How to Spot an Illegal Betting Website
Learn all the tips on how to spot an illegal betting Website.
Learn all the tips on how to spot an illegal betting Website.
The online gambling industry is a lucrative one, with the market projected to reach $153.57 billion by 2030.
However, despite the money involved in the online gambling industry, users are easily susceptible to illegal betting sites.
Due to a rise in online gambling, a lot of illegal betting sites target naive players who are new to the industry.
As a result, they lose a lot of money, which is not what anyone wants. Also, aside from losing money, you can be sued by legal authorities if you place bets at illegal betting sites, even if you are not aware.
This is why players need to do their due diligence before placing bets online. Most times, it is easy to spot these illegal websites, but we will do justice to it in this piece by sharing tips on how to spot an illegal betting site.
How to Spot an Illegal Betting Site
Poor Licensing and Regulation
The very first thing to check before creating an account and placing bets at an online betting platform is to check their license and the regulatory body that issued the license.
Every online betting platform must have a license that has been granted by an authorised regulatory body. This information should be on their site, so that users can verify everything they need to know about the online gambling platform before they start placing their bets.
For example, Housebets is operated by Bridge Technologies B.V., company registration number 160264(0), with registered address at Dr. M.J. Hugenholtzweg 25, Willemstad, Curaçao. Bridge Technologies B.V. is licensed and authorised by the Government of Curaçao, operating under licence number OGL/2024/431/0231 issued by the Curaçao Gaming Control Board (GCB).
The purpose of verifying is for the users to ensure that the online betting platform indeed has their license from a body that enforces stringent standards regarding fairness, security, and responsible gaming.
Should a site fail to provide all the information needed about its gambling license, or the information it provides is shady, then it is advisable to stay away from such a site.
Poor Customer Service
Another red flag to note before creating an account with an online betting platform is poor customer service.
It is imperative that an online betting platform has a proper response team that also serves as customer service.
This response team should be available 24/7 and should be able to provide answers to customers' requests as fast as they can.
The site should have information for customers on how to reach their support or response team should they have any requests.
For example, you can reach Housebets' support team at support@housebets.com, and this is displayed clearly at the bottom of the site’s homepage.
However, an email address should not be the only means of communication. A proper online betting platform should also have other means of communication, including all social media channels (Twitter/X, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram and Discord).
Illegal betting websites do not have a proper response or support team that responds to users on time.
Also, the team’s response may not answer the request of the user seeking assistance. If you notice this across all their communication channels, then it is better to avoid using that site.
Poor Website Security and User Experience
A poorly developed website is also another sign of an illegal betting website. Most illegal betting sites are clearly visible from the way the site is designed.
They have a poor user interface, which makes the user experience unpleasant. Aside from that, these sites have poor security, with spam pop-ups that are most likely fraudulent appearing on the site.
Unfeasible Bonuses
Yes, all betting platforms, including Housebets, use bonuses and promotional offers to attract new customers, but they keep within the confines of what is realistic.
However, in the case of Illegal betting websites, they offer bonuses that are unrealistic, knowing potential users will be tempted to take up the offer.
They use aggressive marketing tactics, putting these offers in your face every time you visit the site.
However, you must do your due diligence before accepting these offers because most of them are fake. Ensure you understand the terms and conditions before accepting the promotional offers and bonuses that online gambling platforms offer.
For example, Housebets has some of the best offers on the site and amazing bonuses, including a 100% matched bonus up to $1,000 (35x wagering on the deposit and bonus) and a chance to pre-mine $1M of tokens.
