Sheriff Gaming Offices Raided - Assets Seized!

[Igor82]

Update

Following a legal notice issued by Sheriff to other suppliers which has been forwarded by our game providers we have tentatively brought the games back online today.

It would appear that the gaming part of this case doesn't have any illegal implications based on the contents. We'll see how the case develops.

 

[sparkz]

Ace,

has anyone got any info about my money from them (well jackpotred)? (well anyones money for that matter)


P1sstake really that im in UK, I played in good faith, but now the dutch government have my withdrawal's?

Sod all info in english...

 

[jetset]

I contacted Sheriff Gaming to query Bet-at EU Admin's post on the day that it appeared.

No response almost a week later.

 

[sparkz]

AmsterdamsCasino.com is back online under new management.

I'm wondering if anyone has any info at the others?

I'm still owed cash at jackpotred which was part of the group

 

[jetset]

Sheriff Gaming reverted to me several days after my query (see my last post above) and claimed that they had been exonerated of criminal conduct. I haven't seen any news reports corroborating that yet, but the whole issue seems to have gone dead.


This was our last report end June:

SHERIFF GAMING CONFIRMS IT IS CLEAR OF DUTCH PROSECUTION

Developer assures clients that Bubble Group parent is not suspected of wrongdoing

The Dutch prosecution on money laundering and other allegations of the Gregoire brothers and Stijn Flapper, which made headlines in the Dutch media recently (see previous reports) saw a sequel this week, when Sheriff Gaming confirmed that its parent Bubble Group BV, which had been named in early media coverage, is no longer a suspect in the case.

Answering a press enquiry from Friday, Sheriff Gaming’s sales compliance manager, Ellen Flapper, responded:

“On the basis of the information provided to the lawyers as appointed by Bubble Group BV, (which inter alia consists of written communication with the public prosecution department), I can confirm that Bubble Group B.V. is not designated as a suspect in this investigation.

“Since no other formal information is provided by the public prosecution department, Bubble Group decided not to send out a press release in the media.”

Sheriff Gaming had earlier contacted clients to advise that it had been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Readers will recall that towards the end of last (May) month Bubble Group premises in Eindhoven and Best Geldrop were visited by Dutch police prosecutors, with three Dutch men reportedly under investigation – brothers Michel Maurice Gregoire, and Stijn Flapper, CEO of Bubble Group BV.

Little more has been officially released on the investigation, which reportedly involved 150 officers from the Dutch Prosecuting Authority (Openbaar Ministerie), the gaming authority KSA (Kansspelautoriteit) the tax authority.

The enquiry reportedly centres on allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and illegal gambling.

Bank accounts were frozen, assets seized and seven online casinos were shut down, namely AmsterdamsCasino, AmsterdamsPoker, JackpotRed, TripleGold, Golden10Casino, Tanzoo FruitLuck.

Dutch law currently prohibits foreign online gambling operators from targeting Dutch players.

Stijn Flapper has proclaimed his innocence of any wrongdoing throughout, and he has distanced himself from the business activities of Michel Gregoire, with whom Flapper set up Teletick in 2004.

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission later confirmed that it had commenced a special investigation "...to confirm that the basis on which Bubble Group BV and its sponsors were approved remain correct."

 

[sparkz]

Wouldnt the following email be enough to make the entire outfit completely rogue?

Dear player,

At this moment we have no idea if and when Jackpotred is going online. We therefore can not make any statements about a possible compensation for players of Jackpotred. Hopefully the next few months the situation about Jackpotred will be clear, if this be so, we will send you an email.

Best regards,

Helpdesk Amsterdams Casino


Let me get this right...

This "new management" is in control of amsterdasmscasino. However, people are owed money at it's other sister sites. New management are pretty much saying "Screw paying members of the other sites that are owed money, we are new management, cant be bothered to take the full debt on that our company owes unless we decide it could make us money in the future".

 

[jetset]

AmsterdamsCasino.com is back online under new management.

I'm wondering if anyone has any info at the others?

I'm still owed cash at jackpotred which was part of the group

Can you give us any further information on this "new management" or perhaps reveal your source and any email or other announcement regarding the change?

It seems strange that Bubble Group would sell off all these websites if it was clean.

I recall posts earlier in this thread claiming that there were indications that despite their claims to the contrary, these sites were actually being hosted on Dutch soil....at present that would make them manifestly illegal in that country.

I'm happy to raise further queries with Sheriff on this aspect, but one needs to have more concrete information on the "new management" claim.

 

[sparkz]

The problem is it's pretty much all dutch orientated, so a lot of translation is broken English .

Firstly I had been browsing Outdated URL (Invalid) A website set up by someone who isnt anything to do with the casino which scans the net for updates and posts them. News yesterday was "Amsterdams Casino is back online" (Translated).

Talking of that info site... What I noticed is comments not happy about their refunded cash they were owed at AC:

"I had to pay € 380 are on when power went out on May 24,'ve also claimed via helpdesk, however, did not address the claim and I got pretty quick € 75 (last 2 deposits on 23 May) on my account, in addition to € 50 bonus). So all in all I shoot it in at more than € 300 .."

