Can casinos ban players?
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Banning is a measure that casino operators usually apply when a customer engages in irregular play to the casino’s disadvantage. Our team of experts have over 10 years of gambling experience, meaning we bumped into many scenarios, including this one. Keep reading and discover 11 reasons why it happens and what to do if you are banned!
- Is it legal for a casino to ban players?
- 11 Reasons why a casino can ban you
- What to do if you are banned from a casino
- Advice from our experts
- References
Is it legal for a casino to ban players?
It is entirely legal:
- For a casino to ban Irish players;
- However, they need to have proof beyond reasonable doubt of the Irish player breaching the T&Cs;
- Law-abiding casinos always mention the behaviours they deem unacceptable within the T&Cs;
- This is because all customers should be able to see what would get them banned on a gambling platform.
We know T&Cs can be boring, but they can also show you whether a casino imposes fair terms or not. Always check them before creating an account, and don’t agree to anything that you don’t understand or agree with!
Many online casinos providing services in Ireland are licensed and regulated by the strict and reliable:
- Irish Betting License issued by Revenue Commissioners
- United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC)
- Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC)
They oversee each platform’s activity, ensuring that all of them have transparent terms and conditions that meet the legal requirements.
Not all casinos hold an Irish Betting License
Some have one or multiple from less strict authorities, and some are not licensed at all.
The ones not licensed are the most dangerous.
Since they are not regulated by any authority, they have the freedom to put almost anything they can think of in their Terms.
CasinoAlpha experts only recommend Irish players to register on platforms that are licensed and regulated by reliable authorities, such as the Revenue Commissioners, UKGC, and MGA, whether they’re new casinos online Ireland or well-established ones.
11 Reasons why a casino can ban you
Common situations in which you can find yourself banned:
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Card counting and other cheating strategies
Card counting is not illegal, so you cannot be fined or arrested for it.
However, in the gambling world, they are close to illegal.
Casinos are definitely not fond of it, and they put in great efforts to identify and ban players who are believed to be counters.
Websites can’t prove that you’re a counter easily. This is why, in some cases, counters are misidentified and innocent players are banned instead.
Here’s how it works:
In physical casinos, the on-floor and surveillance personnel are in charge of spotting players who are counting cards.
This means that they can actually witness those who use this technique, and often catch them on camera.
In this way, they ban players based on actual proof of cheating.
It’s different for online casinos
In online casinos, the popular countermeasure is shuffling the deck at the start of every new round.
If, however, after analyzing your betting patterns, the casino concludes that you may be counting cards, you can have your account banned.
They don’t really need much proof other than that.
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Abusing bonuses
A category of players that all casinos are keeping an eye out for is the bonus abusers.
After signing up and using the bonuses, they:
- Move on to a different casino to do the same;
- Try and create multiple accounts to benefit from no deposit bonuses in particular.
Claiming a welcome bonus is always great and highly useful, but some Irish players do not stop there.
Even more, some may keep their account and only come back to play when they get a bonus in their newsletter.
Other types of bonus abuse
Actions such as chip dumping and collusion are also regarded as bonus abuse.
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Unusual betting patterns
The staff constantly verifies your betting patterns with the help of AI.
They regularly look for fixed bets on certain Poker hands, for example, or placing the maximum stakes on a slot machine.
This gives off the impression that you may be using a device or a strategy or exploiting a technical problem.
What proof do they need to ban you?
Casinos only need to detect unusual betting patterns to ban your account rightfully, without having to check for specific software usage or technical issue exploitation.
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Lack of casino etiquette
Being rude or using inappropriate language towards the staff or other Irish players in games’ chat rooms is definitely unacceptable.
Many gambling platforms and establishments will not think twice about banning you if you use inappropriate language, curse words, or slurs.
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Underage gambling
Some minors manage to create accounts by lying about their birthdate.
How do casinos prevent underage gambling?
Casinos perform Know Your Customer verifications on each client they have, and checking for their real age is one of the first things they do.
Underage players are permanently banned
It’s your obligation to refrain from creating a casino account if you’re under 18 years old, and it’s the casino’s obligation to check whether you’re honest about your age. If you’re not 18 yet, your account will be permanently banned.
Underage gambling is a very pressing matter in Ireland, as more teenagers are trying to create accounts and play on online casinos.
Since they cannot step foot in physical casinos, playing online is their only option.
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False information
Providing false information, forged documents, or documents that are not yours will have you banned from the casino.
This may also apply to the situation in which you are using a payment method that is not yours.
