Online Casino Cautions: Purepoker & GP
Published: Friday, March 17, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
ONLNE CASINO CAUTIONS
More transparency needed from Kahnawake on Golden Palace guerilla marketing
Just about everyone involved in online gambling even for a brief period will have had the curious and rather juvenile marketing antics of the Golden Palace casino group thrust under their noses from time to time. The company's "look at me" tactics have included paying ridiculous prices for oddments of questionable value, naming unfortunate babies and sending logo-emblazoned streakers to disrupt other people's sporting events, and are generally regarded with a degree of amusement but as something that has probably long passed it's sell-by date.
However, when it comes to disrupting something as important and respected as an Olympic Games event, public opinion generally turns to shocked disapproval, and that has happened over two Olympic incidents, thanks to the unprincipled and self-interested nature of this form of publicity.
The first time it happened, several years back, there was a major outcry, and the Kahnawake licensing jurisdiction under which Golden Palace falls took disciplinary action. It required the company to pay an unspecified 'fine' to an undisclosed charity, and sign an undertaking not to do it again. Many thought this light slap on the wrist was inadequate, but it was presented as a fait accompli and that was that.
This year, however, Golden Palace did it again in two incidents at the Winter Olympics in Italy. This was widely seen as a figurative "up yours" gesture to the Olympics, the industry and Kahnawake, and observers waited to see what the licensing jurisdiction would do about this flagrant disregard of the "no more shenanigans" undertaking GP had signed. But nothing happened. With player criticism mounting, one portalmaster emailed the Kahnawake authorities to query what action would be taken. After four emails and two weeks, he finally received the brusque response that it was being handled "...internally."
The lack of commitment and transparency that this sort of blow off suggests is just not right. As the portalmaster concerned commented in a public condemnation this week: "Are we owed an explanation on how they handle Golden Palace's blatant in-your-face thumbing of the nose response to "Golden Palace will not use, promote, encourage or fund this type of ‘marketing’ ever again"? This sort of response does not say much for the policing efforts of the Kahnawake Gaming Commission."
eCOGRA is not thrilled...
The owners of MPThrill.com, a portal featuring mainly Playtech-powered online venues could soon be facing legal action by using an eCOGRA "Play It Safe" seal without the imprimatur of the organisation, and suggesting that certain casinos are audited by the international PricewaterhouseCoopers group when they are not. Perhaps those concerned seek to profit by this deception, which occurred recently in the case of the Magic Gold Casino, too. The opposite is more likely, as both eCOGRA and PwC have let it be known that they are not prepared to tolerate the misuse of their brands by companies that have not passed the stringent inspection, probity and monitoring requirements.
This sort of deception does nothing for the integrity of MPThrill or the casinos it carries. From a recent press release, it would appear that MPThrill is heavily involved in a new portal, too - CasinoWorld Online Casinos.
PurePoker issue continues
Several weeks on, and the PurePoker aggrieved players are still in limbo with no direct communication from software provider Futurebet. PurePoker abruptly closed some weeks back, leaving players with cash frozen in their accounts. There was no communication, just a sign on the closed site advising that the closure was temporary and for technical reasons. Arousing deep suspicion, reports came in that immediately prior to the closure payouts had slowed down dramatically, with harassed support personnel promising players that they would be paid but there may be delays.
Emails to PurePoker were initially ignored, and players became really agitated when a stranger started calling them up, identifying himself as the *new* owner of PurePoker and trying to bargain their owed monies down by presenting "take it or leave it" offers.
Finally, Futurebet responded, with Arnold Lal and Ron Katz of the management team, and eventually the CEO Joe LaCascia assuring enquirers that all players would be looked after and that efforts to bargain monies down were not part of the plan. In fairness to Futurebet, that seemed to put the brakes on the "new owner's* activities.
However, nothing has happened since, and players remain out of contact and stressed about the possibility of losing in some cases thousands of dollars.
