The player from Switzerland had 15,000 Swiss francs confiscated due to an uncommunicated limit on bonus funds, which she had not been made aware of at the time of her winnings. The Complaints Team reviewed the case and confirmed that the casino's terms capped the bonus winnings, and the player had already played down the funds to zero. The casino offered a higher payout as compensation, but the player’s request for a full refund was ultimately rejected based on the provided betting history. The case was considered closed as no further assistance could be provided.
Winshark Casino - Player's winnings have been confiscated.
Amount: 15,000 CHF
Winshark Casino
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8.0
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Case closed
Our verdict
Unjustified complaint
REJECTED
Case summary
3 weeks ago
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1 month ago
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I had 15 thousand Swiss francs confiscated with the reasoning that funds from bonuses or free spins have a maximum value of 500.-. Fair enough, but at no point was I made aware of this limit, nor was I informed about it at the time of my winnings. It was only communicated to me 5 days later, despite the fact that the KYC verification was successfully approved in the meantime.
At the time of the original winnings amounting to 20,000, the bonus was neither active nor obvious to me, and it was clear that the balance was indeed real money. This feels like a complete rip-off since I have never had a win paid out, and I have already deposited several tens of thousands this year alone. Support and the operators are not helpful and, as mentioned, they have unjustly confiscated my remaining 15k. This is despite the fact that there was no bonus active in any way, and the balance was never labeled or is labeled as bonus funds.
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1 month ago
Dear luvanava,
Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m sorry to hear about your problem. I checked the Bonus T&Cs and I found this:
9. Withdrawals of winnings from any no deposit bonuses, cashback or free spins you have received from Winshark, including bonuses received in the Bonus Shop, are limited to 500 EUR / 700 CAD / 800 AUD / 800 NZD / 5000 NOK / 4000 DKK / 2000 PLN / 500 CHF / 200 000 HUF, unless otherwise stated in specific bonus terms and conditions.
Please allow me to ask you a few questions, so I can understand the whole situation completely.
- Do I understand correctly that you didn't play with any bonuses?
- Could you please post a screenshot of your bonus history here?
Additionally, please forward all the relevant communication between you and the casino to kristina.s@casino.guru. Alternatively, you can post it here.
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
Best regards,
Kristina
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1 month ago
Translation
At the time of winning, the bonus had already been fully wagered and converted into real money. With free spins, I won under the 500 limit or around 140/240 and when the bonus was no longer active or visible, more and more money was won with higher stakes.
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1 month ago
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there is news, I have sent everything to you via email and here
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1 month ago
Thank you very much, luvanava, for your cooperation. I will now transfer your complaint to my colleague Peter (peter.c@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.
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1 month ago
Hello there,
Thank you luvanava for providing us with all the information. I hope we'll be able to resolve this issue together.
I would now like to ask Winshark Casino for their help in resolving this complaint. We would like to know why were the player's winnings confiscated and what can we do to help resolve this issue.
Thank you!
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1 month ago
Dear Peter,
We would like to let you know that we have provided further clarifications in regards to this case.
Please let us know if any other questions arise.
Kind regards,
Win Shark Casino Representative
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1 month ago
Translation
Peter, I have sent you an email.
Thanks for your quick response 🙂
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1 month ago
Thank you to the both parties for the response.
Dear luvanava, the casino has informed me that as a show of good faith, you have received 5000 CHF from the bonus however these funds were eventually played down to zero. From your email I have gathered that you might have a problem with gambling and while I can't have the casino return you any funds as they have been played I can provide you with resources on How to Gamble Safely.
Additionally, as part of our Global Self-Exclusion Initiative, we’ve partnered with BetBlocker, a UK-registered charity that offers a free service to support individuals worldwide. You can learn more about our initiative here and about BetBlocker here.
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BetBlocker also includes a list of 824 gambling information sites. These sites primarily provide information about and promote gambling services. You can choose to restrict access to these sites by checking a box. However, if you have an ongoing complaint against a gambling operator, please do not check this box, as it will prevent you from accessing the Casino Guru website.
I am sorry I can't be of more help on this occasion.
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1 month ago
Translation
May I ask why and what has made the winnings withdrawn from me, or what means that this case is closed for you, even though no information was given anywhere regarding the bonus money and its alleged violations, even though the bonus was correctly converted and these funds have now been withdrawn from me, even though up to that point no bonus money was active from it?
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1 month ago
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I ask you to check the case again and to check the bonus conditions regarding deposit-free free spins in the form of a cashback offer and to explain to me why funds were still deducted by 15k despite the successful implementation of the bonus conditions and conversion into real money credit.
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1 month ago
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I politely ask for your help, otherwise I will take legal action against the casino to demand a higher repayment. I therefore very much hope for an out-of-court settlement and thank you for your cooperation.
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1 month ago
Thank you for your update luvanava.
Dear Winshark Casino representative, would it be possible to provide me with the betting and transaction history of the player to verify the usage of the player's funds? You can forward any evidence to my email. (peter.c@casino.guru) Thank you in advance!
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4 weeks ago
Dear Peter,
We have sent a clarification to your email for review.
Should you have any additional questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Winshark Casino Representative
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4 weeks ago
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I am also demanding a further 2000 francs because at the time I reported my risk of gambling addiction, I was still able to make countless deposits and only after further requests for blocking was the account closed.
AS A LOYAL PLAYER I FEEL TREATED UNPROFESSIONALLY AND TOTALLY CHEATED AND RIPPED OFF AS I NEVER WINNED AND NEVER PAYED OUT EVEN THOUGH I PAID IN SEVERAL TEN THOUSANDS! MANIPULATED GAMES AND SUPPORT
I ask for Peter's help to send me back the 17'000 I am entitled to so that the case is finally closed with winshark or rather Scamshark
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4 weeks ago
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I kindly request Winshark to transfer the full amount (17k) back to my bank account via Iban that I specified in KYC by Friday. Thank you and bye
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3 weeks ago
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valued Winshark
I'm still waiting for a list of the complete transaction list! I've already sent you an email following a suggestion from a support employee, asking you to send me the deposit history since I registered.
A complete statement and an email response from your department are still pending.
Thank you for making it available to me immediately
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3 weeks ago
Dear luvanava, the casino has provided me with your betting history to support their claims. As explained earlier the bonus was capped according to the bonus terms and conditions and the casino even offered you a higher payout as compensation. According to the betting history these funds were utilized to play and reduced to zero. In that situation we can't assist further and unfortunately, we will have to reject your complaint. If your aim is to pursue legal action all I can do is wish you good luck as we do not mediate any kind of legal disputes. Thank you for your understanding!
Kind regards,
Peter
