Online gambling is massively popular in Ontario, and you have a huge range of casinos to explore. But while gambling online is generally safe and secure if you choose licensed sites, there are various scams you need to be aware of.
Scammers can use sophisticated techniques to access personal information and access to finances. However, being aware, being vigilant, and choosing online casinos carefully can help you stay safe.
Here are four scams to watch out for when playing online.
Fake Bonus Offers
A great welcome bonus can attract new members to a gaming site and encourage them to sign up. Bonuses often include a match on your first deposit or free spins on selected slots. Their wagering requirements can be steep, and you’ll only receive your bonus and winnings if you meet them.
But untrustworthy, unregulated sites may use fake bonus offers to draw people in and secure their deposits without upholding their part of the deal. Bonuses might suddenly become unavailable or have wagering requirements that are impossible to meet.
Read the terms and conditions for any welcome bonus before you take advantage of it. Understand the wagering requirements and deadlines to make sure that it’s possible to reap the rewards. If a bonus seems too good to be true or you have any other reason to suspect a promotion might be misleading, avoid it.
Phishing Scams
Phishing scams are a common problem in Ontario. According to the Office for National Statistics, half of adults surveyed had received at least one phishing message within the previous month.
While they may not be the direct work of disreputable casinos, it’s still important to be aware of phishing scams if you gamble online. Scammers send messages that appear to be from a legitimate business, such as a well-known online casino, requesting private details. These could include:
- Passwords
- Credit card numbers
- Bank account details
- Personal address
Someone who receives a phishing message might assume that it really is from a casino they use, and send the information requested to be helpful. However, scammers can use these details to perform fraudulent activities and steal money.
Phishing messages may also include links to fake casinos designed to resemble legitimate sites. By entering their information at the site, they would be playing into the scammer’s hands.
Always check messages requesting personal details carefully for warning signs, such as:
- Poor spelling (even getting casino names wrong)
- Bad grammar
- An unprofessional tone
- Demanding a response urgently
- Requesting information that a casino usually wouldn’t by email
If in doubt, contact a casino directly to make them aware of a potential scam.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is another issue to be aware of if you use online casinos in Ontario. Criminals may find ways to access people’s online banking or credit cards and use them for their own gain.
Sending scammers personal information and bank account details, for example, would give perpetrators what they need to commit identity theft. They could make purchases and withdraw money before the victim realises that something’s wrong.
Identity theft may lead to significant financial loss, especially if the thieves remain undetected for days or even weeks. It can also lead to debt accumulation in the victim’s name and damage their credit score for years to come.
Online Gambling
Withholding Winnings
Unethical gaming sites may refuse to pay members their winnings and cite questionable reasons in some cases. For example, they might claim that a non-existent technical glitch triggered a win, which would make the resulting prizes void.
Players may be unable to receive their winnings without legal action, or at all depending on how a site is run behind the scenes.
Conclusion
Bad actors may use these four scam types to target online gamblers, whether they operate fake sites or claim to represent legitimate casinos in phishing messages.
That’s why it’s so important to only sign up with reputable, licensed, and regulated online casinos. Always research online casinos and make sure they’re trustworthy before you join. That will reduce your risk of falling prey to scammers.
We’re here to help you find the best gambling sites, so Gambling Zone only recommends casinos that carry a licence from a legitimate authority (e.g. the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority). These sites implement quality security and identity verification to protect members, too.
