Despite reports claiming that Telegram banned the popular online casino platform TG.Casino, a number of other bots seemingly serving the same brand remain active on the site. So are a plethora of other black market casino services.
Telegram is a cloud-based, cross-platform social media and instant messaging platform. Last week, users who attempted to wager on the app using the TG.Casino Portal channel had no luck. Instead, they reportedly received notifications the bot was offline due to Terms of Service violations.
However, today, TGCasino Bonus (@TGCasinobot) and TG Casino Support (@Tg.Casino SupportBot) are accessible alongside a long list of competing bot-driven casino and betting platforms. This remaining access to Telegram-based online gambling contradicts reports that the social messaging service has started cracking down on its gambling bots.
Indeed, the nature of bot-based casinos likely makes rooting operators out a challenge akin to Whac-A-Mole: whenever one disappears, another pops up.
Bot casinos trade risk for anonymity
TG.Casino — a regional partner of the Italian football (soccer) club AC Milan — is just one of many bot-based online betting platforms accessible to Telegram users. The platform, also available through online browsers or mobile, bills itself on X as “the world’s fastest growing casino.”
Telegram is mainly used to share content and encrypted chats and messages. However, it also handles photo and video sharing, screen capture, voice chat, money transfers, and online payments.
Online casinos leverage Telegram (and its bots) to run robust gambling operations, allowing users to make real wagers without ever leaving the app. Unfortunately, these gambling products are predominantly unregulated, making them illegal in most jurisdictions.
At best, authorities in locations with poor reputations, like Curacao, a Dutch island in the Caribbean, regulate these operators. The Curacao Gaming Control Board has previously faced accusations of allowing the platforms it regulates to engage in fraud, misconduct, and money laundering.
As a result, critics have long scrutinized Telegram for welcoming such products to its platform. However, reports that Telegram has begun cracking down on these gaming sites seem premature. Instead, its actions appear sporadic and cosmetic at best as new bots replace those that disappear, whether due to platform-led removal or something more nefarious.
Interestingly, the version of Telegram downloaded through Google Play — which prevents users from accessing questionable content that Google refuses to associate with — employs filters that prevent certain content, including gambling bots. However, casino and betting bots are available on all other platform versions.
Stake issues warning of Telegram bot scam
The main selling point for Telegram casinos is players’ ability to avoid the requirements of regulated gambling sites. For instance, Telegram casinos allow anonymous sign-ups without know-your-customer (KYC) requirements and cryptocurrency payments.
However, anonymity presents additional challenges, making it easier for unethical actors to use fraudulent activities to scam their users. And if a site goes kaput, good luck getting your money back.
For instance, earlier this month, sweepstakes casino Stake.us warned users about a fraudulent Telegram account, “StakeBot,” falsely promising a 1,000% deposit bonus with no playthrough required.
The scam account prompts victims to deposit cryptocurrency into a crypto wallet. It then claims the generous bonus will appear in the player’s Stake.us account, but it never arrives.
According to reports, the bot often advertises itself in legitimate Stake channels on Telegram, deceiving users into believing it is rightfully affiliated. The fraudulent account also promotes itself on other social media, like Reddit and X.
On Feb. 10, Stake issued a warning about StakeBot on X:
Please note that the Telegram channel ‘Stake Bot’ has NO association with Stake US. DO NOT send your crypto wallet addresses or accept any offers from this account, as it will result in the loss of your coins. We kindly ask you to refrain from interacting with the account and report it immediately. All communication will only come from our official channels.
Several X users responded to the warning, confirming they had lost money to the scam. One even claimed the scheme has been ongoing for over a year.
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