[HeeeHAWWWW]

HeeeHaw,

Are you sure they are debiting a percentage from the balance and not the bonus amount?

Thanks for keeping an interest Bill.

Yes, I'm afraid so, they're taking a percentage as well as the bonus. I finally got contact with them last night - they have a single poor guy processing all this (business hours, aussie east coast time, says he's almost caught up the backlog). He fixed my ID situation so I could withdraw, but told me the bonus will be removed, and "all related winnings".

In other words, if you deposited 300+ and got a 100 bonus, you are considered to have been using 75% your money, 25% the books. They are ignoring how far through the bonus requirements you are (I was 90%), and thus removing 100 + 25% of your balance. Worse, if you had a 100% bonus, they're taking half (one guy on another forum lost $2500 as a result).

Aside from treating customers as if they reneged on bonus conditions, rather than the book suddenly yanking all its lines without warning (we could all have completed bonus requirements given even a week's notice), this is extremely financially advantageous to them. For example, I had 500 pounds more to complete the bonus requirements. Had I placed that, it would have lost on average 5% (their soccer market juice), ie 25 pounds. Instead they're going to take something in the region of 450 pounds ($900) from my 1418 balance.

Given every deposit into the book attracted a bonus, they're going to be taking 25% - 50% of nearly everyone's balance.

[JoshW]

This is the response Bill and I got from Portlandbet

Hi Bill



Please accept my apologies for the delay in reply.



PortlandBet has ceased trading and is in the process of paying out customer accounts. Additionally, all outstanding bets will be honoured. Customers with outstanding bets will be contacted individually with a description of how future bet payouts will be administered.



Customers who have completed identification requirements are currently able to withdraw. Those who have not are being contacted and informed of these requirements.



For you and your readers reference, please note the following government requirements for identification below. If a customer has not submitted these requirements they will receive the ‘max allowed = 0’ message you specify in your email. Customers should submit this information to allow withdrawal. Additionally, if a credit or DC was used to fund an account a CC authority form, along with copies of the front and back of the card used, must be completed. This can be accessed after logging in from either the DEPOSIT or WITHDRAWAL section of ‘My Account’.



I am extremely sorry for any distress or inconvenience caused and wish to assure customers that payouts will be processed as quickly as possible. Unfortunately all other staff have been terminated and this means the process is not a fast as I, or customers, would like. I can be contacted on +61 2 6213 3666 during Australian business hours and calls are welcome, however would prefer correspondence via email if at all possible, as I believe this will facilitate me getting up to date as quickly as possible. For reference, I am addressing emails in order of reception, so you can see where I’m up to as of now.



If you have any further queries please let me know – I’ll be happy to help.



Best regards

Eben Peart.



Your 100 point identification may consist of scans/copies of any of the following:



* Current Passport or Birth Certificate (70 Points)



* Current Drivers Licence showing current address (40 Points)



* Medicare/Health Card or ************ (25 points)



* Telephone, Electricity or Gas Bill showing current address (25 Points)

[mjm]

I've lost a fair amount due to this closure. I had close to £2500 in my account and they have taken half. I'd almost completed my wagering requirements. When I signed up the T&Cs stated that you would be able to withdraw before completing the WR in proportion to the amount you had completed. For this reason I think it is very unfair to simply take half without warning. Does anyone know if something can be done about this?

[DIF]

hope Lasseters(australians too) is alright now.( I got a small sum there)


Anyone here know if Lasseters is alright?

[bigboydan]

hope Lasseters(australians too) is alright now.( I got a small sum there)


Anyone here know if Lasseters is alright?

I have not read anything bad lately about Lasseters sir. In fact they are a very good bookmaker from Australia (great rep.), also the book is listed on the stock exchange in Australia.

[noyb]

hope Lasseters(australians too) is alright now.( I got a small sum there)


Anyone here know if Lasseters is alright?

why wouldn't they be?

neville porter and premierbet, two british bookmakers, went bust these last twelve months. you think my funds at all british books is in danger now? i don't understand the connection.

[chance]

Lasseters are perfectly fine. They have backing and are not reliant only on sports betting revenue. They have the most respected sports bookmaker in Aussie running the show also.

Portlandbet always looked very shakey to me.

[HeeeHAWWWW]

Just got a payout of slightly under $3k from portland via moneybookers


Payout was requesteded 2 days ago via moneybookers, after getting my ID processed. Contrary to what we've been told, and others have experienced, nothing was taken off for the bonus requirements being incomplete (although I was 90% done). That might have been a mistake, but it probably saved me about $800 so I won't be complaining ......


Thanks to the SBR folk who poked the portland folks into a response

[Luka]

HeeeHawwww alright for some! I had £4700 in there and they've taken £1170 off me to withdraw it. Equalling 25% of my balance. Is there anyone me and others can complain to?

Wonder id there's any hope of seeing a penny of our money back. It's ridiculous being charged £1200 for what in effect was a £100 bonus. Especially one you couldn't meet the wagering on as- all bets were pulled.

[M0RPH]

If you guys are all getting paid out what is the problem?

Ok, maybe you have a bit less than you thought, but you must still be massively up on your original deposit. Its all profit at the end of the day surely.

