Self exclude?...danger!

[pmhcfc]

This may or may not have been disucssed at these forums before, but just in case it hasn't;

Last night I decided to close all my Casino Reward accounts, I had an account with every one of them...not that I used them all, but anyway.

I telephoned their helpline, spoke to a guy who stuck to script asking me why I was closing them (they don't seem bothered, so why do they ask? lol) so I gave him the stock "MG casinos too tight these days" answer. He pushed a few buttons and said they were all locked and will remain that way until I request otherwise.

No, no I say - I don't want them locked, I want them closed.

Oh, says he - you'll need to Email this 'team' at casino rewards if you want them closed for good.

I was just about to go when he said that I'll have to be careful when I send them an Email, as if I asked to be self-excluded they will put me on a block list which will mean I'll probably have trouble logging into any MG casino. wtf?

I asked him to explain and he said if people ask to self-exclude from CR the team automatically assumes it's to with a gambling problem, so they put you on a block list which goes to all MG casinos and they'll add you to their self-excluded list also - meaning I wouldn't be able to play anywhere!

Makes you wonder what this 'block list' is all about and also if they are 'allowed' to do this- I guess it's good in one sense, i.e if someone is self excluding due to a gambling problem, but it's a bit extreme in others. This phone op only just remembered to tell me about this as I was about to hang up- so I'm sure some of them may forget to pass on this info to someone. If that someone was intent only on leaving the CR group of casinos, they could find themselves unable to play anywhere because of this so called 'block-list'.....Hmmmm

 

[Antonia1953]

BAD FORM!

MG casinos would be cutting off their nose to spite their face...

I would be compelled to put this threat to the test. This kind of obnoxious intimidation is crossing the line. If such an action is in practice, then it is on the need-to-know list for all MG players.

A response from one of the other MG groups reps on this matter is in order.

 

[Deeplay]

I wouldnt worry to much he is talking bull. I have gone for lock downs and self exclusion a number of times for different reasons over the past few years and have never had a problem requesting a re-open after exclusion period is up at MGS. Apart from 1 casino who said they thought it not wise for me. I heeded their advise (this was months ago) in the end they will want you back but what is so wrong on his reponse is he tried to disway you from doing this and then a veiled threat. People self exclude for a number of reasons, not all of them related to problem gambling. Tell em to exclude you and be done with them. Plenty more decent MGS out there when you feel you wanna gamble agin. good luck!

 

[pmhcfc]

I wouldnt worry to much he is talking bull. I have gone for lock downs and self exclusion a number of times for different reasons over the past few years and have never had a problem requesting a re-open after exclusion period is up at MGS. Apart from 1 casino who said they thought it not wise for me. I heeded their advise (this was months ago) in the end they will want you back but what is so wrong on his reponse is he tried to disway you from doing this and then a veiled threat. People self exclude for a number of reasons, not all of them related to problem gambling. Tell em to exclude you and be done with them. Plenty more decent MGS out there when you feel you wanna gamble agin. good luck!

I had been a member at CR for 3 years - won some, lost some I guess...but are you suggesting he (the phone op) was simply reading from a script? IE..just lock the accounts so the chance is there to reopen in future? I hadn't even considred is was anything like that.

 

[Jasminebed]

I don't think that closing an account is the same thing as asking for an exclusion.

While CS can ask for your reason for closing your account, you have no obligation to tell them why.

I do understand why they request an email rather than just a telephone request.

The casinos that I have requested my account be closed have always said that I am free to re-activate them if I change my mind.

Also, if you close an account at a casino, please don't sign up again, or you may find yourself in a duplicate account position. Ask that the old one be re-activated.

 

[pmhcfc]

I don't think that closing an account is the same thing as asking for an exclusion.

While CS can ask for your reason for closing your account, you have no obligation to tell them why.

I do understand why they request an email rather than just a telephone request.

The casinos that I have requested my account be closed have always said that I am free to re-activate them if I change my mind.

Also, if you close an account at a casino, please don't sign up again, or you may find yourself in a duplicate account position. Ask that the old one be re-activated.

The point I was trying to make was that I never wanted to go back to CR, hence asking for a lifetime closure...What's the point in closing an account but having the option to reopen it as and when they sent you a 100 free spin offer or similar. THe only thing I could do was to self-exclude (for life) ... all seems a bit daft to me.

 

[Jasminebed]

The casinos I have closed accounts at, I've also unsubscribed to their mailings as well.

Mind you, with Casino Rewards, you are almost sure to get something from some affiliate or other anyways.

 

[felicie]

The point I was trying to make was that I never wanted to go back to CR, hence asking for a lifetime closure...What's the point in closing an account but having the option to reopen it as and when they sent you a 100 free spin offer or similar. THe only thing I could do was to self-exclude (for life) ... all seems a bit daft to me.

