Escape the Trap: Identifying and Avoiding Blacklisted Casinos in 2023
By Ron Miller
Author
Fact Checked Ella Marie Bell
Reviewer
Updated At: Aug 31, 2023, 09:12 am
Created At: Aug 21, 2023, 02:37 pm
Editorial Note:
We may receive commission from partner links reviewed by Casino Genius. Our editors' opinions and findings remain impartial, as they individually are not compensated by our partners.
1
Jackpot City
Or Read Our Jackpot City Review
Up to $1,600 in total bonuses
$5,000,000
1300+
97.84%
2
Betrivers
Or Read Our Betrivers Review
Up to $200 in total bonuses
$60,000
1000+
97.2%
3
BetMGM
Or Read Our BetMGM Review
Up to $1,025 in total bonuses
$3,000,000
2551+
95.73%
Borgata
Up to $1,000 in total bonuses
$500,000
Why We Picked It
- Borgata lives up to its reputation
Pros & Cons
- Nice Game Selection
- $1000 First Deposit Bonus
- MGM Loyalty Benefits
- Not many big progressive jackpots
- No Mobile APP
- No Instant Withdrawals
888
Up to $520 in total bonuses
$22,787
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
- Daily Jackpots
- Slick website
- Top mobile casino App
- Incredible game selection
- High wagering on welcome and no deposit bonuses
- Not many withdrawal options for US players
Sun Palace
Up to $1,250 in total bonuses
$25,000
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
- Regular Promotions
- Big Deposit Bonus
- Only one game provider
- Very high minimum deposit
- Unclear Bonus Terms
- Lack of payment options
Blacklist Casino’S To Avoid
It’s part of our mission to make sure you have the best gaming experience online, and as well as promoting the best value bonuses, greatest selection of casino games and where you’re likely to win, it’s also important to us that as a player, you don’t get lured into making a deposit and playing at casinos that have been blacklisted. The following casinos have all earned themselves a Blacklist status from us, for various reasons – from payment issues to not holding a valid gaming license.
The Blacklist:
5Dimes
Why We Blacklisted It
Warning: 5Dimes Casino and Sportsbook has closed to US customers after a criminal investigation. Proving once again that as a player, you have to remain super vigilant when signing up for an online casino in the US, the case of 5Dimes Casino demonstrates that the cowboy operations are still out there.
Problems
- Vague Deposit Bonus Terms
- No Live Casino product
- Does not have many casino games
Bella Vegas
Why We Blacklisted It
Owned by the Grand Privee Group, Bella Vegas Casino is failing on quite a few fronts, and in so many ways feels like a throwback to the shadier, less reliable casino sites of old. With serious shortcomings, such as lack of game options and extremely high wagering on bonuses, our main concern with Bella Vegas Casino is their history of shoddy payout speed, and in some cases, not paying out at all.
Lack of transparency and trustworthiness
The trustworthiness rating is shockingly low, due in large part to Bella Vegas' affiliation with the Grand Prive group, which has a history of accusations of unethical marketing practices and unresponsiveness to player complaints. The less-than-ideal history can make potential players uncomfortable about putting their hard-earned money into this online platform.
Problems
- Bad reputation for payouts
Bovada
Why We Blacklisted It
Warning: Bovada is not currently operating with a valid license!
While we have plenty of praise for what their site has on offer, there is still a big issue we can't ignore: right now, Bovada is not operating with a certified license. This makes things a little more complicated because, as professional casino reviewers, this one downside does put a dampener on what is otherwise a top-class casino operator.
No license means no security or trust
The fact Bovada operates without a license overshadows all the good stuff. Suppose Bovada does get their act together and get a gaming license. In that case, we will take another look and revise our opinion. Until that time, Bovada will remain in the blacklist sin bin.
Problems
- Not many Live Dealer game options
- No valid casino license!
- Limited banking options for non-cryptocurrency customers
- Live Support unresponsive
ComicPlay
Why We Blacklisted It
Look beyond the cool casino website design and comic book aesthetic, because there is nothing heroic about Comic Play Casino and their ludicrously high minimum payout options for players. First impressions count for a lot when signing up to an online casino site, and Comicplay Casino has a lot of work to do - from their unintuitive website (full of bugs and UI glitches), messaging and layout - and things don’t get much better the more you delve into Comicplay Casino.
Problems
- Only uses RTG Games
- Few Withdrawal Options
- High Minimum Payout
CoolCat
Why We Blacklisted It
Spoiler alert: we don’t have much to say about this casino. We’ll always give a casino the benefit of the doubt, and even with such a bad reputation as this casino has, we have tried to find the good in the bad, but by and large, we haven’t found any diamonds in this rough online casino.
Problems
- Slow payouts
- Lack of payment options
- Not many table games
- Bad reputation
Da Vinci's Gold
Why We Blacklisted It
There’s only one major point to focus on at DaVinci’s Gold Casino, and that’s their shamefully exploitative payout rules.
Problems
- Bonus winnings confiscated
- Vague withdrawal policies
- Lack of transparency
- Bad support
Exclusive
Why We Blacklisted It
Joining the not-so-illustrious ranks of Curacao-based, RTG-driven casinos that focus less on giving players an optimal gaming experience than making sure making real money deposits at their Casino is considerably easier than getting a payout.
