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What are the steps in an offshore withdrawal dispute?
The offshore withdrawal dispute steps below follow Curaçao's Player Complaints Policy. Other regulators differ, and an unlicensed site may offer none of this.
- Save your evidence: the withdrawal request, account balance, chat logs, emails and the terms as they stood.
- Contact customer support by email or live chat, and ask for the reason in writing.
- Submit the casino's official complaint form, in time. Curaçao allows up to six months from the incident.
- Wait for the written answer. In Curaçao, the casino must confirm receipt within one week and respond within four weeks, with one four-week extension.
- If you are still unhappy, make a further complaint saying so, then take the matter to the independent dispute provider.
How long does an offshore casino have to respond?
Under the Curaçao policy, four weeks, plus one extension of four weeks with written notice. Responsible gaming complaints move faster: the casino must confirm receipt within two days and aim to resolve them within five business days. A trade report says dispute provider decisions typically come within 90 days.
Who decides a dispute with an offshore casino?
Usually an independent provider rather than the regulator, as the table shows. Anjouan and Nevis rest on one trade report, which we have not checked against those regulators.
| License | Does the regulator decide your dispute? | Where it goes instead |
|---|---|---|
| Curaçao | No. It does not mediate in individual disputes | A certified dispute provider, free to you |
| Malta | No. It stopped examining the merits on April 1, 2019 | An independent dispute body. eCOGRA is one |
| Anjouan | Not reported | A designated provider, per the trade report |
| Nevis | Not reported | An approved provider, at the operator's cost, per the trade report |
What should you know before starting dispute resolution?
Read the rules first, because you may get one attempt. Under the Curaçao policy:
- The casino pays all costs of the process.
- Once finished, the process cannot be restarted with a different provider.
- If you drop out after it begins, you should not expect to be able to raise the dispute again.
- A casino may set conditions, such as a minimum claim value or a binding outcome. Its terms must explain the effect on your legal rights.
What if the casino has no license or no dispute provider?
Then you may have only the casino and the courts. No US state regulator can act for you, and the bodies above only cover their own licensees. A lawyer licensed in your state can tell you whether a claim is worth pursuing, and you should weigh the cost against the amount at stake. This is information, not legal advice.
Should you pay someone to recover your winnings?
Be very careful. Be wary of anyone who contacts you offering to recover casino money for an upfront fee, and of any complaint site that charges to file. The Curaçao policy says complaints and its dispute process are free to the player. Keep to the casino, the provider named in its terms, and a lawyer you have chosen yourself.
How is this different from a licensed casino dispute?
At a licensed casino, you can take the matter to a US state regulator. See online casino complaints for New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan. That route is the main practical difference between the two, and it is covered further on our page about offshore casino licenses.
What are the rules in your state?
Each state sets its own online casino rules. Pick a state to see its status, its regulator and the date we last checked it.
Read next: Are they legal?
Sources
Checked November 5, 2026. Regulator rules were read through the sources listed, and they can change. How we research.
- Curaçao Gaming Authority: Player Complaints Policy Guidelines, version 1.1 (June 18, 2025)
- Malta Gaming Authority: Alternative Dispute Resolution Directive notice
- eCOGRA: alternative dispute resolution policies and procedures
- Asia Gaming Brief: offshore jurisdictions close ranks on player complaints (June 21, 2026)