Maybe CS was trying to tell you MG's are just one big group so if you close 10(give or take) accounts, someone might just assume you mean all of them. Kind of ruins that warm fuzzy feeling you get when, after being po'd for the last time, you close the darn thing.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Perhaps not entirely bull.

Now that the industry has become more mainstream, it has to be seen to be taking problem gambling seriously. In the past, self excluding from one group probably stayed in that group, however it seems that a problem gambling block list has been built in order to protect gamblers from themselves. They might argue that a problem gambler will go into denial and request reopening of accounts when they are not ready, or will simply gamble elsewhere, which would still be a problem.

In the future, these block lists may go industry wide, and be subscribed to by all the main software groups, and even many of the minor ones.

What is arrogant in this case is for Casino Rewards to ASSUME that the ONLY likely reason one of their customers would leave them for good was because of a gambling problem, and automatically place a player onto this block list simply for asking that his accounts be closed without giving a particular reason.

I do not close accounts myself, except on very rare occasions (once actually, Crystal Palace - who ignored it anyway). I will quite happily UNINSTALL a casino, and some have stayed that way for many YEARS. Often this is due to a combination of poor service, and persistently crap promotions, when compared with those that remain installed on my PC.

 

[suzy1975]

This may or may not have been disucssed at these forums before, but just in case it hasn't;

Last night I decided to close all my Casino Reward accounts, I had an account with every one of them...not that I used them all, but anyway.

I telephoned their helpline, spoke to a guy who stuck to script asking me why I was closing them (they don't seem bothered, so why do they ask? lol) so I gave him the stock "MG casinos too tight these days" answer. He pushed a few buttons and said they were all locked and will remain that way until I request otherwise.

No, no I say - I don't want them locked, I want them closed.

Oh, says he - you'll need to Email this 'team' at casino rewards if you want them closed for good.

I was just about to go when he said that I'll have to be careful when I send them an Email, as if I asked to be self-excluded they will put me on a block list which will mean I'll probably have trouble logging into any MG casino. wtf?

I asked him to explain and he said if people ask to self-exclude from CR the team automatically assumes it's to with a gambling problem, so they put you on a block list which goes to all MG casinos and they'll add you to their self-excluded list also - meaning I wouldn't be able to play anywhere!

Makes you wonder what this 'block list' is all about and also if they are 'allowed' to do this- I guess it's good in one sense, i.e if someone is self excluding due to a gambling problem, but it's a bit extreme in others. This phone op only just remembered to tell me about this as I was about to hang up- so I'm sure some of them may forget to pass on this info to someone. If that someone was intent only on leaving the CR group of casinos, they could find themselves unable to play anywhere because of this so called 'block-list'.....Hmmmm

Sounds very familiar, I also was a member of almost all of there casino's and requested the same as i got the feeling i was being screwed over for CR points in a big way. I then receive an email from casino action and play the free play (and winning 200 credits) before realizing it was the same group and to be safe just let them know i was about to deposit for the first time when the reply came back that "security" had decided to lock my account(wow) however in the long run they have done me a favour as i will stick with 32 Red as Casinomeister has it right with this one it is the fairest M/g casino i have seen on line by a long long way so thank you CR rewards for doing me an unintentional favour.

 

[Pinababy69]

Given how vocal I've been about responsible gambling, and operators doing the right thing, I'm actually happy to hear this. It's something I've talked to a few different operators about in the past. It's pretty widely accepted that there are databases kept to identify fraudulent players...one of my questions has always been why they can't do the same for those people who have admitted to a serious gambling problem and specifically asked for self exclusion.

I want to clarify that I don't mean players who have just asked to have accounts closed because they are not happy with support, bonuses, payouts, etc. I'm referring to the players who have specifically identified themselves as problem gamblers/addicts, and have asked to be self-excluded.

One of the reasons it's been so hard to get individual operators to take the hard line, and act independently, is the simple fact that a player could always self exclude at one casino, or could be "identified" as having a serious problem and have their account locked or deposits limited......they would then just go down the street to one of the competitors who runs the same software ie. MG, and open an account there. So, in effect, they felt that all they were doing was driving a player to the competition, without really helping them.

A shared database is one of the ideas that I have suggested more than once. I personally think this is a great thing, provided it is applied properly, and each case treated individually. A thumbs up to MG from me on this one.

 

[Jasminebed]

Well, the operator told the OP to be "careful" when he closed all his accounts in the CasinoRewards group. Perhaps the OP does need to give them a reason if he wishes to avoid an MG or industry block.

People need to be aware that any comments about games being unfair or rigged would most likely be seen as an indicator of problem gambling. Or saying you are tired of throwing your money away might be seen that way.

To say the CS frequently does not give the correct answers, every bonus seems to require endless efforts to be credited correctly, or that withdrawal time frames, withdrawal limits (4K per week last time I deposited at any of them) that are not in place at other casinos, or any issues with the level of support you receive should hopefully allow another MG operator to realize your reasons were not related to problem gambling.