SOURCE: iGaming Business

UK independent player protection organisation eCommerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) announced a twelve percent drop in the number of complaints it received from online gamblers over the first quarter of 2008.

The organisation said that a total of 171 dispute mediation requests were received over the period, which was below the average quarterly figure for last year of 195.

The London-based body revealed that 27 of the disputes dealt with websites not accredited by eCOGRA while a further 17 were classed as invalid due to insufficient contact information, abuse, falsehood or the lack of a specific complaint.

"Unfortunately, the quarter has been marred by a relatively large number of false bonus abuse complaints lodged by fraudulent players, which when investigated in depth were found to be invalid due to multiple accounts, bonus over-claiming and in a minority of cases out-and-out fraud," said Tex Rees, Fair Gaming Advocate for eCOGRA.

Rees stated that 27 percent of disputes related to bonus issues while 44 percent of the 127 valid complaints were resolved in favour of the player.

"The main cause for complaint was ‘cash in’ related matters, which generated 61 disputes or 48 percent of the total valid disputes received," said Rees.

"Bonus issues constituted 27 percent of the disputes followed by locked account issues at 17 percent and miscellaneous complaints at 8 percent."