Most casino disputes start with a stalled withdrawal or a closed account. The route to fixing them is nearly always the same: complain to the operator first, keep a paper trail, then escalate to an independent body. What changes by licence is the deadline and who you escalate to.
The UK Gambling Commission says issues relating to withdrawals continue to be the cause of most of the complaints it receives (Gambling Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, Gambling Commission). The Commission links this to identity checks and account restrictions that happen late in the customer journey, such as at withdrawal. Read our guide to identity checks at withdrawal before you deposit.
Before you complain
A clear case is easier to resolve. Gather these first:
- Your account name, the date and time of the deposit, bet or withdrawal, and the amounts.
- Screenshots of the terms that apply, especially the bonus terms and the page showing the licence.
- Every message from support. Chat transcripts are best; ask for a copy by email.
- The licence number shown in the footer. You can check a gambling licence in a few minutes. The register tells you which regulator and which complaint route apply.
Read the operator’s own complaints page too. It sets the contact address and the reply time you can hold the operator to.
Step 1: complain to the operator in writing
Use email or the form on the operator’s complaints page, not only live chat. State what happened, what you want (for example, “release my withdrawal of the amount shown on the date shown”) and attach your evidence. Keep a copy of everything you send.
The UK Gambling Commission tells players to give the business all the information, including dates, times and amounts, and to share any evidence they have (How to complain, Gambling Commission, read 2026-10-28).
Step 2: wait for the operator’s answer
How long the operator has depends on its licence:
| Regulator | Operator’s time to answer | Time limit for you | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Gambling Commission | 8 weeks to resolve your complaint from when they receive it | Not stated on the page we read | How to complain, Gambling Commission (read 2026-10-28) |
| Curaçao Gaming Authority | Four weeks for an ordinary complaint, extendable once by four more weeks with written notice | Free complaints up to six months after the bet is settled or the incident happened | Player Complaints Policy Guidelines, Version 1.1, Curaçao Gaming Authority (sections 4.2 and 3.1) |
| Malta Gaming Authority | Set in each operator’s own complaints procedure (see the two examples below) | Set in each operator’s terms (see below) | Operator terms, read 2026-10-27 |
Two examples from the MGA-licensed operators we have reviewed, both from published terms and not from our own complaints:
- LeoVegas says it replies to complaints within 10 days and names eCOGRA as its ADR service. Its terms say eCOGRA decisions are binding on LeoVegas up to €5,000. See the LeoVegas review.
- Videoslots asks for complaints by email and in no case later than 6 months. For players under its Malta licence the ADR body named in its terms is MADRE, with decisions binding on Videoslots under €5,000 if the player accepts. See the Videoslots review.
Do not accept a vague “we are looking into it” as a final answer. Ask for the date by which you will get a decision, and write that date in your notes.
Step 3: escalate
UK-licensed casinos
The Gambling Commission says you must complain to the business first. If you are not satisfied after 8 weeks you can take the complaint to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, which is a free, independent service (Taking your complaint to an ADR provider, Gambling Commission, read 2026-10-28). Points from the Commission’s pages:
- The operator should tell you which ADR provider to use. It may give you a “deadlock letter” confirming you can go to ADR.
- An ADR provider will not accept complaints about customer service, or about a refusal to accept a bet or your custom.
- If you remain unhappy with the final decision or appeal, you may decide to go to the small claims court. The Commission advises getting your own independent legal advice first.
- Resolver is a free online tool that can help you submit a complaint. It is an independent company and not every gambling business accepts it.
Our guide to the UK Gambling Commission explains what the licence requires of the operator.
MGA-licensed casinos
The MGA runs a player-assistance function. It received 3,643 requests for assistance from players in 2025 and resolved 3,718, including cases carried over from 2024 (Malta Gaming Authority Annual Report 2025, Malta Gaming Authority). Of the complaints logged, 1,886 were referred to alternative dispute resolution in 2025, against 1,608 in 2024 (same report, Table 16).
The practical lesson from those numbers: a large share of MGA player complaints end up with an ADR body, so use the ADR route named in the operator’s terms. Our MGA guide covers what the regulator does and does not handle.
Curaçao-licensed casinos
Players of Curaçao-licensed casinos can complain free of charge up to six months after the bet is settled or the incident happened, and the operator must answer within four weeks (extendable once by four more) (Player Complaints Policy Guidelines, Version 1.1, Curaçao Gaming Authority). Keep the six-month window in mind: it is shorter than many players expect.
Read the Curaçao Gaming Authority guide to see how the register works and why a licence on the register may still have a status such as “assessment in progress”.
Casinos with no licence you can verify
If you cannot find the operator on any regulator’s register, none of the routes above is guaranteed to exist. A regulator may not handle the case, and an ADR scheme may not accept it. Document everything, tell your payment provider (see below) and avoid depositing again. Our guide to how to tell if a casino is blacklisted covers the warning lists.
What helps and what doesn’t
- Helps: a short, dated, factual complaint; evidence attached; one thread per issue; replying within the deadline the operator gives you.
- Helps: asking for the clause in the terms the operator relies on. Terms such as fees on unwagered deposits, bonus confiscation and VPN blocks are common reasons withdrawals are held.
- Doesn’t help: posting only on forums or social media. A public post may get attention, but it does not start a formal process.
- Doesn’t help: opening a second account or depositing again to “unlock” a payout. Operator terms often treat duplicate accounts as a breach; LeoVegas, for example, states a 10% administrative fee on deposits for each duplicate member account.
- Your bank: if you paid by card, you can ask your card issuer about its dispute process. Whether a chargeback applies depends on your issuer and the facts, so ask it directly.
If the problem is your own gambling
If a complaint is really about losses you cannot afford, the right step is a break, not a dispute. See our self-exclusion guide and our responsible gaming page.
We have not made complaints ourselves and describe only what each regulator and operator publishes. Rules change; check the regulator’s page for the current process. Content 18+.