The KYC procedure, also known as Know Your Customer or Know Your Client procedure is usually carried out by businesses and online operators to authenticate the identity of prospective and existing customers.
The procedure is important because it can be used to find out if some prospective customers want to use the business for illegal activities like money laundering. For example, if the customer is planning to deposit money into the online casino not because they want to play games but because they want to launder it. It is also in the interest of customers, in case they lose their account or forfeit their funds.
Online casino operators also hold KYC procedures for prospective players, although this depends on the gaming laws in the jurisdiction they are under. When a player is registering, personal information such as their name, address, age, banking details and copies of their valid identification cards are also needed to prevent fraud through the online casino operator. Although many players see the need for the KYC procedure, others see it as annoying and unnecessary. Some players even give up on signing up at an online casino operator if the KYC is too long.
Reasons Why Some Gamblers Skip KYC Procedure
No Privacy
Many gamblers don’t like the KYC procedure because of the lack of privacy. Since the online casinos ask different private questions, especially those that can compromise their anonymity, they are wary of giving this information. Some gamblers prefer to join no verification operators provided by CasinoGap in order to protect their personal data. With the risk of hacking and stealing information, not all players can risk giving away their information to an online casino operator.
This is especially in the case of those players who want to play at crypto casinos. Since cryptocurrency is meant to protect one’s identity, it seems counterproductive to some players that they have to go through a KYC procedure.
The Hassle
Another reason why some gamblers see the KYC procedure as a menace is because of the hassle. Because of how stressful the procedure is, some players just give up in the middle. Apart from the normal registration, some casinos don’t allow players to withdraw until the verification process is finished.
This usually involves submitting documents that validate your identity, taking a picture of yourself, doing email confirmations and more. Even after submitting all the documents they asked for, it also takes a long time for them to go through it and verify your account so you can play and withdraw freely.
Fear of Info Theft
Some players steer clear from the KYC procedure because they have heard stories of online casino operators who exploit the information of their players. This is because of some illegal sites that sell people’s personal information once they sign up on their casino website.
There are also cases of hackers stealing information from players from online casinos. If the information on one’s identification card and email is stolen, the hacker can easily steal their identity and wreak some havoc. Thus, these players don’t like the KYC procedure.
Restrictions
Another reason why players lookout for online casinos with no KYC procedure is the country restrictions. There’s no way that your location won’t be made known during the procedure, and so if you’re in a country where online gambling is not allowed in its entirety or offshore online casinos are illegal, the casino would stop the sign-up process.
Because of this, players look for casinos who don’t ask them information about the country they are in. Before starting the sign-up process for any site, always check the gambling laws in your state so that you go through the rigorous process for nothing.
Conclusion
Regardless of the reasons why the KYC procedure is annoying and seemingly unnecessary, playing at an online casino that does not have this procedure is inadvisable. This is because all the casinos that don’t have this procedure are not licensed and regulated by any gambling authorities. So, if your account suddenly gets terminated, your funds get forfeited or your money is stolen by the online casino, no government will be able to help you get it back.
So, whether the process is too long or not, as long as you’re playing at a trusted and licensed casino, you’re good to go. If you decide to play at a no-KYC casino site, you have to exercise caution of the highest order.
