good to know who can get banned and why, and what happens if you are banned from a casino (online and offline).  If you’re also curious about this and what to do in that situation, keep on reading!

Top Reasons People Get Banned from Casinos

Underage

If you’re under the casino’s legal gambling age, and you’re caught, you’ll be kicked out. Even though the appropriate age may be 18+ in many places, it could be 19 (like it is in Ontario casinos), 21 (as it is in many US states), or even higher. As such, it’s important to check what the legal age limit is for where you play.

Why the ban? Casinos cannot legally permit individuals who are under the legal age limit to take part in gambling activities (online or offline) or even allow underage individuals on the casino floor (offline). Operators can face serious fines from regulators and be permanently shut down if they are found in breach of this law. Essentially, the ban lasts until you’re of legal age to play.

Cheating

Who is banned from casinos the most? Cheaters. This includes anyone who is caught:

• Tampering with slot machines (mostly offline)
• Collusion with another player or with staff to manipulate a game’s outcome in the player’s favour (online and offline)
• Hiding cards on their person (offline)
• Card counting (mostly offline)
• Using a bot (online)
• Arbitrage (mostly online – sports betting)*

Why the ban? Players caught cheating are banned from casinos for unethical practices and breaking the rules. Trying to scam a casino out of money is a big no-no. It’s such a big no-no, in fact, that cheaters who are caught are often banned from the casino for life. They also typically have their winnings confiscated and may even be fined (depending on the cheating activity).

*Note about arbitrage betting: Arbitrage betting also known as “arbing” is not actually a form of cheating. It is a strategy that is used by some sports bettors to find the difference in odds among bookmakers. Specifically, an arber places a wager on more than one possible outcome of an event at different sportsbooks to take advantage of odds discrepancies, which often results in a better success rate. Many players use bots for arbing. However, while arbitrage betting isn’t illegal or cheating, it is discouraged by bookmakers as it cuts into their profit margins, which poses a market risk. Additionally, it is considered an unethical practice due to certain games also using other players’ money. If a bookmaker catches a player arbing, it’s common for the player to be banned.

Bonus Abuse

This is a type of fraud where a person creates different accounts at the same site under fake names for the purpose of claiming the same bonus multiple times. Usually, bonus abusers take advantage of welcome offers, which typically provide players the biggest benefit. Once they’ve claimed the offer, they abandon that account and create a new one and go through the same process again and again.

Why the ban? For starters, creating fake accounts for the purpose of obtaining a benefit (especially one that includes money) is fraud and theft. Secondly, creating multiple player accounts per site is in breach of a casino’s rules. Bonus abusers who are caught are banned and will have their winnings confiscated.

Criminal activity

Attempting to hack a site, steal players personal information, opening an account under someone else’s identity, and money laundering are all examples of criminal activity that can get you banned from casinos (as well as face criminal charges).

Why the ban? This one is pretty self-explanatory. Committing a criminal act is against the law. If a player gets caught breaking the law, they’ll be banned, may face fines, and could even face jail time, depending on the severity of the crime.

Bad Behaviour

Bad behaviour can result in you being escorted off the premises by security or suspended/banned from an iGaming site. Bad behaviour can include:

• Being rude to staff and other players (online and offline)
• Drinking too much (offline)
• Sexual harassment (online and offline)
• Damaging property (offline)
• Physical assault (offline)

Etiquette is important in every casino setting, be it online or offline (a topic I plan to cover soon on my blog!). How you behave and communicate with players, the staff, and dealers should always be respectful.

Why the ban? No respectable business wants to cater to customers who are belligerent, rude, and/or aggressive toward their staff and other patrons. If you cause a problem, you can expect to be kicked out and/or suspended. Depending on how big of an issue the player causes (e.g., damaged property, assault, etc.), and if it’s not the first time they’ve displayed problematic behavior, they can be banned from casinos for life.

Not verifying your account

A player who does not want to provide personal documents (e.g., driver’s license, passport, utility bill, bank statement, etc.) to a site can be suspended or banned. Verification of these documents is required to prove a player is who they claim to be.

Why the ban? Most online casinos (at least reputable ones that offer a secure gaming environment) must comply with the rules of regulators. One of these rules are KYC (Know Your Customer) requirements, to prevent fraud and underage gambling. Online gambling establishments must verify your identity by checking legal documents to ensure that the person you claim to be when you signed up is actually who you are. By not providing the requested (mandatory) documents, you will not be able to make a withdrawal (sometimes not even a first deposit). Refusal to provide these documents or too many failed attempts to do so, could result in a suspension or ban.

