A Little Grouse about Casino Rewards

[eeeee]

I hate to show up here and just complain, but it's a safe, understanding venue -- thanks CM for providing the forum.

Summary -- CR promises me $10 in my casino account if I confirm my email address, but I confirm my email and I don't get $10, but instead I get bonus points banned. This is a petty complaint about CR's false advertising, poor support, and a hollow, false-fronted bonus system.

Background/Full Disclosure -- I'm a poker player and mostly go to the casino for advantage play. I've been to 4 CR casinos over the last three years for bonus offers, but have played at more CR casinos and mostly won.
I've never cashed points out from them because I read online that they ban you for using your points.
I've not overplayed their bonuses and recieve endless numbers of emails from them. I've even passed over some of their welcome bonuses in order to not be flagged -- how bad can I possibly be? Hardly a "bonus abuser"
I accepted a holiday bonus 7 weeks ago and profited <$10 and tried to cash out to my C2P account -- all indicators were that the w/d was in process -- I waited 12 days and had to use a couple emails to get a cash out taking a few more days. Shame on me.

To sum it up, they probably shouldn't like me, but they sure acted like they do, and I've repeatedly left money on the table so they would continue to be nice to me.

Trail of Shame --
CR sent me this email -

Hello Eric,
We at CasinoRewards take pride in our award winning weekly promotions and give-aways. To make sure all of our cherished players are receiving this information, we need to verify your email address.
All you have to do is click here, and as a bonus receive $10 from us in to the casino account below.

Account: Phcr1xxxxxxx
Casino: Phoenician

Just click and get $10, simple as that
Steven Cooke
Casino Host

Nice email, huh? Bolding above is mine.

$10 to mess with. OH YEAH! Why not? I clicked and waited - no money. I sent the following email -

The $10 is not sitting there waiting for me. ?

Looking back, I don't like my tone, but this is just a small thing, right?

Here's their response

Hello Eric,

Thank you for contacting the CR Helpdesk.

To redeem your VIP points*, follow these steps:

Login to the Casino
On the Casinos mainpage you will notice a red “Login” button within the Casino Rewards section. Click on this.
You will then be re-directed to the Casino Rewards website where you will see any points available to you.
On the column that says Cash In Points, click on the underlined ($10), where ($10) represents the dollar value of points you want to redeem.

You will then be asked to confirm the transaction and upon completion the reward points should show on your casino account within 2-10 minutes.

If you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind Regards,
Arwed

CR Helpdesk


* All promotions are subject to rules, terms & conditions. Availability of deposit options varies by region. Please refer to the Casino website for details.

Bolding mine. So I got the wrong form letter, right? I was promised $10 in my casino account and they are discussing points. I see I have $30 in my rewards account, not $10. There's a mistake. I figure this is the usual hasty support guy and I don't do their points -- otherwise I'll get no more offers.
I try again with a fresh email. I want to play with the $10 and don't want to play points.

There is not ten dollars in my casino account. Last time I asked I received a response regarding points in my reward account, but I didn't ask about my rewards account or points, so I am confused. Can you please help me? Thank you.

A little better with the tone, right? Well, how dare me challenge them!

Hello Eric,

Thank you for contacting the CR Helpdesk with your comments.

The temporary suspension of Casino Rewards VIP points is based on a number of contributing factors - including your entire history within the Casino Rewards network - and as indicated in our previous correspondence we are unable to provide you with the specific criteria by which the suspension will be lifted.
We simply ask that you continue to demonstrate an intention to play, deposit & wager at the casino in accordance with the Casino’s promotional Terms & Conditions and your entitlement to redeem points will be replaced.

I hope this information may help you.

Kind Regards,

Angela

CR Helpdesk

What? This must be the wrong form letter, right? They don't answer my questions or reference the offer. They are answering me as if I was asking about some ban. What previous correspondance? Customer No-Support.

Please stop sending me form letters, please.
I've never been suspended. I don't know what you are talking about. What previous correspondance???
You aren't reading my questions. What have you done?
I've never redeemed points. This isn't about points. Please quit talking about points. Please.
This isn't support, it's slow torture. I ask for an offered cookie, then I get a rock, then a snake.

CR offered $10 in my casino account. I'm merely asking about $10 in my casino account. If you don't intend to give it to me, please don't talk about points in a form letter; instead, please state "we won't credit you $10" so I can stop banging my head against the wall.

Well, it looks like a got a real answer instead of a form letter, but they continue to leave a ban, continue to discuss points, and I don't get the $10. And, BTW, no apology for the inadequate, rude form letters.

Hello Eric

Thanks for your email.

Within casino rewards you have casino accounts ( to play) and one bonus account ( on casino rewards).

Your bonuses are credited on your bonus account as VIP points.

1000VIP points=10$

You can then choose to redeem those points into casino chips.

You received the 10$ bonus into your casino rewards account

But as you did not show a real intention to purchase at our casino, you can't redeem any points into casino chips as the temporary suspension of Casino Rewards VIP points is based on a number of contributing factors - including your entire history within the Casino Rewards network - and as indicated in our previous correspondence we are unable to provide you with the specific criteria by which the suspension will be lifted.

We simply ask that you continue to demonstrate an intention to play, deposit & wager at the casino in accordance with the Casino’s promotional Terms & Conditions and your entitlement to redeem points will be replaced.


Regards

Noemie
CR Helpdesk

I suppose that if I don't play points anyway I won't lose anything, but I am bummed they've flagged me. This exchange was wrong on multiple levels:
1) No $10 in my casino account, as promised.
2) Form letters that reference non-existant previous bad news. Bad way to get bad news.
3) CR having a point system that is not intended to be used.
4) Not even a apology for confusing, misleading information. My prior recent contact with them was equally unsympathetic and unapologetic.

The Bright Side -- Maybe they'll stop sending me emails? Naw, that'll never happen.

[vinylweatherman]

This was exactly what I got 3 years ago. I was offered first a special free chip (as points), THEN received an INVITE to open another account and claim the SUB. This I did, and I took the points and played. In those days, the rewards account was divided so that you could take promotional bonses, but leave the points alone. After taking their invitation, I met WR and withdrew £50, leaving the bulk, some £400, behind for further play.
This demonstration of intent, leaving £400 behind, STILL earned me a points ban

I played a little more, and a little more, each time winning more and more, withdrawing a bit at a time, and ended up more than DOUBLING the £400.
I fired off a letter to Kahnawake (who actually replied and seemed concerned) and just ignored them. After soem while, I found the ban had been lifted.

My conclusion is that it is only TIME that determines the length of the ban, it has nothing to do with play. The principle is probably that "bonus abusers" will just go away, and GENUINE players will just try again and again to see if their play has caused the ban to be lifted.
It is a STUPID SYSTEM, as it is no longer possible to enter ANY promotion with a points ban, and thus impossible to demonstrate a willingness to continue to participate & play.

Is this silly system explotable, you bet

[daera]

I know a few people that this happened to, including myself... and with a nice tone and explaining clearly what promotion we got, forwarding the original promo to them also, they credited our accounts anyway and everything was fine.

It's possible the support reps. weren't clear what $10 you were referring to.. ?

[vinylweatherman]

I know a few people that this happened to, including myself... and with a nice tone and explaining clearly what promotion we got, forwarding the original promo to them also, they credited our accounts anyway and everything was fine.

It's possible the support reps. weren't clear what $10 you were referring to.. ?

The OP also complained they had their reward account LOCKED, this goes beyond CS just not knowing which $10 was being referred to.