Has Warren Cloud passed on?

[jetset]

Here's one for the books - not yet confirmed but strong reports from several quarters indicate that Warren Cloud has met his maker.

One of RTG's biggest online casino operators, he is reported to have succumbed to a heart attack whilst out on a boat off the shores of Ibiza, Spain late Saturday evening.

The South African online gambling businessman used several aliases and was also known as "Don Fortune," "Richard Brooks" or "Oliver Curran" to many. He eventually became the biggest and most successful of the Real Time Gaming casino operators with venues like Crystal Palace and many others.

Starting in South Africa with an online casino powered by Korean software, Cloud was not initially successful and left many players unpaid when he relocated elsewhere, first to Australia and then London. However, he became very successful - although with a questionable reputation - after he started using RTG software and based his operations in Costa Rica.

That success was so pronounced that he at one stage contemplated launching an IPO on the London AIM market worth GBP 120 million. This did not materialise, however.

Often at the centre of controversial decisions to the detriment of individual players, leading to major disputes, Cloud has in recent times been low profile, leading to speculation that he may have retired despite his relatively young age. He leaves a widow and one child.

 

[The Dude]

If this is true, it's a real tragedy. Even though we didn't see things eye to eye concerning running a casino, he had a family and a young daughter he loved very much. My condolences go out to them.

 

[swampwitch]

Here's one for the books - not yet confirmed but strong reports from several quarters indicate that Warren Cloud has met his maker.

Several quarters? Could you name them? I've found nothing in Johannesburg or Ibiza news sources about this. This is just being reported in gambling portals, and every one is basically either quoting or outright copying the 911 report...and I wouldn't trust Sting if he told me water was wet.

 

[The Dude]

I've had it confirmed by RTG. It happened.

What's a shocker is that the guy was relatively young - in his thirties.

 

[kavaman]

Yes its sad that he died. My condolences aswell.
Are all rtg casinos that were run by curran now closing down? I have recieved emails from silversands, powerbet, and 1 other casino that is run by him to be closing down, do you have any info on this bryan?

-kavaman

 

[jetset]

The Silversands website still appears to be operating in contrast to most of the other Cloud venues which have apparently closed and bear notices urging players to check "often" for updates.

There's another thread here - titled Powerbet I think - which has been following developments, too.

Edited to add link: https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/threads/powerbet-closing-down.25687/

 

[pevangel]

i received emails from royal circus,powerbet,silver sands and crystal casinos stating all closing down .


It is with great regret and a heavy heart that we announce that
our Casino will be closing on July 31, 2008.

If you currently have a balance with the casino, please either
play out your balance or withdraw your balance before our closing date.

Please note, if you have received a bonus, the wagering requirements
are still in place for all bonuses as well as redeemed/comp points.

As a matter of goodwill, all players that are not able to playthrough
their credits or cash out their withdrawable balance by July 31 will
still be able to contact our customer service center 14 days after the
closing date to request credits to be cashed out, should they have met
wager requirements.

All funds remaining in casino accounts after July 31 will be retained by the casino.

We hope that you have enjoyed your time with us as much as we have enjoyed having you at.

Sincerely
Oliver Curran
Toll Free US: 1800 824 3175



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If you would prefer not to receive future email communications from ROYAL CIRCUS CASINO, please click on the following e-mail link.

mailto:K-6-457379-31814282-2-21985-AU1-E7C10388@xmr3.com

You will receive one additional email confirming your removal.

this is one of the emails i received.

pevangel

 

[jenn1381]

While I absolutely hated how he treated his customers, I am sorry to hear he has passed. My condolences to his family and friends... heart attacks in your 30's are becoming more and more common... really makes ya wonder. Perhaps the guilt of how he made his millions was too much for his heart to bear.

 

[Rakesh]

Condolences go out to Warrens Family. I know how much he loved them, and how much they loved him.

 

[MJackson]

Elvis Sighted!

We hope that you have enjoyed your time with us as much as we have enjoyed having you at.

Sincerely
Oliver Curran
Toll Free US: 1800 824 3175

But, but, but, wait. Did you see who signed it?

It can't be! He's not dead he's still alive! It says Oliver Curran right there!

 

[The Dude]

Oliver Curran is the casino manager - always has been. Just like Ryan Hartley is the casino manager at Intercasino, etc. I still don't know why people insist it's one in the same person. It's not. I know this for a fact and have stated this ad nauseum.

 

[jetset]

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

 

[Westland Bowl]

Oliver Curran is the casino manager - always has been. Just like Ryan Hartley is the casino manager at Intercasino, etc. I still don't know why people insist it's one in the same person. It's not. I know this for a fact and have stated this ad nauseum.

I thought I read that Oliver Curran was another name for Warren Cloud some time back and Jetset's article link states:

The 34-year-old, who died after suffering a massive heart attack on his boat off the coast of Spain, used several aliases, including Don Fortune , Richard Brooks and Oliver Curran , in a career some in the industry called chequered.

