Interrupted casino games: what to check after a disconnection.

A frozen screen does not tell you the result

If a casino game disconnects after you press play, pause and check the record for that round. The unanswered question is whether the operator accepted the stake and recorded an outcome, or whether a decision or settlement remains unfinished. Do not make another stake to test what happened.

This guide concerns online gaming and the Gambling Commission's standards for licensed remote gambling in Great Britain. It does not establish a refund entitlement for a particular incident. Ordinary sports-event settlement is a separate subject covered in our void-bets guide.

Three situations to distinguish

UKGC RTS 10 requires fair interruption policies and information about them. Its gaming guidance distinguishes:

• An accepted gamble with no further player influence: its result should stand.
• A single-player, single-stage event interrupted before an outcome exists: any deducted stake should be returned.
• A game with remaining stages or choices: reasonable steps should restore its previous state so it can be completed.

Multiplayer cases need fair individual treatment. These are different situations, not a rule that every connection failure cancels every round.

For your own incident, ask which situation the records show. The last picture on your device may be incomplete. A screenshot can explain what you saw, but cannot by itself establish what the operator's system recorded.

Start with one round and a short timeline

Write down the exact game title, provider if shown, device or app, approximate time and the time zone you used. Keep the stake, round identifier, error message and the last action you remember. If a field is missing, mark it as unknown instead of reconstructing it from a later round.

Our practical record checklist is:

• The balance immediately before the affected stake, if you have it.
• The stake debit and its transaction or round reference.
• Any separate result, prize, cancellation or returned-stake entry.
• Whether the game shows the round as complete, pending or awaiting an action.
• The relevant disconnection rule and the date you saved it.
• Support's incident reference and the next update it has offered.

Keep original screenshots privately and redact personal details from any copy you share outside official support. Do not send passwords, one-time codes or complete payment-card details. Use the operator's authenticated help route and ask what evidence it actually needs.

Reconcile the entries, not just the final balance

RTS 1 provides for accessible account and gambling history. It requires at least three months of history without contacting the operator, with a minimum of twelve months available on request. Detailed gaming history may be summarised, so ask for the specific round if it is not visible.

Here is an invented bookkeeping example. An account starts at £10. A £1 stake is recorded and a later result entry credits £0.40. With no other activity, the balance is £9.40. The £0.40 credit is not a £1 stake refund: those entries describe a net loss of £0.60. If instead the same £1 debit has a matching £1 reversal, the balance returns to £10. Neither example tells you which treatment a real interrupted round requires.

A balance alone is less informative when there were other stakes, deposits or transfers around the same time. Ask support to identify the entries linked to the affected reference. Save an explanation of what each amount represents before comparing it with the game's paytable and rules.

Read the policy for the product you used

Look for the operator's interruption or disconnection policy and the rules of the exact game. Search within those documents for unfinished rounds, remaining decisions, cancelled stakes and game history. Keep an app-specific term separate from a rule for another product or a different region.

Paddy Power offers a concrete reading example, checked on 5 October 2026. Its Betting Apps clause 17.3 distinguishes games needing another action, which resume at that point, from games with no remaining decision, which settle with the result in account history. Clause 19.11 separately sets out gaming-interruption treatment. Read both applicable sections and the game's rules; this is an illustration, not a recommendation or a claim that all operators use identical wording.

If support attributes the incident to an interruption, ask it to identify the applicable interruption clause. If it instead alleges a malfunction or an incorrect displayed prize, ask for the separate rule and the evidence for that classification. Do not assume that similar-sounding labels settle the same question.

Ask support a question it can investigate

A useful first message identifies one incident and the missing fact. You can adapt this original template:

On [date/time/time zone], [game title] disconnected after [last action]. The affected round reference is [reference, or unknown]. My history shows [stake and result entries]. Please confirm whether the stake was accepted, whether an outcome was generated, whether a player decision remains, and which interruption rule applies. Please reconcile the linked entries and give me an incident reference and next update date.

Attach only relevant records through the official channel. If a reply says the matter is with the provider, ask which question is being investigated and when the operator expects to update you. A provider referral is not itself a confirmed settlement or a reason to place more stakes while waiting.

If a quoted update date passes, follow up using the same incident reference. Separate a delayed reply from a disputed amount: describe each clearly so that a response about one does not leave the other unanswered.

If the explanation remains unresolved

Use the operator's formal complaint route and keep the acknowledgement. UKGC guidance says the business has eight weeks from receiving a complaint to resolve it. Eligible unresolved disputes may then go to its Alternative Dispute Resolution provider; you must follow the business's complaint process first. Check the provider's scope and the current instructions rather than assuming every technical query is an eligible dispute.

Our complaints process guide explains how to organise the timeline and records. A request for a round explanation is different from a withdrawal delay; identify the right issue before escalating.

Does reconnecting guarantee a refund?

No. Check the round state, linked entries and applicable policy. Reconnecting a device is not a decision about whether a stake or result stands. Do not repeatedly trigger paid actions while trying to find an unfinished round; ask the operator for instructions if the interface is unclear.

Should I deposit or play again to resolve it?

There is no need to place another stake to make your existing record useful. Do not chase a disputed loss or continue because an offer deadline is approaching. Read about account controls, and use our safer-gambling support page if the incident is making it harder to stop. Gambling can lead to losses even when the software works correctly.