Player Dispute Handling and ADR – A Step-by-Step Template

Disputes are inevitable. What matters is how quickly you acknowledge issues, how transparently you investigate, and how fairly you resolve them. The process below is designed for iGaming and betting operators, but it also works for any consumer platform that handles funds. Adapt the scripts and SLAs to your jurisdiction and product; if you operate under a curacao gambling license, reference local complaint handling and ADR requirements in your playbook.

Step 1: intake and acknowledgement

Open one channel for all disputes – a dedicated form or email – and collect the same core fields every time: account ID, date and time of issue, product type, transaction IDs, screenshots, and the remedy the player seeks. Acknowledge within 24 hours and provide a case number.

Acknowledgement script:

“Thanks for contacting us about [issue]. We have opened case #[ID]. We aim to update you within [X] business days. If you have new documents, reply to this email and keep the subject line unchanged so we can track evidence.”

Step 2: triage and SLA assignment

Not every complaint is the same. Classify by severity and set a clear target timeline.

• Level 1 – low value or non-monetary friction: target three business days.
• Level 2 – monetary impact under your threshold: target five business days.
• Level 3 – monetary impact above threshold, potential systemic error, or self-exclusion concerns: escalate to compliance within 24 hours and target 10 business days.

Document who owns each level. Name a single accountable owner so nothing stalls.

Step 3: evidence collection and preservation

Pull logs before they rotate. At a minimum, collect login history, session IDs, game rounds or bet slips, payment gateway responses, risk rules triggered, chat transcripts, and prior similar cases. Snapshots should be time-stamped and stored in a write-once space. If third parties are involved, such as game studios, PSPs, or identity vendors, send a standard evidence request with a 3- to 5-day deadline.

Vendor request snippet:

“Please provide logs for user [ID] covering [UTC timestamps], including request payloads, responses, error codes, and reconciliation files. Flag any anomalies and confirm clock drift.”

Step 4: fairness analysis

Test the story against your terms and policies, but do not hide behind them. Apply a simple fairness matrix:

• Was the information clear at the point of decision?
• Did latency, outage, or a known bug affect the outcome?
• Were risk controls applied correctly and consistently?
• Would a reasonable user expect a different result?

If the answer to any is no, lean toward a make-good. If you decline, your rationale must be anchored in published rules, not internal convenience.

Step 5: decision and written outcome

Write outcomes in plain English. Use short sentences and list the evidence reviewed. When a complaint is upheld, specify the remedy and the date it will take effect. If it is rejected, provide the reason and reference the precise rule or clause. In all cases, outline the customer’s next option and explain how to access ADR.

Outcome template:

“After reviewing your account activity, system logs, and provider responses for [date range], we found [finding]. In line with section [X] of our Terms, we will [credit/refund/adjust] by [amount] within [timeframe]. If you remain dissatisfied, you can ask for an independent review via ADR as described below.”

Step 6: remedies that de-escalate

Choose remedies that actually fix the harm. Options include reversal or manual settlement for provable errors, goodwill credits when harm is plausible but not provable, and fee waivers where your process caused friction. Avoid complex bonus conditions for dispute resolutions. If you compensate, make the remedy unconditional unless there is a clear indication of fraud.

Step 7: ADR referral and handover

Alternative Dispute Resolution acts as the safety release—preventing complaints from escalating into court battles and keeping regulators from knocking on your door. Tell players when they can escalate – typically after you issue a final response or after your SLA window closes. Provide the ADR body’s name, link, and the information you will share. Package the case file so the ADR reviewer does not need to chase you.

ADR handover checklist: final response letter, player submissions, all logs and screenshots, relevant terms and game rules, internal analysis, and the calculation behind any proposed remedy. Provide a single contact for the ADR case and commit to response times.

Step 8: post-mortem and control fixes

Every resolved dispute is a data point. Tag root causes: game content, payments, KYC, self-exclusion, latency, and customer service. If a bug or unclear rule triggered the dispute, log a defect with a due date and assign an owner. If the ADR outcome is unfavourable, update internal guidance to prevent agents from repeating the same stance. Close the loop with training that uses anonymised real cases.

Service standards you can publish

Publishing realistic SLAs builds trust. A simple public statement works:

• We acknowledge all complaints within 24 hours.
• We aim to resolve most cases within five business days and complex cases within 10.
• If we cannot resolve your case within 30 days, you may escalate to ADR.

Keep these promises even during peak events. If you anticipate delays, update your banner and extend goodwill for slow responses.

Records, metrics, and audits

Keep each case file for the period required by your jurisdiction. Monitor response and resolution times, case reopen frequency, percentage of decisions upheld, leading three root causes, and refunds granted. Each month, review a random case sample to assess both quality of outcomes and communication tone. Share trend summaries with product, risk, and engineering so the business learns from complaints instead of repeating them.

Training and tone

Agents need two skills: procedural discipline and empathy. Provide a short playbook with dos and don’ts for tone. Ban defensive language. Encourage clear apologies when you are at fault and neutral phrasing when you are not—reward agents for well-documented files and de-escalations, not just for handling time.

Final thought

An effective dispute and ADR process is a competitive advantage. It reduces churn, improves partner trust, and keeps regulators confident in your governance. Whether you operate under a costa rica lgaming license or another regime, start with consistent intake, preserve evidence, write fair outcomes, and make ADR easy. The more predictable and transparent your process, the fewer disputes you will have tomorrow.