PokerRoom refuses to cashout US player

TruePoker CEO · #1 11-29-2007, 03:09 PM

Hi, Lee,

You wrote : "For legitimate operators that respect US law and by extension the UIGEA there is no clear legal way to administer funds transfers in US dollars to former players."

That is complete and utter nonsense. Your ignorance is exceeded only by your arrogance in insulting US players and poker companys that serve them.

That short-term charade of a "missed" window of opportunity for US players to get their money back gives lie to your assertion that somehow sending a cashout to a poker player violates US law. If you were permitted to do it then, post-UIGEA, you could do so now.

Only a deadbeat "operator" does not pay players it owes money to. Send the man his money, you should be ashamed of yourself.

You write: "We have very limited options available to us in helping former players from the USA to get back any funds that remain on their PokerRoom accounts."

Write him a check, send him a wire transfer, send him a Western Union or whatever for his cashout. If you need help in figuring out how to do it, ask Western Union or any Bank that does US dollar transactions.

Best regards,

TruePoker CEO

whangarei · #2 11-29-2007, 03:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
That short-term charade of a "missed" window of opportunity for US players to get their money back gives lie to your assertion that somehow sending a cashout to a poker player violates US law. If you were permitted to do it then, post-UIGEA, you could do so now.

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent point.

FreeBeer · #3 11-29-2007, 03:26 PM

This discussion interests me greatly, as I have >$5000 on Paradise Poker and they refuse to pay me, claiming they have method of paying a US player. They also claim they are working on getting me paid, but as this has gone on for months, and ALL correspondence has been initiated by me, well, I am discouraged to say the least.

I have offered a transfer to a non-US player. I have offered Western Union. I have offered to go to their offices in person and pick up cash or a cashier's check. All refused.

TruePoker CEO says I am being lied to. PokerRoom guy says this normal operating procedure. I am confused.

I understand Paradise might be afraid to make a US payment because of their affiliation with a sportsbook. But can they be serious about the danger of paying me by cashier's check in their own office?

I certainly feel cheated at this point. If anyone has any suggestions or strategy for me getting paid, I am all ears (and eyes).

xxThe_Lebowskixx · #4 11-30-2007, 02:18 AM

you guys are being unfair with PokerRoom. Look, from their perspective why not just allow Americans with money in their accounts to continue playing if its OK to send Americans funds but not to receive them? That would make them money, but they have clearly taken a different stance. Party has the same stance. They gave everyone a grace period.

However, if the site refused to reopen your account after you relocated, than that would be unfair and a big problem.

Blame the US government, not the site. They are just trying to walk the line.

PokerRoom.com · #5 11-30-2007, 05:51 AM

I would like to respond to the post from the TruePoker CEO and the accusations that I have been supplying BS. I know that any attempts to transfer funds to the United States from PokerRoom are now routinely blocked by the US banking system. I know that all of the payment service providers that used to work with us to process transactions in US dollars to the United States no longer provide those services.

I'm not sure how I exhibited either ignorance or arrogance. If players in the US have been insulted by my remarks, the insult was not intended.

It is not just a coincidence that all online poker sites that are owned and operated by listed companies no longer accept US players. The reason is the prohibition on online gaming set out in the UIGEA.

I leave 2+2's members to decide for themselves what to make of the TruePoker CEO's patronising attempts to capitalise on this situation. I also invite the 2+2 members to visit both TruePoker and PokerRoom to decide which is the deadbeat site for themselves.

I joined this conversation to work with the original poster to resolve this situation. It has been very instructive for me to do this and I am confident we will find a way to meet his needs.

Regards
Lee

PokerRoom.com

Mason Malmuth · #6 11-30-2007, 06:17 AM

Hi Lee:

I'm a little disturbed about this since pokerroom.com is part of our Bonus Program (for non-US players).

When you write:

[ QUOTE ]
I leave 2+2's members to decide for themselves what to make of the TruePoker CEO's patronising attempts to capitalise on this situation. I also invite the 2+2 members to visit both TruePoker and PokerRoom to decide which is the deadbeat site for themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't see how that helps to solve the problem of our poster getting his money back which is really the important issue here.

So perhaps you should work a little harder on figuring how to solve the real problem. Once that is done, then you can, in my opinion, address any issues you may have with the TruePoker CEO.

Best wishes,
Mason

TruePoker CEO · #7 11-30-2007, 12:46 PM

Hi Lee,

You took a totally gratuitous shot at established US-facing poker companies, including by description, Truepoker, PokerStars, Full Tilt, Microgaming, Cake, Absolute, UltimateBet, among others.

Nevertheless, I truly appreciate your express invitation to your former US players to visit TruePoker. I would be more than willing to offer them an opportunity to play here and then see if we pay them cashouts before your site resolves this issue for ALL your former US players.

TruePoker CEO

Skallagrim · #8 11-30-2007, 12:59 PM

Dear PokerRoom Rep.

I called your post BS for precisely one reason, I will explain it again in detail and would appreciate a specific response.

I fully understand that the UIGEA has left you, as an arguably "responsible" publicly held company, without a US processor for transfer of funds. So be it, I fully understand why you cannot wire the player his money, or do a bank transfer, or anything similar.

What you have not responded to is why you simply cannot or will not mail him a check for money that you hold that is undisputedly his. You certainly cant deny that you have the ability to issue checks. Nor can you deny that issuing him a check for his money does not violate the provisions of the UIGEA in any way. I understand that the check will not be issued by a US bank and this will slow and to a lesser extent cost the player in conversion fees when he deposits it in a US bank. But he has already indicated that he is willing to accept that.

So, if he is willing to accept that, why cant PokerRoom?

Skallagrim

Tuff_Fish · #9 11-30-2007, 06:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
why cant PokerRoom?

[/ QUOTE ]

Let me take a guess.

They don't WANT to give him his money. Then they might have to give some other folks their money. And on and on. Soon they would not have however much money they are holding from US players

Am I close?

Tuff

CardSharpCook · #10 11-30-2007, 07:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What you have not responded to is why you simply cannot or will not mail him a check for money that you hold that is undisputedly his. You certainly cant deny that you have the ability to issue checks. Nor can you deny that issuing him a check for his money does not violate the provisions of the UIGEA in any way. I understand that the check will not be issued by a US bank and this will slow and to a lesser extent cost the player in conversion fees when he deposits it in a US bank. But he has already indicated that he is willing to accept that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. This is what bothers me as well. It seems likely that PokerRoom has at least one consultant living in the US. How do they pay that guy? Send a check in the mail. What could be hard about that?