What Gets an Online Casino Blacklisted — And Why Poker Players Should Care

Google blacklists approximately 10,000 to over 30,000 websites daily for malicious activity (Patchstack, Marketpath), including:

• Malware
  
• Phishing
  
• Spam
  
• Fraud
  

And if they're not doing it intentionally, a blacklisted site can lose up to 95% of its organic traffic due to warning pages (Sectigo). Most of the time, blacklisted websites are intentionally malicious, and any that aren't that find themselves on the blocked list can be removed by cleaning malware and requesting a review via Google Search Console.

We wouldn't say online casinos are in the niche of the most-banned websites, but they are within a niche of websites where it is common to have fraudulent websites that do get blacklisted.

Below, we'll look at what gets an online casino blacklisted and why poker players should care.

What "Blacklisted" Actually Means

Blacklisted online casinos generally means that the operator has repeatedly failed to meet basic standards of fairness, safety, regulatory compliance, and trustworthy business behavior.

Casinos are listed on blacklists published by:

• Review sites
  
• Watchdog communities
  
• Regulatory bodies (if there's consistent evidence of problems)
  

Once blacklisted, it goes into a real-time database that causes most major browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, to block access to it and display a prominent warning message to users.

Common Reasons Online Casinos End Up on Blacklists

Lack of a valid license or fake credentials

Casinos operating without a license from a reputable regulator will often make it onto blacklists. Some of the biggest regulators include:

• UKGC
  
• MGA
  
• State iGaming regulators
  

Without licensing oversight, there's no guarantee of fairness, security, or legal recourse, and it's not uncommon for those websites to make it onto blacklists.

Why players should care

No license means no regulator, which increases the risk of fraud or loss.

Refusal or delay in paying out winnings

Bad operators either refuse to pay legitimate withdrawal requests or delay payouts indefinitely. Sometimes, they invent reasons to block cashouts, often blaming unclear bonus rules.

Why poker players should care:

For players who win significant amounts (especially in poker), getting paid promptly and reliably is essential.

Unfair or misleading terms and conditions

There's nothing worse than when online casinos use unfair or misleading terms and conditions. But when casinos use vague or misleading terms and conditions, especially related to bonuses, they're likely to end up on the blacklist.

Examples include:

• Hidden rollover requirements
  
• Disproportionate maximum cashout caps
  
• Last-minute changes to terms after deposits
  

Why this matters for players:

Terms can't favor the house in unexpected ways, and if they do, players might think they've earned or can withdraw money when the rules actually prevent it.

Rigged or uncertified gaming software

You'll see blacklisted casinos reported for hosting improperly controlled games. For example, if they use manipulated random number generators or uncertified software that favors the platform rather than giving the player a fair chance.

Why it matters for poker players:

Impaired software integrity might affect fairness. It doesn't only apply to slots; you can apply it to card shuffle randomness in poker rooms.

Poor security and a lack of data protection

Casinos must always safeguard personal or financial data, and if they don't, they become flagged. That includes failure to use encryption or exposing sensitive information.

Why players should care:

Blacklisted casinos may put you at risk of account breaches or identity theft.

Bad customer support and unresolved complaints

Repeated player complaints and ignored disputes are a big red flag and definitely enough to get a website put on the blacklist. Unresponsive or unhelpful support teams are strong indicators of unethical operators.

Impact on poker players:

Poker issues can be complex. Sometimes it's disputes over hands and game lobbies or balance errors.

Signs of deceptive marketing

Some blacklisted sites promote generous bonuses that are anything but generous. They'll contain predatory conditions that exploit players.

What poker players should watch:

Offers that seem "too good to be true" often disadvantage players. And they're almost always too good to be true. Always check player reviews to see.

Why Blacklisted Casinos Are Especially Relevant to Poker Players

Poker involves real money and real people. It's not the same as some casino games where you're challenging the house—there's a peer-to-peer competition, and any lack of fairness or transparency directly impacts the integrity of wagers and player trust.

Poker also involves higher stakes and longer sessions. Poker players will build larger balances over multiple sessions, and that translates to a more intense risk of payout issues compared to one-off slot play wins. More than that, poker players are more likely to move money in and out of sites, so they need to be confident that their money moves where they want it to go.

We'd also argue that community reputation matters, and poker communities and forums typically share information pretty rapidly. Rogue or blacklisted casinos can tarnish the reputation of platforms where legitimate competition and skill should be rewarded.

Blacklisted online casinos aren't good for anyone, whether they're poker players or not. You shouldn't be able to access a blacklisted casino, and we'd definitely recommend checking that one is reputable before you sign up or deposit money.