Betrophy Casino - Player’s account should be closed but remains active.

Hello.

On November 20, 2022, I requested via chat and email to close my account due to my gambling addiction, and I explicitly asked for it not to be reopened even if I requested it. A few days later, the account was reopened, and I lost the first 300 euros.

I requested the closure again.

A few days ago (October 6), the account was reactivated, and I deposited 200 euros. I contacted both chat and email to explain my gambling problems once more. That same day, I was unable to access the account anymore.

Today, October 8, I received emails and SMS messages offering me free bonuses and spins. I reactivated my account and lost another 375 euros.

At this moment, the account is still open, and I am making an enormous effort not to gamble.

I have proof of all the emails I sent explaining my gambling addiction and requesting a permanent closure.

Thank you for your time.

Dear juliobit8,

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 gambling problem). 

Could you please specify the reason for closing your account? Would you be so kind as to forward me the account closure requests that you sent to the casino? My email address is dominika.l@casino.guru. 

Thank you very much in advance. 

Best regards, 

Dominika

Hello Dominika.

Thank you for your time.

I just forwarded the emails to you.

One from 2022, where I explain my gambling addiction and request the permanent closure of my account.

Another one from a few days ago where I demand the same thing, and the last one, from this morning, with the transcription of the chat in which I ask that my account be closed due to my addiction.

My account is still open.

Thank you

Hello.

These days I have received confirmation from the casino that my account has been self-excluded. However, they have not responded to my request for a refund of deposits after the first self-exclusion request.

Thank you

Dear juliobit8, did you request self-exclusion by email on October 6th and then follow up via live chat on October 9th?

When exactly was your account closed after this request?

Also, have you received any response to the self-exclusion request you submitted in November 2022?

Hello Dominika.

1. Indeed. On October 6th I requested the closure by chat and by email. Since they take a long time to close it, on the 9th I insisted again that they close it.
2. On October 11th I received an email informing me that my account had been closed.
3. In November 2022 I did not receive a confirmation email but the account was closed. In fact, to reactivate it, they told me that the responsible gaming department must review the case and establish a reflection period. (I am forwarding that email to you). On the following occasions, it was enough to contact the chat to reactivate the account (without a reflection period).

Thank you

Thank you very much, juliobit8, for providing the necessary information. I will now transfer your complaint to my colleague Kubo (jakub.m@casino.guru) who will be at your service. I wish you the best of luck and hope the problem will be resolved to your satisfaction in the near future.

Dear juliobit8,

I'm Kubo, and I will be taking care of your complaint from now on. If there have been any new updates regarding this case since the last information provided, please let me know.

I would like to invite the Betrophy Casino's representatives to join this discussion and provide any available information to help resolve this issue.

Dear Betrophy Casino,

I understand that investigating this issue may be challenging, given that nearly two years have passed since the initial occurrence. However, I would like to kindly request detailed information regarding this case. Specifically, I am concerned about how a player who previously self-excluded due to gambling problems was able to easily reopen his account, despite having mentioned this several times.

Thank you in advance for your response.

Best Regards,

Kubo

Dear Kubo,

We appreciate and fully understand that self-exclusion requests is an extremely delicate matter, that is why our representatives carefully examine each request to make sure they are accordingly addressed. 

Our teams are trained extensively to manage these situations with efficiency and adherence to strict procedures, ensuring players receive appropriate assistance tailored to their needs.

The above applies to cases where a player would like to reactivate their account as well. 

The player contacted us after a long period of time expressing his desire to reopen his account and after his request has been reviewed thoroughly and the player confirmed his decision, so we proceeded as per the player's desire. 

Best regards,

Betrophy Casino Team

Dear Betrophy Casino,

Thank you for your response and clarification. However, based on the player’s claims, it appears he was able to reopen his self-excluded account by simply requesting it via live chat, with the reactivation occurring shortly afterward and without additional verification or communication.

If this differs from your process, I would appreciate any evidence that demonstrates a sufficient cool-off period was provided, allowing the player time to fully consider his decision.

While we respect a player's right to reopen an account after a significant period and a thorough reactivation process, the current circumstances suggest these steps may not have been fully observed.

Please share any supporting details with me via email at jakub.m@casino.guru.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I look forward to a clear understanding of the steps taken in this case.

They claim to be a casino committed to responsible gaming, but their approach does not prove it.

On November 20th I requested a PERMANENT ban due to gambling addiction, on November 22nd I requested the reopening and on the 29th I was playing again. Is this the correct way for your "highly qualified" team to act? Do you think it is a "careful analysis" to open an account in which 9 days ago you were informed of gambling addiction?

Something similar happened this month, the account was closed due to gambling addiction on the 6th and on the 8th I was playing again (THE ACCOUNT WAS REOPENED 2 DAYS AFTER THE REQUEST)

In my opinion, a player account that confesses to gambling addiction and requests that it not be opened (not even when requested) should not be opened in a month, a year, or 10 years.

Your answer makes me think that you are not very aware of what a gambling addiction means, which is very worrying if you are involved in the world of gambling. Do you really believe that a player addicted to gambling can recover in less than 2 years and can return to playing in a casino without any problem?

all the best.

Dear juliobit8,

I completely agree with your point about the importance of allowing adequate time for recovery when it comes to gambling issues. The recovery process is indeed highly individual and can vary greatly from player to player.

I believe that less than two years is a very short period to consider reopening an account that was closed under the responsible gambling policy. In this case, it seems that the request to reopen the account was not thoroughly examined, given the brief timeframe between the request and the actual reopening.

We’ll have to wait and see how the casino responds to this matter.

We would like to ask the casino to reply to this complaint. We are extending the timer by 7 days. If the casino fails to respond in the set time frame, we will close the complaint as ‘unresolved’ which may negatively affect its rating.

Dear Kubo, 

In cases where a player would like to reactivate their account, that is presented as an option in the form of a disclaimer to ensure the player acknowledges his responsibilities behind their decision, which he agreed to. 

It is important to note the information regarding the process is described and aligns with our terms and conditions - https://betrophy.com/pages/terms-and-conditions and the player is welcome to familiarize with them, as they are accessible at any time and furthermore, the player agreed to them when he signed up.

We would also like to point out that after the latest self-exclusion request, the player's account has been deactivated accordingly as per his wishes.

Kind regards,

Betrophy Casino Team

Dear Betrophy Casino,

Thank you for your response regarding your policy on self-exclusion. However, I must express my concerns about how the policy is being implemented in practice.

A permanent self-exclusion is designed to provide robust support to players with gambling problems by ensuring they are unable to access their accounts. Allowing a permanently self-excluded account to be reopened through a simple request to customer support undermines the very purpose of this policy. When a player requests permanent self-exclusion, it signifies a clear acknowledgment of their gambling problem and a need for the casino to act decisively to protect them.

It is well-documented that individuals with gambling issues often struggle with self-control. By placing the responsibility of account reopening on the same player who has declared their gambling problem, the casino is failing to uphold its duty to protect vulnerable individuals. Instead, the casino should ensure that permanent self-exclusions remain just that - permanent - with no option for reopening under any circumstances.

Given this, I strongly believe that the player in question should be eligible for a refund of deposits made during the period between the account’s reopening (after the self-exclusion) and its eventual closure. This refund would be a fair resolution in light of the circumstances and the principle that self-exclusion policies are intended to safeguard players, not to shift the burden of responsibility back onto them.

I trust that you will carefully consider this matter, and I look forward to hearing your perspective.

Thank you for your understanding.