no answers Grand Hotel

**doc3738** · 11th December 2009, 04:54 AM

Has anyone been having a problem getting a response from Grand Hotel in the last few days ?
I had the new games showing for the month of Dec. clicked and saw all of them load even went to each game and looked at them.
I shut my computer and latter went back on and the new games were gone
Contacted support and was stold "Sorry but new games no longer allowed for USA players "
I sent a reply that I did not think that was right and received another reply
That said " Sorry for delay but we are having problems with new games and the tecks are working on them to be sure they are playing correctly "
Since that time I get no respose from them at all only auto replies
Sure hope they are not starting to go south
Any info would be appreciated

**maxd** · 11th December 2009, 11:34 AM

Try the rep: MiniVegasGroup.

The haven't logged in recently but they may have PM alerts enabled (they would be notified via email if you sent them a PM).

**doc3738** · 12th December 2009, 12:22 PM

Grand sent me the normal weekend deposit bonus e-mail so I answered back no more deposits until I get an answer and finally they replied.
Yet I can play them at other casinos so anyone know of this new law
I had no idea a new law went into affect on DEC 1 below is the reply

" I regret to let you know that unfortunately you will no longer be able to view the new games .
Please note that this nuisance is due to new U.s. on-line rules that applied since the 1st of December"
Grand Hotel

**Westland Bowl** · 12th December 2009, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by doc3738

...... Yet I can play them at other casinos so anyone know of this new law. I had no idea a new law went into affect on DEC 1 below is the reply

" I regret to let you know that unfortunately you will no longer be able to view the new games . Please note that this nuisance is due to new U.s. on-line rules that applied since the 1st of December"
Grand Hotel

Microgaming casinos stopped accepting NEW players from USA on December 1st 2008, a year ago. (or was it 2007? Gee, I forgot!) If Grand Hotel was referring to the original UIEGA implementation date of December 1, 2009, well, then these "U.s. on-line rules" were pushed back to June 1, 2010 and therefore not applicable in this case. Furthermore, if they were, then ALL old and new Grand Hotel games shouldn't be viewed/played in accordance with Grand Hotel's logic. They need to clarify what "new U.s. on-line rules" they are talking about.

**doc3738** · 12th December 2009, 03:07 PM

Thanks for the reply and I agree with you completely
I just e-mailed them back and ask that very question if they were talking new or old players and let them know the law was pushed out untyil 2010
The reply I received is they were sent word a few days ago to stop any new games form being downlaoded to U S players
This makes no sense at all as I can play them at any other microgaming casino or at least the other three that I have played at
I had the games loaded on my system and looked them over and the next day they were removed
Till this clears I question why Grand would not reply for over a week and a half about this and they are the only ones doing it
Maybe something deeper involved

**doc3738** · 14th December 2009, 04:28 PM

I have just received an e-mail from Grand Hotel,
that states as of DEC 1 2009 U S A players can no longer have the new games to play,they are blocking any U S A player account by using the IP address for new games
You can play any of the old ones still as for as I know,but nothing new that is put out
They are also working on blocking any instant play that does let you play a couple of the new games,but that will be stopped as soon as they get a program in place
A word to the wise if you should play a new game and win DO NOT be surprised if they withhold the winnings if you try to do a withdraw
Seems once again they have found a way to shaft the U S A players I HAVE JUST UNINSTALLED ALL MICROGAMMING CASINOS
I had to refuse any more deposits until they answered my e-mails and what do you know here is the reply I got here is a copy

Dear Mr
Account No. ghr0

I am writing to follow up on your recent query.

We finally received definite answer from Microgaming in regard to your case. As you already know Microgaming recently changed their policy, and unfortunately new games are not intended for clients connecting from the US anymore.

The casino depicted in the screenshot is on the Flash platform. While it is easy to apply IP blocking on the Viper casino, it has not been possible to do so on the Flash clients.

Microgaming would prefer to have a consistent IP block across the board, but it is not possible at this moment. However, they are working on an application where IP blocking of games can be applied to the Flash casinos so that they are in line with the Viper ones.

Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Regards,
Daniel

VIP Department
Grand Hotel Casino

**vinylweatherman** · 15th December 2009, 12:28 AM

Originally Posted by doc3738

I have just received an e-mail from Grand Hotel,
that states as of DEC 1 2009 U S A players can no longer have the new games to play,they are blocking any U S A player account by using the IP address for new games
You can play any of the old ones still as for as I know,but nothing new that is put out
They are also working on blocking any instant play that does let you play a couple of the new games,but that will be stopped as soon as they get a program in place
A word to the wise if you should play a new game and win DO NOT be surprised if they withhold the winnings if you try to do a withdraw
Seems once again they have found a way to shaft the U S A players I HAVE JUST UNINSTALLED ALL MICROGAMMING CASINOS
I had to refuse any more deposits until they answered my e-mails and what do you know here is the reply I got here is a copy

Dear Mr
Account No. ghr0

I am writing to follow up on your recent query.

We finally received definite answer from Microgaming in regard to your case. As you already know Microgaming recently changed their policy, and unfortunately new games are not intended for clients connecting from the US anymore.

The casino depicted in the screenshot is on the Flash platform. While it is easy to apply IP blocking on the Viper casino, it has not been possible to do so on the Flash clients.

Microgaming would prefer to have a consistent IP block across the board, but it is not possible at this moment. However, they are working on an application where IP blocking of games can be applied to the Flash casinos so that they are in line with the Viper ones.

Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Regards,
Daniel

VIP Department
Grand Hotel Casino

What the HELL is going on

MGS are putting a GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT into something with NO RELEVANCE WHATSOEVER to the ACTUAL law that was passed, which was to make TRANSACTIONS illegal, and if it said anything about games, it covered ALL games, not just NEW ones. The law does NOT make playing the games illegal, whether new or old, but makes it illegal for the casino to take your deposits, and pay your winnings. To comply with this law, MGS should be pulling out COMPLETELY from the US as of the date of implementation, which they thought was 1st December. Pulling out would have ensured that they could not be in breach of the law because they would not be making any financial transfers over the US border.

Perhaps the problems I saw with games vanishing at All Slots are down to this tinkering with the code in trying to block some games by IP address.

Some US players will STILL be able to play them, and there would be NO justification for refusing a withdrawal if a player played a game that was INTENDED to be blocked, but was available at the time.

Maybe the US player is a "toy" for their programmers, so they can try out "targeted service provision" on them, something they may later use to target specific games to specific cultures, perhaps by using "clones" of games with different graphics, and blocking those that might offend particular cultures.
I can think of examples. Some slots use culture stereotypes, such as Kung Fu Monkey. Let's say this caused offence to Chinese players. They could use this IP blocking to make the game disappear from casinos downloaded in China, and release a clone for their market, perhaps poking fun at the Imperial British for their "help" in the 1800's (this idea might appeal to half the world's players

).
Another example, a country deems "cartoon characters" must not be used on gaming machines, and deems some MGS slots fall foul of this. Simple, MGS use IP blocking developed for the US to filter these out, and comply with that country's laws, and by way of reward that country then clears MGS casinos to take players from there.

If MGS are spending all the effort on this, maybe there will be fewer new games for US players to moan about, but I bet there will be frequent lobby updates, since each patch will need to be applied as it is developed.