This was an interesting read.
I feel that without a doubt the casino
should have sent a courtesy email to the player before this last action was taken. BUT I don't think that the casino was required to. If the casino did send an email letting the player know the funds would be lost and account closed if action wasn't taken immediately, and nothing was done, then I don't feel they're wrong in their decision to take it. If they didn't bother to send an email first, then IMO they should give the money bacl to the player and make sure that they start sending these courtesy emails. Just to show they've made every effort on their part before acting on this term.
I have seen this type of term many times before, and from reputable casinos. I've seen funds taken like this. I know that money sitting in a players account for a long time like this, can mess with the books somewhat, and the way the costs of operations are handled (i.e. affiliate payments). So I do think it's fair to have a dormant account rule. 2 Years is a pretty fair amount of time to allow before declaring an account dormant IMO.
I guess as long as money sits in a players account, it is in limbo because nobody really knows if the player will return to play and lose it all back, or if they'll follow-through with a cashout. Just because a cashout is requested does not make it a done deal. A cashout request is null if a player does not make sure they've satisfied any requirements to complete this that the casino has. (i.e. documents, correct banking option requested, valid details preferred method of payment, etc) If a cashout isn't followed through on the players end, then how can anyone say which direction that money is going. It could end up lost back the casino and played, or cashed out. This money was left in that limbo state for 2 years.
2 years is a very reasonable amount of time to wait before acting upon a dormant account term, IMO. But an email should definitely have been sent first.
Forgetting about money in an account is so easy it is almost frightening..
Examples:
- In for example Betway you have to transfer the money from the casino into the sportsbook and then log into the sportsbook to cash out. I have more than once transfered money from the casino into the sportsbook, and then I forgett to log into the sportsbook and cash out from there.. I log on two months later and find $350 that I thought I had cashed out.
- I get an email late in the evening telling me that I have to send in my ID documents before the cashout can be processed, im to tired to do it that evening and decide im gonna do it the next day. The next day I get 50 new messages in my inbox and I forgett all about it untill im prompted 2 weeks later.
- I deposit into a sportsbook planning to place a bet, the line is changed dramaticly for the worse and I decide to place the bet in another bookie instead. Days go by and I forgett I ever deposited there.
There could be a thousand reasons why you forgett money in an account. Remember, many gamblers have 50 or even 100 different casino and sportsbetting accounts. It is so easy to forgett it.
These are all just excuses as to why someone doesn't have to show responsibility in keeping track of their life. One's finances are too important to not keep track of. That's like not balancing your checkbook and then giving all these reasons why you thought you still had money in your account when you're overdrawn. It doesn't make it ok.
What if because you have so much going on, you forget about things like jury duty, bills, income, etc., and maybe for 2 years. Isn't there still repercussions if we don't take care of our business? Of course there is. We have organizers, calendars, notebooks, spreadsheets, etc., so we can remember the important things. So I don't think it's that easy to forget things like this all the time.
I keep a spreadsheet with all casinos I have an account with, along with my login names. Because without it, I'd be opening multiple accounts left and rgiht. I can't remember them all. But I don't have to, since I have them all written down.
I also feel that the amount is irrelevant, a few thousand for the OP could be like a couple of hundred for others. Just because a few thousand dollars would be something you wouldnt forgett, don't mean that the OP couldn't forgett it.
I agree that the amount is irrelevant. Not because a few hundred bucks to one person might be like a few thousand to another though. When I'm owed money, especially from an online casino, I always follow it through until I have it. Whether it's $1 or $1,000,000, it's just as important to me, if it's owed and I've done everything I needed to on my part. I chase up late payments, payments in the wrong amount, etc. Maybe it's because I've worked offline jobs where it was my responsibility to collect money owed and make timely bill payments for the company I worked for. Also to make sure payments owed or received were in the correct amount. If I didn't stay on top of it I would have been without a job. I certainly don't treat my personal finances with less importance.
IMO, $1 or $1,000,000, is all important if it's missing. Seriously.
If I was so filthy rich that I didn't have to worry about keeping track of my income, then I certainly wouldn't be here complaining after 2 years that I'm missing money.