Since I have a big problem with gambling addiction , I got banned from a lot of online casinos. Unfortunately, despite suspensions, I fell back into gambling and registered at Stake.com. I knew I had no registration at this casino in the past. So I tried my luck again and lost over 700 EUR within 24 hours.

I took a few days off and thought about how to continue. So I decided to close Stakes.com permanently due to gambling addiction. I contacted Stake Casino via email on 05/14/2022 (see image) and explained there that I wanted to have my account permanently deleted with immediate effect because I have a gambling addiction.

This wasn't a standard disabling, but a lifetime ban from Stake.com. But unfortunately my account was not deleted and I was able to play again a few days later. And what happened? I gambled away thousands of euros even though I pulled the emergency brake and asked Stake directly for lifetime deletion. Stake offers on the website that you can self-exclude, but this variant is not suitable for people with gambling addiction as the process takes too long and there is a risk of relapsing during this time. I also didn't want to be self-excluded for 24 hours, but immediately from May 14th, 2022. But this was ignored and I was allowed to continue playing.

Then, when I lost a lot and couldn't keep my gambling addiction under control, I asked Stake Casino again on 06/14/2022 to close the account. I stated that I had problem gambling and my account was immediately deleted. After I left a lot of money with them for 4 weeks, I suddenly deleted it by request!

Now I want my money back from May 14th, 2022 to June 14th, 2022. Because Stake knew about my gambling addiction and didn't delete my account when I asked for it. Only after my second request and stating that I was addicted to gambling was there a response and my account was permanently deleted.

According to EU guidelines for casinos, a casino is obliged to delete a gambling addict as soon as possible.

Da ich ein gro?es Problem mit Spielsucht habe, habe ich mich bei sehr vielen Casinos online ausschlie?en lassen. Ich bin leider trotz Sperrungen ins Glücksspiel zurückgefallen und habe mich bei Stake.com registriert. Ich wusste, dass ich in diesem Casino noch keine Registrierung in Vergangenheit hatte. So versuchte ich noch einmal mein Glück und verlor binnen 24 Stunden über 700 EUR.

Ich habe für mich ein paar Tage pause eingelegt und überlegt, wie ich nun fortfahren soll. So habe ich mich entschieden mich bei Stakes.com ebenfalls dauerhaft schlie?en zu lassen aufgrund des Spielsucht. Ich wandte mich am 14.05.2022 an Stake Casino per E-Mail (Siehe Bild) und erl?uterte dort, dass ich meinen Account ab sofort für immer l?schen lassen wollte, da ich eine Spielsucht habe.

Hierbei handelte sich nicht um eine ganz übliche Deaktivierung, sondern um einen Lebenslangen Ausschluss bei Stake.com. Doch leider wurde mein Account nicht gel?scht und ich konnte ein paar Tage sp?ter wieder spielen. Und was ist passiert? Ich habe tausende Euros verzockt, obwohl ich eine Notbremse zog und Stake direkt um lebenslange L?schung bat. Stake bietet auf der Webseite an, dass man sich selbst ausschlie?en kann, doch diese Variante ist nicht für Menschen mit Spielsucht geeignet, da der Prozess zu lange dauert und in dieser Zeit die Gefahr besteht, dass man wieder rückf?llig werden kann. Ich wollte zudem nicht mich selbstauschlie?en lassen für erstmal 24 Stunden, sondern sofort ab dem 14.05.2022. Doch dies wurde ignoriert und ich durfte weiterspielen.

Als ich dann sehr viel verlor und ich meine Spielsucht nicht unter Kontrolle halten konnte, bat ich am 14.06.2022 Stake Casino noch einmal um die Schlie?ung des Kontos. Ich gab an, dass ich Spielsucht Probleme an und sofort wurde mein Konto gel?scht. Nachdem ich 4 Wochen lang viel Geld bei denen da gelassen habe, ging auf einmal meine L?schung per Anfrage!

Nun verlange ich meinen Geld ab dem 14.05.2022 bis 14.06.2022 zurück. Denn Stake wusste von meinem Spielsucht Bescheid und hat auf Wunsch nicht meinen Account gel?scht. Erst nach meiner zweiten Anfrage und Angabe das ich Spielsucht habe, wurde darauf reagiert und mein Konto dauerhaft gel?scht.

Laut EU Richtlinien für Casinos, ist eine Casino verpflichtet einen Spielsüchtigen Zeitnah sofort zu l?schen.

Dear Polat87,

Thank you very much for submitting your complaint. I’m sorry to hear about your problem. Before we’ll contact the casino and ask for their standpoint, could you please forward emails or screenshots showing that you have sent request for a self-exclusion? My email address is [email protected]. Did you specify in that request for how long you wish your account to be suspended and the reason why?

I have checked the Responsible Gambling section on the website, and this is what I found (here):

"To self-exclude means to stop betting or gambling for a set time. Self-exclusion can be temporary or permanent.

