How many times have you "agreed" to terms and conditions without actually reading them? It is a fact that most of us are guilty of doing this. Terms and Conditions documents are quit long, and some have even been found to contain gibberish because company owners know people will not read them. However, when it comes to casino terms and conditions, it is crucial that you arm yourself with as much information on them as possible. Protect your personal information, financial information and transaction information by having as much knowledge on this before ticking that "agree" box.
These documents can contain up to 3,000 words and most of us are too lazy or in too much of a hurry to actually read all this very important information. But, as will all things in life, some sections are more important than others. Here’s what to look out for when you take the time to carefully read casino terms and conditions:
- Protection of your privacy: Identity theft, hacking into your personal computer and gaining access to your financial log-ins are all a possible reality if the casino you are registering with does not protect your personal information. Take a look at their Privacy Policy in the Ts&Cs in order to understand them fully. Will the casino:
- Share your information with any third parties or affiliates? What does it all entail and exactly what information do they share with them?
- Waiver your rights to take them to court or sue them if things go wrong? Some casinos offer arbitration in case of a dispute, and this makes it difficult for you to take them straight to court.
- Let you opt-out? What are the conditions under which you can opt out? Remember the casino has access to your financial information and so they may oblige you to pay a "small" membership fee every month for the next two years. Such information is found in the Ts&Cs.
- Be held liable for stolen information? Are they willing to compensate players if hackers steal from their balances? Does the casino rid themselves of the responsibility of taking care of you if you financial or personal information is stolen? Make sure you understand this before agreeing to Ts&Cs.
- Look out for adware and cookies: If you are registering with a casino that requires you to download software in order to play, find out what else the software does, other than give you access to games. Some of this software may allow the casino to monitor your computer and influence other programmes on it. In addition, take a look at their cookie policy, which allows them to monitor your online activities.
- How will your game be affected is internet connection is lost? As a player, you do not want to lose out on your bets or potential winning because of something out of your control such as internet disconnection. Check out what the casino says happens in such a scenario. Will they re-set the game, or allow you to continue playing from the exact moment the connection got lost?
- How often do the Ts&Cs change, if at all? Some casinos may update their terms and conditions periodically in response to things like new legislation, for example. This means, the Ts&Cs you initially agreed to, may change at a later time, thus leaving you at a disadvantage. Take a look at what the casino has to say regarding this, as some may give a pass to players based on which Ts&Cs they agreed to initially, while others may include a clause that says you agree to the latest Ts&Cs, whatever they may be at that point in time.
- What are the withdrawal conditions? Deposits seem quite straight forward, but withdrawals are usually different. Most casinos require documentation such as IDs, proof of address and copies of credit cards before the payments are made. In addition, look out for information on what happens if you fail to provide this information within a certain period. Some casinos may suspend your account and void the winnings, for example.
- Simply read every sentence: Once you have taken a look at the important information such as the above, take the time to read the rest of the document one sentence at a time. Some casinos may try to confuse you with legal jargon, but most are making the effort to write in simple English and provide you with easy to read sentences.
A great "hack" or shortcut to get through the terms and conditions section would be to find certain keywords and read information around them. For example, use "Ctr + f" in order to find words like Waiver or wave, disclaimer, opt out, withdrawals, third parties, affiliates, arbitration and the like. However, this does not mean you will be saved from signing a bad contract. It is simply a way of figuring out if you will be able to get out of the deal when the time comes. Such information should heavily influence whether or not you will become a member of the online casino.
It is clear from the above that getting to know the terms and conditions of your favourite casinos before you tick that "agree" box is very important. It helps protect you, your deposits and your winnings. Knowing what to expect before investing in your favourite video slot games or Live Casino tables will go a long way in ensuring that you have an enjoyable casino experience every time.