Imperial Casino Encourages $1000 Deposit then Modifies Terms

[harbourhopper]

During the Christmas holidays, Imperial casino sent out a massive set of promotions, one of which was $1000 free on a $1000 deposit. The rules for cashing out the bonus were 15xD+B, including several Blackjack options at the Micro-Stakes tables.

This offer seemed more than attractive enough to convince me to deposit, and soon after I had claimed the bonus and began wagering and seriously risking my money, I had blown my balance up to well over $4000.

The playthrough is grueling and long at $30,000 but I risk much less playing Blackjack.

About a week ago, Imperial dropped Blackjack from its list of allowed games. I knew full well most players who deposited for the $1000 free hadn't finished their $30,000 playthrough.

I sent in an email through their message centre from the website to request the wagering restictions be removed once I had finished by the original terms, they have no call centre, or actual email addresses. They either misread my email or ignored it:

Dear bronmact2,

Thank you for your inquiry. Please read the terms of our "Minimum
Play-Through Requirement (PTR).

In order to cash-out qualifying deposit and/or any winnings resulting
from a bonus offer, player must wager 15 times the sum of the
qualifying deposit plus the bonus award in eligible real-money games.

Wagers from the following ineligible games are excluded from counting
toward the Play-Through Requirement: Baccarat, Blackjack, please see
link below for complete list of eligible games), Chuck-A-Luck, Craps,
Roulette (some games only are excluded, please see link below for
complete list of eligible games), Sic Bo and Video Poker (some games
only are excluded, please see link below for complete list of eligible
games).

Attempting to cashout before satisfying the Play-Through Requirement
will result in forfeiture of any remaining bonus chips and all
winnings received from bonus chip stakes up to that point.

Minimum Play-Through Requirement (PTR) = (Initial chip purchase +
Matching Bonus) x 15
PTR = ($1000 + $1000) x 15
= $30000

At the time of this response your remaining PTR = $27276.89. You may
send us an inquiry at any time and we will supply you this PTR
information.

Following this, I wrote a second email and received this a few days afterwards:

Dear bronmact2,

Please note that our Bonus Terms have changed recently and some games
are no longer eligible.

For a list of all eligible games, please click on the link below:

http://www.ImperialCasino.com/policies/promotion.html

Please note: Casino Management reserves the right to end any
promotional offer at any time, without reason or justification. Casino
Management also reserves the right to deny a bonus, or a series of
bonuses, or a bonus program, to any Player or any group of Players, at
any time, without reason or justification.

Kind regards,
Customer Care Team

Support refuses to back down on the retroactive change to the terms, despite the fact that nowhere in their terms do they include a clause warning that changes to the terms may occur at anytime. The closest they have to it, and which they cited to me by email is the right to deny or end a promotional offer at any time.

I understand casinos feel the need to change terms periodically for whatever reason, but I cannot empathise with changing promotional rules after a deposit has been made and the promotion claimed.

There's no question whether that clause can be interpreted as justification for changing terms or not that it's unfair to the player.

[Rob]

this clause should do the trick

Disputes. In the event of any dispute regarding bonuses, the decision of Casino Management is final and shall be binding on the Player per consent to the Agreement necessary for the creation of a Player account.

and you agreed to this when signing up

[harbourhopper]

That clause is the "FU" clause of every casino that demands the player to accept whatever management decides.

[lojo]

It is ROGUE to change terms after the contract is entered into.

Imperial is an accredited casino. I'd suggest you PaB here after reading the advice on that page.

Good luck

[Rob]

Originally Posted by harbourhopper

That clause is the "FU" clause of every casino that demands the player to accept whatever management decides.

And I'm afraid to say you agreed to that when you signed up

[lojo]

Originally Posted by Rob

And I'm afraid to say you agreed to that when you signed up

Rogue is rogue

[Komodo]

I have the same complaint.
They dont even answer my emails.
This is extremely bad customer treatment from their part, first send out a good xmas bonus, let the players lose a shitload of money and then change TC.

Originally Posted by Rob

this clause should do the trick
and you agreed to this when signing up

Is there anything you dont agree to when you sign up on a site?

[lojo]

Originally Posted by Komodo

I have the same complaint.
They dont even answer my emails.
This is extremely bad customer treatment from their part, first send out a good xmas bonus, let the players lose a shitload of money and then change TC.

Have you filed a complaint here?
http://www.casinomeister.com/problems.php

[Komodo]

Thx. Complaint filled in.

[maxd]

I have received your PAB and will process it in the next few days. HarbourHopper, I encourage you to file one as well.