Gambling addiction can have serious consequences. A case from the Netherlands makes this clear: a player lost a seven-figure amount in cryptocurrencies at a crypto casino and has since been trying to recover his losses.
A case from practice
Because of his gambling addiction, the player had registered in an exclusion register. Nevertheless, the casino did not check whether he should continue playing and courted him with VIP offers. Requests to reverse transactions went unanswered. In the end, only the route through the courts remained, up to an insolvency petition against the licence holder. The casino in question was advertised at the same time in Austria and other EU states with strict gambling laws.
What the case shows
- Many of these providers are based at offshore locations and are therefore hard to get hold of.
- Self-exclusions and exclusion registers are often disregarded by such casinos.
- Behind a casino there is often a chain of licensees and a master licence.
These structures make enforcement more difficult, but they do not make it impossible.
The situation in Austria
In Austria, online casino games may only be offered with a licence. Providers that rely solely on a foreign licence do not meet this requirement. Losses at such providers can be reclaimed, even if play took place in cryptocurrencies.
Anyone who feels they can no longer control their gambling themselves should seek independent support in the area of player protection. An overview of recognised counselling centres is provided by the Federal Ministry of Finance player protection, support services. The assessment of your case is free of charge. In the event of success, the R. M. Prozessfinanzierung GmbH retains from 35 percent of the amount awarded, and the remaining amount is paid out to you. More on this on the page Crypto casino.