Dissatisfied players turn to software providers for unpaid winnings
Dissatisfied players will usually approach a software provider
with two objectives: hope that he will put pressure on the
licencee to reconsider a rejected complaint, or that he will
actually pay all or part of the player's disputed and unpaid
winnings.
This is because many players believe that the software provider
has an obligation to them in terms of the conduct of the operator.
It is widely felt that because the provider can reject an applicant
for software, he has a duty to ensure that his licencees
are honest and properly funded to run an efficient operation.
This is particularly important in a de facto largely unregulated
industry.
Players also know that most software providers receive significant
percentages of casino profits in the form of royalties. The
widespread belief among players is that this places an obligation
on the provider too, as he directly profits from the perhaps
questionable practices of a licensee which disadvantage the player.
And it is true that most software providers have clauses in their
licensee contracts which enable them to act against operators
who are behaving to the detriment of their reputation, so they do
have some influence.
Conversely, some providers feel that their responsibility ends
with the provision of good software and perhaps other services,
and that the operator is solely responsible.
The ideal is somewhere between the two and lies in teamwork
between provider and operator with the satisfaction of
the player as a prime concern. The last thing a player wants
to see is the provider and the operator playing tennis with the
question of responsibility, leaving him or her dissatisfied in
the middle.
Complaining is often a frustrating process. A frequent
refrain in complaints to the Online Player's Association and
across the message boards is that player's efforts are literally
ignored. Certain providers appear to believe that the best tactic
is not to respond to the complainant at all in the hope that he
or she will simply go away.
Clearly this merely aggravates the situation and is in any case
downright discourteous. In the case of determined players it
simply postpones the day of reckoning and makes a solution
more difficult.
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"Player Power" is growing
There is little doubt that "player power" is growing as the online
gambling industry matures. Players are more knowledgeable and
more cohesive in their approach to problems. They are becoming
more demanding of good service and less tolerant of unfairness
and inefficiency.
And they have the power of choice when it comes to where they
will spend their money - US$ 6 billion of it within the next few
years - either by casino or by software.
The much anticipated move online by the major US land-based
casinos, together with the strong possibility of player-friendly
US regulation rather than prohibition will have a profoundly positive
effect for the player in the key US market. The less-responsive
providers need to factor that into their plans for the future if they
wish to prosper.
Experienced online gamblers usually like to know who the software
supplier is before they gamble at a casino. It is becoming increasingly
obvious that this is not a criteria based only on the games on offer,
but on that provider's sense of responsibility and commitment
to the player as well.
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The author of this article is an Internet Gambling
Consultant and a minority shareholder in www.jetsetcasino.com
The following software providers did not respond to the questions:
Microgaming
Random-logic
Unified Gaming
Chartwell Technology
Radiate
Cysphere
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