CasinoJoy refusing to pay due to "bonus abuse" - advice?

**kernow** · 12th September 2011, 01:15 PM

Could you explain a little more please? Why are my options limited because the casino is based in Malta? (I don't have any experience with Maltese law.)

**DiamondGeezer** · 12th September 2011, 10:33 PM

If you get no recourse from the LGA you will have to take the casino to court in Malta. Malta is an island with a very small population and the main employer is casinos. So most of the legal firms won't want to take your case as they most likely work for the casinos.

If you can get someone to take your case on it is going to involve some quite complex legal argument which will be very expensive. The casino will defend and if you lose you might end up having to pay their legal costs in addition to your own. Are your really going to fly out to Malta and spend thousands on a case that could land you with a huge legal bill?

It still may be worth doing but you are going to have to commit a lot of money to it I think. This is the problem you have.

Also at the end of the day it's not clear how 'fair' the Maltese judicial system is.

Personally if the casino are determined not to pay it will be very difficult to see any of this money.

Going to stick my neck out now and say you have very little chance of getting this money via the LGA or a Maltese court. Your only chance is if people in the industry lobby the casino on your behalf. Good luck anyway.

**kernow** · 17th September 2011, 03:49 PM

One thing I certainly will be doing is contacting John Penrose MP, the government minister responsible for online gambling and is in charge of the upcoming reform of online gambling laws. I am sure he would be interested to hear about the case when looking at casinos that have ready access to the UK market but are not answerable to UK authorities and do not offer consumers the protection they would have from a UK based casino. We all know the level of consumer protection the LGA in Malta really offers...

**SlotMonster** · 17th September 2011, 05:48 PM

kernow, excuse me, maybe I just didn't this thread read carefully, but what amount do they owe you? Just curious. Thank you!

**Nifty29** · 17th September 2011, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by kernow

One thing I certainly will be doing is contacting John Penrose MP, the government minister responsible for online gambling and is in charge of the upcoming reform of online gambling laws. I am sure he would be interested to hear about the case when looking at casinos that have ready access to the UK market but are not answerable to UK authorities and do not offer consumers the protection they would have from a UK based casino. We all know the level of consumer protection the LGA in Malta really offers...

Why not.

Your comments will be carefully ignored I am sure.

**jetset** · 18th September 2011, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by kernow

One thing I certainly will be doing is contacting John Penrose MP, the government minister responsible for online gambling and is in charge of the upcoming reform of online gambling laws. I am sure he would be interested to hear about the case when looking at casinos that have ready access to the UK market but are not answerable to UK authorities and do not offer consumers the protection they would have from a UK based casino. We all know the level of consumer protection the LGA in Malta really offers...

The UK government is already on top of this with a revised "secondary licensing" and tax scheme currently going through the legislative process and aimed at making offshore operators accessing the UK market more answerable (and of course taxable).

Unfortunately, I have the feeling that despite being a piss-poor regulator from a player perspective, Malta will be grandfathered in as a supposedly reliable licensing and regulatory jurisdiction recognised by the UK government due to its 'white list' advertising status.

**threescatters** · 18th September 2011, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by jetset

The UK government is already on top of this with a revised "secondary licensing" and tax scheme currently going through the legislative process and aimed at making offshore operators accessing the UK market more answerable (and of course taxable).

.

Its a joke tho. IBAS/The Gambling comission dont really care about players themselves, only the operators.....so what are other regulators supposed to think?