FEWER COMPLAINTS AT ECOGRA OPERATIONS

5 September 2008

49 percent of disputes decided in favour of the player by Fair Gaming Advocate


Tex Rees, the Fair Gaming Advocate at independent player protection and standards organisation eCOGRA, released half yearly statistics on player disputes with Safe and Fair accredited casinos and poker rooms this week, noting a 19 percent decrease in valid disputes over the same period in 2007, and that 49 percent of disputes were resolved in favour of the player.

Rees assessed a total of 346 complaints lodged online at www.ecogra.org, rejecting 50 made in regard to venues which were not committed to eCOGRA standards and discipline. A further 36 submissions were closed as invalid due to insufficient contact information, abuse, falsehood or the lack of a specific complaint.

The remaining 260 complaints were fully investigated with both player and casino managements, with 127 resolved in favour of the player.

"The most common complaint regarded cash-ins, with 120 disputes or 46 percent of the total valid complaints filed. Slower e-processing conditions in the industry may have been a contributing factor in this regard," Rees commented.

"Bonus issues were reported in 58 cases, and issues surrounding account lock-outs made up 17 percent, or 44 disputes. In these cases a number of player fraud incidents were uncovered. The rest of the complaints were miscellaneous and mainly of a minor nature in which misunderstandings and miscommunications were noticable features.

"Overall the disputes scene has again been quiet relative to the considerable levels of business generated over the half year by eCOGRA's 131 venues regularly reviewed," Rees concluded. "The average number of valid disputes assessed per approved website per month dropped to 0.40."

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