Boo Casino

Public

KD

Unregistered user

Canada

Public

3 years ago

This is the first time I have ever had a withdrawal issue from an online casino.

I have deposited several thousand dollars over the last few weeks with Boocasino. I won a bit. I lost a bit. They allowed my withdrawals and took my deposits. No problems.

On Friday, April 16, 2021, ‘Kelvin’ from Boocasino customer support reached out to offer a ‘no deposit’ ‘free cash bonus’ of $50 because I was depositing a lot (see appendices 1 and 2).

I just had to ensure my account balance was less than $1 (I assume to trace the bonus funds use) (see appendix 1).

I note that I have taken no other bonuses from Boocasino. They reached out to me in this one bonus.

The ‘terms and conditions’ were as follows:

1. Maximum payout $100 from the bonus, any withdrawal amount above that is void; and

2. A deposit must be made before withdrawal allowed (despite their marketing saying the opposite);

3.There were no maximum bets or excluded games. There was no mention that a player is bound to the terms and conditions ‘forever’. (see appendices 19 and 20)

On the same Friday, April 16, 2021, with the bonus money, I got my balance up to $106.90. (see appendix 16)

So, in line with the terms and conditions for the bonus, I deposited $100 (deposit required). (see appendices 3 and 17).

I then withdrew $100 (max amount allowed under the terms and conditions). (see appendices 4 and 18).

I tried to contact the ‘live chat’ to confirm in real time, but it was closed due to COVID-19.

Therefore, I also emailed ‘Kelvin’ to confirm I had followed the terms and conditions. (see appendix 1, email of April 16, 9:30pm). Kelvin did not respond until 9:52am on April 17, 2021 and simply provided a link to general terms and conditions.

I then contacted Boocasino by ‘live chat’ to confirm that I had abided by the terms and conditions. Their agent ‘Jay’ said ‘Everything seems fine’. (see appendix 13).

I contacted ‘live chat’ a second time shortly after, and Jay stated that the Finance department was reviewing my withdrawal, they would contact me, and that the Free Bonus Cash terms ‘stay relevant until you’ve been paid out.’ (see appendix 14).

The Finance department never did contact me (see appendix 15).

On Monday, April 19, 2021, my $100 withdrawal was approved and paid out, and deposited in my account. (see appendix 5). Thus, as per the terms and conditions, and confirmed by Jay, the terms were now satisfied.

Later on April 19, 2021, I requested a $3,100 withdrawal. (see appendix 6).

Between April 19, 2021 and April 20, 2021, I kept playing on boocasino.co, depositing around $1,000 (see appendix 7).

On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, I checked my email. There were several emails from Boocasino, particularly:

1. I breached the bonus terms and conditions because I had accepted the $50 bonus but tried to withdrawal more than $100 (even though the bonus was concluded before this withdrawal) (see appendix 10);

2. They changed my withdrawal to $100 without my consent (see appendices 8 and 9);

3. Boocasino confiscated $3,000 from my account (see appendix 10); and

4. Management decided to permanently close my account without reason (their terms and conditions state that Boocasino will still honour its contractual agreements when it closes an account - but they confiscated my money) (see appendix 11).

With the foregoing in mind, I was taken by surprise and shocked. I would never have reasonably expected a regulated online casino to engage in this kind of behaviour. As such, I wrote a complaint letter to Boocasino, making it very clear this was unacceptable. I provided a deadline, and they failed to respond (see appendix 12).

As a reasonable person who 1) made a point to read the terms and conditions, 2) verified the terms and conditions with the Boocasino agents; and then 3) followed the terms and conditions, this objectively appears to be a deceptive practice.

It further appears that the offer of a ‘free bonus’ is in fact a TRAP to deny legitimate winnings.

Even if I misunderstood the terms, I undertook due diligence by contacting Boocasino agents. I note that subsection 10(2) of the Malta Gaming Player Protection Regulations (which apply to Boocasino’s gaming license) state, under the heading ‘Unfair Terms’:

"Where any provision in such terms and conditions is ambivalent, or any reasonable doubt arises as to the meaning thereof, the interpretation most favourable to the player shall prevail"

(see https://legislation.mt/eli/sl/583.8/eng/pdf)

Does taking a $50 bonus once invalidate any future wins, even after the bonus terms are complete? Especially when a player has actually adhered to the terms and conditions? What about all of the money deposited AFTER the bonus was over? Does this mean that I could deposit and deposit, but never be able to win because of some previous, completed bonus? Do these terms persist into perpetuity?

A reasonable, logical, fair, or honest person would say ‘no’.

I therefore ask for casino.guru’s help.