I'm such an idiot to start playing online again!

[Let_It_Ride]

Last year I finally accepted I have a gambling problem and stopped gambling for nearly a year and informed all the casinos about my problem and asked them to exclude me. A few weeks ago in a moment of weakness I tired to re-open or open new accounts (using the same PC, name, address and card details). Most casinos were good and said they were unable to let me play as I had excluded myself, this is good this is was us addicts need in moments of weakness.

However my story is about my experience with two casino that let me play again and the different way they handled my account.

Casino one let me open a new account, deposit and play, here I won 100euros and requested a withdrawal, a few days later I get an email saying we see you have a gaming problem we have closed your account, all bets are void! so no winnings and refunded my original deposit. Question, I used the same name, address etc. can the system have not locked me out before I played? Still for only a 100euro win I'm not gonna stress and atleast these guys have finally locked me out and stopped me playing.

Casino two, re-opened my old account, online chat also highlighted they see I have a gambling problem so I can only deposit with NETeller now and not my VISA card (what difference this makes I do not know!) they also asked me to email them to say I no longer have a gambling problem, this I never did.
I then spend the weekend playing and all the stress and addiction come back, I deposit, lose, chase, deposit, lose, chase... break even, withdrawal, go away. Have the sweats, come back, reverse 100, lose, reverse 200 lose, reverse 300, break even, withdraw. Next day reverse withdraw, play and lose everything, finally say STOP you're killing yourself and manage to walk away.

2 days later I get an email saying we can't let you play at our casino until you confirm you are no longer an addict, I write back saying you've let me play all weekend and I'm still very much an addict, ask them to close my account and ask if they will void my bets deposits as did casino one. They say will refer this to management, over 1 week later and after several emails from me I finally get a reply, they confirm my account is closed, but sorry management say no bets are void! what a surprise, I'm sure it would be a different story if I had won, like at casino number 1.

Shows nothing has changed in this industry after a year and still many cowboys out there, these guys don't give a damn about helping people with a gaming problem, infact they do everything they can to bleed your last penny!
Casino in question 'spin palace'

[vinylweatherman]

Very poor,
You should have been locked out INSTANTLY you tried to play again, and where you had to request reopening of an account this should have been referred to senior management who should have not done so until they had received a declaration from you that you no longer had a problem.

Where there IS a slip up, then ALL bets should be void, not just when you win.

If it was a new account that was opened, they should have accepted the voiding of bets once they discovered you had a problem, and could prove it.

It would be fair to name BOTH casinos, not just Spin Palace, as both are lacking.

MG casinos should be better than this, they are quick to ban players who raise fraud suspicion flags, so why are there no flags raised when a former declared addict tries to play again.

Where a former addict IS accepted back, their deposit limits should be strictly limited, not just by method, but by AMOUNT, and all credit card methods should be banned.
UKASH is particularly inconvenient when it comes to "chasing behaviour", so only allowing UKASH has the following benefits:-

1) Player can only play with cash currently in their possession.
2) They have to go to the nearest paypoint to get more, and £100 is the top limit per voucher (possibly per shop visit).
3) They should not allow ANY reversal of a withdrawal, and should pay by cheque if the player is able to deal with them, as this puts a brake on the speed this money can be redeposited and lost.

4) When players request exclusion, they should be able to specify a time limit at the outset, which should be set in stone so they cannot lose control and have a change of mind.

[Slotster!]

Thanks for sharing, and some excellent advice there Vinyl!

Problem is, casino's want -- in fact -- NEED the chasers, it's their lifeblood. To put restrictions like 'UKash' only in place would only damage their bottom line. (As it happens, I quite like using UKash to 'set' my bankroll, but it helps I've got a mate who just sorts it out for me and saves me going down the shops myself!)

IMHO, Wagerworks have the best 'self restricting' setup...

[thetic]

Let It Ride, I know a little about gambling addiction and think the casinos in question should be taken off accredited list (if they are on, I haven't checked) for this type of behaviour. I am not surprised a casino won't pay you back after you have lost at it after slipping through the net (not condoning it in any way) but to withold winnings for this reason is beyond belief! They should be wishing you well, paying out and letting you know you will never be allowed near their casino again...

You realise you have issues and can not control your gambling once started, I do not want to patronise you at all but you need to be putting up all barriers possible to stop you gambling again. Gamblers anonymous believe that if can not control your gambling the likelihood is you will never be able to, once an addict always an addict. I am not qualified enough to advise whether this is correct or not but, if so, setting time limits and signing declarations saying you no longer have a problem is not good enough - GET AWAY FROM THE CASINOS AND STAY AWAY.

I would also suggest that you get Gamblock ( www.gamblock.com , I have no connection and apologies for posting link if this is against forum rules but feel it is worthwhile for this thread) installed on each computer that you use for your gaming. However it is linked to individual computers so keep away from internet cafes and reinstall it on a new PC if you get one! Gamblock should stop you getting access to any of these sites for the period of your subscription ($75 for 1 year) so take out the longest one you can (up to 3 years I believe). The price is maybe high for the software involved but should pay for itself many times over and save you a lot of temptation.

