Where there is technology, there will be bugs. No tech is glitch-proof or perfect. However, when stakes are high, one needs to be cautious. Particularly with online casinos that store the financial and personal information of users.
Playing at a casino online is convenient, whereas the player needs to ensure the data is safe with the platform. The bugs and glitches can be annoying, especially in the middle of the game.
Users visit online casinos to enjoy and win money. If the platform freezes or restarts, the user can lose money. But sometimes, these bugs favor players. Many players lookout for these glitches and errors because they think of them as a source of free money.
However, that’s not the case. The operators have safety systems that prevent such activities from happening.
Types of common bugs
Visual bug
It’s the most common bug in slots. The slot machines are fully-automated and work on an algorithm. It’s usual for slots to freeze at a combination. In reality, the original combination differs.
In this situation, players see a winning combination, but the money does not get credited to the account. The player feels entitlement upon complaining. It’s the responsibility of the operator to check.
All the time, it confirms to be a visual bug, and when a visual bug is confirmed, the spin becomes void. A famous incident happened in 2019 when a player had four wilds and one typical symbol on a slot. When checked, it was a visual bug, and there were only three wilds and two regular symbols.
Casino bug
A bug that could affect the whole casino is considered a casino bug. Another incident took place in 2019. It was a glitch in the system, and players were receiving money without any deduction of the betting amount.
Because of the error, many players won a good amount of money, and some were able to withdraw. It took operators 48 hours to realize the problem. Upon investigation, a bug was confirmed, and the casino canceled all the winnings.
Those who could withdraw kept the money, although they were asked to return it. The casino handled the situation sensibly and took the right actions.
Real bugs
In this situation, online casinos ban the player’s account over allegedly non-compliance with the terms and conditions or suspicious activity. It happens in case of frequent wins, and the player loses all the money.
Also, when a player bets a certain amount, the casino deducts the wrong amount or the full amount. Bugs are so unpredictable that sometimes casinos take players’ wins as a loss.
Tournament bug
One time, the whole tournament was bugged. A player literally robbed the casino. He was able to win top tournament prizes without risking a penny. There was a software bug, which he exploited.
Upon revelation of the bug, he simply entered and exited the tournament without affecting the wallet, and the points kept adding. The actual balance was unchanged after several exits and based on maximum tournament points. He won the prize.
Common glitches
After all, online casinos run on the internet, and the lags are inevitable. These lags adversely affect slot games and bonus games because of heavy traffic. Sometimes players experience glitches, and sometimes the screen turns black. There is nothing to be worried about these glitches.
Platform freeze
Another common problem online casinos face is platform freeze. It happens because of slow internet connection or non-updated browsers, or slow devices. When players try to run casino websites on such devices, the response time is slow, and the game freezes.
Online casino websites are built on massive bandwidth and require an updated device to run smoothly. Similarly, the bonus game also freezes. If you are registered, you can reload and continue where you left.
Incorrect payouts
After winning a slot or any other game, the casino credits the incorrect amount. On most occasions, the amount is lower. It could be because of a graphical error when the result does not match the outcome generated by the RNG.
The software is on automation. There is no human interference in rechecking the result. That’s why, whatever outcome the system detects, it acts accordingly.
Tips to fix these bugs
General solutions
Despite any bug or glitch, the online casino holds no responsibility. The operators fix the problem and cancel any faulty bets or winnings. Rules and procedures are mentioned in terms and conditions, so a player must know how to act in such situations.
With a tournament bug, if a player claims to win money by exploiting the error, the casino holds the right to cancel the player’s account and block it.
In some scenarios, when an online casino is at fault, they admit it. In cases of wrong payouts, they compensate with bonuses or extra free games as a gesture of goodwill.
Solving visual bugs
When players take advantage of visual bugs, the operators can cancel the player’s account and temporarily ban them until the issue is resolved.
In case of platform freeze or failed loading, a player can take some precautionary measures.
- Use a stronger internet connection
- Clear temporary files, cache, and cookies
- Upgrade the browser or software version
- Check the device for viruses
- Try restarting the app or the device
Factors to consider before signing up for the online casino
Access to logs
Whenever there is a bug or glitch, all records are stored in casino logs. If an online casino has all the licenses, it must store all the bets and payouts of all the players, and you can access those records as a player.
Regulated online casinos
It’s important to play at a regulated and licensed online casino. They are regularly audited, so if there’s any misconduct on behalf of the casino, the player is protected.
Tested for fairness
As a player, you cannot blindly trust any online casino. For casino game developers, it’s compulsory to test their games for fairness. All the certificates must be mentioned in the website footer. Make sure to check them before registering on any platform.