666BET License Suspended

[yourmum]

Courtesy of the UKGC website

Interim suspension of operating licence - Metro Play Limited trading as www.metroplay.com and www.666bet.com

Posted on 20 March 2015
The Gambling Commission has commenced a review under section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act) and, under section 118 of the Act, has decided to suspend Operating Licence No 000-039112-R-319435-001 (Metro Play Limited) while that review takes place. 
The Commission has decided to commence a review because it suspects that Metro Play Limited (the Licensee) is unsuitable to carry on the licensed activities (section 120(1)(d) of the Act) and considers it appropriate to suspend the licence with immediate effect pending the conclusion of the review. 
In accordance with section 118(4)(c) of the Act the Licensee is authorised to settle any outstanding winning bets that it has accepted in reliance on the above operating licence and return any outstanding balances to customers.
The suspension is an interim measure, the need for which will be kept under consideration whilst the review takes place.

 

[Trevrizent]

The 666Bet website says it's closed for maintenance! I wonder if this is the first sign of a more interventionist policy from the UKGC in response to player complaints. If it is, it's very welcome even if a little overdue (Canbet, Betbutler...).

 

[yourmum]

Reports flying around twitter that the CEO Paul Bell (I believe his name is) has been arrested for fraud.

 

[yourmum]

This was the link posted on twitter regarding the license suspension although the article doesn't mention names etc..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-euro...f-man-31985606

 

[Trevrizent]

I hope they do indeed settle all outstanding bets and allow customers to access and withdraw their balances (no one can log in as things stand), but it certainly doesn't look good.

 

[yourmum]

I feel sorry for metroplay customers as they are more likely to have significant balances due to it being a casino. There's not a lot of news about at the moment, but twitter and email are no longer responding which too is a bad sign

 

[Trevrizent]

They're still peddling the story that their website is down for maintenance 'due to unforeseen circumstances'. Who do they think they're fooling?

 

[yourmum]

It's not just UKGC who have suspended their license, Alderney have also done so as well.

Obviously the players know what has happened, although while not defending them, should they actually honour what the UKGC has stated "that outstanding bets and balances will be paid" they would have to redesign their website in a way that stops new customers / wagers so players can log in and withdraw.

That would be a rather optimistic look on things - but it's not looking good at the moment. Something must have been known by the owners or they were contacted / or knew the UKGC were investigating as on 10/03/2015 they registered metroplay limited as a UK company.

 

[Trevrizent]

I'd be surprised if they were to reopen the website even in a redesigned and restricted form. They say on their 'maintenance' notice that pending withdrawals 'will be processed in due course', but that could mean weeks, months or not at all. It's also worrying that their notice no longer gives a contact email address, which suggests that they either want to make it as difficult as possible for customers requesting a withdrawal to contact them or else that there is simply no longer any customer service left to contact. As you say, not looking at all good.

 

[yourmum]

The email address actually appears within the Web address once the page has loaded - http://maintenance.gammatrix.com/default.htm?supportemail=support@666bet.com

Seems like it is written as if it is supposed to do something, or maybe it is odds matrix's standard maintenance Page and that is just say it's 666bets maintenance page

 

[steve1845]

Not sure whether this will end up okay or not really. I know for fact that 2 people have had withdrawals requested before the website was taken down paid out this week. I'm still waiting for a withdrawal but the fact that they at least paid some people gives me hope.