Betway

[BeardyGuts]

I wanted to get what everyones feelings are about them?

I deposited there once a while back (maybe 6 months), was an ok experience (certainly nothing bad) but 32red are my download MG casino of preference so never felt a need to go back to Betway. But since that deposit i have been getting regular texts and calls from them saying i have x bonus if i deposit x amount. It was ok for a couple of weeks but then 3rd week in a row of text followed by phone call i said to the gentleman i wanted to removed from the call list. I'm not interested in depositing right now and them calling me constantly is only turning me off to ever doing so again. I get told they cannot removed me, explained some convoluted process to do so, either writing or phoning customer service, cant exactly remember. So fast forward to now I am still getting phone calls and texts every week. One week i got 3 days in a row text followed by phone call. Its at the point i just hang up on them straight away, i'm getting them during office hours and everything... Surely this isn't the behaviour of an accredited casino? Has anyone else had a similar experience with them?

I know i am due some blame due to my laziness to go through the process of getting removed from a call list but nobody else does this..and i must be a member of 20 odd casinos. Betway is the only one with this sort of constant pressure to deposit again. Is this sort of behaviour considered as part of the accreditation process?

 

[vinylweatherman]

I wanted to get what everyones feelings are about them?

I deposited there once a while back (maybe 6 months), was an ok experience (certainly nothing bad) but 32red are my download MG casino of preference so never felt a need to go back to Betway. But since that deposit i have been getting regular texts and calls from them saying i have x bonus if i deposit x amount. It was ok for a couple of weeks but then 3rd week in a row of text followed by phone call i said to the gentleman i wanted to removed from the call list. I'm not interested in depositing right now and them calling me constantly is only turning me off to ever doing so again. I get told they cannot removed me, explained some convoluted process to do so, either writing or phoning customer service, cant exactly remember. So fast forward to now I am still getting phone calls and texts every week. One week i got 3 days in a row text followed by phone call. Its at the point i just hang up on them straight away, i'm getting them during office hours and everything... Surely this isn't the behaviour of an accredited casino? Has anyone else had a similar experience with them?

I know i am due some blame due to my laziness to go through the process of getting removed from a call list but nobody else does this..and i must be a member of 20 odd casinos. Betway is the only one with this sort of constant pressure to deposit again. Is this sort of behaviour considered as part of the accreditation process?

They are breaking the law by refusing to remove you there and then when you answer a call you don't want. It's supposed to be as simple as that, and making someone struggle through a convoluted removal process in order to get removed when they have just called you rather than obeying the "do not call me again" request there and then is grounds for complaint to the regulators, which unfortunately is also a convoluted process as you first have to work out which regulator has oversight for "refusal to unsubscribe" cases where an initial opt in was made.

They are also making repeated calls, which is "pressure selling", itself now illegal under a different law. Worse, this also comes under "responsible gambling" guidelines as it is pressuring someone to gamble when they have said "no".

This could just as easily be an issue for the UKGC for the irresponsible use of the "hard sell" in gambling as for the communications and data regulators. Betway will need a UK license from December 2014, and will then have to obey the rules set down by the UKGC when it comes to marketing.

If he phones again, ask him WHY he can't remove you, and also ask him who he works for. If he doesn't answer "Betway group" or similar, this could get very interesting indeed.

 

[BeardyGuts]

They are breaking the law by refusing to remove you there and then when you answer a call you don't want. It's supposed to be as simple as that, and making someone struggle through a convoluted removal process in order to get removed when they have just called you rather than obeying the "do not call me again" request there and then is grounds for complaint to the regulators, which unfortunately is also a convoluted process as you first have to work out which regulator has oversight for "refusal to unsubscribe" cases where an initial opt in was made.

They are also making repeated calls, which is "pressure selling", itself now illegal under a different law. Worse, this also comes under "responsible gambling" guidelines as it is pressuring someone to gamble when they have said "no".

This could just as easily be an issue for the UKGC for the irresponsible use of the "hard sell" in gambling as for the communications and data regulators. Betway will need a UK license from December 2014, and will then have to obey the rules set down by the UKGC when it comes to marketing.

If he phones again, ask him WHY he can't remove you, and also ask him who he works for. If he doesn't answer "Betway group" or similar, this could get very interesting indeed.

Thanks VWM i will indeed ask him again when he calls since i'm due one tomorrow, they usually call on a Friday, and will update. If i could figure out how to work my phones i could probably figure out how many times they called in the past month.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Thanks VWM i will indeed ask him again when he calls since i'm due one tomorrow, they usually call on a Friday, and will update. If i could figure out how to work my phones i could probably figure out how many times they called in the past month.

If it's the same number, you could probably block it, which will stop them from interrupting you, but cost them money in fruitless effort in calling you (even at 5 minutes a call, they still have to pay the wages).

I also wonder whether logging on to their website, not the casino but the general games/sports portal, will offer you a section where you can opt in or out of all sorts of marketing. This would be far simpler than the convoluted process offered.

If they want to keep you informed, what's wrong with email? It seems they are using the phone to put more pressure on you to "notice" how wonderful the offer is because you clearly can't read emails

In order to make a viable complaint to the regulators, you do need to figure out how to work your phone so that you can give a detailed account of all the attempts to call, and separate these to before, and after, you issued a "do not call again" request. The content of the call is secondary, what matters is the pattern and persistence of the calls. This is a combination of frequency and time of day. Calls made at 3am and that interrupt you at work are considered the most intrusive, but persistently calling at a convenient time in order to wear you down after having already said "not interested" are no better.

