Player abuse is one of the online gambling business’ greatest difficulties. This
topic dominated the annual industry meeting in Montreal, more so than the future legality of
online gambling. This issue rightfully takes precedent as
there are many people seeking to cheat the industry.
The online gambling community feels so strongly about player abuse that they put aside the competitive nature of the business to help protect each other.
Online casinos share blacklists, or negative databases, of players suspected of fraud or abuse.
Julie Sidwell of Gambling Grumbles lists the usual reasons for blacklisting:
1. Disputing charges
2. Threats to dispute charges
3. Uses of someone else's credit card
4. Gambling software manipulation.
5. Opening more than one account per household or computer
The biggest plague to the industry is disputing and threatening to dispute charges. The industry calls this charge back. Casinos won’t hesitate to
blacklist players guilty of these offenses. To the best of my knowledge the only time multiple accounts per household is seen negatively is when multiple
bonuses are given to the same household or same e-mail address. According to Julie Sidwell there are at least two negative databases targeted at bonus
abusers. Bonus abusers are player that reserve play until bonus promotions surface.
A blacklisted player will most likely find themselves exiled from any casino that shares the list. It sticks to players like a negative credit rating or a
criminal conviction. Unfortunately in the event that blacklisting is unjustified there is no authority to appeal to for positive reinstatement.
Players and casinos alike are taking big risks doing business in the unregulated universe that is the internet. Therefore players are expected to uphold an
unwritten code of ethics. Doing business in the unregulated world of the Internet is risky for both player and casino. For this reason there seems to be an
unwritten code of honor expected of players. Players do not have the liberty of parsing the rules in a legalistic manner and doing whatever they please
that is not listed as prohibited behavior. An implied contract of good faith is put in place of business regulated by a higher authority. If a player
desires to maintain their active status, they will be sure to avoid questionable behavior.