Massive win confiscated. Who is at right, me or the casino?

[Guppi]

Hi Casinomeister members and operators reps!

I need your expertise and knowledge in this matter since I cant to 100% fully understand the laws and regulations.

So, I live in Malta and played at an online casino who turned out to have Curacao licence.

I registered an account and won a very large sum of money the same day and hit withdrawal, the casino requested KYC directly and I sent it and it was approved within an hour. They needed the normal docs and even replied back my winnings will be paid out once KYC was done.

The next day I get an email saying that my account is closed with some copy and paste from their T&C: “We do not promote or operate in your jurisdiction, nor are we authorised to do so.” “ The terms, conditions and disputes are subject to and construed in accordance with the laws of the Netherlands Antilles”. “It is the player’s sole responsibility to inquire about the existing gambling laws and regulations of the given jurisdiction before placing bets on the website.”

My deposit was sent back to my bank account.

I never heard that it was illegal to engage with an online casino with Curacao licence from Malta?

My questions is quite straight forward, if there is any laws in Curacao that you can’t accept players from Malta? Since they refer to those T&C.

The casino don’t seem very keen to pay out and referer to that I broke their T&C by playing from Malta.

Malta was not listed as restricted country in their T&C.

I noticed a lot of streamers live in Malta and they all stream on Curacao casinos?

What do you guys think? I am kind of lost how to take this further? If they have the law on their side its pointless but if they have not, which is the best way to move forward in my case?

Please, anyone can anyone share light to my situation?

Many thanks!

 

[dunover]

Sadly it would seem that if you had lost then you would have not received your deposits back. So by accepting your play they were in a no-lose situation. Don't read too much into the activities of certain streamers who are paid in some cases to mislead people. Any decent casino would geo-block countries that they were not permitted under their license to take players from. A Curacao license is worthless in the context of player protection. If you tell us which casino it was it would help.

 

[L&L-Jan]

As per MGA regulations it is prohibited for curacao casinos to take players from Malta. I would definitely raise it to the MGA.

If they allow you to register, deposit and play, they should honor the win imo.

 

[Guppi]

Thanks for your replies. We are talking about a 6-digits win here so they will do everything in their power not to pay. So if MGA prohibits curaçao casinos to accept players from Malta thats one thing.

I accepted the T&C on the website and its the laws of Curacao gambling so its those that should be followed then right? Anyone know if you can accept players from Malta with Curacao licence?


Very tricky situation

 

[Mark_Lottomart]

Was Malta on the country selection when you joined, or did you use an alternative address and you were just physically located in Malta?

I’m with Jan here. If they took your money knowing they couldn’t accept your business they are in the wrong.

 

[Guppi]

Was Malta on the country selection when you joined, or did you use an alternative address and you were just physically located in Malta?

I’m with Jan here. If they took your money knowing they couldn’t accept your business they are in the wrong.

I signed up from Malta with my details and also did phone verification with Maltese numbers, so they indeed accepted me as a Maltese customer. What is important to point out is that Malta was not in the list of restricted countries of their T&C when I made my account. However, when my account was closed (1-2 days later) and winnings confiscated they added Malta to the list of restricted countries.

I took printscreen on my winnings and also all T&C the same day as my withdrawals just in case something would happen, so I have proof they changed T&C post-factum to justify their unfair accusation. Crazy? Yes but its 100% true ?

I checked a few other casinos with same licence, they all accept Malta and none of them even have it listed in their restricted countries T&C. I even when to live chat with a few of them and of course they accept players from Malta.

Until you win maybe lol ?

Thanks!

 

[BillyGoldblum]

I signed up from Malta with my details and also did phone verification with Maltese numbers, so they indeed accepted me as a Maltese customer. What is important to point out is that Malta was not in the list of restricted countries of their T&C when I made my account. However, when my account was closed (1-2 days later) and winnings confiscated they added Malta to the list of restricted countries.

I took printscreen on my winnings and also all T&C the same day as my withdrawals just in case something would happen, so I have proof they changed T&C post-factum to justify their unfair accusation. Crazy? Yes but its 100% true ?

I checked a few other casinos with same licence, they all accept Malta and none of them even have it listed in their restricted countries T&C. I even when to live chat with a few of them and of course they accept players from Malta.

Until you win maybe lol ?

Thanks!

They basically reviewed your account and combed the T&C's to get out of paying over a 100k win. They found a small loophole that they will try to use to defend their reputation so they can carry on operating without being blacklisted and listed as rogue all over the internet

You dont want to name the casino I assume in hopes to not make your situation worse with them as you are hanging onto a little hope you might be paid.

When these casinos do this type of stuff, considering their license holder, I dont think ive seen a single case turned around in favor of the player.

 

[Guppi]

You are exactly spot on regarding above. But I will give it a bit more time before I will go public. It would hurt them. Its not a small random casino, its a quite big "reputable" one. They can afford to pay for sure. They are just trying their best not to. And I want to win this one ?

