The player from Portugal encountered ongoing issues with account closure at 20bet casino, where he had deposited over €7500. Despite multiple requests to close his account and indications of gambling addiction, the casino's 'VIP manager' had persuaded him to remain by offering bonuses. The player sought assistance due to the casino's refusal to refund on the grounds that they were only made aware of the issue in July. The complaint was resolved by the Complaints Team, who stated that without clear evidence of the player's gambling problems in his closure requests, they were unable to assist in recovering his deposits, leading to the rejection of the complaint. Later, the player contacted the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which facilitated a refund from the casino, resulting in the complaint being marked as resolved.
20Bet Casino - Player’s account closure request is denied.
Amount: €7,500
20Bet Casino
Safety Index:Above averageCase closed
RESOLVED
Case summary
I was a user of 20bet casino where from May of this year until July I deposited more than €7500.
Since May 2024, I entered the chat and requested the closure of my account. Since my first attempt, to prevent me from closing the account, a "VIP manager" was assigned to me to keep the account open.
Now, I have several emails where I tried to close my account with this VIP manager. Whenever I tried, they offered me bonuses, and as an addict, I accepted these poisoned gifts.
The situation persisted until July when the hole was already so deep that I begged in the chat to close the account and did not want to speak with the VIP manager so they wouldn't convince me otherwise again.
I contacted the casino, and they stated that there is no ground for a refund because they claim they only became aware of my problem in July, which is a lie. In 2023, I had already requested self-exclusion from another casino managed by the same group "22bet," and as soon as I requested self-exclusion, they promptly excluded me and did not allow me to create a new account.
I need your help.
Dear cgouveia,
Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m very sorry to hear about your negative experience. First, I’d like to explain to you what the difference is between closing the account and self-exclusion:
Closing an account is simple and has almost no impact - the player can reopen the account anytime, and the casino has no obligation to the player.
On the other hand, self-exclusion does. If a player successfully makes a self-exclusion the casino agrees not to open this account or if yes only under particular circumstances (after the cooling off period and this cannot be done for players who are addicted/with a gambling problem).
Would you be so kind as to forward me the account closure requests that you sent to this casino? Please include the replies from the casino representatives as well. My email address is veronika.l@casino.guru.
Thank you very much in advance.
Best regards,
Veronika
Hello, all the exclusions sent were for account closure requests.
But my main question is, since this casino belongs to the same group as 22bet and is managed by techsolutions n.v., shouldn't they be careful to block me from all the casinos in the group when they find out about my problem, so that I can't create an account anywhere else?
I'm trying to send an email to techsolutions n.v., but the email isn't being delivered.
I'm sorry, but the licensing authority does not require licensees to block players from all casinos under their ownership. It is the player's responsibility to send a self-exclusion request to each casino individually. However, as part of our Global Self-Exclusion Initiative, we've partnered with BetBlocker, a UK-registered charity providing a free service to support people worldwide. You can find more information about our initiative here (https://casino.guru/global-self-exclusion-initiative) and about BetBlocker here (https://betblocker.org/).
BetBlocker, which supports seven languages, is quick and easy to install on multiple devices, taking just 2 minutes. Once installed, it blocks access to over 84,230 gambling websites and runs quietly in the background. The service can be used anonymously and helps individuals manage their access to gambling safely and appropriately, whether that means complete restriction or limiting access during vulnerable periods.
Additionally, BetBlocker includes a list of 824 gambling information sites. These sites primarily inform users about and advertise gambling services. You can choose to include these sites in your restriction by ticking a box. However, if you have an ongoing complaint against a gambling operator, do not check this box, as it will prevent you from accessing the Casino.Guru website as well.
I have not received any emails regarding your self-exclusion request to 20Bet Casino directly.
When applying for the self-exclusion, always state clearly the reason why you want your account to be deactivated and specify the time period. Also, email "Subject" should be clearly marked and easily recognizable as casino support receives many requests per day hence, if it’s visibly marked you stand a better chance to have your request granted as soon as possible. I would also strongly recommend that you always save your self-exclusion request so that you have a valid proof of such action.
Example:
Email subject: Self-exclusion due to xxx
Player’s info:
First name:
Last name:
DOB:
Casino login:
Email address:
"Greetings xxx xxx,
I’m writing to inform you that I wish to exclude immediately from this casino and from receiving any gambling-related marketing materials for a minimum period of xxx months/years (lifetime).
The reason that preceded my decision is xxx
I acknowledge that I will not be allowed to rescind my self-exclusion during this period and self-exclusion cannot be lifted before the end of the agreed period."
If you did not specify in your conversations that you wanted to close your account due to gambling addiction, I'm sorry but in our view, you are not eligible for refunds of your deposits. I apologize but we will not be able to assist you any further.
So, in a nutshell, if I've sent emails asking for closure, it's not enough to request a refund. ? If that's the case, you can close the claim.
If you did not mention that the reason for your account closure request is gambling addiction or gambling problems, I am afraid we won't be able to help you.
Unfortunately not. But neither is it right when you ask for your account to be closed for them to assign you a VIP manager as a way of keeping the customer. I say
I understand your frustration, and I agree that it's concerning when a player requests account closure but instead receives offers or incentives to continue playing. However, in order for us to assist you with recovering your lost deposits, we must follow specific procedures that require us to provide the casino with clear evidence that the player informed them of a gambling problem. This allows us to argue that the casino failed to act in accordance with its Responsible Gambling policies and Terms and Conditions.
While it’s unfortunate that the mention of gambling addiction was not part of your requests, without this key information, it becomes impossible for us to build a strong case on your behalf. Casinos are typically willing to engage in refunds or resolutions when they can see a clear failure on their part to support players with gambling-related issues.
I know this might not be the outcome you were hoping for, but we are bound by these procedures in order to approach the casino with the best possible chance of a positive resolution.
Due to the aforementioned reasons, this complaint will now be rejected. Thank you for your understanding, I am sorry we could not be of more help on this occasion.
I would like to call your attention to our Self-Exclusion Assistance Tool https://casino.guru/global-self-exclusion-initiative/assistance-tool This tool will make it easier for you to block your casino accounts across multiple gambling establishments simultaneously and is not affiliated with any specific casino. The Self-Exclusion Assistance Tool was designed to assist individuals who may be facing challenges with their gambling habits by helping them limit their access to gambling and reduce the potential for further harm.
Above all, if gambling no longer brings you joy and is becoming a burden, it is highly advisable to seek professional assistance. I strongly recommend reaching out to centers in your country that specialize in addressing gambling problems. You can find some of these centers by referring to the following link (https://casino.guru/problem-gambling-help-centers#cnt_87=true)
We've reopened this complaint at the request of cgouveia. The player sent us the following email:
Hi, I'd like to give you an update on the case.
I wrote to techsolutions' licensor, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, who on the same day asked techsolutions for clarification and in just 6 days, they refunded me the difference between the deposits and withdrawals. This really is a respectful and quality licensing body.
If you can, please change the status to Licensing entity resolved in record time.
Thank you
Dear cgouveia,
I'm glad to hear that your issue has been resolved successfully. I will now mark the complaint as 'resolved' in our system.
Thank you for your cooperation, and please do not hesitate to contact our Complaint Resolution Center if you run into any issues with this or any other casino in the future.
Best regards,
Veronika Lash
Casino.Guru