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Multiple accounts
If you manage to create duplicate accounts, you will be banned, and the site will close all your active accounts.
Owning multiple accounts with the same platform is not permitted.
There is no reason why you would need more than one account if you are not trying to scam the casino or abuse any free spins upon registration meant for new players, for example.
A common mistake
Some Irish players think they can create one account via desktop and one via mobile on the same platform. This is false. Reliable mobile casinos real money in Ireland will always ban players who try to do this.
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Violating the Terms and Conditions
Breaching the Terms may have various consequences, depending on the situation’s severity.
Even so, it can culminate with you being permanently banned from playing at the casino.
This is also true for online casinos, as their T&Cs contain critical information about using the website and its promotions.
The exploitation of low-risk promotions doesn’t go unnoticed
Some Irish players think exploiting low-risk promotions is a safe bet, as they may not attract much attention. This is particularly encountered at 50 free spin no deposit bonuses in Ireland. This isn’t true: irregular play behaviours always lead to sanctions.
CasinoAlpha Ireland experts advise you to always read this section of any gaming site you join, and to make sure you agree to the Terms before using your own money to play.
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Unsuccessful login attempts
If consecutive unsuccessful login attempts are recorded, your account may be banned.
Having your account banned may sometimes be a way in which the casino protects your information and money.
This is because the casino may think someone else is trying to access your account.
What to do if this happens
The situation can be fixed if you reach out to customer service and explain your issue. The team will tell you what steps you should take further.
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Suspicious banking transactions
Suspicious banking transactions are constantly analyzed by the casino’s staff and AI.
Gambling sites are looking for specific patterns:
- Depositing large amounts of money;
- Not using any of the amounts;
- Using only a minimal amount, then cashing out the rest of it.
This type of situation, for example, might raise suspicions of money laundering, which is why a casino may block you.
Therefore, we advise you only to deposit an amount you wish to spend, play your deposit through, and then cash out.
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Winning too much using unfair strategies
If you win large amounts of money repeatedly over a short time, you risk being banned.
Every casino gamer’s worst nightmare is being banned for winning too much.
While this was mainly considered a myth among players, it is closer to being true than you think.
Casinos have the right to choose their customers
Their primary purpose is to make a profit, just like any other business.
Of course, this does not apply when you hit a progressive jackpot.
Instead, it happens when there is no explanation for your consecutive huge winnings, and it looks like you may be using some sort of strategy or software to beat the casino.
Know when it’s too much
Constant large winnings can also indicate that you’re spending too much time playing. Gambling addiction is a serious problem, so make sure you take your time to recognize it and learn how to stop it before it gets worse.
What to do if you are banned from a casino
Take some action to find out why this happened, especially if you feel like your account was wrongfully banned.
Here is what you can do:
Reread the Terms and Conditions
You may find that you were doing something wrong without knowing.
If you are not sure what you did wrong, you may find your answer in the Terms and Conditions.
These contain so much information it is rather easy for Irish players to forget what the casino permits, especially regarding:
- Promotions
- Minimum and maximum betting limits
- Casino winnings
While reading the T&Cs does not solve your problem, it’s still a starting point. Learn about your mistake, and then you can think of how to fix it.
Contact customer support
Ask the customer support team for explanations if rereading the Terms and Conditions does not answer your questions.
You can reach them via:
- Phone
- Live Chat without being logged in (when possible)
However, keep in mind that casinos that are not licensed by any authority aren’t always sanctioned for not providing an explanation.
Post on forums and mediation sites
Go to mediation sites and forums in case you have taken the steps above, and they turned out to be ineffective.
Online casinos care about their image.
This is why their representatives are constantly active on such websites to resolve casino disputes and clarify any issues.
How to write your post
Include all the details in your post, and upload any relevant proof that may help your case.
This way, you have a high chance of hearing from the casino soon.
Since your dispute is public, this forces them to provide satisfactory answers to you.
Irish casinos with reliable licenses such as the Irish Betting License do not afford to ban player accounts without a valid reason. However, this is not the case for unlicensed gambling platforms, so be careful where you register!
Advice from our experts
Casinos can legally ban you from playing both in physical establishments and online gaming sites. The fully licensed and regulated ones need to have a good reason to ban you, while the ones with no license can simply do that with no explanation. You can always avoid being banned by not breaching any Terms and Conditions and using your own real information when signing up. Make sure you always follow the casino’s rules, and you are probably never going to deal with having your account banned! By finding out more about us and what is our mission you will ultimately end up getting more explanation pages like this one.