By requesting one of our self-exclusion time periods on offer you agree to the following terms and conditions, which will be effective from the minute you receive a confirmation email of your chosen self-exclusion, this email will be sent to the email address used to register your account only and will display the date of self-exclusion completion.

...

On receipt of an email request for account closure, the requested account and any linked accounts will be placed on our first stage, 24-hr cooling off period which will disable your account or accounts, allowing no gambling activity. Once this time has passed; while your account or accounts remain closed, a customer support agent will inform you of the 1-week, 1-month, 6- months and permanent self-exclusions available. There will be no variation of these time periods. To proceed with this process, we will require an email response. If we do not receive a response within a further 24 - hrs, your account will be reopened and confirmed by email.

If after reviewing our self-exclusion options you decide you would like to proceed with a permanent self-exclusion, you will be required to set an exclusion period when prompted. On occasion, we might decide to place an account on a short self-exclusion period if we believe it to be needed and or beneficial to the customer. This will be communicated by email; the above terms and conditions will apply.

When you request, or we deem it necessary, to add a self-exclusion, all remaining funds left in your account will be returned to you manually.

...

Once a self-exclusion is applied to your account, it will stay in place until the request time has finished, it will not be reversed or decreased for any reason. Permanent self-exclusions will remain closed indefinitely.

We will use all reasonable endeavors to ensure compliance with our responsible gambling self- exclusion policy. However,you accept that we will not be held responsible or liable if you attempt to open any new account or indeed succeed. In addition, we will not be held liable or accountable if you continue to deposit and wager using additional accounts which have previously not been disclosed. Any future wagers, Reward funds and entries in any promotions during a requested self-exclusion time will be forfeited, resulting in no return of stakes or payment of winnings. We will not be able to reinstate these if the account is reopened after the self-exclusion period. After self-exclusion you acknowledge that:

You should not attempt to, deposit or place any wager on any of your accounts from which you have requested to be excluded during your selected self-exclusion.

You should not attempt or proceed to open any new accounts during your self-exclusion period, or indefinitely if a permanent self-exclusion has been selected."

Is this [email protected] the email address that you have sent your email to?

I hope we will be able to help you to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Thank you in advance for your reply.

Best regards,

Petronela

Hello Petronela,

Thank you for sending me the self-exclusion information. I am familiar with these. I have a gambling addiction problem. That's why I didn't need 24 hours to think about it. Because a person with a gambling addiction cannot protect himself and can possibly relapse after 24 hours. So I wrote an email to [email protected] on May 14th, 2022. There I described my gambling addiction and that my account should be deleted forever. Despite this announcement, Stake let me continue playing and I relapsed and continued to lose money. I was only deactivated on June 14th, 2022 after a renewed request. I have emailed you a photo to [email protected]

Many greetings

E

Hallo Petronela,

danke das Sie mir den Selbstauschluss Informationen gesendet haben. Diese sind mir bekannt. Bei mir handelt es sich um ein Spielsucht-Problem. Deshalb habe ich keine 24 Stunden Bedenkzeit ben?tigt. Denn ein Mensch mit Spielsucht kann sich nicht selbst schützen und kann eventuell nach 24 Stunden wieder Rückf?llig werden. Deshalb schrieb ich am 14.05.2022 an [email protected] eine E-Mail. Dort schilderte ich meine Spielsucht und das mein Account für immer gel?scht werden soll. Stake hat trotz dieser Ansage mich weiterspielen lassen und ich wurde Rückf?llig und verlor weiter Geld. Erst am 14.06.2022 wurde ich nach erneute Anfrage deaktiviert. Ich habe Dir ein Foto per E-Mail zukommen lassen an [email protected] 

Viele Grü?e

E.

Thank you, Polat87, for the forwarded screenshot. Could you please forward the original email from May 14th and the subsequent request, based on which, your account got finally blocked?

Hello dear Patronela,

you have already received the e-mail from May 14, 2022 with a screenshot. do you need this again

Hallo lieber Patronela,

du hast doch von mir bereits die E-Mail von 14.Mai 2022 bekommen per Screenshot. Brauchst du das noch einmal?

On May 14th, I signaled to Stake.com that I have a gambling addiction. (see email). Stake didn't delete my account even when I wrote via chat that I don't want to play anymore. It wasn't until June 14 that my account was deleted by e-mail upon request.

I informed Stake on May 14th that I would like my account deleted because I have a gambling addiction -> Failed, was not deactivated despite the addiction. Result: Lost a lot of money

• Chats written that I don't want to play anymore were not deleted

On June 14th, like on May 14th, I wrote an email stating my gambling addiction and that I would like my money back. Then it was immediately disabled.

From May 14th to June 14th I lost a lot of money probably over 3000 EUR. The casino ignored my complaint and I couldn't protect myself even though I wanted to. I lost to my gambling addiction and Casino watched me for 4 weeks.

