AHTI Games - accepts illegal gambling

Ruling

Declined - We do not pursue refund of losses based on lack of license. If your government cannot enforce its restrictions there's no chance we can.

Read our Ahti Games Casino Review.

Player's Complaint

Dear ThePogg,

Please read my complaint below:

Dear AHTIGames,

I found your casino online and liked the welcome package, so I went to the site and signed up (using all of my legitmate information, including the country I live in and home address). Generally if a country is blocked they will not allow you to register at all. Once I registered I played the deposit. I then proceeded to make several deposits.I read on another forum that the Dutch/Netherlands is restricted on all casino's. I was shocked that they had not only allowed me to registered, but also allowed me to make several deposits. I have never had a casino be so purposely deceptive. They allowed me to make 6 deposits totally approximately 6000 euro. This is a huge amount, [EDIT] allowed me to continue to deposit. There is a paragraph hidden in the T&C's but it is not predominant and when a casino allows you to not only register but also deposit AND you are in contact with support and they still are deceptive in not stating that all deposits would be void, that is fraud and theft in my opinion and very shady.

I requested a refund. I can see how this is ethical. [EDIT] I would like a full refund of my deposits and think that is an absolutely completely reasonable request.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

In Addition this is the information we got from the KSA: Priority criteria

The range of illegal online games of chance is enormous. The Gaming Authority mainly focuses on providers that target the Dutch consumer (the so-called prioritization criteria). This is the case (among other things) if they:

use the Dutch language;

use a website with the extension .nl;

make use of means of payment that are exclusively or largely used by Dutch citizens (for example iDEAL/iDIN (AHTIGames uses Idin);

advertising television, radio or printed media aimed at Dutch consumers;

using domain names containing typically Dutch terms in combination with games of chance designations (such as 'clog bingo', 'fun poker' or 'red-white-blue casino');

use other Dutch features (for example pictures of windmills or clogs);

Do not apply geo-blocking.

Please note we are in short contact with the KSA and authorities. Legal actions will be taken against Titanium Brace Marketing LTD.

Please note that if we do not get a proper solution, we will continue through court with our attorney from [EDIT]

Greetings,

[EDIT]

Additional Sources:

[EDIT]

The Dutch online gambling market is still closed, meaning that there are only a limited number of licenced operators. New licences are currently not being granted due to Dutch gambling policy, which is focused on preventing gambling addiction, protecting consumers and preventing possible fraud and crime. A remote gambling bill that promises to alter the Dutch legal environment on gaming was recently placed before parliament, but is not expected to come into force before the end of 2021. Until then, betting operators offering online games of chance in the Netherlands are in violation of (Article 1) WOK, and the DGA can sanction any unlicensed betting operator.

To determine what operators it should take action against, the DGA focuses on games of chance over websites with a .nl extension, gaming websites in the Dutch language, and/or gambling sites that advertise over Dutch media (the so called 'prioritisation' criteria). Since 1 June 2017, the DGA has also focused on websites that specifically target the Netherlands (e.g. by offering payment methods popular among Dutch consumers, such as iDeal and iDin (Used by Titanium Brace Marketing / AHTI Games, or by failing to employ technology to block certain Dutch IP addresses).

In its investigation, the KSA established that AHTI Games offers – among other games of chance – both live casino games and sports betting (including for Dutch competitions), and that it has been unmistakably targeting the Netherlands through its availability for customers with a Dutch IP address, the use of the iDeal/iDin e-commerce payment system that is solely used in the Netherlands.

In addition, where AhtiGames had blocked players from certain countries, Dutch-based players were free to access the site.

Note that on all MGA-Licensed casino’s our country is blocked. We cannot sign up, as our country is not in the list, neither can we reach the operator’s website.

I have attached several lawsuits from the past, please have a look at it and translate it to your preferred language.

We hereby confirm that we are willing to reach a solution instead of opening a legal suit. But if we cannot reach an agreement we are forced to take this to court with the KSA.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

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