How to make a gambling complaint and keep the right records

Start by identifying the problem

A disputed bet result, a delayed payment and poor customer service may need different explanations. Write down what happened and the particular decision you want reviewed before opening another support conversation. This guide explains the process for adults dealing with Gambling Commission regulated businesses in Great Britain. Check the relevant regulator and account terms if you are in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

The Commission's consumer guidance says to complain to the gambling business first. It does not decide individual gambling transaction disputes. Sending a report to a regulator is therefore not a substitute for following the operator's complaint route or a promise that it will recover money for you.

Separate a question from a formal complaint

A support question can establish which stage a transaction has reached. If the reply does not resolve your concern, find the complaints procedure on the operator's official website and use the channel it specifies. Clearly say that you want the issue treated as a complaint, ask for a reference and retain the acknowledgement.

For a payment, first distinguish pending checks, operator processing and a transfer already sent onward using our withdrawal checks guide. For a disputed result, identify the market and accepted rules with our void bets guide. Those records help explain the issue without assuming the outcome.

Build a small evidence file

Keep a concise chronology rather than a collection of unexplained screenshots. A useful file contains:

• The operator and product, your account reference and the complaint reference when issued.
• The transaction or bet ID, date, time, amount and currency shown on the receipt.
• The relevant terms or offer conditions, with the date you saved them.
• The status displayed in the account and the specific point you disagree with.
• Copies of support replies, document requests and your responses, arranged by date.
• The result you are asking the business to consider and why the attached evidence supports it.

The Commission advises including dates, times, amounts and evidence, and keeping copies of your complaint. Our checklist adds a practical way to organise those records. If a file contains several events, label them so the reviewer can match each to the timeline.

Keep originals and share only what the official process needs. Do not post account screenshots, identity documents or full payment details in a public review. Never send your password or a one-time login code as complaint evidence.

A short message you can adapt

The following is an original example structure, not a required legal form or a real complaint:

Please treat this as a formal complaint about [transaction reference] on [date]. My account shows [recorded result or status]. I disagree because [specific reason and relevant condition]. I attach [named records]. I would like you to review [decision or calculation] and explain the outcome in writing. Please confirm receipt, give me a complaint reference and tell me the next stage of your complaints procedure.

Replace the placeholders with accurate facts and remove anything that does not apply. Do not invent a term, a deadline or a promised refund. If you do not know which rule was used, ask the business to identify it. A clear request for an explanation is more useful than making unsupported allegations.

Track the operator's response

The Commission says the business has eight weeks from receiving the complaint to resolve it. Record that receipt date, any requests for information and when you replied. Follow the internal escalation step if the response tells you how to request a further review.

A reply acknowledging receipt is different from a decision. Ask whether a response is final if that is unclear. Keep the explanation and any referral details together; they may be needed if you approach an independent service.

Do not interpret the eight-week period as a guaranteed payment date, an ADR decision deadline or a reason to continue gambling. It describes the operator's complaint stage.

When independent dispute resolution may help

Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR, is a free independent service described in the Commission's guidance. After the operator's process, an unresolved complaint may be referred to the appropriate provider. The guidance describes referral after eight weeks and a final or deadlock letter identifying the next route. Ask the operator which provider covers your account and read that provider's eligibility requirements.

The provider decides whether it can adjudicate the complaint. The Commission says customer service complaints and a business's refusal to accept a bet or your custom are outside ADR's remit. An unwelcome commercial decision is not automatically a transaction dispute that ADR can resolve. Acceptance of a case does not guarantee that it will be decided in your favour.

IBAS is one example, not every operator's provider

IBAS explains that it considers written submissions and evidence from both sides. Its process is based on the facts, and legal representation is not required. Use its route only where it is the relevant provider; another business may use a different service.

Its consumer FAQ advises checking the rules, keeping records and including account and complaint references. It also explains that it may ask for a final decision or referral code. Check the current submission requirements directly rather than assuming the same form, time limit or reference system applies to every ADR service.

As a specific example checked on 27 September 2026, bet365's GB complaints procedure describes escalation to Customer Service Management and referral to IBAS after its final response or an unresolved eight-week period. It says complaints are not resolved through social media. Our bet365 overview links to that policy; it is an example of one operator's process, not a universal template.

Keep support separate from the dispute

You can seek help about gambling while a complaint is open. Our safer gambling page links to support, and the account controls guide explains limits, breaks and self-exclusion. A disputed balance is not a reason to chase losses or gamble again to try to replace it.

Do I have to pay someone to submit a complaint?

The Commission describes ADR as free for the consumer, and IBAS says representation is not required. You can organise your own factual submission. If you are considering legal action or accepting a settlement you do not understand, seek independent advice appropriate to your circumstances.

Does a complaint guarantee a refund?

No. The evidence, applicable terms and the provider's remit matter. Keep a distinction between receipt of your complaint, acceptance for review and a decision. None of those earlier steps establishes that money is owed or has been paid.

What if I disagree with the ADR result?

Read the decision and the provider's current appeal procedure. The Commission says an appeal may be available and the provider should explain grounds and time limits. Do not assume disagreement alone is sufficient. Get independent legal advice before deciding whether to pursue court action.