Platinum Play booby-trap

[MeganSpot]

I am relating my recent experience as a first time player at Platinum Play casino as a dire warning to would be players. Apologies for the length but the subtlety of this bonus booby-trap requires a lengthy expose.

I was lured into opening an account with Platinum Play casino by the sign-up bonus promising to ‘Triple your Money’. Specifically the bonus reads as follows on the Platinum Play home page,

“As a first-time Real player, you'll get a 200% match bonus of up to $100 free on your first purchase of up to $50. If you purchase more than $50, we'll give you an extra $10 free! $110 Total Bonus.”

Terms of the bonus exclude play on the vast majority of casino games leaving slots, keno, cyber poker and a few others on which to play. The initial deposit needs to be wagered once (during which I lost about $8 small change or so on slots) before the 200% bonus is awarded and thereafter the d+b is to be wagered x15 before cash-in allowed. I got lucky on a slot machine and managed to cash-in $140 from an initial $50 deposit.

My wagering totaled (as later advised) precisely $2687.95 which well exceeded the d+b x15 calculations. You can imagine my surprise to find my NeTeller account had subsequently only credited $40 from my $140 cash-in.

From an exchange of emails with Casino support the following breakdown of just what bonuses had been deposited into my casino account and the attending wagering requirements was revealed:

200% sign-up $100 x15 = $2250
extra bonus $10 x20 = $200
NeTeller bonus $5 x110 = $550

Total wagering $3000

My total wagering fell exactly $312.05 short all because of a $5 NeTeller bonus (carrying outrageous x110 conditions) that I neither knew had been credited to my casino account (let alone knowing the T+C), nor which I requested to be credited to my casino account. I asked Platinum Play on three occasions why my cash-in was not refunded to my casino account for completion of wagering. No reply. I asked why the offending $5 NeTeller should not simply be removed and $135 remitted to my NeTeller account (since the $5 never even threatened to enter casino play) and was advised of the following:

“The wagering requirement that you needed to meet was $3000, you wagered a total of $2687.95. as per the Terms & Conditions of the casino if wagering requirements are not met on the bonuses the bonuses will be forfeited from the larger amount to the smallest until the wagering requirement is met.”

The Platinum Play home page expressly declares in bold and enlarged print that there is a “$110 Total Bonus on offer”. No mention of the paltry $5 NeTeller penalty (it can not be legitimately called a bonus) with not so paltry x110 wagering conditions.

This NeTeller penalty bonus is a deliberate and deceptive ploy designed to entrap the unwary first time player. Any fair-minded Casino would allow the player to remedy the wagering short-fall or simply deduct the uninvited $5 penalty bonus from the cash-in.

I feel the Platinum Play casino knows exactly what it is doing in advertising, structuring and awarding bonuses in this fashion. In fact my guess is that this casino readily anticipates springing this trap on a regular basis which is why I have gone to the trouble of submitting such a lengthy post.

I condemn Platinum Play without reservation for this sneaky and thoroughly disreputable practice that positively drips with malice aforethought.



MS

[Black21Jack]

You have to be really careful with these Neteller bonuses. These casinos are very sneaky and do not add them right away but wait for a short time before adding them without even letting the player know. It is worse if you are a bonus player and claim a bonus on your deposit, which makes it harder sometimes to notice that they added this rediculous Neteller bonus that carries astronomical playthrough requirements for such a small amount. I never claim bonuses so I notice right away that they add these things to my account and I get right on the phone to have them remove it. RTG is famous for doing this hours after I make my deposit. I even had a dispute with one where I did not notice and wagered with the bonus so I called and after threatening to not ever play again, and inform on the boards of what happened they removed it with no penalty. Try explaining to them and let them know that you did not request the bonus. They should be able to see that you did claim the other bonuses and wagered to make the playthrough and that it would be silly for you to try and rip them off for the measley $5.00 Neteller bonus.

[Vesuvio]

This NeTeller penalty bonus is a deliberate and deceptive ploy designed to entrap the unwary first time player. Any fair-minded Casino would allow the player to remedy the wagering short-fall or simply deduct the uninvited $5 penalty bonus from the cash-in.

Yes, it's disgraceful they snatch the bonus back & don't let you remedy it (despite their complex conditions & trick Neteller 'bonus') and makes the Fortune Lounge group of casino clear rogues, but all attempts to get something done about it on here fail - Casinomeister & co. will say they're really perfectly decent & you just shouldn't play with bonuses - I'll find you another thread all this was gone through on before. Fortunelounge come on this board to solve a few problems but of course wilfully exploit a huge number of players who don't know about these boards and what to expect.

If they're not rogues all they need to do is change it so that players are informed of the short-fall in wagering & the cash-in is returned to the casino balance so they can put it right.

[Vesuvio]

Here's the thread:

http://www.casinomeister.com/forums/...+lounge+rogues

Sorry, but it's really infuriating to see players going through the same problems when a little pressure on the casino from this board might well change their policy...

[GrandMaster]

Here is something possibly more helpful: e-mail vpops@fortunelounge.com with your problem, if this fails, file a complaint with ecogra at http://www.ecogra.org/dispute.asp.

