Is Online Betting a Scam?

People who are unfamiliar with online Bookmakers, often wonder if online betting sites are a scam. With sports betting platforms becoming more accessible than ever, there are very few reasons to continue doubting their authenticity. In 2022, if you are dealing with a reputed sports betting platform, you would not be scammed. Sure, there are delays and hindrances in online betting platforms just like any other platform. But isolated and infrequent cases do not define the nature of online betting.

Today we will explore this subject in detail and elucidate why online betting is no longer a scam. But to do that, we need to go back to the origins of betting in the UK.

Introduction to the history of online betting

Betting has a long history of more than 400 years in Europe. Online betting, on the other hand, is a relatively newer phenomenon. It is natural that online betting did not exist until the internet became mainstream. But even after that, it took online betting platforms several years to be where they are now.

Horse racing is among the earliest sports where punters took a stake, along with boxing and football. Today the football betting market is the biggest in the world and football as a sport is also the biggest in the world. Almost all major English Premier League teams have some bookmaker as a sponsor. But this was not always the case. For a long time, there was no legal framework to deal with betting rules.

Since the 1960s, betting became legal in the UK through a series of bills and court orders. Online gambling originated mainly in North America in the late 1990s. In 1998, Planet Poker made quite a name for itself. But the market of online bookmakers back then was very small.

As the internet became more widespread after 2000, online gambling also picked up momentum. But it is a very recent event that added fresh impetus to the market. When the world was locked indoors during the Covid-19 lockdown, many people started looking for online casinos where they can either have a good time or make some money. We can say that online betting as an industry has grown significantly in the past few years alone.

How to avoid online betting scams

You do not need to do a lot of things to be safe while betting online, but there are a few things that you must do at all costs.

The first and biggest thing to keep in mind is to never use a non-reputed online bookmaker. If it's a name that you haven't heard before, Google it to be sure that it's not fake. To be safe, stick with well-known names like Bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power, and so on. There are plenty of choices even in the top tier of betting sites.

Another issue to be mindful of falls in the same context. Be careful of what is known as spoof websites. Spoof websites look and feel like authentic websites, but is indeed a scam. To be sure that you have not ended up on a spoof website, double-check its URL. If you notice anything wrong with the URL, Google the original bookmaker and check their URL.

Are free bets a scam?

If you are getting free bets from a reputed sports betting platform, it should not be a scam. At worst, it can come with a long series of terms and conditions. Unless you get offers for free bets from shady sources, you do not need to worry about it. Offering free bets is a way for online sports betting platforms to draw more customers.

Why do bookmakers limit accounts?

Bookmakers can limit accounts or even shut them completely. Unfortunately, bookmakers hold the exclusive right to limit or shut an account down. There are various reasons behind why this happens. First, if you are winning too much, your account will be limited. Since bookmakers' goal is to make money in the end, they do not want to engage with anyone who can tip that balance. Moreover, bookmakers suspect foul play if someone is winning bets after bets.

It can also be a result of misusing rewards and promotions. On the other hand, not using any bonus at all can also lead to limited accounts. If you are trying to take advantage of arbitrage (mismatched odds in different casinos -- you win in both outcomes), bookmakers may limit or shut your account. But if you do not do any of these things, you do not need to worry about your account being limited.

Why do online betting sites withhold payments?

There are several reasons behind this. First, a bookmaker can withhold payment if your account is flagged or limited. But that may not always be the case. Sometimes, it is a genuine mistake on the end of the bookmaker. In such cases, a quick chat with the customer support team will solve your issue. In other cases, you may not have much to do. Either way, you should get in touch with the customer executives the moment you experience any payment issues.

How to check if a betting site holds a UKGC license

UKGC, or the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, requires all online casinos and sportsbooks to have its license. You can check whether a bookmaker has it or not from their official website. You can also check the UKGC directory to be doubly sure.

What are the key things to check in the T&C’s

The most important things to check in the terms and conditions are payment details. For example, check the minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts, processing times, and so on. Most importantly, make sure you are not breaching any law by using the platform. If a betting site does not have a UKGC license, steer clear from it.

Summary of betting scams

As long as you are judicious and aware, betting scams are not much of a worry. You need to follow the same cybersecurity protocols as you would anywhere else on the internet. Bookmakers now put in place added security features to ensure the safety of their users.