1
general::
An instance of unfair or harsh treatment, as in After 25 years with the bank Bob got a raw deal? no pension, no retirement benefits of any kind, just a gold watch. Raw here means "crude" or "unfair." [First half of 1900s]
American Heritage Idioms
2
general::
Phrase(s): *a raw deal
an instance of unfair or bad treatment. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) • Mary got a raw deal on her traffic ticket. She was innocent, but she had to pay a big fine. • I bought a used TV that worked for two days and then quit. I sure got a raw deal. • You sure had a raw deal.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs