Don't like Sci-Fi Casino payout terms!

**BrianC** · 25th January 2006, 04:24 PM

Hello all.

I have had some bad experiences with Sci-Fi Casino recently.
I never usually play there, and when I have (just for something
different) I always end up losing my pants off.

Well, I managed to pull off a Royal Flush for $4000 and promptly
cashed out only to learn that they offer only 2 withdrawal options:
Neteller and Western Union. Neteller is not an option for me (long story)
so I was forced into using Western Union. I then learned that this casino
would only pay me in INSTALLMENTS. This is bullcrap! Any of my MG casino's pay in full and wire transfer right into my bank account. They offered me only $1000 upfront but in the SAME email they said the max for first installment would be $2000. I wrote them and said that I was NOT pleased with this withdrawal system but wanted the $2000 max they told me about - they would not answer when I asked them why they offered me only $1k of the money. They eventually agreed and processed this 'installment'. Of the $2000, I received only $1902.
$98 in fees for just the first part of the withdrawal - INSANE!

Then, this week, I logged into the account to redeem comp points only to learn that they conveinently left the remainder in my account where it could be reversed back into the account. This was way over 24 hours (about 5 days) so why would this cashed out amount even be left available?
Needless to say, I ended up blowing it all - JUST WHAT THEY WANTED!
Now, I understand that it was me that made the decision to play the money so I am accountable that I permitted myself to do that. But I do fault them for this rediculous "Installments" schedule for cashing out. And, if they need to do it this way then why allow the money to be accessed/withdrawn so easily.
IT IS OBVIOUS THEY WANT YOU TO BLOW THE REST OF IT SO THEY DONT HAVE TO PLAY. Based on that very sneaky, and downright evil tactic, they should be avoided at all costs. All my MG casino's cash me out and after 24 hrs it is no longer there for reversing.

I am so dissatisfied with this casino that I will be closing that account and never playing there again. I would recommend people NOT play there for a few reasons - 1) Sneaky tactics to limit withdrawals and tempt reversing 2) extremely high western union fees 3) awful software (compared to MG, the video poker graphics are so poor it's hard to see what suite is on the screen sometimes without squinting) 4) NO SUPPORT PHONE NUMBERS (they have this awful live support web thing - everytime I clicked it the window would close with no reply or error - even tried different browser but did same thing).

THIS PLACE STINKS! I HATE 'EM.
From now on I will NEVER play anything 'except' Microgaming casino's
that I have good experiences with.

Brian

**Lord_Have_Mercy** · 25th January 2006, 04:30 PM

Samething happened to me at their sister casino BreakAway! It took over a month to payout $6000. Only got 1500 a week from them. I blew around $800 toward the end.

**Slotmachine** · 25th January 2006, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by BrianC

I then learned that this casino
would only pay me in INSTALLMENTS.

I think this is mentioned in their T&C's and that's one of the reasons I've never played there. I think you're only partly to blame for blowing the rest of your money - obviously they took advantage of your lack of impulse control - don't get me wrong I probably would have lost it all too, I suffer from the same disease

But I don't really have to worry about it anymore as I play at 32Red and they will flush your withdrawals anytime and should you wish to exclude yourself from reversing withdrawals, they will do that, too. They don't want you to end up feeling bad about them. I'm sure there are other good casinos on Bryan's list as well, I can only speak from my own experience and from what I've learned from the boards.

And payment in installments, a big red flag for me. I'm with you 100% - I want my winnings paid in full, too. And that fee was truly fantastic - 98 bucks!!! Sheeesh

It boils down to bad business practice IMO. Not only did they lose you as a customer (you probably would have given them their money back in the long run, and then some), but now they've lost a few potential ones, too.

Glad you got your $1902, though!

Cheers,

SM

**GemG7** · 25th January 2006, 07:21 PM

Paying in installments sucks but it's listed on their website as an option, so they are not trying to hide it.

Of course the casino wants you to reverse your cashout, it's just too bad you did.

**Slotmachine** · 25th January 2006, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by trkwak

Paying in installments sucks but it's listed on their website as an option, so they are not trying to hide it.

Of course the casino wants you to reverse your cashout, it's just too bad you did.

(edit)Never mind..

Cheers,
SM

**suzecat** · 25th January 2006, 10:02 PM

This crapola about installments is so wrong in many ways. Could you imagine going to the cashier at a B&M and having them tell you that you will be paid in installments? No way -- it just does not happen!

I like RTG VP and slots and I play at a reputable casino (Inetbet) where payments are sent quickly and with no fuss (they use Neteller, among other methods). There are other ewallets available -- have you tried any of them since Neteller is out for you?

I don't think you will find an online casino that absorbs the costs for Western Union/wires/cashier's checks, so you might want to find an ewallet that you are able to use.

**BrianC** · 25th January 2006, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by suzecat

This crapola about installments is so wrong in many ways. Could you imagine going to the cashier at a B&M and having them tell you that you will be paid in installments? No way -- it just does not happen!

I like RTG VP and slots and I play at a reputable casino (Inetbet) where payments are sent quickly and with no fuss (they use Neteller, among other methods). There are other ewallets available -- have you tried any of them since Neteller is out for you?

I don't think you will find an online casino that absorbs the costs for Western Union/wires/cashier's checks, so you might want to find an ewallet that you are able to use.

I use Click2Pay but Sci-Fi did not even offer a cashin option through them.
It was either Neteller or Western Union (with it's mega high fees).
I agree, if my Atlantic City NJ casino's did this to me there would be hell to pay. The exception of course is when you hit a $100K+ jackpot which is
always paid in installments.

I'm still furious about this and to make matters worse I wrote the casino copying the manager, cashier, support and everyone else in the email and they still haven't written anything back to me. It's obvious to me they know exactly why they do it this way and they are content that they don't have to pay me the remainder so F*CK 'EM!

It was a valuable lesson. As I said before, only Vegas7, Vegas Country and Vegas Joker will have my business since they have been very good to me.
I get my money right into my bank in 2-3 days - in full. I just get past 24 hours and it's no longer reversible

I also get some great action on my favorite games: Dbl Bonus and Dbl Dbl Bonus Video Poker. Of course they have the bad swings as well but if you have enough bankroll and hit 'em on different days I can usually recover my costs plus a nice profit.

BTW: I know that 32Red is a great place to play. I signed up but they don't accept Click2Pay

I hope they will soon as I will certainly add them to
my places to play. I think 90% of the screen caps I see are from there.

Brian

**Ivy29** · 25th January 2006, 11:00 PM

Brian, I feel the same way you do about this group. If they don't want to deal with the subject in your email they will ignore it completely. If you aren't a big loser there, forget bonuses, forget comp points, forget winning a contest. Forget that frikkin coffee, I've been promised that so many times--never gotten it. If I ask them about it in email, they ignore me. If I follow that email with an email with the subject "need help with deposit" they will answer that one in minutes, so I get it. They only want to deal with losers, or the winners if they want to redeposit.

That reversal bullsh*t needs to be removed from all of them.

I hope you came out ahead with them. Uninstall and never look back!

ETA: If you like Microgaming, All Jackpots/All Slots will flush your withdrawal quickly so there is no temptation. Just email banking at the corresponding casino. They accept Click2Pay.

**Slotmachine** · 26th January 2006, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ivy29

If I follow that email with an email with the subject "need help with deposit" they will answer that one in minutes, so I get it. They only want to deal with losers, or the winners if they want to redeposit.

This truly sounds like a bad group. Of course, their business model will yield a good profit in the short term, and then they can retire I guess. They're not intending to stay in the business. At some point after this honeymoon there's gonna be some natural selection going on, and casinos such as these will be just a (bad) memory. At some point, gamblers will actually start demanding fair treatment from the casinos. It's already happening I think.

Cheers,
SM

**Stephen Colbert** · 26th January 2006, 02:21 AM

In the casino's defense, just about everything you're complaining about is listed clearly on their website.

The only thing I couldn't find within a minute of looking was the monthly cash-out limit, which is shady.