Legal Question in Business Law in California

pokerstars gaming site

Around october 13th i deposited $50.00 to pokerstars think i would get a bonus $50.00 for first time deposit. To come to find out that $50.00 bonus i would have to not go broke for weeks before qualifing for the bonus. I didnt like that rule that wasnt stated clearly before depositing money. They showed me where i could find the statement i really believe it was so difficult to find. But with all that i decided just to cash out my remaining money which is $17.05 and play somewhere else if i chose to. So when going to cashout it says we will repay you the same way you deposited money. I deposited through a check. So I click on electronic check and then it stated that that option was unavailable at that time and would be available soon. So then it said it could send me a check by mail so i selected that one, then it said that i didnt have enough money to send a check. After many correspondings with them they are not going to send me a check until i either win more money or deposit some and then cashout. That doesnt sound right to me. Can they legally keep my money that is totally mine?


Asked on 10/24/08, 5:21 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Re: pokerstars gaming site

Anytime you choose to deal with a person or company outside the U.S., you won't be able to take them to court in the event of a dispute.

All internet poker sites are located in other countries because they rightly fear being prosecuted by U.S. authorities. While there is no clear indication that it is either legal or illegal to play poker for money over the internet, and no poker players have been prosecuted to date, the official position of the U.S. government, see for example the FBI.gov website, is that it is illegal. Congress has passed a law, the UIGEA, making it illegal for banks and financial institutions to transmit money for use in internet gaming transactions. This will increase the level of difficulty for both poker sites and players in attempting to send money back and forth.

More to the point, anytime one chooses to gamble against a computer there is a high risk of being cheated.

The poker site UltimateBet.com was recently accused of cheating poker players out of millions of dollars using sophisticated software that allowed favored players to see ordinary players' hole cards. Poker sites like PokerStars and UltimateBet claim to be "regulated" by outfits like the "Kahnawahke Tribal Gaming Commission" but there is scant evidence that these commissions really have any power to conduct investigations or to hold gaming sites accountable.

If UltimateBet.com could help itself to $15 million just by using hacked software, with no accountability, as it is accused of doing, what is to keep some other poker site from doing the same thing? Why wouldn't they?

In answer to your original question, I am unable to advise you on whether or not it would be a good idea to gamble some more on PokerStars to try to get enough points to release your bonus money, or to deposit more money so you have enough so that they can cut you a check. Abandoning your $17.05 could be your only lawful option.

You might try inquiring on a poker-related site.

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Answered on 10/24/08, 5:56 pm


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