[tomcowley]

Are you serious? If you bet 2 games with a local bookie for $1000 each, win them both, and then he only pays you $1000 winnings and tells you to **** off, are you going to be so happy you won that you won't care that you got stiffed for half of your winnings? Come on.

[HeeeHAWWWW]

If you guys are all getting paid out what is the problem?

Ok, maybe you have a bit less than you thought, but you must still be massively up on your original deposit. Its all profit at the end of the day surely.

What about all the deposits that lost in the past?

[mjm]

Anyone know what else I can do here? I filled in the complaint form here last week but not sure wha to expect. Is there someone else I can complain to?

[mjm]

These guys are not answering phones or emails. Anyone know who I can raise this matter with in Australia?

[bigboydan]

Anyone know what else I can do here? I filled in the complaint form here last week but not sure wha to expect. Is there someone else I can complain to?

If you already filled out a complaint form. My advice would be allowing us a bit of time to get to your dispute, because we have many others in front of you in line at this time.

[mjm]

If you already filled out a complaint form. My advice would be allowing us a bit of time to get to your dispute, because we have many others in front of you in line at this time.

I have now had a reply to my complaint. Which was the portlandbet phone number and advice to give them a call?????

This is obviously something I have tried many times before complaining, I have also emailed without a reply from them.

Does anyone knowe who else I can take this up with?

Thanks

[HeeeHAWWWW]

Does anyone knowe who else I can take this up with?

Try phoning their regulator? It's the ACT gambling commission:

http://www.gamblingandracing.act.gov.au/ContactUs.htm

Aussie Eastern time is UTC+9 though, so awkward :-)

[sammyboy999]

Has anyone had a payout in the last 3 weeks?
The last communication I had from Portlandbet was the standard email posted above.
Is it time to contact the ACT Gambling Commission again?

[mjm]

Thanks, I've now contacted ACT and am waiting on their reply. Hopefully it will be more helpful

[angel911]

I´m waiting now since 3 weeks for my money!

Last Email
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 6:27 AM

I am currently waiting on funds to be released to me by the owner to continue customer payouts. I am not aware how long this may take, but expect it will be at least a few days.



To assure you of the situation, I stress that the funds still outstanding to customers are more than covered by the security guarantee held by the ACT government, however PortlandBet is not allowed to access these funds to make payouts. Instead, the owner of PortlandBet must source funds himself to pay customers. Once the customers are paid the security guarantee is released back to him.



Thus, your funds are safe – it is just a matter of me receiving funds from the owner to pay you. I fully expect that to happen, however, if it does not, customers will be paid out from the security guarantee held by the government.



I will keep you informed of any developments.



Best regards

Eben.

[angel911]

I´m waiting now since 3 weeks for my money!

Last Email
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 6:27 AM

I am currently waiting on funds to be released to me by the owner to continue customer payouts. I am not aware how long this may take, but expect it will be at least a few days.



To assure you of the situation, I stress that the funds still outstanding to customers are more than covered by the security guarantee held by the ACT government, however PortlandBet is not allowed to access these funds to make payouts. Instead, the owner of PortlandBet must source funds himself to pay customers. Once the customers are paid the security guarantee is released back to him.



Thus, your funds are safe – it is just a matter of me receiving funds from the owner to pay you. I fully expect that to happen, however, if it does not, customers will be paid out from the security guarantee held by the government.



I will keep you informed of any developments.



Best regards

Eben.

I recieved a moneybookers payout. They steal 50%!!! of my money. Its a shame!

Is it my mistake that i signed up at 24 of june and had never the chance to bet enough(only 6 days) to get the bonus? They cant steal the winnings and bonus.

All costumer who asked if they get the full amount didnt get it and other who never asked got all of their money. Is this fair?

Second time they closed and steal 50% of the money. A way to make an unsuccessful bookmaker a great profit. This cant be true. I bet next year the same.

I wont accept this fraud.

[mjm]

I emailed ACT about three weeks ago and haven't heard a thing. Is this normaL?

[holy grail]

I would think that absolutely nothing is happening for you if you haven't heard within 3 weeks!
A wise move might be to phone the:
ACT Gambling and Racing Commission
Level 2, 1 Constitution Avenue Canberra City ACT 2601
PO Box 214 Civic Square ACT 2608
Phone: +61 2 6207 0359 Fax: +61 2 6207 7372 Email: grc@act.gov.au

8.30 am to 5 pm M to F Australian Eastern Standard time & insist on lodging a claim/complaint form.
I believe the delay already taken would now make "time the essence"!

[noyb]

The last i heard from the ACT was on the 6th of august they told me they are investigating the (imo) theft of the bonus-related funds and would get back to me later if and how they are going to act. For the record, I didn't get a cent from my (small) outstanding balance, because I went on a plain losing streak and was close to zeroing out my account when they stopped trading, nowhere near fulfilling my bonus reguirements. anyway, i've heard nothing from the ACT since then, but i'll give them another two weeks.

on a different note, portlandbet' customers (excluding outstanding balances though!) seems to have been quietely taken over by sportsbet.com.au. Look at the portlandbet website for more details,. No idea how long this has been going on, I visited the website by coincedence, but it's typical Portlandbet has not communicated anything about this to its customers.