Disputing Credit Card Charges at an Online Casino

Updated: December 30th, 2020

Many enjoy using credit cards to make internet purchases since it’s a payment method they’ve grown up with their whole lives, however, the world is changing and people are starting to expand horizons when it comes to their favorite pastime. We’re obviously referring to those “daring” players who now gamble with Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies like LiteCoin and DASH, which have all shaken the global monetary system to its core. There’s simply no need to rely on traditional banking options anymore.

That said, numerous players across America refuse to join the digital revolution and clutch onto their plastic for dear life, so as long as questions are asked, we’ll be here to answer them. Today it’s time to address a common query received from readers: How do I dispute credit card charges at a betting website?

First of all, you have to be honest with why you want to do this because if the operator didn’t do anything wrong and you’re just looking to get back lost money, this is technically “fraud”. You knew you were depositing funds for the purpose of gambling, it was you who made transactions, and it was you who made the decision to keep going until all was lost. It should be clear the website is not responsible for your actions.

That said, there are certain times when it’s ok to “chargeback” purchases made with a VISA or MasterCard, but certain criteria always needs to be met. If the operator was misleading or deceptive to entice playing with them, of course do everything in your power to reverse the charges. This includes dishonest tactics such as lying about the amount of bonus money you will receive, not clearly stating all terms and conditions in welcome offers, or any other type of shady practices that were unjust.

This is why iGaming watchdogs like us are so important – we highlight scam operations and only recommend the best in the business. For example, this is a constantly updated page on U.S. online casinos still accepting American Express deposits and needless to say, not too many are left. This goes to show how the industry’s focus has shifted to cryptocurrency due to its speed, ease, and privacy, and it highlights the fact only a few safe places to play remain.

How to Dispute Credit Card Charges at a U.S. Online Casino

So if there’s actually a legitimate beef, here’s how to dispute credit card charges at USA betting websites and the necessary steps to go through to have funds returned. Grab a pencil since it’s going to be a lot of work and you’re not going to know the final outcome for at least a month or so.

Countless individuals aren’t aware of this at the time, but processing names for iGaming transactions for United States customers usually appear on statements as something generic like “Franco’s Pizzeria” or “Mrs. Chang’s Bridal Accessories”, in order to cloak them and protect from being flagged. Using a descriptor is not illegal whatsoever, although they’re obviously trying to keep the real reason a secret, which is why card companies don’t question these purchases.

By law most creditors give up to 30 or sometimes 60 days to dispute charges since customers must be given enough time to feasibly check statements and identify errors. Now, assuming there’s a legitimate compliant with the site in question, in order to get them to chargeback VISA casino deposits and the like, you must call into their security department and tell them it wasn’t you who made the transfers and your information was somehow compromised and request a replacement card. It’s necessary to deny any and all knowledge of what went on and say you have no idea what the charges were for and they weren’t authorized.

If admitting they were for gambling, they will usually place tons of restrictions on the account and you’ll have to phone in to approve each and every purchase going forward. They could also terminate the agreement and state they don’t want your business anymore as what you did is against their terms and conditions (and you can kiss any loyalty points accumulated up to that point goodbye).

What Happens When You Chargeback Gambling Deposits

It’s imperative to remember the UIGEA made it illegal for companies to process transactions to online casinos but it didn’t deem it illegal for U.S. residents to play at them. Therefore, in extreme situations they could escalate the matter to involve local police, so be ready for that possibility if choosing to proceed.

Also, it might be wise to proactively change your cell phone number because if the operator feels they’re in the right, they’ll sell the debt to a collection agency who will then stop at nothing to recover balances owed. We’ve heard from a few readers that these debt collectors are relentless and might even call other people in your family to try to reach you, if they can find their phone numbers. The whole thing gets really ugly very quickly.

Finally, be prepared to be blacklisted at many other betting sites as collection agencies usually send a list of fraudulent players to all the operators they work with, detailing who might be on their way to come scam them. So even if original complaints were legitimate, you could still end up getting barred from other reputable places in the process.

In closing, charging back on an internet gambling deposit should always be an absolute last resort and only be done when justified and no, losing a bankroll isn’t a good reason to do it. Ultimately, if wanting to avoid all of these headaches in the first place, ensure to only play at safe and legit U.S. online casinos to confirm there won’t be any issues. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.