Do eCOGRA Seals Really Reflect Better Service?

Players spotting an eCOGRA seal feel reassured that the online casino they are visiting offers fair, responsible gaming and operates a professional service with high operating standards. But is this necessarily so?

eCOGRA, the independent player protection and standards body, has a Fair Gaming Advocate that handles gambling disputes between accredited operators and players. Its latest report on remote gambling disputes is a great advertisement for its services, showing remarkably low levels of player disputes at sites bearing the eCOGRA Safe and Fair seal of accreditation.

Ongoing Monitoring and Quality Assurance

Online casinos bearing the eCOGRA seal are monitored on an ongoing basis and are also required to have annual inspections and work with eCOGRA over player disputes.

Tex Rees from Fair Gaming Advocate commented on the overall drop in the level of disputes this year. She said: "We can attribute a portion of this drop in disputes to the fact that we have now been working with many of the Seal operations for several years and as a consequence a number of policies and procedures have been developed... Our operators are also better equipped and motivated to deal with disputes."

The figures also reveal that 76% of the disputes handled by the Fair Gaming Advocate were resolved, normally within 48 hours. The stats also show that 47% of complaints were settled in favor of the player.

High Levels of Transactions, Low Levels of Complaints

There are three main areas that attracted complaints:

• 54% were on cash-in issues
• 21% were on bonus issues and
• 21% related to locked accounts

Rees remarked: "Viewed against the very high number of transactions... the number of disputes continues to be remarkably low."

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