Microgaming talks about Tusk Gaming, Eurolinx, and Grand Prive on Hidden Camera

[APCW]

Microgaming has remained steadfast in their silence over the issues surrounding the failure of their licensees Tusk Gaming, Eurolinx, and the Grand Prive Affiliates. Now you can hear what they had to say about about these issues when we confronted them on hidden camera at the International Casino Expo in London, England.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5mBP6wqSPo

[arkyt]

Who was the young lady? What position does she hold with Microgaming?

[APCW]

I am not aware of her title. This is the person Microgaming identified in their booth as the one to speak with regarding affiliate and player issues.

[Redbush54]

IMO the young lady didn't have a clue.....just the look on her face throughout the entire conversation. Or was she intriqued by the outfit? Another good one....thanks.

(I wonder how much you could get on ebay for that outfit? I personally would bid on the glasses)

[alexpratt]

I know this girl, she is the marketing manager and is actually a really decent person both professionally and personally. She would have no idea of the facts surrounding the situation and I guess she is just doing her best to be polite and understanding on a very busy stand....Her responsibility is the advertising, the stand, the pr etc and she would (I am assuming) know nothing or at least very little about what you are trying to talk to her about.

I understand your aim with the video but I don't think it achieves it as its the wrong person to speak to and she is just doing her best. I feel sorry for her more than anything as this is really not a very nice experience for her to have this on Youtube and mailed out to affiliates and operators when she is the wrong person to speak to and she is just doing her best to answer your questions and be polite.

[APCW]

I know this girl, she is the marketing manager and is actually a really decent person both professionally and personally. She would have no idea of the facts surrounding the situation and I guess she is just doing her best to be polite and understanding on a very busy stand....Her responsibility is the advertising, the stand, the pr etc and she would (I am assuming) know nothing or at least very little about what you are trying to talk to her about.

I understand your aim with the video but I don't think it achieves it as its the wrong person to speak to and she is just doing her best. I feel sorry for her more than anything as this is really not a very nice experience for her to have this on Youtube and mailed out to affiliates and operators when she is the wrong person to speak to and she is just doing her best to answer your questions and be polite.

We understand where you are coming from Alex. But this was the person Microgaming reps at the booth told us would know about affiliate issues. The fact is anyone we interviewed from Microgaming would have given us the company line. We also knew anyone answering these questions would be in a tough spot, that is why we did not identify her.

[alexpratt]

True _ its a hard one to deliver and execute -

[joeyl]

Fair dues for trying, not sure about the mo, but last resorts are usually a stretch.

What do you want Micro to do?

[APCW]

J Todd sent me the following response to post:


My friends,

The young lady I speak to in this video was the unfortunate soul sent to answer my questions. I am sure she is a lovely person, and I believe we all understand that she was just doing her job. However, I also believe that she was absolutely towing the company line on the issues she was confronted with, and the responses she gave seemed more like "talking points" than legitimate answers.

I think this is particularly obvious by the ten (10) times she said the phrases "We're just a software provider" and "We don't hold player funds" from the 3 minute mark to the 5:45 mark of the video. That averages out to one "canned response" every 17 seconds, which is pretty remarkable considering I was the one doing most of the talking.

Also, it has been asked what I would like to see Microgaming do at this time. I have listed four (4) points below which I believe are a good place to start, but certainly not all-inclusive. We need every ones input on how best to fix what is so obviously broken right now.

I fully understand that the practicality of these points, and what it would take to implement them, is a bit debatable at this time because Microgaming remains in hiding. Perhaps it's time they engage these issues with the courage of an industry leader, a commitment to their customers, and a professional dedication to ensure mistakes of the past are not repeated in the future.

=============================================

What Microgaming Can Do:

• Answer the questions and address the concerns of the players and webmasters in this industry as a matter of common courtesy and as a matter of the respect they owe to their customers and marketing partners who helped to propel Microgaming to their current position.

• Admit that they have a professional and ethical responsibility to conduct better investigations of those applying for their licenses, to strictly monitor those who already have their licenses, and to require safeguards which help to protect the customers and marketing partners of those licensees moving forward.

• Construct and execute a plan of specific protections to help ensure situations like Tusk Gaming, Eurolinx, and the Grand Prive Affiliates do not happen again, including a more stringent selection process for those applying to use the Microgaming software, ongoing audits and their licensees cash flow and liquidity, and a requirement that these licensees hold some sort of "reserve" in escrow as a minimum of consumer protection.

• Apologize for the apathetic professional attitude, months of silence on important issues, and the years of business practices not becoming of an organization once considered to be the "industry leader".

[arkyt]

She would have no idea of the facts surrounding the situation

IMO the young lady didn't have a clue.....just the look on her face throughout the entire conversation.

Thats exactly as I figured - this particular representative doesn't have the ability to answer any of those questions. Therefore the video is nothing but meaningless theatrics and IMO its in poor taste.

Also, I'm not sure that any of the analogies in the video are valid ... if a gun manufacturer knowingly gave a gun to a criminal "they knew" would steal - if a liquor company gave alcohol to someone who "they knew" would act irresponsibly …

Did Microgaming knowingly license their software to someone who “they knew” was going to do as some have done?

I like the concept here, but sorry the delivery is not very well thought out.

[TheGooner]

With I agree with the sentiment of APCW/J.Todd and the aims ...
I feel that this hidden video is a cheap idea and a headline rip-off.