As I understood it, technically Malta is a regulated territory and only MGA licenced casinos can accept Maltese players. However, a Curacao licence does not prohibit accepting Maltese players.

Does anyone have a contact or knowledge where to find information about the Netherlands Antilles laws? I need hard solid proof to see their reaction when I reply.

 

[Pocketdiggers77]

Name the casino.

 

[dionysus]

Name the casino.

TBH, with you there
It isnt always 'name and shame'
People cant lend advice, nor learn, if we're sitting the dark

 

[casguy2016]

before you hand out the Casino's name you may want to read the terms of the license the casino is within because i believe some request that details be private or you will automatically lose your case. i would wait until this is "over" before naming the casino publicly

 

[anddi32]

before you hand out the Casino's name you may want to read the terms of the license the casino is within because i believe some request that details be private or you will automatically lose your case. i would wait until this is "over" before naming the casino publicly

One reason more not to play under curacao if this is true. These kind of terms are against player's legal protection.

 

[Guppi]

I will not name the casino incase they are legally right. Hence I still need to find some proof first, hopefully someone can help me here.

 

[The Viking]

I will not name the casino incase they are legally right. Hence I still need to find some proof first, hopefully someone can help me here.

The one to help that comes to mind is @maxd
?

 

[Guntis]

I believe it is common practice for many Curacao-licensed casinos to not geo-block their restricted countries. You can often see prohibited countries in their country drop-down menu when registering.

The advantage for them is that they will allow you to play and lose, but when it comes to payout, especially large, they will show you terms stating that your country is restricted. Some of those better quality Curacao casinos will return your deposits and close your acc., and others will do whatever they feel like.

Some of those casinos running on the Softswiss platform claim that they have no control over the country menu and that only Softswiss can set it up. I don't believe it, but I could be wrong.

 

[Pocketdiggers77]

I will not name the casino incase they are legally right. Hence I still need to find some proof first, hopefully someone can help me here.

Fair enough, can you give us details of this magnificent $100,000k+ win? Was it a progressive jackpot? Just curious if the win is casino funds or software provider funds? Would be interesting to find out if the casino is saving $100k+ by not paying you or making $100k+ by stiffing you and keeping the progressive for themselves. I hope you get paid but I hope this isn’t one of the many dodgy casino out there.

 

[Guppi]

Fair enough, can you give us details of this magnificent $100,000k+ win? Was it a progressive jackpot? Just curious if the win is casino funds or software provider funds? Would be interesting to find out if the casino is saving $100k+ by not paying you or making $100k+ by stiffing you and keeping the progressive for themselves. I hope you get paid but I hope this isn’t one of the many dodgy casino out there.

I hit the max win on Mental slot. It was absolutely beautiful. Such a shame I cant enjoy the winnings of it.

 

[maxd]

FWIW it all depends on the individual casino as to whether something can be done or it's a lost cause. The Curacao license is not a good thing -- often quite the opposite as others have mentioned -- but there are very solid and professionally run Curacao casinos. The problem is that they are good casinos only because of the people that run them. If the operators decide to go to the dark side Curacao licensing is no impediment.

 

[Guppi]

FWIW it all depends on the individual casino as to whether something can be done or it's a lost cause. The Curacao license is not a good thing -- often quite the opposite as others have mentioned -- but there are very solid and professionally run Curacao casinos. The problem is that they are good casinos only because of the people that run them. If the operators decide to go to the dark side Curacao licensing is no impediment.

Thanks for your input! So it basically comes down to that then. However, I still need proof from the laws in Curacao that Malta is not prohibited before I can take this further otherwise they will just stick their ground that its illegal.

 

[Carl_Green]

If they have a list of excluded countries and Malta was not on it id say the casino was wrong

 

[Pocketdiggers77]

Good luck Guppi, I hope you get paid. It sounds like you don’t have much leverage legally and this all hinges on the casino doing the right thing and maintaining a solid and professional reputation. Should be an easy decision for them if they are actually solid and professional.

 

[The Dude]

Before going public, I would recommend that you try to contact the casino rep - if they have one here - and let them know what is going on: iGaming reps

It's always good to allow a casino to react in private before putting them on the defensive making them stick to their guns in public.

 

[rickyw]

I hit the max win on Mental slot. It was absolutely beautiful. Such a shame I cant enjoy the winnings of it.

My worst nightmare

 

[Pocketdiggers77]

Thanks for your input! So it basically comes down to that then. However, I still need proof from the laws in Curacao that Malta is not prohibited before I can take this further otherwise they will just stick their ground that its illegal.

Any update to this, just curious if you got paid.

 

[deleted20230517]

My worst nightmare

Well,

Curacao license pretty much says it all. It is known for sacking people, players who happend to win extremely large.

Because of that i tend to stay away from anything from Curacao in terms of gambling. It is not for a reason.

Changing the T&C to loophole refusing to pay out a big win is just criminal. But i did'nt expect anything different.