Megapari Casino - Player’s withdrawal options are insufficient and unclear.

I have been a Megapari customer for a week. After depositing 250 EUR, I had probably the best run of sports bets in my life. Only after five days of betting, my account had grown to approx. 1000 EUR. At that point, Megapari downgraded the my odds: when I sign in the odds go heavily down compared to browsing the site anonymously. Practically there is no point in betting on their site anymore, as the odds are inferior compared to other companies. For example, betting the line with 50/50 probabilities gives me approx. 1.7 vs. 1.7 odds unlike the usual betting companies approx. 1.9 vs 1.9. Even though I am disappointed with my downgraded odds, my complaint is not about that.

Now, I would of course want to withdraw my money because betting at Megapari does not make the slightest sense anymore. My problem is, there are no conventional withdrawing methods available for me: no payments to any well-known cards such as Visa or Mastercard which I have used to deposit, and no SEPA or any bank transfers. There are only some really shady E-wallets, E-vouchers and crypto options. I have tried asking from Megapari about this multiple times, but the only response they give to me is that I should wait for more options to appear or make a deposit to unlock options.

I have been also trying to ask, how long am I supposed to wait and what am I exactly waiting for. They just reply the same thing over and over again: wait or deposit, wait or deposit. Having read other people's experiences in the complaint sites, I have also gotten the impression that making a small deposit with another method might not really enable me to withdraw 1000 EUR, because the withdrawals have to be proportional to the methods used in deposits. And I would definitely not want to open any e-wallets nor deposit more money to Megapari after this experience. So it is totally unclear to me how or when I can get my money withdrawn. The chats with Megapari have not been helpful at all and I feel like they are intentionally replying in an unclear manner so that my winnings would stay with them.

Dear Ja5ka,

Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m sorry to hear about your withdrawal issue.

Please understand, that the variety and accessibility of payment methods are not managed by the casino exclusively. Several factors as the Licensing Authority, geolocation, and contracts with the payment providers and bank restrictions, all have a major influence. If a payment method was available for deposits, it doesn’t mean necessary, that it will be offered for withdrawals too.

If you’ve been advised by the casino to use an alternative payment method to withdraw your winnings, I would strongly recommend following their instructions. Unfortunately, casinos are sometimes powerless and limited in offering payment methods to their customers.

• Could you please advise which alternative payment method has been offered to you?

I hope we will be able to help you to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your reply.

Best regards,

Petronela

Thank you for your advise and comments. However, I do not feel like the casino has at any point given me proper instructions. They are saying, "unlock new method by making a deposit". I have made deposits with my debit card and nothing was unlocked. So I have pretty much 0 trust that giving them more money would somehow resolve the issue. They are also saying that "I can wait", however they have never replied to me, what is the waiting about, how long wait are we talking about, or what happens after waiting.

OK I chatted again with the casino, and now they finally admitted that unlocking a new method will not help me withdrawing, nor do they know when I could withdraw.

My question: "If I unlock another method by making a small deposit, can I then withdraw all my money using that new method? Additionally, you have still never responded my question about waiting: how long should I wait and what happens after waiting?"

Their answer: "You can withdraw funds in proportion to your deposit amount. I can't give you the exact dates when the methods are going to be back. Stay tuned for new updates."

Hello there, dear Ja5ka and the CasinoGuru team!

Dear Ja5ka, I want to extend my apologies for the delayed response and any inconvenience you might have faced while processing your withdrawal. Sometimes there may be technical problems with payment systems that make them unavailable for withdrawal. 

Upon reviewing your account details, I can confirm that the verification process is actively in progress. I have reached out to our Security Department for an update and they have assured me that your documents are undergoing a thorough and careful review by our team of specialists.

Once the verification process is successfully completed, you should not face any further issues with withdrawing your funds.

Thank you for looking into the case. Much appreciated! Let's see how it continues next.

Hi everyone. Thank you very much for the updates.

Dear Ja5ka,

Please keep me informed about any further developments.

Thank you in advance.

A week later, there has been absolutely no development at all - and I have had a week to google about Megapari and get a bit worried with the idea that they will not necessarily ever let me withdraw. Maybe "seemingly" something is developing, but anything concrete not at all.

Turns of events so far.