Am 14. Mai signalisierte ich Stake.com, dass ich Spielsucht habe. (siehe E-Mail). Stake hat meinen Account nicht gel?scht, auch als ich per Chat schrieb, dass ich nicht mehr spielen m?chte. Erst am 14. Juni wurde mein Account auf Wunsch per E-Mail gel?scht.

Ich habe am 14. Mai Stake mitgeteilt, dass ich meinen Account gel?scht haben m?chte, weil ich Spielsucht habe -> Misslungen, wurde nicht deaktiviert, trotz des Sucht. Resultat: Viel Geld verloren

• Chats geschrieben, dass ich nicht mehr spielen m?chte, wurde nicht gel?scht

Am 14. Juni ebenfalls wie am 14. Mai eine Mail geschrieben, mit Angabe meines Spielsucht und das ich mein Geld zurückfordere. Dann wurde sofort deaktiviert.

Von 14. Mai - 14. Juni habe ich viel Geld verloren über 3000 EUR wohl. Das Casino hat meine Beschwerde ignoriert und ich konnte mich nicht selbst beschützen, obwohl ich das wollte. Ich habe gegen meine Spielsucht verloren und Casino hat dabei 4 Wochen lang zu gesehen.

Thank you very much, Polat87, for providing all the necessary information. I will now transfer your complaint to my colleague Jozef ([email protected]) who will be at your assistance. I wish you best of luck and hope to see your problem being resolved to your satisfaction in the near future.  

All right, thank you for your effort and commitment. Regards

Alles klar, ich bedanke mich für Ihre mühe und Einsatz. Grü?e

Hi Polat87.

I absolutely appreciate that you shared your experiences with the Casino Guru team. We will now try to get in touch with the casino.

Dear Casino Guru,

Following the player complaint, Stake hereby presents its formal response to the same.

We have performed an assessment on the player account and went through all the communications exchange on our platform that is linked to the e-mail [email protected] and we have verified that the customer has only entered into contact with Stake on 15th June 2022 (Annex I). This makes us doubt the authenticity of the evidence sent by the customer since our system collects all the communications of the customers and centralizes them on our platform.

Additionally, we would like to notice that when the player informed us of his gambling addiction on 15th June 2022, his account was automatically blocked (Annex II). Furthermore, as mentioned by the player in his complaint, the same was aware of the self-exclusion tool available on www.stake.com and he could have used the same to protect himself.

As described in the self-exclusion policy available at www.stake.com, it is possible for the player to close his account permanently by following the self-exclusion procedure. Thus it is not true the player claim that Stake self-exclusion only allows the players to exclude their account for 24h.

According to the above, we understand that the player complaint shall not proceed and the same is not entitled to any reimbursement.

Best Regards,

Stake

Ladies and Gentlemen

the statement of the Stake Casino is very weak and also disappointing. I sent my communication from May. I asked for my account to be deactivated via email in May and later also via chat. This can be clearly seen. Then I will probably turn on a lawyer who will act for me. You have 100% received my email and chat, this can be seen from my inbox and I can also upload a video of it. I have proof that you got the request, you should rather prove to me that you didn't delete my messages? I see a lot less messages from me in the screenshot than it really was? Our last discussion alone was at least 5 emails + the emails before. If there is no payment, I will deal with the lawyer, no problem.

Regards

EY

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

die Aussage des Stake Casino ist sehr schwach und zudem entt?uschend. Ich habe meine Kommunikation von Mai zukommen lassen. Ich habe per E-Mail im Mai und sp?ter auch per Chat um Deaktivierung meines Kontos gebeten. Dies ist eindeutig zu erkennen. Dann werde ich wohl einen Anwalt einschalten der für mich agieren wird. Sie haben 100% meine E-Mail und Chat erhalten, dies ist von meinem Postfach zu erkennen und ich kann dazu auch ein Video hochladen. Ich habe Beweise dafür das sie die Anfrage bekommen haben, sie sollten eher mir beweisen, dass sie meine Nachrichten nicht gel?scht haben? Ich sehe bei Ihnen im Screenshot viel weniger Nachrichten von mir, als es in Wirklichkeit war? Alleine unsere letzte Diskussionen war mindestes 5 E-Mails + die Emails vorher. Falls kein Auszahlung erfolgt, werde ich mit dem Anwalt agieren, kein Problem.

Grü?e

E. Y.

Dear Polat87,

In order to move with this case, could you make the mentioned video? It would be great if you can show all the emails you have sent from your address to the casino email address. I would highly appreciate it since it would clearly prove your claims, and the casino can investigate what has happened.

Dear Polat87,

We are extending the timer by 7 days. Please, be aware that in case you fail to respond to your complaint in the given time frame, or don’t require any further assistance, we will reject it.

Unfortunately, we’re forced to reject this case because the player has stopped responding to our messages and questions. Therefore, we’re not able to proceed with a further investigation or suggest possible solutions.