MyStake Casino - Player was able to create an account.

Hi. I'm a problem gambler. Have been for 9 years now. Was clean for the last 5 years as a result of signing up for Gamstop, a UK service to completely self-exclude from gambling sites.

I've recently discovered MyStake.com and although I've only lost £3k. It feels like I've lost my self-respect, dignity and my mental health... well it no longer exists!

I stumbled across their website after clicking on an advert from 'Notgamstop.com'... literally 'Not Gamstop'.

The purpose of this site? Purely to advertise websites that do not comply with Gamstop and allow problem gamblers to sign up.

The betting companies listed then pay affiliate income for any referrals made.

So effectively, they're paying to get problem gamblers signed up to their site.

This is how they lured me in... and all I want to do is get out.

I want my money back, but I also want to be self-excluded worldwide. Is this activity even legal?

What makes it worse is that MyStake's team are so rude and now completely non-responsive.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Dear Wicked243, 

Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m sorry to hear about your problem. I’m sure that you are aware of the geolocation of GAMSTOP operation:

GAMSTOP lets you put controls in place to help restrict your online gambling activities.

Sign up for the service and you will be prevented from using gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed in Great Britain, for a period of your choosing.

I checked the casino website and found out that it doesn't have a UK license, meaning it doesn't have access to the GAMSTOP register.

Could you please advise if you've ever informed this specific casino about your gambling problem and requested to be self-excluded? Do you currently have access to your casino account?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Best regards, 

Kristina

Hi Kristina,

You're overlooking a key point.

I'm stating they're advertising on 'Not Gamstop'.

Gamstop is a UK based organisation, correct.

So advertising on 'Not Gamstop' is specifically targeting UK-based individuals via advertising. This activity is illegal.

Is it ethical to advertise on 'Not Gamstop' and specifically target individuals that have identified themselves as problem gamblers in the UK?

Thank you for your reply, Wicked243. Regrettably, at Casino.Guru, we do not handle complaints related to advertisements, country-specific legal regulations, and other policies. While I understand your perspective, unfortunately, we are not in a position to provide assistance in this matter. Our role is that of an independent online casino database that acts as a mediator in resolving players' disputes. However, we lack the authority to enforce or influence how websites are advertised.

If your aim is to seek a refund of lost deposits solely on the grounds that the casino was listed on a third-party website, we are unable to proceed further.

Could you please get back to my initial message and provide answers to my questions?

But that makes up my case... there's a reason I registered for Gamstop and they're purposely exploiting it!

I believe I already explained our standpoint. Since you failed to reply to my questions again, it seems there is nothing else we can assist you with, I will close this complaint. Thank you for your understanding, I am sorry we could not be of more help on this occasion. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you run into any issues with this or any other casino in the future.