MyStake Casino - Player is dissatisfied with the responsible gaming policies of the casino.

I am submitting this formal complaint against MyStake Casino due to severe violations of responsible gambling measures, failure to provide a full transaction history, and inadequate handling of my formal complaints.

1. Failure in Responsible Gambling Protocols: Between 25th September and 23rd October 2024, I deposited a total of £35,540 across 66 transactions. Over a span of six days alone, I deposited £17,573 in 23 separate transactions, which reflects a concerning pattern of high-frequency gambling. Despite these signs of problematic gambling, MyStake Casino did not intervene with any responsible gambling measures, such as affordability checks or warnings, as mandated by their Curaçao eGaming license.

2. Refusal to Provide Transaction Transparency: Before I closed my account on 2nd November 2024, I was only able to access a limited portion of my transaction history. After account closure, I requested a full transaction breakdown via email and live chat. However, MyStake Casino failed to provide this information, misleading me with claims that I could access it through my closed account, which was not the case.

3. Inadequate Complaint Handling: I submitted 11 emails to their compliance team, seeking resolution of these issues. However, the responses I received were evasive, failing to address the key concerns of transaction transparency and the responsible gambling failures. Instead, the responses mostly referred to internal refund policies, which were irrelevant to my complaint.

4. Escalation to Regulatory Authorities:

I have already submitted a formal complaint directly to the Curaçao eGaming Control Board (GCB), as this case highlights potential breaches of MyStake Casino’s licensing obligations. My complaint to the GCB focuses on their failure to implement responsible gambling protocols, provide transaction transparency, and handle complaints adequately, as required by Curaçao eGaming regulations.

4. Supporting Evidence:

Miscellaneous Bank Documentation: Confirming total deposits of £35,540.

Chain of Email Correspondence: Showing multiple unresolved requests to their compliance team, particularly to compliance manager Katherine Jones.

Live Chat Screenshots: Documenting my unsuccessful attempts to retrieve a full transaction history after account closure.

5. Requested Resolution: I am seeking a thorough investigation into MyStake Casino’s practices, focusing on their compliance with responsible gambling protocols and transparency requirements. Given the harm caused, I am requesting a refund of all deposits made during this period.

If necessary, I am able to provide the full transaction details, bank statements, and additional screenshots for further verification.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Dear Lex700,

Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m truly sorry to hear about the challenges you’ve encountered.

At Casino.Guru, we are staunch advocates of responsible gambling practices, and we firmly believe that casinos must adhere to high standards to ensure the well-being of their players. The details you’ve shared highlight a troubling pattern of high-frequency deposits over a relatively short period. While we understand your concern about the casino not intervening or conducting affordability checks, our ability to assist players with financial restitution is limited to specific scenarios. In cases where a player formally requests self-exclusion due to gambling addiction and the casino fails to act, we investigate to ensure accountability. However, situations where red flags, such as high deposits, are not acted upon fall into a grey area that often depends on the casino's policies and licensing authority.

We absolutely share your perspective that gambling operators should take proactive steps when such patterns emerge, and we believe this to be an essential aspect of responsible gambling protocols. However, enforcing these standards falls under the jurisdiction of regulatory bodies or the relevant licensing authorities.

• Therefore, could you please specify if you requested to be self-excluded from the casino due to gambling addiction before you placed your deposits?

I hope we will be able to help you resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Best regards,

Veronika

Dear Veronika,

Thank you for your swift response and for acknowledging the challenges I’ve faced. I appreciate Casino Guru’s commitment to responsible gambling and player well-being.

To address your question, I did not formally request self-exclusion. However, my account was only blocked after I complained to the casino about being allowed to deposit £35,540 across 66 transactions in less than a month since opening my account. Despite this, no affordability checks, warnings, or interventions were made during this period, even as my financial situation worsened.

The pattern of high-frequency transactions over a short period, totaling a substantial amount, should have raised red flags under the casino’s responsible gambling obligations.

I have since submitted my complaint to the gaming control board along with more supporting evidence. While they will investigate the casino for potential breaches, they do not mediate disputes. The other option is to use the ADR shown on the casino’s website, but I am hesitant to pursue it, as I am concerned it might favour the casino even with the regulator’s involvement.

If you have any suggestions on how best to move forward in this situation, I would greatly appreciate your advice.

Best regards,

Dear Lex700,

Thank you for your detailed response. We truly understand how challenging this situation must be for you.

While we do not handle complaints specifically related to the amounts deposited within a set period, we acknowledge the importance of casinos providing robust tools to protect players. These tools are typically designed as supplementary measures to support players alongside standard self-exclusion and account closure options. However, verifying whether these tools were implemented correctly and appropriately used falls outside our scope of action.

In your case, the total amount deposited and the frequency of transactions should indeed have triggered responsible gambling checks under most regulatory standards. If you feel the casino failed to fulfill its obligations in this regard, escalating your concerns to the gaming control board was the correct step. Since they have indicated that they cannot mediate your dispute, we recommend the following:

• Contact the casino’s designated ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution): While you mentioned hesitations about potential bias, ADR services are often the next official step in pursuing a resolution. They are bound by impartiality under most licensing frameworks.
• Engage the casino's licensing authority: You can directly approach the licensing authority mentioned on the casino's website. Highlight your concerns about the lack of affordability checks and responsible gambling interventions. Licensing bodies are responsible for ensuring casinos comply with their obligations, including monitoring high-risk gambling behaviors.

Please note that Casino Guru’s role is to mediate disputes based on evidence of breaches of the Terms and Conditions or unfair treatment. In this case, as no self-exclusion request was formally made, and there is no specific evidence of a direct breach of the casino's published terms, we regret to inform you that we are unable to pursue this matter further on your behalf.

We sincerely hope that the steps outlined above will help you move forward toward a resolution.

Best regards,

Veronika