Broken English but it sounds like the person was owed 380, when he contacted them, they only gave him 75 euros refund and a 50 Euro free chip, so he's more than 300 down.

The new management was a popup message on the

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

relaunched website on 1st visit (it was in dutch, sadly I didnt save the popup, but it mentioned about being re-opened and having new management) *EDIT, managed to get that message again, will include it below*

Then at the bottom of the page:


"Amsterdams Casino is a brand managed by Imperium Network Solutions Limited, Stourside Place Station Road, Ashford, Kent, UK, TN23 1PP, for and on behalf of St Fillians Limited"

So instead of "Net gaming solutions" it's "St Fillians". After a google search it shows "St Fillians" is also involved with bingoplayground, casinodiscover, bingohour, gdaycasino, playgrandcasino.

Nothing too concrete at the moment.

The terms say "*Terms and Conditions last updated 10th July 2013", doesnt mean anything but website was only re-laucnhed on 28th (yesterday), so perhaps if it was the old management continuing, they wouldnt of revised terms?



EDITED: As mentioned I managed to get the popup message you get on 1st visit to amsterdamn's casino again:

*Translated via google*

"We are pleased to report that co Amsterdams Casino went live today. Again under a new management

* We will do everything to ensure you have the new Amsterdam casino for a great experience

* To make use of all our facilities, the best use we ask you to create. A new player account We will reward you with your first deposit with a 100% welcome bonus up to € 222!

* Any questions? Then make an account and contact the helpdesk with your username and we will help you as soon as possible.

* Note, when you register, you must verify your email. If you do not receive the verification email in your mailbox within, it may be that this has ended. Spam in your

* We are ready to answer all your questions.

* Sincerely,
* Amsterdams Casino"

 

[mikke47]

So all their online casinos were shut down in just 1 day ?

How about their website and company hq? Are they still selling their products or we'll see their website shut down soon as well?

 

[sparkz]

(Some facts could be slightly wrong but this is my take on it)

Basically it was "black friday" (In May) where the police stormed the casino offices (as well as owners houses) on suspicion of money laundering and drugs.

They took all the casino's offline right away which lead to speculation that the casino's servers were located on home soil as the dutch authority's were able to close the websites down as soon as they stormed the offices (It's against the law the host casino games on servers located in Netherlands so the Dutch government classed it as "illegal gambling", even though members had no idea they were "illegally" gambling). Asset's were seized,

Next to no info was given out and players were left in the dark for many months. The Dutch government really couldnt give a crap about players.

Sheriff gaming are owned by the guys who owned these casinos. (I think sheriff gaming were given the all clear and casinos still include their games).

Again this is speculation but from what I have seen, a company bought out just Amsterdamnscasino and have access to the logs of what people were owed.

Players who still have money pending at other casino's in the group are still in the dark... Support have no idea weather they will re-open other casino's that once belonged in that group.

Even though they have the log's at AC casino of what people are owed... They are screwing the players, refusing to process their previous withdrawal's and are only offering people their deposit money (many are lucky to even get that) back + a measly free chip with a quite low max cashout.

From my understanding, if a company buys a casino out, they should take the debt on board too and pay what people are owed in full. Instead this new management are ripping off players to reduce their debt, which is a terrible business practice and will likely cost them dearly.

From the limited info that there is on the internet... AC casino owes around 200,000 euros and they only will be paying out a small fraction of that in deposit refunds and only to people who know the casino is open and contact their support.

1 case in particular has been reported that a player is owed around 30,000 Euros, but the casino are only offering to give them their 300 Euros deposit back.



Not sure about their website or company HQ, very little info is about there and nothing has been said weather the owners were innocent.

 

[jetset]

It's taken awhile, but at last Bubble Group have responded on this issue.

Long story short, they're saying that Amsterdamscasino.com was never part of the Bubble Group!

I assume that means that it was part of Stijn Flapper's other unspecified interests, and that he has now sold the asset to the Imperium Network Solutions company.

 

[Ajax]

I don't think I'm quite following what happened here. This seems to go back all the way to late May, so why is it in the news just now (or at least since yesterday)?

 

[Richas]

I don't think I'm quite following what happened here. This seems to go back all the way to late May, so why is it in the news just now (or at least since yesterday)?

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) have just pulled their licence.

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The fact that this took from May to now is, shall we say worrying.

 

[jetset]

Statement from Bubble Group released today (Thursday)




Public Statement by Bubble Group


EINDHOVEN, 12th September 2013 - At Bubble Group’s repeated request the AGCC has invited Bubble Group ("Bubble"), to a regulatory hearing on 29th October 2013. Bubble welcomes this announcement since this will be the first opportunity that the company will be able to formally comment to the events that have occurred over the last few months.

That being said, Bubble also deeply regrets the decision made by the AGCC to temporarily suspend its Category 2 Associate Certificate until after the hearing and before any true and hard facts have been presented by the AGCC. However the company will continue to be fully compliant and abide any restrictions made on Bubble during this temporary suspension.

In the meantime, the management of Bubble would like to reiterate that on 29th August 2013 and 6th September 2013 respectively, the District Attorney wrote to inform Bubble that there can be no doubt that Bubble's activities, its development of games and licensing of these games are entirely legal.