Recent reports that some websites claiming to offer online gamblers unbiased reviews and advice on the best online gaming sites may be bogus have been confirmed by Leisure and Gaming PLC. CEO Alistair Ashton has accused some sites of stating ‘if you don’t pay me money, I will write bad things about you.’

“It is very flattering to be very high on these lists, but it is not very flattering to pay $10,000 to be on the list,” Ashton stated. According to Leisure and Gaming PLC, the owner of gaming sites VIPpoker, com and VIPsports.com, management were approached by watchdog sites offering multiple deals of positive reviews for cash.

While many watchdog sites are quick to dismiss claims of conflict of interest, one case involving MajorBetting.com and MajorWager.com highlights how deeply questionable practices are engrained. Costa Rica based Majorbetting.com was launched by Russ Hawkins in 2000. The former gambler now owns and operates a ratings site MajorWager.com, which provides a list of reputable sportsbooks for sports betting fans. MajorBetting.com features prominently on MajorWager.com’s site. Players are only informed that the two businesses share the same owner when they link to MajorBetting.com from MajorWager.com.

However Russ Hawkins is open about the practice and acknowledges the obvious conflict of interest. “We don’t hide it. There are conflicts of interest everywhere,” Hawkins says.

Such cases cast aspersions on the reliability of all watchdog sites. MajorWager.com reports that it runs paid advertisements on behalf of Royal Sports Group. The gaming operator receives high reviews on MajorWager.com, however rates a paltry D minus at SportsbookReview.com. Among comments made on the ratings site concerning Royal Sports Group are those indicating the site has “poor customer service” and “risk player’s funds.” Financial controller at SportsbookReview.com Shannon Donlea, advised that when “players stop reporting that Royal will not pay them, we will gladly review their current rating.”

However the practice of rewarding online casino sites that pay for advertising with favorable reviews persists across the board and shows little sign of changing. Choosing a trustworthy ratings site is now just as crucial as choosing a reputable online casino.

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