 

[Tirilej]

...or they are using a callcenter.
After my understanding the casinos do use them more and more.

Those that call are pretending they work at the casino when they in fact do not.
They get paid after amount of calls maybe, and more if it's to the same person several time
Their job is to get customers back so of course they are persistent.

Now I don't know about Betway, but I don't like callcenters too much

 

[quber]

Just self-exclude then they have to stop as there is no point phoning you as you couldn't deposit if you wanted to. If that doesn't stop it you can complain to the LGA (probably not very effectively) or Ecogra who will remove their endorsement if self excluded accounts are still being contacted.

This is in the T's and C's on the site. so one e-mail should be all that is required

7.8 Communication and Opt-out

In registering a Practice or Real account, you hereby consent to us contacting you through any and all means of communication (whether in written or verbal form and including, but not limited to email, telephone and SMS) in respect of matters relating to your account. Furthermore, by choosing to “opt-in” to receive promotional materials, you hereby specifically consent to your personal details being shared with our chosen third party partners and may receive direct communication from them, as previously described. To unsubscribe to any or all forms of communication, please contact support@betway.com

 

[BeardyGuts]

If it's the same number, you could probably block it, which will stop them from interrupting you, but cost them money in fruitless effort in calling you (even at 5 minutes a call, they still have to pay the wages).

I also wonder whether logging on to their website, not the casino but the general games/sports portal, will offer you a section where you can opt in or out of all sorts of marketing. This would be far simpler than the convoluted process offered.

If they want to keep you informed, what's wrong with email? It seems they are using the phone to put more pressure on you to "notice" how wonderful the offer is because you clearly can't read emails

In order to make a viable complaint to the regulators, you do need to figure out how to work your phone so that you can give a detailed account of all the attempts to call, and separate these to before, and after, you issued a "do not call again" request. The content of the call is secondary, what matters is the pattern and persistence of the calls. This is a combination of frequency and time of day. Calls made at 3am and that interrupt you at work are considered the most intrusive, but persistently calling at a convenient time in order to wear you down after having already said "not interested" are no better.

Ok right figured out how to work my phone here is the last 3 weeks worth of calls, all after i tried to get them to stop calling, it wont tell me the times unfortunately, just the dates. I know that 99% of them are sort of early evening like 6-7pm but some are early-mid afternoon also.:

9/11/13
8/11/13
5/11/13
1/11/13
1/11/13
23/10/13

Its an 020 number and is always someone with a South African (i think) accent that calls.

 

[BeardyGuts]

Just self-exclude then they have to stop as there is no point phoning you as you couldn't deposit if you wanted to. If that doesn't stop it you can complain to the LGA (probably not very effectively) or Ecogra who will remove their endorsement if self excluded accounts are still being contacted.

This is in the T's and C's on the site. so one e-mail should be all that is required

7.8 Communication and Opt-out

In registering a Practice or Real account, you hereby consent to us contacting you through any and all means of communication (whether in written or verbal form and including, but not limited to email, telephone and SMS) in respect of matters relating to your account. Furthermore, by choosing to “opt-in” to receive promotional materials, you hereby specifically consent to your personal details being shared with our chosen third party partners and may receive direct communication from them, as previously described. To unsubscribe to any or all forms of communication, please contact support@betway.com

Thanks for digging out the info i was too lazy too but this shouldnt really be necessary. As VWM pointed out just saying stop on the phone should really be sufficient.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Ok right figured out how to work my phone here is the last 3 weeks worth of calls, all after i tried to get them to stop calling, it wont tell me the times unfortunately, just the dates. I know that 99% of them are sort of early evening like 6-7pm but some are early-mid afternoon also.:

9/11/13
8/11/13
5/11/13
1/11/13
1/11/13
23/10/13

Its an 020 number and is always someone with a South African (i think) accent that calls.

London?

Their head office is there.

They are using a default opt-in, which does NOT fit the latest guidelines for how things like this should be done. In effect, every player has opted in to an undisclosed "everything" unless they specifically opt out. How it SHOULD be done is to assume everyone is opted out of "marketing" unless they make an informed decision to opt in. The opt out procedure looks simple, but is not as one email will not necessarily be enough. Instead, it is likely to be a to and fro of several emails whilst the player "passes security". Opting out on the phone call does away with this, as by even discussing the account to make the offer the player has "passed security" already, or are we to believe that no matter who answers our phone, Betway will discuss the players' account with them.

I see 2 calls in the same day, one 4 days later, followed by 2 more a day apart after a mere 3 day gap. This is excessive given that this is an inactive account, the result of a longer term decision by the player to play elsewhere. Apart from the first call, the rest are the "hard sell" intended to convert the "no" from the 23rd into a "yes" by wearing the player down.

Someone with an active account does NOT get called with anything like this frequency, more like once every few months "for a chat" (and of course a "soft sell").

 

[BeardyGuts]

Just wanted to update thread, since i last posted I have had the following:

Phone calls:
15/11/13
19/11/13
20/11/13

Texts:
18/11/13
19/11/13

Really hope you can factor this blatant pestering into any review or accreditation score... I have emailed them again to ask to be taken off the contact list so fingers crossed.

 

[chayton]

Betway and Palace Group aren't too concerned about how their marketing tactics annoy people. Bad enough dealing with their endless spam, I'd be going ballistic if they were phoning me too.

That being said, they do have a rep here: https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/members/ I'd contact them to see if there's something they can do.