Where to file a complaint on a U.S. sports book

Where to file an online sportsbook complaint in the U.S.

We have seen multiple complaints on licensed and regulated sportsbooks in the U.S. None of the problems outlined have been regarding some heinous act committed by a sports book, instead they are the same complaints players have had since the advent of online sports betting, ranging from slow pay to bonus issues to bets taken incorrectly.

We urge players to contact the local gaming commission/authority to let them know what is going on and to get assistance. Not only do we think that an actual governing body can help resolve any issue, the regulatory body will be able to keep track of the complaints. It would be reasonable to figure that multiple complaints from bettors on the same issue at the same licensed sportsbook would warrant action from regulators, thus helping the consumer and the fledgling sports betting industry in America as well.

We’ve put together a short list below of the places that U.S. gamblers can go to to seek help at a licensed and regulated U.S. betting shop. For betting shops located outside of the U.S., players can always get help using our complaint form.

Top Regulators

Of course the organization in Nevada who the covers the casinos in the gambling capital of the world would lead the list. The Nevada Gaming Commission has been around for over 60 years and oversees all operations within the state, of course with a focus on Las Vegas. The ‘gold standard’ of regulators, their website is https://gaming.nv.gov/ and players who are looking to file a complaint can use this form.

Right behind Nevada is New Jersey. The NJ Division of Game Enforcement (DGE) has done an excellent job for players and operators for years, as AC was always the poor little East Coast sister of Vegas. The DGE can be found here. They expanded to include sports betting after NJ led the charge to start regulated sports betting in America. They also now do work for players who do any type of betting on the Internet, sports betting or casino gambling. To download the complaint form for Internet gambling in New Jersey, click here. The form can be filed via email or snail mail.

Pennsylvania has a become a huge market and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is the governmental organization that regulates everything from horse racing and bingo to Internet sports betting. They can be found at https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/. They have a multitude of forms located here. To file a sports betting complaint for online sports betting, casino or fantasy games with the PAGCB, click here. .

Newer Online Gambling Markets

Colorado – Several states have been online for a few years, with Colorado operating one of the larger markets. The state somehow needs two organizations to regulate gambling, The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission and the Colorado Division of Gaming. A sports betting complaint can be filed here. Oddly the also have a form for operator complaints, most likely focusing on ‘problem’ customers.

Illinois – The Illinois Gaming Board has been around since Illinois became the second state to offer Riverboat gambling back in 1990. Issues with sports and casino gambling can be reported here or via the IGB “Hotline” at (855) 494-0237.

Michigan – Honestly, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is one of the easiest groups to find and file a complaint with. They are located at https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/ and right on the homepage are instructions on how to file a complaint. Find the instructions and forms in an easy-to-use format and layout on their website here.

Little to No Help

Iowa – Sports betting was folded into the existing Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission. However, there is no dedicated form for a sports or casino complaint on their website. Instead the generic contact form should be used.

Connecticut – The Gaming Division for the Department of Consumer Protection appears to license gambling companies in CT in conjunction with two Indian tribes, but bettors will go batty on their website trying to find a way to file a complaint against one of the non-Native American licensees. We were finally able to find something for players to file a complaint online. However, the form for a gambling complaint is the same one used for a problem with an electrician or real estate appraisal – head here and good luck! 

Wyoming – Due to an error in the 2021 legislation, the Gaming Commission in Wyoming is called the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission. They are the governing body that licenses and oversees sports betting in the state. Sports betting only started in September and we had to do a search no their website to even find a complaint form. To file a complaint, grab the Wyoming form here, and mail it in, using snail mail.

Arizona – The 2021 law created the Event Wagering and Fantasy Sports (EWFS) division of the Arizona Department of Gaming. They have a patron dispute form that can be located after answering three short questions revolving around the complainant contacting the offending sportsbook. Oddly, if a player files a complaint with their sportsbook and the sports betting operation does not respond, moving to the actual form would require fibbing on one of the questions. Hopefully, the Arizona books will respond and then a complaint can be field using an unwieldy questionnaire form here.

Indiana – The Indiana Gaming Commission authorized sports betting in 2019 and within four month in-person wagering was up and running. Online/mobile gambling followed on Oct. 3, 2019. Gambling was already entrenched in the state and currently with more than a dozen operators can take sports bets over the Internet. With the history of gambling in Indiana, we expected more than a generic form, where complainants pick Patron Complaints from a drop-down box for the subject line. 

Tennessee – The Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council does a solid job utilizing an easy to navigate website with clear links to their Dispute Form. If a player is not satisfied with the decision or solution by a sportsbook, they may register the grievance with an excellent form located here.

New York –  The Empire state on began to allow Internet wagering at the end of 2021. Thus, we didn’t expect to find much at the NY State Gaming Commission’s website. Despite already being one of the largest sports betting markets in the U.S., the NYSG is frankly one of the worst right now for players, with no form, just an email address and a phone number. They can be found on the Internet at https://www.gaming.ny.gov/. You may be able to direct inquiries directly to them via email at info@gaming.ny.gov or you can call them at (518) 388-3300.

Louisiana – Alot of gambling goes on in Louisiana. So, we figured the Louisiana Gaming Control Board would have a more useful website for gamblers in the state. The LGCB can be found at http://lgcb.dps.louisiana.gov/. Looking for a way to file a complaint, clicking everywhere finally reveals the Gaming Enforcement Division of the state police. But, should an impasse arise with a complaint, the casino operator shall provide the gambler with a patron dispute form. Then, the Casino has seven days to forward this form to the State Police! If the players wins the dispute via the State Police findings, funds/winning are still not returned. Instead, the casino will be notified that the investigation revealed that they were in error. The player can try to get paid via legal action in the civil courts.

Lottery Operators 

A handful of states are using their State Lottery commissions to regulate online gambling. Online sports betting in New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC is regulated by the lottery in each jurisdiction. 

The New Hampshire Lottery can be found at nhlottery.com. They are using DraftKings as the online betting app and are looking to bring their own version called Sports 603 (the area code for the entire state) to the table ‘soon’. Though they have driving directions to the lottery office in the state capital of Concord, they do not offer any means of contacting them via email except for a webmaster link. 

Oregon had parlay betting for sports, similar to Delaware prior to the repeal of PASPA, but dropped sports betting all together in 2007. The Oregon State Lottery opened up the state-operated Scoreboard app and website as the only game in the state and on Jan 18th moved players over to Draft Kings. The New Hampshire Lottery also recently moved to Draft Kings to run their sports betting operation.

Online sports gambling in Rhode Island is conducted by the Rhode Island Lottery, utilizing William Hill to run the operation. The website is SportsBetRhodeIsland.com, built on a rough skin, and hopefully RI can do better for bettors in the future.

Virginia utilizes the Lottery as well, with their website located at VaLottery.com. The VA Lottery has authorized all of the big industry players to operate in the state. They also have a clear way to file a complaint with a giant tab to click, if an agreement can’t be met with one of the licensed operators. Their complaint form means business by asking questions like “Who was involved in the wrongdoing?”

The West Virginia Lottery Commission oversees the state’s sports betting industry, where six online sportsbooks operate. All of the sportsbook operations are tethered to casinos. At this time we are unable to find any way to complain to regulators other than an email address: mail@wvlottery.com. 

Finally, D.C. was much maligned for choosing the lottery to run sports betting. The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) is the regulatory body over all licensed gaming in the Nation’s Capital. GameBet DC is the website or app that players can use and it is loaded with all the terms and conditions and a way to file a complaint. A player can submit a complaint to the Office’s Customer Services Team, provide personal details and as much information as possible regarding the complaint.