1. One important additional detail not mentioned earlier: the very first thing when I started betting in Megapari was verification, with an ID shared and a photo taken. Also, the phone number was verified. This is becoming relevant part of the longer story.
2. 1.5 weeks ago, I realized that there are no proper options to withdraw money. I tried asking multiple times how to proceed and i "seemingly" got answers. They were, I should deposit more money and that would enable me to withdraw. Or I could wait. At no point, I got no clear guidance, what kind of deposits would enable me with what kinds of withdrawals - or what would I exactly be waiting for.
3. Couple days later, when asking with the correct wording, I was told that depositing would not necessarily let me withdraw more than "proportionally" to the deposits, whatever that means in a real life scenario.
4. Last weekend, all of a sudden, SEPA withdrawal was available. I entered my details and seemingly a process started. However, when going back to the site later, my account again had balance, and there was a message "missing documents, contact security". It was not exactly user friendly nor proactive, but sure, the message was there.
5. Knowing the security contact, throughout Sunday they were asking me for different items one at a time: ID, debit card photo, and a more difficult photo challenge with multiple items visible at once. Then they told me to wait.
6. Waiting ended on Thursday. Now they needed my utility bills. Then they asked to wait.
7. Today the waiting has ended with new requests for personal details. They already have my ID, proof of address and other proofs and I don't know how far this tiring play goes.

They are also extremely good at never letting you clearly know about the concrete process or complete steps. Seemingly a discussion is ongoing by asking me things and giving me different tasks, however I have no clarity about what and when will be enough - or not even if anything I submitted earlier becomes an excuse later.

This promise to perform "a thorough and careful review" has a certain tone which I felt already back when I saw their response. I am mostly disappointed for myself for not doing a better due diligence with the company when I heard some recommendations from my friends.

Dear Ja5ka,

I sincerely apologize for the extended delay and the frustration you have experienced with the withdrawal. I have personally reached out to our Security Department to inquire about the status of your case. They have informed me that your documents are currently under review. Due to the stringent security measures we adhere to, this process can sometimes take longer than anticipated, and we appreciate your patience in this regard. I have also been advised that there might be a need for some additional documents. Please be assured that our Security Department will contact you directly with specific details regarding any further requirements.

Additionally, I would like to assure you that as soon as the verification process is successfully completed, you will be able to withdraw your funds. We are committed to ensuring that this process is concluded as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Best regards,

MegaPari Team

Thank you Megapari for your response. I have still troubles understanding the complete process: what is exactly needed to get this done after having verified quite a lot of things already.

Am I concluding it correctly that the review is ongoing and I can neglect the request for more IDs while you already have my ID? And Megapari will be the proactive party next?

Thank you very much, Ja5ka, for providing all the necessary information. I will now transfer your complaint to my colleague Michal (michal.v@casino.guru) who will be at your assistance. I wish you the best of luck and hope to see your problem being resolved to your satisfaction in the near future.  

Hello Ja5ka,

My name is Michal and I will be assisting you with your case. I hope that together we will come to a successful resolution of your issue.

Dear Megapari Casino,

Could you possibly provide additional information regarding the verification status and clarify the situation?

Thank you in advance.

Respectfully,

Michal

Dear Ja5ka and Michal,

I apologize for the delay in responding to your queries.

Dear Ja5ka,

I have contacted our Security Depatment, and they have informed me that a letter regarding the document request was sent to you on March 10. However, we have not received any response from your side. Please send the requested document at your earliest convenience.

We understand that the KYC process can be inconvenient during gameplay. However, it is essential to comply with the Security Department's requirements for successful verification.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. 

Best regards,

MegaPari Team

Dear Ja5ka,

Can you confirm you received the document request from the casino on March 10th? If so, please proceed according to the instructions given by the casino. We will be waiting to hear from you.

Plenty of replies with no clarity on anything. 

The casino has requested and gotten a huge amount of my identity data. They have my ID at least 3 different ways, they have photos of me at least 2 different ways, they have my bank/card information many different ways (photos plus I have made deposits with them), and they have my utility bills. 

What they do is, they ask you new questions one at a time. Then they keep you waiting for 3 days. Then they ask you more. Then they keep you waiting for 3 days. Then they ask you more.

