Online Bookmakers: Blacklist

Most of the betting brands online are respected companies that care about their customers.

Unfortunately, similar to any other industry out there, there are scammers who will try to deceive you. So, in the following lines, we will introduce you to our blacklist of bookmakers, and we will give you tips on how to protect yourself from them.

  • ⚠️Live casino games are not available
  • ⚠️There is not a live streaming service
  • ⚠️Poor bonus offers
New Players Only | Applies to first settled bet | Applies to Single Bets | Min Odds 2.0 | Min Stake £10 | Max Bonus Token £5 | No E-wallets | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | 18+ T&C apply
  • ⚠️Many restricted territories
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly

What are the most common scams

Scams by dishonest companies have had a negative effect on more than just one or two players. The most common fraud is for a betting website to limit the access to your account. Usually, this happens if you’re doing well, and you’ve accumulated some profit. In this case, the bookmaker decides that they don’t want to be upfront with you and pay you what you’ve won. The site will block your account for an indefinite period of time by saying that they’re checking if you’ve adhered to or broken the rules.

The other possible problem that punters can encounter is related to the safety of your data. Sometimes, even though it’s illegal, bookmakers can provide your personal information to third parties. In most cases, it mostly comes down to your e-mail address, which means that you’ll receive annoying and unwanted spam emails. However, sometimes, your identity details could also be leaked, which can be pretty dangerous.

There is also the risk of the bookmaker abusing your billing information. The customers that make deposits using their bank cards are the ones that are affected by this the most. If your online banking doesn’t come with any additional protection and you’re playing on shady betting websites, you might suffer significant losses.


How to spot the suspicious betting website

We’re always advising our readers to be very cautious when they’re playing on the internet. It’s essential to put your trust in licensed bookmakers only, as the regulatory authorities guarantee your security. However, some clear signs will alarm you of deceptive websites:

  • There is no information about the license
  • There is no Live Chat
  • There are no contact details
  • It’s not clear who owns the website
  • The platform has an unattractive design
  • The text on the website looks like a bad translation
  • There are a lot of ads
  • There are always pop-ups that show up, urging you to visit another website
  • The bonuses are unrealistically large
  • The odds are way too high

Questions and Answers

How to choose a reliable bookmaker?

The safest way of protecting yourself from fraud is if you play on websites that have a license.

How do I protect myself if I got scammed on a betting website?

Try contacting the responsible gambling authority or the police. However, it will be harder to do this if the website is not registered in your country.

Which bookmakers are legit in my country?

Generally speaking, bookmakers who operate legally in your country are those that have a license from the authority that regulates them there.

How to understand whether a given bookmaker is legitimate?

You have to try and look for the full information about the operator. The easiest way in which you can guarantee your safety is if you only choose licensed bookies.

Is every high-odds bookmaker a scam?

No! Usually, unrealistically high odds are an indication that there could be some scam involved, but there are brands that offer high prices, because of a marketing strategy.

Elica Martinova
Betting expert
Certified Betting Expert
Elica Martinova
Ellie is in charge of writing, editing, and publishing reviews in Bulgarian, English, and German. She has a long track record as a journalist and is passionate about writing. Also, she is quite experienced when it comes to bookmakers as well.
Published on 13 March 2020, last edit on 07 October 2022