Problems
- RTG and Visionary Games only
- Very high minimum payout
- Very low maximum payout
Fair Go
Why We Blacklisted It
When a casino calls itself something like Fair Go Casino, you would expect that the online casino goes the extra mile to ensure their brand fits their image. But with Fair Play Casino, it doesn’t take long to find out that they’re not really giving players a Fair Go. An online casino that makes it significantly easier to deposit money than cash out, and puts a ludicrously high wagering requirement on their Welcome Bonus, can hardly stand by their Fair moniker and not blush.
Problems
- Few methods for payout
- Very high minimum withdrawal amount on all methods
- Insanely high wagering requirement on bonuses
- Relies on one game provider
Free Spin
Why We Blacklisted It
It’s hard to get excited about a casino like Free Spin Casino. Once you have gone beyond the name, Free Spin Casino has little to offer US online casino players. First of all, however much Free Spin Casino may provide in the way of promotions and slot machine free spins, none of these things makes up for the fact that there is a minimum payout of $100 across all banking methods and a maximum cash-out of $2,000 per week.
Problems
- Only has RTG games
- Hard to Withdraw Funds
- Very high minimum payout
- Very low maximum payout
Grand Eagle
Why We Blacklisted It
We are guessing that the initial plan behind Grand Eagle Casino was, well, grand… but the end of result of this US online casino is far from grand, from its lackluster selection of games, lack of payment options, disgustingly high wagering requirements and generally poor website design, it appears that the Grand Eagle is not soaring, but simply kind of treading water.
Problems
- Lack of game options
- Few payment options
- 60X Wagering Requirement on Match Bonuses
Lucky Tiger
Why We Blacklisted It
One central theme of our casino review of Lucky Tiger Casino will be the minimum $100 withdrawal. While Lucky Tiger Casino would prefer that players focus on the cutesy, lovable graphics and cartoonish casino website, the first thing you should know about Lucky Tiger Casino is that if you are lucky enough to turn over the Welcome Bonus into withdrawable real money, you better have won at least $100, because across all three of their payout options (BitCoin/VISA-Mastercard/Bank Wire) $100 is the minimum amount you’ll be able to cashout.
Problems
- Lack of Games
- Few Cashout Options
Know Your Blacklist Casinos
Regarding rogue casinos, every casino player should be wised up to the casino operators out there that are not legit or safe. If an online casino makes our blacklist, it will be for a good reason. Essentially, when a casino hoodwinks a player, isn't honest to its customer by delaying payouts, lying about RTPs, closes accounts without a good reason, or withholds funds, they are going against the casino code of conduct and loses the trust of gamblers – and in the gambling world, trust is everything.
Trust And Security
Most important in casino players' minds when making a real money deposit online is that their funds are safe and the online casino can be trusted to deal with online transactions. If a casino breaches that trust by acting against the players' interest and putting their money at risk, then we'll advise all players to avoid the casino.
Top Blacklisting Reasons
Unfair or rigged game software
One of the biggest reasons to blacklist a casino, and we'd say in this instance for life, would be if their casino game software was found unfair or rigged. In the past, deploying games heavily weighted toward the casino winning way above average was more common online. As a result of games being rigged and online software proven to be unfair, the online casino world has gone from strength to strength to ensure online games have an equal chance as offline casino games for the player to win. If you play online roulette, the RNG, at licensed, above-board casinos online, ensure that the odds are the same as playing at a brick-and-mortar casino. So, while developing rigged game software is less common now, be vigilant and ensure that the casino is partnered with verified, audited casino game software providers. If you don't recognize any casino games or iGaming software operators listed on the casino site, steer clear.
Bad player experience
Having a lousy player experience can cover a huge variety of different factors. We have to be careful in reviewing player experiences. Many players might include a losing streak as a bad player experience, but this is part and parcel of the gaming experience overall. When it comes to a blacklist casino kind of bad player experience, it will include such things as rude or outright misleading casino customer support, not getting satisfactory resolutions when it comes to game disconnections or transaction queries, or when a player's concerns over a bet are dismissed out of hand—all of these counts towards a bad player experience. In the worst cases, players are lied to about withdrawals or betting histories. For a casino not to find itself on the casino blacklist, customer support should be good at its job and help players resolve issues quickly and efficiently. Failing to address and respond to player complaints is often the first step for a casino on its way to the blacklist sin bin.
Trust and Casino Security
U.S. Casinos can sometimes be behind their European online casino counterparts in terms of security and safety, but they're catching up quickly. The European online gambling regulations are getting stricter, and they have had years to fine-tune their laws to ensure player safety is paramount. U.S. casinos online have seen how having top-notch online security by using cutting-edge encryption technology, and being affiliated with gaming authorities, also helps give players peace of mind. At the top online casino sites like BetMGM Casino and Borgata, you'll find that they are on top of all aspects of online safety and security and ensure they are only available in their legislated jurisdictions.