Now they would want me to disclose new IDs. If I provide that, will they be asking for more of my banking data, all my cards. How many cards do I need to have to survive this "verification"? How many different valid IDs? How many different invoices that are brand new? They have so far never disclosed the verification requirements and they have never disclosed whether anything that was provided has been OK or not.

This has taken so long that I consulted the local authorities and they advised me to ask these questions. 

1. Was there a problem with my ID: yes or no? If there is a problem, what problem?

2. Was there a problem with my bank/card proof: yes or no? If there is a problem, what problem?

3. Was there a problem with my proof of address: yes or no? If there is a problem, what problem?

4. If the above are OK, what is the comprehensive list of requirements for completing verification?

I understand that CasinoGuru has word vs. word here, but if you look at this discussion closer, there have been no real answers yet. They are saying I just need to reply to their security email every 3 days until forever: sending anything they might want to ask without any reasonable limits.

Dear Megapari Casino,

Is there any relevant reason as to why you asked the player to provide additional documents? Please, either post a reply here in the thread or send all the relevant information to michal.v@casino.guru

I will be waiting for your reply and I hope that together we can come to a resolution of this case that would suit both parties involved.

Hello Ja5ka and the CasinoGuru team,

We appreciate your patience and understanding regarding this matter.

Dear Michal, I want to inform you that I have sent detailed information about the player's case to your email, michal.v@casino.guru, as you requested. Here is a brief summary for transparency purposes.

At Megapari, we strictly follow our rules and regulations during the verification process. The request for additional documentation from the player was made by our Security Department as a standard procedure to ensure a secure and fair gaming environment for all our customers.

It is customary in the industry to ask for alternative documentation if the initially provided documents do not meet our verification standards or if further confirmation is necessary. This practice is crucial for upholding the integrity and security of our operations. Please be aware that the processing of these documents may take up to 72 hours. We understand this may cause inconvenience, but it is necessary for a thorough verification process.

Dear Ja5ka, we kindly ask you to adhere to the requirements outlined by our Security Department for successful verification. The requested documents are standard in the industry and play a vital role in ensuring a safe and secure gaming experience at Megapari.

Our aim is to resolve this matter satisfactorily for all parties involved, and we appreciate your cooperation and understanding throughout this process.

Best regards,

MegaPari Team

Dear Ja5ka,

Please proceed according to the info provided by the casino. Providing additional documents would allow the casino to complete the KYC procedure and that will allow you to withdraw your winnings if everything is on order. Let us know if you run into any trouble or if you require our help with anything. We will be waiting for your update.

Dear Ja5ka,

We are extending the timer by 7 days. Please, be aware that in case you fail to respond in the given time frame or don’t require any further assistance, we will reject the complaint.

I will probably never answer their further requests because I cannot trust them the smallest bit (just google how this works).

I just want to say that it is not any kind of "industry standard" or "safety requirement" to keep players totally in the dark. I have never experienced a verification without any disclosure of requirements. I rarely have had problems that take more than a moment to resolve. And I have never been treated like being in a criminal investigation. If any part of verification has an issue, an industry standard is to say that "we need something more BECAUSE..."

Now they withhold the opportunity to claim anything a problem later and this can go on forever.

I understand that Casino guru is not an official authority and I appreciate your effort. Just pay attention to their answers that are disclosing absolutely nothing and committing to absolutely nothing. Remember that the first thing I was told to do multiple times was to deposit even more but then I would only have lost even more money. Just be careful. I am probably paying a 1 KEUR lesson here.

Dear Ja5ka,

I understand that you may be feeling frustrated with the verification process, but please, understand that casinos are doing verification checks at this level not just for fun or to prolong the whole process and to make the players wait longer, they are doing it to make sure that the person in question is truly who he says he is, and also because they need to protect themselves against money laundering or other kinds of fraud attempts. Sometimes, an additional document may be requested just to ensure everything is in order and the money will go to the person they are supposed to go.

Please rest assured that the casino where you are playing has a very high safety index and a history cooperating and of paying out their players, so there is no need to worry. I kindly ask for your patience and trust in the process. Thank you for your understanding.

Would you consider sending the requested documents as per the casino instructions?

Dear Ja5ka,

We are extending the timer by 7 days. Please, be aware that in case you fail to respond in the given time frame or don’t require any further assistance, we will reject the complaint.