Bingo site won't let me withdraw my money- please help?

Stevie_Palimo

If were nearly in tears as you say then it is quite clear you did not have the money in the first place and this comes down to the age old problem of people no bothering to read terms and conditions prior to signing up for something, It is more common these days whereby people just presume that making a complaint will work and resolve the issue in-hand despite the facts that would often state otherwise.


If they credit you anything then it will be a gesture of goodwill and you should use it a lesson learned, Do not sign anything without reading the T&C's in full.

Zinger549

Depositing and then trying to withdraw looks specious to casinos because of things like money laundering. If you take a deposit bonus the there will be wager requirements. If your balance drops to 0 and you make another deposit then there are no wager requirements. Unless you take another bonus.

daytona0

JReacher1 wrote: »

Tell them you have a gambling problem and would like to close your account. I think in that scenario they will have to refund you.

Good idea, although it may be a long and drawn-out process to do that (proving identity, weeks of waiting around etc).

Also, it raises the possibility of OP being unwittingly restricted from playing with other bingo sites. That's because some of these bingo (and casino) companies skin multiple websites and possibly drive all of their traffic into one place.

paragon909

JReacher1 wrote: »

Tell them you have a gambling problem and would like to close your account. I think in that scenario they will have to refund you.

They won't refund anyone, That's like going to the bookies and putting £50 on black then saying I have a gambling problem I want to self exclude, But I want my £50 back for by.

Gambling doesn't work like that, If a person recognises they have a gambling problem it's up to them to take all actions not to gamble. And bingo sites are well known for offering bonuses which when you take you need to wager lots of money before you can withdraw winnings, If they allowed customers to withdraw they would be out of business.

Looks like the OP has lost £50, OP should have read the terms and conditions first.

I know all the ins and outs, I use to have a serious gambling addiction, So I've been there and done it all.

Poppie68

It seems you don't really stand a chance for a return of your money but it's not all doom and gloom because you can play it and hopefully win!

marliepanda

daytona0 wrote: »

Good idea, although it may be a long and drawn-out process to do that (proving identity, weeks of waiting around etc).

Also, it raises the possibility of OP being unwittingly restricted from playing with other bingo sites. That's because some of these bingo (and casino) companies skin multiple websites and possibly drive all of their traffic into one place.

Honestly based on the emotion in the OP thats probably for the best.

daytona0

paragon909 wrote: »

They won't refund anyone, That's like going to the bookies and putting £50 on black then saying I have a gambling problem I want to self exclude, But I want my £50 back for by.

Yes but in fairness the OP hasn't yet staked the £38 and as such they haven't yet *lost* the money in the same sense you are talking about. It seems to be more of an anti-money laundering/maximisation of profits thing that they've got going on.

paragon909

daytona0 wrote: »

Yes but in fairness the OP hasn't yet staked the £38 and as such they haven't yet *lost* the money in the same sense you are talking about. It seems to be more of an anti-money laundering/maximisation of profits thing that they've got going on.

I believe asking players to wager £100 on bingo games before being able to withdraw any money protects the company from any losses, Gambling companies never give free money (unless you go to a physical casino and you may get a £5 free bet)

But I can guarantee you that online will not, I have used so many sites that do this.

It states in the T&S that a player accepts when signing up.

24. In order to make your first withdrawal, at least £100 must have been wagered in real funds. Wagers on Hi Lo games, Blackjack and Roulette (all versions, including 'live' products) do not count towards this requirement.

The part you said about anti-money laundering is as followed from the T&S

Identification will be required in order to process your first withdrawal with us. You will be asked to supply documents when you make your withdrawal. The documents typically required are (i) A valid piece of ID such as a driving license or passport (ii) A recent utility bill or bank statement dated within the last 3 months. We may ask for any additional documents to verify your identity at our sole discretion, such as front and back of registered card. These will be kept securely and confidentiality on file and we aim to process your documents on the same working day that they are received (9am – 6pm). We reserve the right to request ID documents to verify your account or approve any withdrawals at any time.

Most online gambling sites don't require ID now because they run an ID check on you when you initially sign up, Which leaves a search in your credit file.

Looks like the player has to play bingo with their £38. Who knows maybe they will win :P

JReacher1

paragon909 wrote: »

They won't refund anyone, That's like going to the bookies and putting £50 on black then saying I have a gambling problem I want to self exclude, But I want my £50 back for by.

Gambling doesn't work like that, If a person recognises they have a gambling problem it's up to them to take all actions not to gamble. And bingo sites are well known for offering bonuses which when you take you need to wager lots of money before you can withdraw winnings, If they allowed customers to withdraw they would be out of business.

Looks like the OP has lost £50, OP should have read the terms and conditions first.

I know all the ins and outs, I use to have a serious gambling addiction, So I've been there and done it all.

I think your example is not the same scenario as the OP finds themself in. The OP has lost the original amount they have gambled but they have a positive financial balance to their account. That hasn't been gambled. If they ask to close their account due to a gambling problem then any none gambled funds should be returned.

samsmoot

paragon909 wrote: »

And bingo sites are well known for offering bonuses which when you take you need to wager lots of money before you can withdraw winnings, If they allowed customers to withdraw they would be out of business.

Depends: some bonuses aren't that restrictive. Especially those from the top names.


It's a fact that they do allow customers to withdraw - often without any deposit being made. Some require a minimum withdrawal, say £30, but you can usually top up to the minimum and collect any winnings straight away.


I wouldn't want to encourage anyone to gamble - and bingo, in essence, is completely that. But when a generous bonus is offered, with reasonable play through (1X - 3X), with no or little deposit needed, and a fair withdrawal policy, it's an offer worth looking at for those inclined to having a flutter.


I have not done the maths, and I can't say how likely it would be that first-time deposits with a bonus will make a profit on any given site. So when I say that it's well known in some circles that first-time depositors - or even new signups - can make good profit from bonus chasing I have no idea if this is mathematically expected or coincidence - or something else...