Gutshot.com is DOWN and might be running off with people's money

[Dan Druff]

This story is getting almost no attention. Someone attempted to bring it to 2+2, but it was ignored.

Here is the writeup:

http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/vi...er=asc&start=0

Cliffs:

- Gutshot.com switched from iPoker to Merge networks in April, 2012

- There were cashout difficulties since the network switch. People who didn't like the new network asked to cash out, but were stalled.

- The software is now DOWN. You cannot log into the Gutshot.com poker client. They claim "Our new Merge and ENET poker clients will be updated and online very shortly. There are some great new features to look forward to" on their website. There is no clarification as to when it will go back up, or what the exact problem is.

- The International Club in East London, which is associated with Gutshot.com, was shut down due to regulatory issues: http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news...oker_1_1140259

- A player tried to cash out recently and got the following e-mail reply:

Hi,

We are sorry but our services are currently offline whilst we upgrade our services, we are working very hard to resolve this as soon as possible however we as yet do not have a time scale for its completion.

Please note that during our downtime we will have no access to any player data nor financial data and will be unable to assist with specific queries relating to your account.

We would like to thank you for your patience and understanding.

- That same player then e-mailed Dean Bosci at Merge, and described his reply as follows:

I then e-mailed Merge Gaming, and asked what was going on. I was contacted by Dean Bosci of Merge. He wrote as if he was surprised to hear that the site was down. He made inquiries and got back to me once more, stating that the site was down because the previous supplier of banking services to Gutshot had terminated its relationship with Gutshot.

Gutshot.com is aimed at UK players.

Pokerhuis.com, aimed at Dutch players, was bought in the spring by Gutshot, and is also down.

I think that this company is broke, and players can kiss their money goodbye.

If they ever do come back up you should AVOID AVOID AVOID and never play at either Pokerhuis.com or Gutshot.com.

[Dan Druff]

Also disturbing is the fact that I thought Merge was holding everyone's money.

Why can't the players collect directly from Merge?

[The PINO]

Also disturbing is the fact that I thought Merge was holding everyone's money.

Why can't the players collect directly from Merge?

It's not really super public knowledge but most people in the affiliate industry suspect Merge has been run by people connected to the mob for awhile now. The same guys that ran Sportsbook.com are rumored to be or associated to the people currently running Merge Gaming.

You can probably cut and run with your own cloak and dagger conspiracy theories from there I suppose on why players have such a hard time getting paid on certain Merge skins...and why people have never really found concrete proof of who actually manages/owns the company at all.

[circuitp]

sickening to think about really.....If u live in any other country, build a site and take the money!!! who is gonna come at you?

[Belly Buster]

The hendonmob post has been deleted. Also the post on gutshot.com with similar complaints has been deleted as well.

All smells of a cover-up. There is a new post on gutshot.com http://gzone.gutshot.com/forum/showt...and-Promotions announcing the return of the gutshot online room, but looks like the number of people managing to cash out so far is zero point zero.

[Belly Buster]

This is a bit of an experiment but there is a new post on gutshot.com saying the online room is back.

But the post is not going so well for them, no-one seems to be able to cash out. As it too might be deleted, I thought I would cut n paste it here historic reference.

[Belly Buster]

Over at thehendonmob.com, there's a new post: http://www.thehendonmob.com/forum/vi...utshot&start=0

here is the reason given for deleting the previous post:

The Mob
Site Admin


Joined: 12 Sep 2003
Posts: 4175


PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 9:18 am
Post subject: Re: Gutshot? Add User to Ignore List Reply with quote
Detective wrote:
What happened to the other gutshot thread?


There are terms and conditions of use on thehendonmob website and forum:

http://www.thehendonmob.com/terms_and_conditions.html

Some of the posts on the thread were considered to break the t&c and as there were many posts and replies quoting these it was just easier and quicker for the whole thread to be moved.

You are free to discuss most things here, including the Gutshot, but within certain guidelines.

[Belly Buster]

Just as predicted some posts on the Gutshot forum thread above http://gzone.gutshot.com/forum/showt...and-Promotions have been deleted; all the negative comments from DARCUS etc. have gone (see my screengrabs above).

If anyone is interested in this story there is a segment on PFA radio http://pokerfraudalert.com/forum/sho...012-Pizza-Pals about 40 mins into the show.

[Belly Buster]

It doesn't look great when Curaçao turns you down.

http://www.gaminglicences.com/pages/...=8048-N0413192

[Belly Buster]

Pokerhuis.com is DD. The website was up a couple of days ago but now shows a fairly blunt message (translated from Dutch).

[Dan Druff]

Pokerhuis.com is DD. The website was up a couple of days ago but now shows a fairly blunt message (translated from Dutch).

Wow, pretty bad.

Does the Gutshot client function? Can people sit and play games now?

Has there been any thought of chip-dumping?

[antibumhunter]

Just would like to hear if anyone was able to cashout on Gutshot.
My first withdrawl after the site is back was processed pretty fast (they lowered the withdrawl limit to astonishing 200$), the second one is pending for 2 weeks now. The support does not answer my emails. Pretty much everything like in the 3 months before.

[Belly Buster]

The gutshot forum has been taken down now. Not surprising as the only posts over the last few months were to complain about lack of cashouts.

Haley has a more detailed article: http://pokerfuse.com/news/poker-room...-dismal-10-01/

A shame really as Gutshot was a good community in its day and was well respected in the UK, hosting a popular forum and a lively club in central London.

A lot of people signed up online accounts to support the brick and mortar club. The club was shutdown a few years ago (Poker clubs without a gaming license are still a grey area under UK law). Looks like Black Friday has hurt what remains of the on-line site.

BUT - they still advertise heavily and the main website is still up and they are still soliciting deposits. But no-one is getting paid.

Avoid.

[muckthenuts]

Is there an update on this? Has anyone received a payout lately? Are they capping payout amounts?

[Dan Druff]

Is there an update on this? Has anyone received a payout lately? Are they capping payout amounts?

From what I hear, they are not paying anyone.