Make a complaint

There are two sorts of complaints:

1. Complaints about a breach of the liquor or gaming laws
2. Complaints about our customer service. Visit our feedback page to make a complaint about our service.

Breaches of the law

Division of Gaming Enforcement is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying an indecent exposure suspect. Division of Gaming Enforcement makes Arrest in Connection with an Illegal Sportsbook Payout. The Gambling Control Act (Business and Professions Code section 19800 et seq.) created a comprehensive scheme for statewide regulation of legal gambling under a bifurcated system of administration involving the Division of Gambling Control within the Attorney General's Office and the five-member California Gambling Control Commission appointed.

A complaint lets us know about something that has happened that may have broken the laws that we oversee.

Complaints and incident reports can also help us with general information or intelligence about something that has happened, or might happen, in relation to a licensed venue or function we regulate.

Before you lodge your complaint

We strongly encourage you raise your complaint directly with the venue, gaming operator or people concerned, if it is safe to do so, particularly if it relates to an unsatisfactory product or service.

In the case of disturbance concerns, these are often resolved quickly through discussions with the venue in question.

Read about how make a formal disturbance complaint here.

How we will handle your complaint

We are committed to handling your complaint professionally, efficiently and fairly. We will keep you informed of our progress and provide you with the reasons for our decisions. You will always be treated with respect.

We ask that you:

• provide us with all the relevant information at the beginning of your complaint
• not make public comment that could influence the investigation
• treat us with respect
• inform us of new facts and let us know if you no longer require our help.

Other organisations that can help

You can also raise your concerns with a number of other organisations, for example if your complaint involves:

• charitable fundraising: Fair Trading NSW
• criminal activity: you should contact NSW Police Force
• issues relating to smoking: you should contact NSW Health
• noise: you should contact your local council or the NSW Police Force
• public lotteries: NSW Lotteries
• election of the board in a Club: Australian Securities & Investment Commission
• racing: Rac​ing NSW, Greyhound Racing NSW, Harness Racing NSW​
• unresolved wagering prize disputes: specific licensed wagering operators eg. TAB

What you should include in a complaint

You should briefly state your concern and tell us what happened.

Make sure you also include:

Gambling Board Complaints Website

• what your concern is about
• the relevant date, location and any reference number - if you have them
• what you would like us to do to resolve your complaint
• your email address, postal address and/or contact telephone numbers
• if you would like your complaint to be handled confidentially.

Our complaints process

When we receive a complaint, we assess it to determine what action is most appropriate. This can include conducting an investigation or referring the matter to another agency. The assessment also helps us to determine an appropriate response.

If an investigation is required, the complaint is allocated to one of our investigators. If you have provided your contact details, the investigator will contact you to discuss your complaint and explain the investigative process.

Investigations can take an extended time to complete as we may need to inspect files and documents and visit venues or organisations to conduct preliminary investigations.

Following the investigation, you will be notified whether or not regulatory action was taken as a result of your complaint. For privacy reasons, we may not be able to disclose details about the type of action taken.

While not all complaints result in an investigation, all complaints and information received are recorded by us for intelligence purposes.

What we consider

Complaints reported to us are considered by a Complaints Assessment Committee, in line with our Compliance & Enforcement Policy.

We consider the following factors before a determination is made to pursue an investigation:

• if the breach is within our scope and jurisdiction
• are we the most appropriate agency to respond
• the objectives and purposes of the relevant legislation and the available enforcement options
• the risk and level of potential harm
• the likelihood of continued or repeated non-compliance
• the likelihood of a successful outcome
• any negative impact of our actions
• the administrative load of any action and the impact it may have on the industry participant and other stakeholders
• intelligence, including culpability and compliance history
• whether resource requirements are proportionate to achieving a desired outcome
• the likely public perception of the breach and the manner with which it is dealt.

Matters we do not pursue

Gambling Board Complaints Better Business Bureau

Not all reported breaches are investigated. Every complaint is considered and we exercise discretion in determining whether we commit resources to a formal investigation, or take other action.

Gambling Board Complaints Against

These include:

• one-off, isolated events
• issues with little or no harm
• matters that have already been rectified
• issues more appropriately resolved between the parties involved
• breaches more effectively dealt with by another agency.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) wants players in the state to know that there is a process in place for them to try to resolve disputes and lodge complaints related to online gaming.

In an effort to spread the word, the PGCB issued a press release on Monday with details on how patrons can report non-criminal violations of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act (the Act) which includes most complaints and disputes that players may have. Criminal complaints made to the PGCB will be referred for investigation to the Pennsylvania State Police.

While the PGCB differentiates between complaints and disputes, with the former being an incident that “does not involve money or items of value” and the latter involving “a specific amount of cash or merchandise,” there appears to be no difference in the process to alert the PGCB.

The online gaming complaint process applies to online casino games (including slots and table games), online sports betting, and fantasy sports contests. The process will also apply to online poker once the games actually go live in Pennsylvania. A similar process is in place for complaints and disputes related to land-based gaming including casino games, sports wagers and Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs).

The PGCB is required by law to investigate all potential violations of the Act, and an investigator and case number will be assigned to every reported incident.

Requirements to File a Complaint or Dispute with the PGCB

In order for players to register their online gaming complaint or dispute with the state gaming regulator, they must first make the complaint with the igaming operator. Upon registering their complaint, patrons will receive a ticket or complaint number. This number is required to refer the incident to the PGCB for investigation.

Once the incident has been registered with the online casino, sportsbook or fantasy game provider and a number has been obtained, the player can fill out an online form to initiate the complaint proceedings through the gaming regulator.

The Interactive Gaming / ONLINE Sportsbook / Fantasy Contest Patron Dispute/Complaint Form asks the filer to provide the following information:

• Personal contact information (name, address, phone number, etc.)
• Online application used
• The player’s screen name
• Approximate date and time of the incident
• The ticket/complaint number
• A summary of the incident including any statements made to the operator or witnesses

Players have 30 days from the time the incident takes place to file their complaint/dispute with the PGCB. Players also have the option of filing their complaint directly with a PGCB Casino Compliance Representative at any of the Pennsylvania casinos.

After a complaint is filed, the PGCB will acknowledge receipt of the complaint form by sending an email to the person making the complaint. All information provided as part of the PGCB igaming complaint process is considered confidential.

Gambling Board Complaints Phone Number

Penalties for False Complaints

While the PGCB is making it easy for players to register a dispute or complaint, engaging in the complaint process should be taken seriously.

Any person that intentionally or willfully makes “false statements or intentional misrepresentations” may be subject to penalties relating to “perjury, false swearing and unsworn falsifications.”

If you have any questions or comments about registering an online gaming dispute/complaints, you can contact the PGCB at [email protected].