If a casino will not pay a withdrawal, start by treating it as a documented complaint rather than assuming a particular outcome. This UK guide explains the route published by the Gambling Commission: use the operator’s own process first, keep a clear record, and use the named Alternative Dispute Resolution route only when the dispute is eligible.

What to do when a casino will not pay

Check the withdrawal status, the account messages and the terms that applied when the request was made. Save copies of the withdrawal request, any identity-verification request, the relevant terms and every response from the operator. A clear timeline should identify the account, the amount, the date of the request and what the operator has said; it makes the issue easier to assess without relying on memory.

Use the operator’s formal complaint procedure in writing. The Gambling Commission says a gambling business has eight weeks from receiving a complaint to resolve it. A business may also give a final response or a deadlock letter sooner. Do not present a support-chat conversation as the whole complaint if the operator provides a separate complaints route.

When an ADR provider may help

If the business has not resolved an eligible dispute after eight weeks, or has issued a final position, it should tell you which approved ADR provider applies and how to contact it. ADR is an independent, free route for disputes about the outcome of a gambling transaction, which can include access to funds. The provider decides whether it can accept the matter after reviewing the information from both sides.

ADR is not a universal appeal service. The Commission explains that it will not accept every issue, including ordinary customer-service complaints and a business’s refusal to accept a bet or custom. Use the provider named by the operator rather than assuming a particular company handles every casino. Keep the operator’s final response because the ADR provider may need it to decide whether it can consider the case.

What the Gambling Commission can and cannot do

The Gambling Commission asks consumers to report concerns, but it does not resolve individual disputes or order a particular payment for an individual customer. Information about a complaint can still matter to the regulator’s wider work, especially where it identifies a pattern. That is different from the ADR route, which addresses an unresolved transaction dispute.

Before sending a report, verify that the business and the relevant website are on the UK Gambling Commission Public Register. The register records licensed businesses, trading names, domains and regulatory action. A UK complaint route may not apply to a site that is not licensed to offer remote gambling to consumers in Great Britain.

Keep the next step proportionate

Do not delete correspondence, alter screenshots or accept a replacement offer without reading what it changes. If an ADR decision or appeal does not settle the matter, the Commission notes that a consumer may consider court action, but it recommends independent legal advice before doing so. The appropriate route depends on the facts, the contract and the amount involved; this guide does not promise recovery or a fixed timetable.

If gambling is causing harm or making it hard to pause, contact a recognised support service before continuing to pursue play. A payment dispute and a decision to gamble again are separate issues.

Official guidance used for this page

The process above follows the Gambling Commission’s How to complain guidance and its ADR guide, both checked in July 2026. For related choices before opening an account, read our online casino guide for UK beginners.