U.S. Gaming Licenses
A theme you'll find repeated through our online casino reviews and mission statement is that if you stumble on a casino that does not possess a valid U.S. Casino license and is, therefore, not legally operating online in the USA, you should not think about depositing a cent at the casino. If an online casino does not have a valid license, it means they are not bound by any regulations to payout your winnings, transact fairly or protect your funds. If a casino is on the blacklist for not having a license, avoid it at all costs.
Money trouble
Often, the first whiff of a potential blacklist will come from a player complaining that their winnings have not been paid out. There have been cases in the past when casinos accuse players of betting illegally or using unlawful strategies to beat a game, which they have buried deep in their Terms and Conditions as a clause or a loophole, so they don't have to pay out winnings. Thankfully, those dodgy practices are being phased out, and the power of casinos over the player's winnings is now in favor of the player. If a casino uses spurious reasons not to pay out casino winnings, they should go straight to the blacklist. Banking should be simple for players to cash out their winnings. It should be quite the opposite; winnings should be made as easy to cash out as the funds were when depositing in the first place.
Limited withdrawal methods
Another trend with online casinos on the blacklist is that many have much fewer banking methods to withdraw than they have to deposit. This shows that the casino is much more interested in how much money you put into the casino and is not very concerned with how you, as a player, can withdraw your winnings. So, when signing up for a casino, check how many withdrawal options they have against their deposit methods. Non-payment due to a lack of withdrawal options is a common case with blacklist casinos.
Misleading Bonuses and Promotions
One of the ways blacklist casinos often manage to keep afloat is that they mislead players with inflated bonus and promotion offers. Casinos with substantial welcome bonus deposit offers that look too good to be true usually are too good to be true and do not in fact offer the best online casino bonus deals that trustworthy casinos do. Seeing a $5,000 First Deposit Bonus is attractive, as all gamblers like to see the big bucks. But when looking a little closer, for most of these blacklisted casino welcome offers, you'll find that the wagering requirements are impossible to accomplish, meaning that by opting into the deposit bonus, you're just throwing your money away, regardless of how much you play or win.
Vague or misleading terms and conditions
If you take our advice and look at the terms and conditions for a welcome bonus, only to find yourself stumped because they don't have the wagering requirements or play-through amounts listed, then it's another sign that you should stay well away from the casino. Many blacklist casinos actively avoid making their terms and conditions clear for players to read so that they can use them as a weapon against the player if the player makes a complaint. Regulations for Terms and Conditions are becoming much more strict, and for casinos in the U.K., for example, the full Terms can only be 2-3 clicks away from the bonus or promotion. Let's hope U.S. casinos follow suit soon.
Fraud
It has happened in the past that a casino site has been charged with fraudulent activity. Back in the bad old days of online casinos, the gambling experience was far from straightforward, as casino sites didn't have to go through a series of checks and measures before operating online. A casino group could set up shop and use false advertising to get players through the doors, only to be shut down months later. Thankfully, that sort of activity is much less frequent now. To prevent signing up for a fraudulent casino, ensure they have a valid license and are a recognized gambling authority.
Conclusion
We have some pretty simple advice to avoid facing any of the unfortunate online gambling situations players have faced in the past, like non-payment of winnings, bets voided for no reason, limits placed on accounts without any warning, false advertising, and unethical gaming practices: don't play at an online casino unless you find it on our U.S Casino approved list!
Our expert team of advisors has dedicated countless hours to crafting a set of criteria and methodologies so as to review providers in a thorough and responsible manner. Read more on our review methodology and overall philosophy.
One of the reasons we exist is to ensure players get the best gaming experience online by rating and reviewing as many online U.S Casinos as possible. Suppose a casino appears on our blacklist, no matter the reason, then you should steer clear. Many fully licensed online USA-friendly casinos exist, so why take the risk?
Blacklist Casino Faq
Frequently Asked Questions
What does blacklist casino mean?
A casino on our blacklist means that the casino has not abided by the laws and regulations expected of a casino operating online. More and more safety checks and measures are being taken to ensure that players gamble safely and their funds are secure when depositing, playing slots, video poker, blackjack, roulette, and all other real money casino games online. Suppose a casino has not paid out a player's winnings, misled players over bonuses or promotions, or is operating without a license. In that case, these are all reasons they may appear on our U.S. Casino blacklist.
Can casinos get approved after blacklisting?
We review blacklist casinos, as there are cases where a casino invests in greater security measures or is purchased by a more legitimate casino group that cleans up its act. In these cases, we would re-review the casino and, if appropriate, repeal its blacklisted status.
How does a casino bonus get a casino on the blacklisted casino list?
A casino bonus fraud is when a casino uses false advertising to lure players onto their gambling site and deposit. A prevalent version of this bonus fraud involved advertising very large deposit bonuses, which are impossible to redeem for real money because the wagering requirements and limits set on the bonus are unreasonably high.
Can I get a refund from a blacklisted casino?
One reason many casinos find themselves on the blacklist is that they do not have a valid casino gaming license in a legislated jurisdiction. Suppose a casino does not have a casino license. In that case, it also means the casino does not have to abide by any of the rules and regulations of that jurisdiction - which includes paying you any compensation or refunds.
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