If the aim was really to open dialogue about this issue - it would seem that this video stunt can only set things backwards ?

This lady is approached by a slightly dodgy looking guy that goes on and on and on and on and on and on about a subject that she knows little about and certainly hasn't researched.

She looks worried that the person might become violent to me, certainly the interviewer behaviour is erratic, and she is trying hard to placate the odd person.

In fact I think it belittles the standing of the APCW/GPWA who are trying to taken seriously as organisations of of a large affiliate sector and claims to represent that sector.

This video interview does not sit well with me. It's a stunt - and it cheapens the situation. The J.Todd delivery to camera summary afterwards is much better.

[Caruso]

I understand your aim with the video but I don't think it achieves it as its the wrong person to speak to and she is just doing her best. I feel sorry for her more than anything as this is really not a very nice experience for her to have this on Youtube and mailed out to affiliates and operators when she is the wrong person to speak to and she is just doing her best to answer your questions and be polite.

If she is the elected face of Microgaming, that's her problem. If noone else is "available", and they put forward an irrelevant person, only to fall back on the excuse that she is uninformed and therefore her answers are irrelevant...sorry, that's no argument. Put forward the owner, or put forward the floor sweeper. It makes no difference. The given person represents the company at their behest. If she makes the company look inadequate, that's their problem.

She represented Microgaming and gave Microgaming's position. If her answers are lacking it's because Microgaming's answers are lacking.

I have no sympathy for this argument.

If the aim was really to open dialogue about this issue - it would seem that this video stunt can only set things backwards?

What, the issue that Microgaming doesn't want to talk about?

Use of hidden cameras is a very standard modus operandi in investigations. I've seen them used scores of times. No online gambling company wants to talk on camera, they want to hide behind fake regulators, PO box addresses, dummy corporations and servers located in banana republics. It's about time someone stuck a camera in their face. These pseudo-guerrilla tactics were a breath of fresh air in my opinion. It's a damn sight better than the BS baloney I've read recently about the path to sainthood of the Malta LGA and the Kahnawake Gambling Commission, from an online gambling hack you all rate very highly.

Aside from anything else, this representeed something approaching the truth.

[JeterForHOF]

Yeah, this headline was a massive tease, and the video a complete let down.

We understand where you are coming from Alex. But this was the person Microgaming reps at the booth told us would know about affiliate issues. The fact is anyone we interviewed from Microgaming would have given us the company line. We also knew anyone answering these questions would be in a tough spot, that is why we did not identify her.

Where do I start?

Which Microgaming reps told you this was the person to talk to? It seems all contrived, lacking any contextual framing.

You are no longer a journalist when you say that "anyone from Microgaming" would have said the exact same thing. How can you enter an interview situation knowing the out come? This was more Borat, as opposed to what seems to have been an attempt at "sting" journalism, a la, the ACORN videos a few months back.

But you saved the best for last -- you didn't identify her!

Why would you tear into this girl, posting her on YouTube, and setting her up in the eyes of the uniformed masses as some sort of "Affiliate" related Microgaming representative? Why didn't you go to someone who really can speak out, you know who they are over there at Microgaming??? Put them on camera, make it actually interesting.

I'm sorry that I even clicked on this link and watched this silly video.

APCW going down the drain -- really it started with the affiliate program puff piece interviews, which seem paid for to some degree. Too bad.

[TheGooner]

Not sure what on earth you're going on about with the "online gaming hack" and "sainthood" rant there Caruso - unrelated to this video / thread?

But this "interview" is a walk-up discussion at a stand at trade show - the lady is tasked with operating a stand and obviously wasn't prepared for this line of questioning and also didn't know that she was being recorded.

As I said - I understand the sentiment - but not this tactic.

[pgaming]

IMO the video lacks no poor taste no less than the unspeakable silence from Microgaming. If it takes these kinds tactics ineffective or not does not matter, Microgaming’s silence leaves no alternatives. We must try and make contact any way we can, we need anything other than silence. We need to open up the closet and say “hello there”.

Case in point Grand Prive and the Virtual Groups hide in caves and it is about time we flush them out for answers. Let them know the affiliate community deserves one once of respect and dignity. Make sure not only the lucky few get backdoor passes but all affiliates enjoy the freedom of information.

Right on JTodd! If it were me I would have done the same thing. Whether or not she knew this, that or the other thing who cares we made contact. Making the free flow of information available to all IMO is priceless. WTG JTodd!

Besides I find it strange an affiliate convention would host programs that are void of understanding affiliate issues. I would like to think they come prepared.


greek39

[greedygirl]

Besides I find it strange an affiliate convention would host programs that are void of understanding affiliate issues. I would like to think they come prepared.

This was at ICEi--NOT LAC. ICEi is not an affiliate-focused event.

[pgaming]

Sorry about that I get them all confused.

I stand corrected.

greek39

[Caruso]

Not sure what on earth you're going on about with the "online gaming hack" and "sainthood" rant there Caruso - unrelated to this video / thread?

Not unrelated.

On the one hand we have sleaze a-plenty, smiles and handshakes and papering over the cracks with BS.

On the other, we have a camera in the face and the situation laid bear.

The latter is the way to do it. I was making this comparison.

[Caruso]

On the other, we have a camera in the face and the situation laid bear.

I meant "laid bare".

A laid bear is not something I want to think about.

[Ixian]

If Microgaming is just a "software provider" why then did they force their licencees out of the US market?