TonyBet Withholding Winnings

[MatchedBetting]

Not affiliate related, However, a family member wanted to place some bets for the upcoming football season (she'd never placed a bet before, but a few of us were talking about some bets and she wanted to do some). Someone recommend tonybet to her even though I suggested Bet365. Anyway, long story short she signed up to tonybet, they asked for ID when she initially setup the account which was good. She placed a handful of bets, which she copied what others were doing and just picked random bets (she only had an initial deposit of around £20 I think) and after a few weeks she had winnings of £499.40....

She decided to cash out but they asked for ID again, anyway she sent it and went on holiday - when she got back from holiday the money still wasn't in her account, after asking support they then said she needed to send ID because they haven't received anything - so she sent it again!

Next they wanted a phone call with her, she complied and answered the security questions - although they started to ask what bets she placed and she could only remember one because that was the only team she knew as it was a team where she lived.

Anyway, long story short they're saying it wasn't her who played the bets and not paying out. Obviously first bet she just copied a few other family members, but the others were just random... she couldn't even name more than 3 prem football teams.

She tried ringing tonybet, but they don't have any UK numbers, so it's costing lots to call up only to get quite robotic responses.

What can she do? will she see that money again? can they even do it?

[JackTenSuited]

could try contacting the gambling commission (I assume you are in UK?) http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk...-operator.aspx
Alternatively keep badgering them on social media until they sort it.

[MatchedBetting]

Cheers, I think that maybe the next port of call - I kind of feel responsible now.

[justbookies]

It may not be affiliate related, but it is very affiliate relevant. Thanks for the heads up on who the latest crooks are as I had little knowledge about TonyBet. Sad feckers if they are stealing £499 from someone. I really hope the Gambling Commission help, but they are only after money from license fees and palm everything else off. When those firms, 138.com etc, conned their punters after Cheltenham and refused to pay out it was the newspapers that got a result not the hopeless GC. Maybe contact the papers, she'll get paid in a millisecond if they run the story.

[MatchedBetting]

Thanks for the advice, it's really shocking as I thought these were a reputable brand.£500 is a lot of money to most people, and I feel guilty - I'll pester them on their behalf and hopefully they should do something. I'm going to stop promoting them on my sites too

[MatchedBetting]

I've put it on Twitter with one of my twitter accounts, and copied in the Tony guy - and also the Betsson group as they have just bought TonyBet (but don't think it's the UK section) https://twitter.com/MobileSlot/statu...21002240262144 - hopefully kicks them in to action

[LukeC]

My understanding is that it's not illegal for UK residents to place bets on behalf of other people anyway (as long as the money originates from a legal manner, so that it is not money laundering). A T&C prohibiting this would probably be seen as unfair by a court. More and more firms are refusing to pay people they suspect of doing this though.

However, if she has taken a bonus and used those funds to make her profit there are other people with a TonyBet account at the same address, then she has no chance of getting paid imo as she will have broken a fair T&C.

If she has just used her deposit, I don't see how they can refuse to pay her.

Would suggest you get her to contact Paul Fairhead (https://twitter.com/BoycottBetfred) - his email is betdisputeadvice@gmail.com - and send him the full details. He has helped me with a dispute previously.

[MatchedBetting]

Hi,

Thanks for a detailed response. She lives on her own and no one else has claimed the bonus because its just her the first bet she copied others, but the other bets she done was just random, and pure luck.

None of the correspondence have mentioned the bonus, I think she well surpassed the bonus criteria anyway.

I'll drop him an email - cheers!

[MatchedBetting]

Tried to ring them all this morning and keep putting phone down on me as soon as I mention the withdrawal - tried emailing, fb inboxing (someone is manning it because they keep removing my posts). Started the hashtag on twitter #TonyBetScam and getting some retweets - feel completely lost as theres no response from them.

[justbookies]

Now they are putting the phone down on you? They sound like a professionally run outfit. Anyway they are a member of IBAS, the adjudication service. The IBAS process tends to be a bit long-winded but they must abide the decision (or rather they have agreed to abide by any decision) but crooks don't tend to play fair. Here is the link:
http://www.ibas-uk.com/registeredOpe...=T&bookId=1062

Also try the Gambling Commission, personally I think they are useless and don't really care about punters. It is all lip-service with them, but here's hoping I am wrong. Give them a ring.

Also, tweet this thread at that @TonyGuoga telling him what cheats they are. I see he calls himself a 'philanthropist' on twitter, lol what a muppet!

[pokeraussie]

Don't hold back, Tony G certainly doesn't. He was accusing IveyPoker of being a scam because a player endorsing the site was playing nitty lol the bloody gronk will do anything for attention.

[MatchedBetting]

They replied and said it was my connection, when I asked on Twitter. I did say well if the number was local it wouldn't happen - I don't know if they're telling the truth or not.

I've tried tweeting him, I'm actually shocked to be honest eat how unprofessional they are. I'll try the links you sent. I'm trying to hold back and also act professional but to be honest I've just been spamming their Facebook and commenting on other users messages to not use them (which has actually worked)

[justbookies]

There are a lot of badly run crooked firms licensed by the Gambling Commission. We saw a couple get caught cheating after Cheltenham and nothing happened to them except being shamed by the press. The regulation doesn't exist - the Gambling Commission gives a licence to anyone who pays the rip-off annual fees and produces a shiny business plan.

We need to be very careful who we promote, almost as many UK-facing crooked firms as honest ones now. You can't even get a bet on with most, and the Gambling Commission turns a blind eye to that too - that people are closed down in their droves. This should not be normal business practice. In Australia you must lay a bet to a stated liability (or that is how it used to be when I went there) or the bookmaker risks losing the license. The irony is that some of the unregulated US-facing sportsbooks are the best operators like Bovada and 5Dimes. The crooks are welcome in the UK market and Gambling Commission consistently fails to police the situation. It is just left to the newspapers and social media to do the job that the Gambling Commission is too scared to do.

[MatchedBetting]

I've never really come across a bad bookmaker until now - it's quite disgusting