I wish you well in your quest to come through this whichever manner you decide to tackle your addiction.

[thetic]

Just noticed your slogan at bottom of your posting and think that your 1st step would be to change this!

[Centre-Wise]

It is because of this type of behaviour that the industry suffers, problem gambling must be a top priority for any Casino or Pokerroom. Once a player identifies him/herself as a problem gambler the Casino in question should stop all account activity, failure to do so should result in a refund of deposits and voiding of bets from the point at which the player indicated they had a gambling problem.

It is the nature of a problem gambler to slip up every now and then, so it falls to the Casino to be ready and prepared to step in, stop, prevent and help the problem gambler from further damaging themselves.

I very much support responsible wagering; I believe it’s necessary for the industry to take care of itself, having attended the Gamecare course on responsible wagering, I recommend others to do so also. It offers insight into interesting ideas on how to recognise and offer advice regarding this matter.

It’s unfortunate that those Casinos acted as they did, I believe you should request to speak with management regarding your case at the 2nd Casino. Inform them that they failed in their responsibility to act correctly and considering that you were clearly flagged as a Problem gambler (which they acknowledged), they should never have allowed you to open an account. In fact encouraging you to email in to confirm you had recovered from an addiction (which you cannot judge for yourself, and requires a medical confirmation) is irresponsible.

Cheers,

Dorian

[NASHVEGAS]

I dunno.
The tobacco companies tell me smoking may be hazardous to my health
The alcohol companies want me to drink responsibily
Casinos have an 800 number for gambling irresponsibily
My mother always told me not to play in the RAIN
and Now the condom companies tell me to wear a RAINCOAT.
What's a man to do???

[Let_It_Ride]

thank you to everyone who has replied and for thier support and sound advice. I would love to speak to spin palace management but this has proved impossible, they only to seem to communicate via their customer service people.

I accept online casinos are a business like any other, and businesses are there to make money, but do they really need to increase their profit margins by another 1 or 2% by prying on the sick.

A few months ago my doctor told me I am suffering from major depression, he explained it is an illness and addication is very much a part of this illness. and the best way to deal with this as well as the drugs is to accept you are ill and ask for help.

So come on online casinos, ask yourself do you really need that extra 1% profit at the cost of players ruined lives. You have the power and the software to stop problem gamblers, as I said I opened new accounts using exactly the same name, address etc. are you really saying your software could not spot this, well not until a withdrawal was made lol!!!!!!!

[jetset]

Originally Posted by Centre-Wise

It is because of this type of behaviour that the industry suffers, problem gambling must be a top priority for any Casino or Pokerroom. Once a player identifies him/herself as a problem gambler the Casino in question should stop all account activity, failure to do so should result in a refund of deposits and voiding of bets from the point at which the player indicated they had a gambling problem.

It is the nature of a problem gambler to slip up every now and then, so it falls to the Casino to be ready and prepared to step in, stop, prevent and help the problem gambler from further damaging themselves.

I very much support responsible wagering; I believe it’s necessary for the industry to take care of itself, having attended the Gamecare course on responsible wagering, I recommend others to do so also. It offers insight into interesting ideas on how to recognise and offer advice regarding this matter.

It’s unfortunate that those Casinos acted as they did, I believe you should request to speak with management regarding your case at the 2nd Casino. Inform them that they failed in their responsibility to act correctly and considering that you were clearly flagged as a Problem gambler (which they acknowledged), they should never have allowed you to open an account. In fact encouraging you to email in to confirm you had recovered from an addiction (which you cannot judge for yourself, and requires a medical confirmation) is irresponsible.

Cheers,

Dorian

Good post, Centre-wise. Underage and problem gambling are two of the most frequent sticks used by online gambling detractors to beat up the industry, and preventing both should be a major priority.

If this report is true, Spin Palace has some explaining to do imo.

[Let_It_Ride]

Originally Posted by jetset

If this report is true, Spin Palace has some explaining to do imo.

Hi jetset, the report is true, I have no hidden agenda here. Over the weekend 18/05 I deposited over 600euros, on the 21/05 I got the email below, sorry it's in french, but that's because I live in France.

Cher xxxxxx,


Numéro de compte: xxxxxxxxxxx


Vous vous étiez auparavant exclu des jeux sur les casinos en ligne, apparament parce que vous aviez un problème psychologique dans ce domaine. Afin que nous puissions vous permettre de jouer à nouveau sur notre casino, nous avons besoin que vous nous envoyiez un email précisant que vous avez pu résoudre ce problème.
Nous nécessitons cela pour conserver notre cachet eCOGRA.

Nous vous remercions de votre compréhension.
Surtout n'hésitez pas à nous recontacter si vous avez besoin de quoi que ce soit d'autre.


Cordialement,

xxxxxx

a very basic translation : in the past you have been excluded from online gaming because you have a gambling problem. Before we can let you play at our casino again we need you to confirm that you no longer have a problem. We need this in order to keep our eCOGRA certificate.

Thankyou for you understanding..... regards,

I'll be more then happy to provide the spin palace rep here (is he still around Darren?) any other info if he wants to look into this.