Build the record before sending
Write a short chronology with dates, times, amounts, transaction references and the relevant promotion or account terms. Save chats and written decisions. Identify which facts are agreed, which explanation you dispute and what outcome you want.
A concise evidence pack is easier to assess than repeated messages saying a site is unfair. Remove irrelevant personal material. Keep identity and banking documents out of public posts, and submit sensitive evidence only through an appropriate verified channel.
Label it as a formal complaint
Follow the business’s published procedure and retain proof of submission. Ask for a reference and the date it was logged. A support chat may be useful, but check whether the business has actually opened a complaint rather than merely a service enquiry.
An original writing outline is: “I am making a formal complaint about [transaction or offer]. On [date], [event]. Your explanation is [explanation]. I dispute this because [specific evidence]. I request [outcome]. Please confirm the complaint reference and next step.” This is a structure to adapt, not legal advice.
Understand the eight-week route
The Commission says the business has eight weeks from receipt to resolve a complaint. Its guidance also recognises a final or deadlock position reached sooner. Keep the original receipt date even if the complaint moves between internal teams.
If it remains unresolved or you disagree with the final response, you may be able to take the dispute to the operator’s named alternative dispute resolution provider. Check eligibility and the provider’s process. ADR does not mean every case will be accepted or decided in your favour.
Use the right destination
An account transaction dispute, an advertising concern and information about suspected unlicensed activity can require different routes. The Gambling Commission publishes the routes, but it does not act as an individual player’s recovery service.
ReelTerms is an educational publication. It cannot open a case, represent you or adjudicate an operator’s decision. Use the official links below to confirm the current procedure, and keep copies of what you send and receive.
Sources & scope
Primary sources checked 9 November 2026. These explain the general framework. An individual offer or dispute depends on its own facts and current terms.
Prepared with AI assistance from public sources; no hands-on casino testing is claimed. Read our editorial method.