With the CFL regular season underway, Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan (LGS) are reminding sports betters and online gamblers to be cautious of fake casino ads on social media and to gamble online safely and securely on PlayNow.com, the only legal online gambling platform available in Saskatchewan.
Fake ads mimic real Saskatchewan casinos
“If you see a social media ad for an online version of Casino Regina or any other land-based casino in the province, don’t click on it,” LGS Vice President of Gaming Steve Tunison said. “None of Saskatchewan’s land-based casinos have an online version where you can bet on sports or wager on a casino-style game, and neither does the province’s VLT program.”
Scammers using familiar branding to steal data
They say that fraudulent online casinos often copy the names, logos and exterior images of actual land-based casinos in an attempt to steal credit card numbers and other banking information. According to LGS, a brand takedown service has identified and removed 140 such ads within the first six months of using the service alone.
Related Stories:
What to do if you see a suspicious ad
If you encounter fraudulent ads, LGS says to report it directly to the social media platform it appeared on. Instances of suspected fraud and cybercrime can also be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm or by calling 1-888-495-8501.