How to Verify Identity at an Online Casino? Insightful Guide on KYC + Cool Tips!
Identity verification or KYC (Know Your Customer) is a procedure online casinos implement to:
• ensure regulatory compliance
• prevent fraud, money laundering, underage gambling, risk gambling, and identity theft
• promote responsible gambling.
In this insightful guide, we will give you a thorough explanation of why ID verification is needed, when it is done, what documents are required, and share some tips on how to go through the entire process with as little hassle as possible!
Why Do Casinos Require Players to Verify Their Identity?
Most online casinos today require some form of identity verification.
The procedure itself varies between casinos and depends on specific regulatory requirements, a player's activity, betting patterns, and amounts deposited/cashed out.
Do Crypto Casinos Require Players to Verify Identity?
As you probably know, cryptocurrencies are often described as “anonymous” payment methods. Due to this, players assume that no ID verification is required, but that’s not right. It’s a casino’s own right to demand the process to be completed, even if it runs as a crypto-only platform.
*HOT TIP* If you are unsure if verification is needed, feel free to reach out to support via live chat.
When Does a Player Need to Verify Their Identity?
This depends on the casino’s internal policy. Most casinos will verify a player's identity upon the first withdrawal request.
Verification may be repeated once cumulative withdrawals reach a specified amount.
Some operators may require players to finalize the verification process upon registering or making the initial deposit.
We advise you to check the Terms for ID verification requirements and complete it ASAP. Do this at the earliest convenience the casino allows, to prevent delays and issues upon withdrawals.
*HOT TIP* Always have up-to-date docs prepared!
What Documents Are Needed for ID Verification?
Different casinos have different requirements, but most commonly, the necessary documents include:
• proof of identity and age (front and back of ID card, passport, driver’s license, or any similar government-issued document)
• proof of address (such as utility bill no older than 3 months)
• proof of payment method ownership and proof of deposit
• selfie with ID documents (possibly with casino website opened in the back), video or phone verification.
• Face matching between ID document photo and a selfie-picture
As for the payment method proof, if using a credit card, you may be asked to provide a scanned copy of the card or to fill in a credit card verification form while registering.
Other possible options include an email payment/deposit confirmation notification and a screenshot of the payment notification with clear details like email address and/or account ID.
A relatively small number of casinos have some less common requirements. For example, a player may be asked to photograph themselves next to post signs or other landmarks as proof of location or to submit an image of themselves with a local daily newspaper. In the case of high-value deposits/wagering, casinos may want to check the source of funds (SOF).
Bear in mind that some casinos do not accept mobile phone bills.
Also, take note that some casinos may ask for notarized documents - certification by a notary public may incur additional costs.
*HOT TIP* All details must be clearly visible in selfies, scans, or copies. Make sure the documents are not cropped or blurred!
How to Provide Documents for ID Verification?
First of all, players need to check which particular documents are needed. Make sure to check whether the operator requires photocopied documents, scanned documents, or screenshots.
These are the possible options for how documents may be submitted:
• via email
• via a dedicated page on the site
• third-party service secure transfer
• through mobile app
Once the required documents are sent, a casino will send a confirmation that the documents are received.
Some operators have it as a section under “My Account” or “My Profile”, so players can check the status and the progress of the verification process.
In addition to this, players in certain countries may complete instant verification through some of the following bank accounts:
• BankID
• eIDAS
• Trustly
• Sofort
• Rapid ID
• IDnow
• Jumio
How Long Does It Take for a Casino to Verify Documents?
In some casinos, the process is instant, so a player has the documents verified immediately upon submitting them, let’s say within 15 minutes.
On average, the verification process is completed anywhere between 2-5 business days. On extremely rare occasions, a casino may need up to 15 working days to verify a consumer’s identity.
*HOT TIP* Some casinos do not complete the verification process on weekends - Saturday and Sunday. This may be the reason why the process may take longer than expected.
Why KYC is Unsuccessful
• Inadequate documents or omission of documents
• Data in documents not clearly visible
• Mismatched data between the registration form and provided documents
• Inaccurate information provided by omission or oversight
• Provided documents are not in the player's name
• Documents provided in a wrong form
• Player has multiple accounts
• Technical issues
This is pretty much a retrospective of all significant things ID verification-related. If you’ve had any unusual requirements from casinos or experiences with overly long procedures, feel free to share them here in this thread.
Don’t forget to read the Terms and Conditions! Have fun & gamble responsibly!