The player from Germany had deposited 682 euros at Spellwin and received a 750 euro welcome bonus. After fulfilling the wagering requirements, he requested a withdrawal of 2,580 euros, but the casino canceled his balance, claiming violations during gameplay, specifically regarding the game Easter Plinko. The player argued that he had followed the rules and that the game was permitted, requesting assistance to retain his winnings. The Complaints Team reviewed the case and concluded that while the casino's implementation of its bonus terms was deemed unfair, the player's history of similar gameplay strategies raised concerns. Consequently, the complaint was classified as unresolved, with minimal penalties assigned to the casino. The player was advised against engaging in practices that could be perceived as exploiting bonus terms in the future, as this might affect the support provided for any future complaints.
SpellWin Casino - Player’s winnings have been confiscated.
Black points: 68
Amount: €2,580
SpellWin Casino
Safety Index:Fresh casinoAgainst fair gambling
UNRESOLVED
Case summary
Hello,
On November 28th, I deposited 682 euros for the first welcome bonus at Spellwin and received a 750 euro bonus.
The bonus offer was 110% up to 750 euros.
https://spellwin.eu/de/promo/item/welcome-bonus-pack
After not winning anything with the 682 euros in real money, I activated the 750 euro bonus and, after meeting all the wagering requirements, I requested a withdrawal of 2,580 euros.
A few days later, I received an email from the casino:
Dear Mr. Jörg Lange,
The Risk Department of Spellwin Casino conducted a detailed investigation of your account, USER825.
Account USER825 did not pass the casino's security check.
Your balance was canceled in accordance with the rules:
- The casino has the right to cancel all bonuses and winnings and confiscate any money from the account if obtained unfairly or in violation of the rules.
Upon reviewing your gaming session, violations were found, namely – an attempt to quickly complete the wagering bonus through the game Easter Plinko.
Due to the identified violations, your balance was canceled.
This decision is final and will not be reviewed.
My winnings of 2,580 euros were completely canceled.
Since playing Easter Plinko (BGaming) was permitted according to the bonus terms and I successfully fulfilled the wager, I do not understand why I should have violated the bonus conditions. The casino's reasoning that the game Easter Plinko completes the wager too quickly is not a sufficient reason to cancel my winnings.
If the casino does not want this game to be played with bonus funds, they need to state that in the bonus terms or block it from the system so it is unplayable with bonus money.
The casino also has a system that automatically prevents any games not allowed with bonus funds from being started, showing a message that the game is not permitted with bonus money. Unfortunately, I did not receive this message when playing Easter Plinko.
I hope you can help me retain my winnings, as from my perspective, I have not violated any bonus conditions.
Dear fowi30,
Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Please allow me to ask you a few questions, so I can understand the whole situation completely.
- Could you please clarify if you played any other games while this bonus was active?
- Do you currently have access to your casino account?
Additionally, please forward all the relevant communication between you and the casino to kristina.s@casino.guru. Alternatively, you can post it here.
I hope we will be able to help you to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
Best regards,
Kristina
Due to the increased volume of complaints during this time of year, we kindly request your patience while awaiting our responses. We aim to publish each complaint within 48 hours of submission but reserve up to 7 days to reply to any subsequent comments. Additionally, please be aware that it might take a bit longer for your complaint to be assigned to a resolver, as we are currently managing over 900 complaints.
Your understanding is greatly appreciated. Wishing you a delightful holiday season, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
-I only played 2 games turbo mines (turbo games) and easter plinko (bgaming) and both games were allowed to be played according to the bonus conditions
https://spellwin.eu/de/page/bonus-terms
-I can access my casino account
I wrote you an email. Did you receive the email?
Thank you very much, fowi30, for your cooperation. I will now transfer your complaint to my colleague Michal (michal.k@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.
Hello fowi30,
It's Michal again. I have taken over this complaint. I have reviewed your case and will contact the casino to shed more light on this matter.