Suspicious behaviour

Examples of suspicious behaviour include:

• Several failed login attempts (online)
• Frequently changing your payment method (online)
• Odd betting habits/patterns (online)
• Loitering (offline)
• Taking photo or video (offline)

Why the ban? To be honest, getting banned from casinos for suspicious behaviour is a bit of a stretch. It’s more likely that if you’re at a land-based casino and are caught loitering or taking photos/video, you’ll just be asked to leave or be escorted by security from the premises. Likewise, if your displaying odd online behaviours, your account will probably be flagged, and a customer service representative may reach out to see if everything is okay. From there, it will be determined if the behaviour requires further action (e.g., suspension or banning) or not. Being banned just for odd behaviour itself isn’t common.

Not complying with T&Cs

The casino has terms and conditions and policies. These are the rules that must be followed by all players. If you are in breach of these terms, the casino has grounds to suspend or ban you. It’s important to read the general T&Cs and player policies as well as any specific bonus terms and conditions that may apply to the promotions you claim. Also, remember T&Cs are subject to change and can change at any time.

Why the ban? Quite simply, it’s the casino’s rules and therefore their right to choose who they ban. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can be banned from casinos for no good reason. If a casino is banning you for being in breach of their rules, they usually have grounds to do so (e.g., you’re caught using a bot, arbitrage betting, collusion, bonus abuse, etc.) and they should tell you why.

Winning too much

A common search phrase I’ve seen frequently on Google is: “banned from casino for winning”. Being curious if you could be banned for winning, I looked into this and came to this conclusion:

• No, you won’t be banned for winning too much if the big win is legitimate, such as winning a progressive jackpot or hitting the occasional winning streak.

• Yes, you can be banned for winning too much if you win big too often. Winning large amounts of money and/or hitting big winning streaks on a regular basis will capture the attention of the casino and make the operator suspicious of you using cheating tactics.

Why the ban? Casinos – like most businesses – have one goal in mind, to make money. Yes, it is possible to win a huge prize at the casino, but it’s rare. It’s rare because the odds of every casino game are made to be in the casino’s favour. On average, most player’s put more of their money into gambling establishments than they ever win back. That’s the nature of the beast. So, why do casinos ban winners? If a player is winning far more than they ever put into the casino, cheating will be suspected, an investigation may or may not happen, and a player can be banned.

You banned yourself

Sometimes it’s not the casino that enforces the ban, it’s the player themselves. Individuals who are worried about their gambling behaviours or who have problems controlling their gambling can request to be banned. This request – often called “self-exclusion” – prevents the player from accessing the site (and any other sites owned by that operator), as well as stops them from receiving marketing materials as well.

Why the ban? Self-exclusion is part of most online casino responsible gaming practices. These practices often include free-to-use tools and resources that are always available to players. Responsible gaming is also often a stipulation that iGaming brands must follow as part of regulatory requirements. Self exclusion allows players the choice and freedom to purposely ban themselves from one or multiple gambling venues for a set period of time (e.g., 6 months up to 5 years). Ultimately, the ban exists to protect players and provide them with control over their gambling behavior.

What happens if you are banned from a casino?

Essentially, you have two options:

1. Legitimate ban – If you’re banned for a legitimate reason, take your business to another casino, specifically one that is not operated by the same company. Also, if you don’t want to be banned again, avoid doing whatever it was that got you banned in the first place.
   
2. Unfair ban – If you don’t think the reason is legitimate, escalate the matter (calmly and respectfully) with the company. If this doesn’t work, try taking your complaint to the site’s licensing authority. This is worth the headache if the casino that banned you is holding on to your deposited money and/or winnings, and you can prove you’re not in breach of their terms and conditions. Not all gambling operators are reputable, after all.

Reasons for Casino Bans Fast FAQ

☑️You’re underage – you don’t meet the legal age requirement to gamble.

☑️You get caught cheating – tampering with slots, collusion, using a bot, etc.

☑️Arbitrage – betting on multiple outcomes of an event at different sportsbooks to take advantage of odds discrepancies.

☑️Bad behaviour – crass and/or abusive behavior toward other players, staff, and dealers.

☑️Bonus abuse – signing up multiple times via different accounts to claim the welcome offer and then abandoning the accounts.

☑️Criminal activity – fraud, identity theft, hacking, money laundering, etc.

☑️Breaching the T&Cs and policies – No complying with/breaking the casino’s rules.

☑️Suspicious behavior – Odd/unusual betting behaviour, too many failed login attempts, loitering, etc.

☑️Not satisfying KYC (ID verification) requirements – refusing to verify your identity or failing the check too many times.

☑️You ban yourself – you choose to self-exclude to block yourself from gambling.

Until next time, good luck and have fun.

Mia 👩‍💻

**All links and images in this post are for informational purposes only.