PokerRoom refuses to cashout US player

[CardSharpCook]

On a whim, I open up PokerRoom last night and discover, to my surprise, that I still have money on that site. I quickly learn that PokerRoom is now closed to US players. So I go to cash out. I am unable. Apparently I am not allowed even to transfer money on pokerroom. Just had another conversation with their support. His points:

1. US players had a grace period
2. If you can find a way for us to send you your money, please let us know.
3. PokerRoom is different because it is a publicly traded company, Pokerstars is privately traded, and therefore governed by different rules (???)
4. You can look at your money every day online. We're not stealing it.

He ended up hanging up on me after refusing to transfer me to a superior.


I also got this email response:
Hi Mr. Taylor,

Thank you for contacting PokerRoom.com support.

Thank you for your e-mail regarding your cash-out query.

You will be pleased to know that I have read and understood the problem that you are having.
In fact I think that I would be just as frustrated if I were you.
The problem is that we are prohibited to get the money to you and when the US players were being notified of the new law that is in place.
You did have a period to collect your money.

Thank you in advance for your patience.

Should you have any further queries, please contact us again.

Regards,
Luthando

PokerRoom.com Support Team


I also spoke with the support in chatbox person who said: "Card, no US banks will accept money from online gaming sites... Until we find one that does...."

A previous conversation with a support personnel said, "we're looking for another way to get US players their money." However they all seem to reiterate the point that, "there was a grace period, you had your chance." but stop short of saying, "so we're keeping your money."

My questions:

Is it legal for them to send me my money?
What should I do now?

[Adebisi]

Try to get them send you a check. I think paper checks are specifically exemted from the UIGEA. Maybe find the specific language in the statute that says it doesn't restrict paper checks, and cite it to them in e-mail.

Or even better, tell them to put some hundreds in an envelope and mail it to you.

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
My questions:

Is it legal for them to send me my money?

[/ QUOTE ]

It seems their opinion that they are unaware of "legal" method of withdraw. The paper checks are exempt is a myth. The first US bank in the system is required to know its "customers", to the poin that is they think "your" money is from an illegal source, US banking laws inculding the UIGEA, require that bank to find a way and justification for atempting to "over" block as much as possible.

[ QUOTE ]
What should I do now?

[/ QUOTE ]

Given that it is seemingly an amount you forgot about some suggestions like going there to get your money seem impractical.

Realistically your best option seems to be along the lines attpemting to find some sort of private player to player transfer.




D$D

[ericicecream]

I see your point. I see their point. Realistically, it was your responsibility to cash out the money before the grace period.

I think you just wait a year or so and hope they open back up to u.s. customers.

I'm sure it's not a very large amount of money to you since you didn't miss it for over a year.

[Skallagrim]

There is nothing in the UIGEA that makes transfers from a gambling site to a US person illegal. They at least have not claimed otherwise.

The problem is they have no US bank or other system to send you your money, and they are not going to create one just for you.

They truly could send you a check, drawn on their bank in whatever foreign country. If checks are a normal PR method, this should not be a hassle, though there is probably a fee and a minimum amount (which, given your description, you probably dont meet). But if they send checks to their European players, they could send one to you too.

Skallagrim

[Nsight7]

Because I am curious, how much did you have left on there such that you didn't notice it for a year+, if you don't mind of course?

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

their stance is understandable. you must leave the country to get your money back. they gave you a certain amount of time to withdraw, right?

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

if they send him money, then why not let all americans who still have money in their account to continue playing as they are not accepting money from the USA? the company obviously hasnt taken that stance. there stance is no transactions to or from the usa. he had a grace period to withdraw and didnt, now he needs a foreign addy as far as i can tell.

[CardSharpCook]

The amount is $3352. Long story short, I used to be a MTT player, and would keep money on all sites just in case. PokerRoom offered a series of $1000 tourneys which were somewhat soft, esp considering the structure. Most of these accounts were cashed out long ago, and I assumed the PokerRoom account was as well. On a whim, I checked my pokerRoom account the other day.

lebowski,
I have to think you can see the difference btwn allowing a player to close his account by sending him a final cashout and simply cutting off in future deposits.

To your other question, moving to another country would not allow me to get my money back either as the account is registered and created in the US.

Eric,
Given that no US law prevents them from a) sending me a check b) allowing me to play, it is hard for me to imagine them ever allowing me to access my money.

D$D,
PokerRoom has told me that their rules prohibit me from transferring money as well.

All,
What scares/annoys/baffles me the most is that 4 different customer service people told me, "we're currently looking for a way to get US players their money." Given that all sites operating in the US have found such a method, it seems to me they are not looking very had at all. Also, this search has currently lasted 13 months. No, I can't think they are trying much at all. It is my belief that they have a rather significant amount of US money trapped in their system which they are hoping is forgiven or forgotten. That is, given that there is not much I can do at this point, that it is only $3k, that no one really seems to care, I will likely choose to wait, as I have no other apparent option. So if they open their doors to US players 5 years down the road, will I really remember?

Skall,
PokerRoom does offer a cashout by check option for their European clients. My bank, Bank of America, honors checks from pokerstars and Absolute, so I have to imagine they'd honor a check from PokerRoom. PokerRoom refuses to send, claiming to be bound by US law.

[TheEngineer]

I'd try what xxThe_Lebowskixx is hinting at. I was successful at another site. I'll PM you if you want.