We would like to invite SpellWin Casino to join the conversation.
Dear SpellWin Casino,
Kindly provide me with any evidence supporting the alleged violations of your terms and conditions of which the player is being accused. You can send the information to me at michal.k@casino.guru
Dear Michal and fowi30,
My name is Daniel, and I represent SpellWin Casino.
Upon reviewing the player’s activity, our Risk Department detected the use of a bonus wagering laundering scheme. Specifically, in the player’s bet history, it is evident that the player achieved a significant win from the slot Turbo Mines by Turbo Games provider. However, instead of continuing to wager the bonus funds, the player immediately switched to Easter Plinko by BGaming, a crash game with lower risk, to launder the bonus wagering requirement.
This behavior is considered a deliberate strategy to circumvent the intended use of bonus funds, which is strictly prohibited under Clause 3 of our Bonus Terms and Conditions:
3. Clients are not allowed to use any strategies when playing with an active bonus in order to meet bonus wagering requirements. If strategies are used, the administration reserves the right to cancel all of the Player’s winnings. Examples of strategies include:
• Delaying game rounds in any game, including free spins and bonus features, to a later time when you have no wagering requirements;
• Leaving large bets on the table, for example in blackjack, and returning to the game after bonus wagering has been completed;
• Playing games with bonus money to build up in-game value, lose the bonus funds, and then cash out on the built-up value during real-money play;
• Using strategies that take advantage of any software bug or failure.
As a result, the funds won from this bonus have been confiscated in accordance with our rules.
If needed, we can provide the player’s bet history to substantiate the above findings.
Kind regards,
Daniel
SpellWin Casino Team
The game Easter Plinko was allowed to be played according to the bonus conditions.
If you don't want players to play Easter Plinko with bonus money then you simply have to prohibit it with bonus money and write it in the bonus terms and conditions.
but they did not do this they let the customer play this game and then refuse to pay out which in my opinion is fraud
Regarding clause 3 of your bonus conditions that you list here, I can only say that I have not violated any of the 4 points that are listed there
Dear Daniel / SpellWin Casino Team,
Thank you for your previous email, please forward me the player's full game log at michal.k@casino.guru
Dear fowi30,
While I can agree with you that any games that should not be played with an active bonus should be restricted on a software level, if I remember correctly, you have been informed by my colleagues previously that if it is determined that you have engaged in behaviour aimed at fulfilling bonus wagering requirements in a manner outside the intended parameters, we may have to reconsider our support for you.
Based on past observations, your play style has raised concerns, and you have been flagged by various casinos for employing strategies that could be perceived as seeking an unfair advantage. I will await additional information and evidence from the casino to review and assess the situation further.
fact at the end is
the game Easter Plinko was allowed to be played according to the bonus conditions (it was not in the list of restricted games with bonus funds)
I also have no strategy on how to gain an unfair advantage
I simply like to play games that have a high RTP because they minimize the player's losses in the long run. I always pay attention to whether these games are allowed to be played in the bonus conditions.
But that's not an unfair strategy and I'm not doing anything forbidden as long as the games are allowed to be played according to the bonus terms and conditions.
If you have the choice of playing a slot with 94% RTP or 99% RTP then you would rather choose the 99% RTP slot, right?
I mean, that's completely normal from a player's perspective, or am I wrong?
If I had known beforehand that I would get into so much trouble, I would have chosen a different game, but I couldn't have known that beforehand.
Dear Michal,
I sent the required game log along with the details via email a few days ago as per your request. Thank you.
Dear fowi30,
Thank you for your reply and for sharing your perspective.
Clause 3 of our Bonus Terms and Conditions is not limited to the four examples listed. Those examples are there to illustrate common strategies for better understanding. However, players looking to gain an unfair advantage often come up with new methods or adapt existing ones, which makes it impossible to list every potential strategy. The clause clearly states that using any strategy to meet bonus wagering requirements is not permitted. If such actions are identified, the administration reserves the right to cancel all winnings.