 

[The Dude]

I thought I read that Oliver Curran was another name for Warren Cloud some time back and Jetset's article link states:

No. He came up with the name when creating his manager persona. Many casinos do this. They create a name to be used by the "real" casino manager so that they can have a "named" manager during the entire casino's lifetime. It's a pseudonym - most casinos practice the same. It's not too often that people use their real names as casino managers.

The casino rep in this forum - Oliver Curran - belongs to the person who was charged with managing the casino. Warren and he were two different persons; Warren had a separate account here. There were also different "Currans" over the years I'm pretty sure. Warren did use the other aliases posting at WOL I believe, and in some earlier emails. Mr. X was my favorite persona though. We had some colorful exchanges bask then

 

[kakata]

I hope dc999 had chance to read this...... Im sure he wont be happy about it.

 

[NASHVEGAS]

It's a pseudonym - most casinos practice the same. It's not too often that people use their real names as casino managers.

Interesting!!!

 

[Westland Bowl]

No. He came up with the name when creating his manager persona. Many casinos do this. They create a name to be used by the "real" casino manager so that they can have a "named" manager during the entire casino's lifetime. It's a pseudonym - most casinos practice the same. It's not too often that people use their real names as casino managers.

Oh, ok. Just like Agent 007- Bond, James Bond....different guys, same character.

 

[vinylweatherman]

That article implies it is RTG that is telling players they have until 31st July to remove funds or risk them being confiscated. This shows how little RTG care about players, they seem happy to have player's funds arbitrarily confiscated soon after one of it's licencees shuts up shop.
RTG have also lost their biggest customer, and if many players see funds confiscated over this, the future success of RTG and it's casinos could be threatened. If any operator takes over the Crystal Palace stable, they will be besieged by players wanting their funds reinstated before they even consider being customers of any new operator.

 

[brianzz]

Very good point VWM, that group was one of the gold mines for RTG, this may be the last straw, I don't think they can stay afloat with just inetbet anymore

 

[brianzz]

Interesting!!!

Mildly interesting, they can only do that where they don't have to attain a real gaming license from a real gaming authority

 

[Westland Bowl]

Very good point VWM, that group was one of the gold mines for RTG, this may be the last straw, I don't think they can stay afloat with just inetbet anymore

Uh, RTG still has Bodog, Inetbet, and Rushmore casinos.

 

[kakata]

.......and many more....

 

[LOOKAWAY]

Has club world fallen foul, just no mention i thought it would be straight up there with inetbet......

 

[The Dude]

Interesting!!!

Actually, I should rephrase that to "many casinos" - "most" would be exagerating a little.

Interesting - well maybe not as mush as you imagine. Many companies have personas that are imaginary people - yet someone fills their shoes (Ronald McDonald, Uncle Ben, Aunt Jimima, hell I think "Dear Abby" had some stand-ins as well )

Mildly interesting, they can only do that where they don't have to attain a real gaming license from a real gaming authority

It has nothing to do with licensing. There are businesses that practice this that are in real licensing jurisdictions.

Very good point VWM, that group was one of the gold mines for RTG, this may be the last straw, I don't think they can stay afloat with just inetbet anymore

Perhaps these players will venture to other RTGs. Still there are many to choose from. Should be an interesting transition.

Has club world fallen foul, just no mention i thought it would be straight up there with inetbet......

No, no, no. This thread is about Warren Cloud and the demise of his empire. Nothing to do with Club World, iNetBet, or any of the other RTGs listed here.

 

[MJackson]

They create a name to be used by the "real" casino manager so that they can have a "named" manager during the entire casino's lifetime. It's a pseudonym - most casinos practice the same. It's not too often that people use their real names as casino managers.

Right, that's cool.

It's just like Ronald McDonald. If you order a cheeseburger and they accidentally debit your card 20k too much than you can just ask for "Ronald McDonald, the general manager" and they will promptly find someone to take care of you. You can rest assured that your 20k is safe because a highly accountable, corporate PR cartoon clown is going to straighten things out.


In this way the use of aliases acts like a variable. Instead of citing a specific general manager's name, you can use the variable "Ronald McDonald" which can store anyone's name, or even no one's name at all. That way the customers don't have to know any unecessary details about the people who may end up with truckloads of their money, by accident. It's really another measure that casinos like this take for your own protection, you know, to stop terrorism and money laundering, stuff like that.

Casinos like Carbonpoker.com and Crystal Palace group know that by using aliases and lying about where they're located, making it impossible for anyone but skilled investigators to find out, that they are protecting their players from abuse and fraud.

This altruistic effort entails significant hardships for the casinos. Just imagine how difficult it might be if your name was John Smith and you were from Brisbane Australia, to create a casino run by a guy named Shane Puentes but that "guy" is actually an entity, a Bermudan corporation that owns a web development firm in the Bahamas that runs servers remotely from some indian reservation near Quebec and has a "license" in Costa Rica but whose principals are bound by Cayman law because Oliver Curran ltd., the casino manager, is the majority shareholder in Shane Puentes but it's a tax exempt high school sports charity run out of a Cayman shell bank.

I'll bet your local barber wouldn't go through all that just in the name of customer service, would he? That's because people who run web casinos like these know what real customer service is all about.