Empire backs out of 100% bonus offer

[pokeraddict]

Just like many on the net I took advantage of the 100% bonus offer that was talked about. It is even advertised on their site

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(8 hours after they emailed me and everyone else is is not valid it is still on their site) I deposited and started to play through. It was talked about for days in long threads on RGP, 2+2, bonus whores and I am sure many other places. This bonus drew lots of interest and for days people talked about it and were working it off. There is no way Empire could claim this was a mistake, especially with it on their website and surely people who monitor the message boards for them and/or party. Then I get this email.


Due to a system error, an erroneous bonus transaction was credited to your account. This bonus transaction has been reversed as of now.

We apologize for the error and would like to assure you that corrective actions have been taken for the error not to repeat.

To make up for this, we are pleased to award you with HOTSEP, a 10% up to $100 bonus. This bonus will be directly released into your account in the next 3 hours and its value will depend on your last deposit amount. You don't need to play raked hands or deposit again for the bonus to be released into your account.

For more information on endless, non-stop events and promotions taking place on Empire Poker, check the News & Events section of our website.

See you at the tables,



Promotions Department

Empire Poker

www.empirepoker.com

info@empirepoker.com

This is BS, especially with it on their website and not as a new deposit bonus. It does not take 24 hours to figure this out, if this bonus was honored and advertised on their website and spoken about endlessly on forums it should be honored, there is no excuse for this. This is simply a bait and switch, why is it still on the website if it is not valid? Simply to get people to deposit, then take away 90% of their bonus.

I do not think I have ever pitched a bitch about casino practices but this is deceiptful and if Empire does not credit me with this bonus I am sure I will Pitch a Bitch.

 

[pokeraddict]

One last thing I forgot to mention, just after my deposit just like many others received an additional bonus offer after the deposit that came with the bonus account confirmation email, just further evidence in my mind of the bait and switch.

 

[bpb]

To my knowledge, the $500 match bonus was never published on their general website.

If you access their website via a special affiliate link, distributed by CD, then you will see this bonus advertised. This bonus was originally intended only for people who got that CD. However, people started distributing this link online. This was the empire500 bonus of several months ago.

The recent MATCHBONUSEP code was similarly intended for a closed audience. The code was not account specific though, and therefore worked regardless of who used it. Empire poker never advertised this bonus to the general public. As such, I think their cancellation of the bonus is not uncalled for. They gave everyone a free $50 to make amends for it.

And I was 950 raked hands into this bonus before it was taken away.

 

[pokeraddict]

Dear Pokeraddict1,

You have been awarded a bonus amount of $400 and the money has been added into your Bonus account. All you need to do now is to play 2000 raked hands and the bonus amount will be released to your Real money account.

The bonus offer expires on 28-OCT-04 EST. Hence, you have to play these hands by 28-OCT-04 EST. If the above conditions are not met, your bonus will expire. Details and disclaimer.

Hope you are having an exciting time playing at Empire Poker. Do check the latest promotions by visiting our monthly events calendar.

Sincerely Yours,
Customer Care Manager
info@empirepoker.com
www.EmpirePoker.com

1. It was on their website as early as this morning, hours after mine was taken away. "Match 100% 5 raked hands per $1 of bonus" in the lower right promo box. Were they still bait and switching?

2. It was confirmed by this email.

3. I made my deposit 2 days after this came out, if this was a "mistake" that had plenty of time to realize it and fix it.

4. At the exact minute I received this email I received another bonus offer from them for a follow up deposit.

5. The terms were on the link in the email but now the details link just forwards to main index page

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6. I in good faith was following the terms of the bonus advertised on the front page of their website and talked about for days in forums, there is no excuse for this.

7. They allowed me nearly 24 hours to work off a bonus they had no intention of allowing me to collect and raked me above the amount of the $50 "we're sorry" bonus.

8. Even if they claim this was only first deposit bonus (no disclaimer about this on splash page where the 100% match bonus banner was) I have never received one so I still qualify.

Now if they had decided not to allow me to use this I needed to be contacted quickly after depositing, by email or phone, within an hour. Not nearly 24 hours later after I was well on my way to clearing it.

They will either fix this or lose my business forever, too many other Party skins to play on to put up with this.