In your case, as mentioned earlier, the issue isn’t the specific games you chose but the way they were combined to bypass the bonus wagering requirements. This approach constitutes a strategy that violates Clause 3 of our Bonus Terms and Conditions. All relevant evidence has already been shared with Michal.
Best regards,
Daniel
SpellWin Casino Team
there is no strategy from me
Playing a high RTP is probably not a strategy
you had the opportunity to block the game for bonus money and you did not do this or missed it
there is nothing more to say
Dear Daniel / SpellWin Casino Team,
Thank you for providing all the information and evidence to me. I can understand the rationale behind your actions; however, it is important to note that any series of bets can theoretically be classified as a betting pattern or strategy. Therefore, it does not seem entirely fair to search for any combinations of potential strategies, as this approach could lead to the conclusion that nearly all players exhibit some form of strategy in their gameplay. Rules forbidding betting patterns are often very subjective and can theoretically be misused against all players, even casual ones who do not know that they are doing anything suspicious. I recognise that it is nearly impossible to enumerate all possible examples of what might be deemed an "unfair strategy," but even though the gameplay of this particular player might somehow fall under your definition of an "unfair strategy" to meet the bonus wagering requirement, it is essential to remember that the games they engaged in still possess a house edge for you.
On the other hand, we know from experience that this particular player is not just a "usual, casual" player, as they have been flagged for various bonus rule violations in various casinos. I need to take this case to our regular complaint team meeting and discuss the most appropriate course of action.
Dear fowi30,
While in general, the gameplay you engaged in is from our point of view quite a normal one because it is natural that players, after a significant win can be worried that they might lose their winnings, so they often change the initial gameplay to a more careful one to somehow minimise the risk of losing. This is done by casual players as well; thus, we believe that this should not be a reason for not paying the winnings; however, as per our past and present interactions with you and your record of violating various rules in regard to bonuses in various casinos, we cannot consider you to be just a casual player; thus, we understand that casinos can impose stricter implementations of their rules should you once again find yourself in a similar situation. You have been made aware in the past by us that if it's discovered that you have engaged in behaviour aimed at fulfilling bonus wagering requirements in a manner outside the intended parameters or by finding any unfair advantage intentionally, we won't be supporting you anymore. As mentioned above, I will need to take this case to our regular complaint team meeting and discuss the most appropriate course of action.
Dear fowi30,
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.
what should I answer?
I thought you had to discuss the case internally in your complaints team meeting to discuss the next steps
Dear fowi30,
We have discussed this case at the complaints team meeting and I have communicated our position to the casino team.
Can you please explain why you have once again found yourself in such a situation? Upon looking at your other recent complaint, it does appear that you were intentionally looking for such situations. You need to please understand that the purpose of our help is not to assist you in receiving funds that were (strictly technically speaking) won in a way that the casino team thinks is not in line with the intended parameters or by finding any unfair advantage intentionally. This is not the first time we have received a complaint of this nature from you, and it likely won't be the last.
I will continue my discussion with the casino team about this matter, but I must admit that the outcome of this particular case is somewhat uncertain, as some of the concerns brought up by the casino team are quite reasonable.
Dear Daniel / SpellWin Casino Team,
I have reached out to you via email and am awaiting your response.
Can you please explain why you find yourself in such a situation again
-It is true that Luckyhours also canceled my winnings because I played Easter Plinko.
However, I have been waiting for a month for them to pay out my winnings, but they first had to complete the review of my game history by the game provider.
When the review of my game history was completed after a 1 month waiting period, they suddenly decided to cancel my entire balance after more than 1 month because I played Easter Plinko with the bonus money.
I was informed of this just 2 days ago via email.
