eCOGRA report shows drop in number of disputes with online casinos

eCOGRA is an independent body set up to protect players and maintain standards in the online gaming industry. As part of this they help resolve disputes between players and online casinos. eCOGRA has just released the statistics for the first half of this year and it shows a significant reduction in the number of disputes. 

Between January and June this year eCOGRA received a total of 376 complaints from players. Of these 376 disputes, 33 were against casinos which eCOGRA does not certify and a further 56 were irrelevant, abusive or anonymous so were not dealt with. This left eCOGRA with only 287 valid disputes, they took an average of two days to resolve and 47% of them went in favour of the player. 

Tex Rees from Fair Gaming Advocate said,  "These numbers are similar, and in fact compare favorably with last year’s numbers, despite the fact that eCOGRA now has 11 more accredited venues than last year." Last calendar year eCOGRA received a total of 628 valid disputes, the numbers for the whole year are more than double the number for the first half of this year, showing a clear reduction in disputes. 

Rees went on to say, "This level of performance is satisfactory and well within the standards we have set for our operators. Viewed against the very high number of transactions these well established, tier one online gambling venues experience on a daily basis, the number of disputes continues to be remarkably low."

Rees believes that the numbers have improved due a number of policies and procedures that have been implemented by eCOGRA aimed to reduce the number of disputes and also training of operators by eCOGRA on how to settle disputes at their level without referring them to eCOGRA.