If Mr Fortune Lounge reads this thread, I would like an explanation why these things keep happening. Why can't they notify the player when a Neteller bonus is added, and why can't accounts and CS staff use some common sense in such situations?

[largeeyes]

I had almost the exact same post a few months back. I played in pounds, for which the bonus never should have been applied, so I was able to get the large bonus removal reversed. However, it is a very slimy thing to be doing.

[Simmo!]

Very interesting. And a real shame as i like FL as an organisation but this is not good, so a deserved IMHO for highlighting it Meganspot.

[rowmare]

This is very interesting.

I did a little research to see just what wagering requirements can be expected for Neteller bonuses.

I came up with these:

1. Roxy Palace: To be eligible to withdraw the bonus amount [Neteller Bonus], participants need to wager the deposit AND bonus amount 5 times.

2. Wild Jack: In the interests of fair casino play, we require that players receiving our 10% deposit bonus wager [Neteller Bonus] at least three times the amount of their deposit plus the bonus amount before making any withdrawl.



And here, in full, are the terms for cashing in when a Neteller Bonus has been in play - From the Platinum Play Website:

Platinum Play
NETELLER PURCHASE BONUS - TERMS & CONDITIONS


10% Bonus offer is only valid on US Dollar ($) accounts. GBP and EUR accounts are not eligible for this promotion.

To receive the 10% NETeller bonus, simply purchase and wager the purchase amount once. The 10% bonus will be calculated on your FIRST NETeller purchase.

You will receive your 10% bonus within 24 hours of the purchase being wagered, up to a maximum bonus of $100.

In the interest of avoiding any confusion related to the bonus offer, please be certain to read the following wagering obligations: [geez, you need to have a law degree AND be a CPA to follow what follows]
Prior to cashing-in your bonus offer, players are required to:

Wager the purchase amount (up to a maximum value equivalent to the bonus amount) at least ten (10) times

Wager the bonus amount at least ten (10) times

Assuming you receive a $100 bonus;

Your wagering requirements would be $11,000 - calculated as ($1,000 Purchase x 10) + ($100 Bonus x 10)
Certain games are excluded from those which players are permitted to play for the purpose of meeting their wagering requirements. This is done to avoid any "bonus abuse." Excluded games are Craps and Roulette.

The wagering obligations for players resident in Denmark are slightly more stringent, as they are required to wager the purchase amount and the bonus amount 20 times before any cash-in will be permitted. In addition to the aforementioned wagering requirements, wagers placed on the following games will not be deemed as fulfilling a promotion's minimum wager requirement: All forms of Blackjack, Craps, Sic Bo, Red Dog, all forms of Baccarat, all forms of Roulette and Progressive Roulette tables, all forms of Power Poker and Video Poker except Deuces Wild.

The wagering requirement (for cash-in purposes) will start being counted from the time the promotion bonus was added to the casino account.

This promotion is only valid until 23:59 September 30, 2004 (EST).

To qualify for the 10% bonus, participants are required to wager the purchased amount at least once. Please note that if your first ever purchase is made via NETeller you will need to wager your purchase once to qualify for NETeller bonus and once for the Signup Match Bonus.

The 10% bonus applies to the FIRST purchase EVER via NETeller on your casino account, up to a maximum purchase of $1,000 i.e. a maximum bonus of $100.

Please note that this purchase bonus may not be taken in conjunction with the sign-up offer at Fortune Room, Vegas Villa or Royal Vegas casinos - i.e. if your first purchase is made via NETeller you will only be eligible for the casino sign-up purchase match offer.


Well, paint me purple and color me stupid, but this just isn't clear to me. Are the Neteller wagering requirements above and beyond the wecome bonus wagering requirements?

Do you have to wager 15X your purchase + Bonus for the 200% bonus WR, and then have to wager an additional 10X your purchase + Neteller bonus amount to meet your Neteller bonus WR?

Either way, it doesn't add up to 110%

[fortunelounge]

Meganspot: An automated note pasted on your account indicates that you received our automailer to inform you of your Neteller bonus having been added. The mail was sent to you on 30/8/04.

I have checked the calculation of your wagering requirements and the information you received was absolutely correct.

I cannot, however, understand where you get the 110 times wagering on your Neteller bonus. The wagering requirement is Purchase + Bonus x 10.

Grandmaster: I am not sure what you mean by CS using more common sense ? If wagering requirements have not been met, they have not been met. We cannot start making exceptions.

Vesuvio: Pressure from this board is not going to change our policy in this regard. I don't see the same comments about other casinos who have similar or even worse wagering requirements.

VP Operations
Fortune Lounge

[Vesuvio]

Vesuvio: Pressure from this board is not going to change our policy in this regard. I don't see the same comments about other casinos who have similar or even worse wagering requirements.

Fortunelounge, I've got no complaints about your wagering requirements - the neteller bonus is a trap, but you're not alone in that. All I object to is the automatic snatching back of the bonus rather than returning the cash-in to the players' account and letting them remedy the error. This is something even most rogues don't go in for and a very shabby policy.

It's true I don't expect you'll change it as it must give a huge & ill-deserved boost to your profits, but at least some pressure on here would show you up for what you are.