I wonder why a review of my game history by the game provider was even necessary
if they don't pay me in the end anyway because I played Easter Plinko
I have played the game Easter Plinko many times in this casino (Luckyhour) with bonus money and the winnings from the bonus were always paid out successfully
At the time when Spellwin Casino cancelled my winnings (because of Easter Plinko), the review of my game history by the game provider at Luckyhours had not yet been completed and I still had my entire balance at Luckyhours. Then just 2 days ago they decided to cancel my entire balance there too because I had played Easter Plinko.
before I never had any problems at luckyhours when I played Easter Plinko with bonus money and my winnings were always paid out
At Luckyhours, the game Easter Plinko was also allowed to be played with bonus money.
2 days ago they also banned the game Easter Plinko and it is on the list of banned games with bonus money.
At the time when I played Easter Plinko with bonus money it was still allowed to play
I just don't understand why I'm being portrayed as a fraud here.
I did not play any prohibited games and also stuck to the maximum bet per spin.
I always try to play the highest RTP and always check beforehand whether the games are allowed to be played with bonus money but that doesn't make me a fraud
the casino had the opportunity to ban Easter Plinko with bonus money and they did not do this and are now punishing me even though I did not play a prohibited game
Dear fowi30,
I would appreciate it if you would refrain from portraying yourself as a simple casual player who was just simply trying his luck. This will simply not work anymore. It has already been proven on multiple occasions in various casinos that you intentionally engaged in behaviour aimed at fulfilling bonus wagering requirements in a manner outside the intended parameters or finding any unfair advantage. Just because the casino team or the game provider has not recognised your what has now become a "controversial" gameplay style straight away; instead, they noticed it a bit later when a more thorough review was done does not mean that you are fully innocent in this matter.
I will persist in my dialogue with the casino team regarding this issue; however, I must acknowledge that the resolution of this specific case is uncertain.
Dear fowi30,
I have had quite an extensive discussion with the casino representative regarding this matter.
After a thorough discussion even within our complaint team and consideration of all the facts, we have come to the following conclusion:
We consider the implementation of Clause 3 from the casino's bonus terms and conditions in this particular situation to be unfair. This term is meant to protect casinos against bonus hunters, but this pattern is common for recreational players. At the same time, it is not necessary for successful bonus hunting because it impacts only the volatility of the strategy and not long-term expectations. If such a rule would be used against recreational players, that would be completely unacceptable to us. Especially considering that the games in this instance were not restricted to being played with a bonus, and despite their different volatility, the casino remained to have a house edge.
However, in this particular case, and based on our previous experiences with this particular player, we know that this player is not just a casual player, so strictly technically speaking, the player's gameplay can indeed be understood as a deliberate strategy because this is a very similar strategy that has been employed by this player in other casinos, so we can understand the casino's strictness in applying their rules. Moreover, this player has been prohibited from obtaining any bonuses by a sister casino, and they have (maybe deliberately) registered their account at Spelwell Casino using a different email address than the one associated with the sister casino, which may indicate an intention to avoid immediate recognition. On the other hand, the casino might have set up its system to capture more player details or information. If a player is restricted from utilising bonuses at specific casinos, such restrictions should be implemented immediately rather than after the player has accrued winnings with the help of a bonus. There are reasonable points to consider from both perspectives. I have shared our viewpoint with the casino team regarding the best way to proceed in this matter, but we couldn't reach an agreement. Our company policy states that a complaint cannot be rejected solely based on a rule that we deem unfair. Therefore, we will have to classify this complaint as unresolved, but at the same time, we will assign only a minimal number of black points to the casino. If the casino team decides to reconsider their stance, they are certainly free to do so, and you will be informed via email.
Sorry we were not able to help you with this one, but I strongly recommend not engaging in behaviour aimed at fulfilling bonus wagering requirements in a manner outside the intended parameters. We would like to remind you that in similar situations in the future, we may decide not to provide our support. If it turns out that your gameplay continues to closely align with strategies that test the boundaries of acceptable practices, we will decline your complaint.
Best regards,
Michal
Casino Guru
