888 steals your money with "dormant account" excuse

[Erin Micunt]

Went out of the country to play scoop on pokerstars, obviously all my funds were still there. Checked upon two other sites and was greeted with $0.00 on both. Party Poker and 888 both emptied my account siting ridiculous "dormant account" policies. Which somehow gives them the ability to steal your money. After some emails party poker restored my whole balance although didn't return my points which were of some significant value as well. 888 however didn't return my balance, and only after citing why I was a valuable customer was given 70% of my balance back. I was then offered an insulting offer of receiving the other 30% of my balance back if I made a deposit. I figured it would stop there since, they operate in more loose regulations then the now legal US site in the state of New Jersey.

However their rep stated the following is allowed somehow under New Jersey law:
If You do not access your account by 'logging on' using your account name and password, and either: (i) place a cash wager or bet; or (ii) make a deposit or withdrawal as applicable for any period of twelve consecutive months, your Account will be considered a “dormant account.” Pursuant to New Jersey gaming regulations, once an account falls into “dormant account” status, any funds remaining on deposit and any pending wagers shall be forfeited in accordance with applicable law.
http://us.888poker.com/help/user-agreement/

How in a now regulated market is this a legal policy to steal customers money? They act like it is of some inconvenience to hold your money. Also it is unfair to have a policy like this when you have to be within a certain location to log on to your account. (I may be wrong with the fact that you are able to cashout from a different state, but still the fear of a person not in the know of logging in from an illegal area and breaking a site rule is existent.)

Maybe i'm somehow in the minority on this issue, but I don't see how this practice is a legal, and on top of that how it was allowed into a regulated United States market.

[Dan Druff]

Went out of the country to play scoop on pokerstars, obviously all my funds were still there. Checked upon two other sites and was greeted with $0.00 on both. Party Poker and 888 both emptied my account siting ridiculous "dormant account" policies. Which somehow gives them the ability to steal your money. After some emails party poker restored my whole balance although didn't return my points which were of some significant value as well. 888 however didn't return my balance, and only after citing why I was a valuable customer was given 70% of my balance back. I was then offered an insulting offer of receiving the other 30% of my balance back if I made a deposit. I figured it would stop there since, they operate in more loose regulations then the now legal US site in the state of New Jersey.

However their rep stated the following is allowed somehow under New Jersey law:
If You do not access your account by 'logging on' using your account name and password, and either: (i) place a cash wager or bet; or (ii) make a deposit or withdrawal as applicable for any period of twelve consecutive months, your Account will be considered a “dormant account.” Pursuant to New Jersey gaming regulations, once an account falls into “dormant account” status, any funds remaining on deposit and any pending wagers shall be forfeited in accordance with applicable law.
http://us.888poker.com/help/user-agreement/

How in a now regulated market is this a legal policy to steal customers money? They act like it is of some inconvenience to hold your money. Also it is unfair to have a policy like this when you have to be within a certain location to log on to your account. (I may be wrong with the fact that you are able to cashout from a different state, but still the fear of a person not in the know of logging in from an illegal area and breaking a site rule is existent.)

Maybe i'm somehow in the minority on this issue, but I don't see how this practice is a legal, and on top of that how it was allowed into a regulated United States market.

Wow, that's terrible.

At the very least, they should simply charge you a "dormant account maintenance fee", (like $3/month) and let you have the rest.

I will bring this up on tonight's show.

[Erin Micunt]

I don't mean to sidetrack but this is why when you knock pokerstars, look at sites that are legalized and the shady stuff they pull.

[smithbk]

Went out of the country to play scoop on pokerstars, obviously all my funds were still there. Checked upon two other sites and was greeted with $0.00 on both. Party Poker and 888 both emptied my account siting ridiculous "dormant account" policies. Which somehow gives them the ability to steal your money. After some emails party poker restored my whole balance although didn't return my points which were of some significant value as well. 888 however didn't return my balance, and only after citing why I was a valuable customer was given 70% of my balance back. I was then offered an insulting offer of receiving the other 30% of my balance back if I made a deposit. I figured it would stop there since, they operate in more loose regulations then the now legal US site in the state of New Jersey.

However their rep stated the following is allowed somehow under New Jersey law:
If You do not access your account by 'logging on' using your account name and password, and either: (i) place a cash wager or bet; or (ii) make a deposit or withdrawal as applicable for any period of twelve consecutive months, your Account will be considered a “dormant account.” Pursuant to New Jersey gaming regulations, once an account falls into “dormant account” status, any funds remaining on deposit and any pending wagers shall be forfeited in accordance with applicable law.
http://us.888poker.com/help/user-agreement/

How in a now regulated market is this a legal policy to steal customers money? They act like it is of some inconvenience to hold your money. Also it is unfair to have a policy like this when you have to be within a certain location to log on to your account. (I may be wrong with the fact that you are able to cashout from a different state, but still the fear of a person not in the know of logging in from an illegal area and breaking a site rule is existent.)

Maybe i'm somehow in the minority on this issue, but I don't see how this practice is a legal, and on top of that how it was allowed into a regulated United States market.

So... stealing your money under full consent of the law. Awesome. Good luck, OP, I hope reparations come your way soon.

[Erin Micunt]

Bumping this after hearing Drexel on last weeks radio show

[sah_24]

God I miss pokerstars