Online Poker Shut Down: Can You Get Your Money Back From Sites?

by NowPublic Staff | April 15, 2011 at 01:54 pm

55268 views | 5 Recommendations | 72 comments

Several Major Online Poker Sites, Such as Poker Stars Were Shut Down on April 15, 2011. Will You Be Able To Get Your Money Back?

As you may have heard, many major poker sites were shut down on April 15, 2011 after being indicted on charges of bank fraud and money laundering.

These major sites have been shut down by US government officials. Most people are unable to see the sites, while other can see them since their Internet Service Provider has yet to update the DNS of each site.

Many online poker aficionados were caught off-guard by the indictment of sites like Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker. It appears that the people who operate the poker sites were caught off-guard as well.

Some are asking the obvious question: How can I get my money back from shut down pokers sites like Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker?

There doesn't seem to be an answer.

One blogger offers at least an educated guess as to what might happen:

So first off, the safe thing to do right now is get your money off the sites if you’re a US citizen, because there’s no definitive answer. Stars and FTP have always operated in good faith and have non-US business that requires the maintenance of their good reputations, so my hunch is that US players will eventually be compensated should funds be frozen, but eventually could be a long time. The guess seems to be that the sites will have money saved up for just this eventuality, but it’s unlikely that it’ll be immediately available for transfer.

Another poker writer had this to say about getting your money back from closed sites like Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.

Well, first of all, I'm not worried that I'll lose the funds in my online poker accounts. PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker both have a sizeable presence outside of the U.S., and in order to maintain that customer base, they'll need to make sure they pay all their U.S. players what they're due (I don't have any money on Absolute Poker, but I would probably be more concerned about their ability to pay me), though it could take months or even years, for that to happen.

Noted sports bettor Teddy Covers wrote via Twitter: "Personally, I'd try to pull any cash out from the poker sites, fo sho. Take the 'Over' on when you'll have it in your pocket though."

It's hard to say what will happen with accounts attached to these poker sites, since the US Department of Justice has said they consider online poker to be illegal although there is plenty of debate on the subject.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Kierra (not verified)

at 15:25 on April 15th, 2011

What you have to do is inform the FBI that you live in the United States and were illegally gambling online and that you want your money returned. Then, negotiate a contract with a lawyer and sue the Online Poker Company.

JayHC (not verified)

at 15:55 on April 15th, 2011

pfft. like anyone would be so stupid...THats something Kierra would be duped by so he posts it thinking he will dupe others..lol yes lets implicate ourselves in a crime to the authorities.

criley (not verified)

at 18:24 on April 15th, 2011

Jay - without my needing say so, you are a moron, but entertaining to all who hear your wise insight. Kierra, you are such a genius that it is misunderstood. The sad truth is, in our great nation of litigation and legislature, this twisted trial could actually take place... it all depends on the numbers.

GOGONOW (not verified)

at 20:05 on April 15th, 2011

lol, this might be the dumbest thing i've ever read.

Kevin Lee (not verified)

at 09:49 on April 16th, 2011

It was never illegal to play poker online for real money, it was however made very difficult to do so because of the laws put in place making it illegal for U.S. banks to make deposits/withdraw. My money was deposited before the law went into effect, the money I have on the site is mine and obtained legally. The shut down was not due to the game itself but the bank fraud and money laundering that took place from the sites not becuase it was illegal to play poker.

newtalk (not verified)

at 15:46 on April 15th, 2011

First of all, internet poker is not illegal, it's illegal for the banks to process transactions for US based players.2nd, everyone that has money online will not get it. They shut down all payment processors and even players that don't live in the US won't be able to get their money.Coming from a person that has 11K on FullTilt, we're all F'ed in the A

OhRatts (not verified)

at 17:21 on April 15th, 2011

Internet poker is not illegal? It says right on the webpage that the FBI put up: For persons engaged in the business of wagering, it's a Federal crime to accept credit, electronic fund transfers, or checks. (31 USC 5363 & 5366). Your ignorance offends me as a fellow human.

reecelights (not verified)

at 17:40 on April 15th, 2011

But it does NOT say the activity of gambling online is illegal. It says that it is illegal for financial institutions to process payments. In fact, the District of Columbia on April 7 explicitly LEGALIZED online poker.

SHAWN NEITZ (not verified)

at 20:00 on April 15th, 2011

The law says that games of chance is illegal. There was a Supreme Court case that defined poker as a game of skill, so it is not illegal. That law that makes online gambling as a whole illegal is from the early 1900's.

shawn n (not verified)

at 20:09 on April 15th, 2011

You are an idiot and its idiots like you who made this happen. Save your religious beliefs for yourself. I hate Republicans

ACEMATT3424 (not verified)

at 11:09 on April 17th, 2011

Libtard!

pimpin8nt ez (not verified)

at 22:51 on April 18th, 2011

how appropriate when REpublican play on retard

NOMONEY (not verified)

at 16:28 on April 15th, 2011

so what if i had a negative balance in my account..since payment processors are closed i wont have to pay anything back!

Alphie1899 (not verified)

at 05:26 on April 16th, 2011

Negative balance?... not on any of these sites.

sue1961 (not verified)

at 17:52 on April 15th, 2011

I have almost $200 that I deposited into Full Tilt in the last month and a half...none of which was taken from my bank yet...so, now I assume it will NEVER be taken? I only have 6 cents in my account, so no worries there...

john doe (not verified)

at 05:20 on April 16th, 2011

i was wondering why, this was happening as well, feb this may have started, i think they knew this was coming.

Mike Dee (not verified)

at 16:17 on April 17th, 2011

I have also deposited over $500 in the past month and a half, with .49 cents in my account. The past few days they have been withdrawing from my bank account deposits that were made in mid to late Feb. I have since closed my bank account, and reopened it with a different account number. Good luck collecting, Full Tilt! Or as I like to call them "FOOL TILT POKER!!"

WhitePower (not verified)

at 18:04 on April 15th, 2011

poker isnt illegal, not in california anyways. GAMBLING is illegal. Poker is a skills game and thus thats why there are card rooms throughout CA

JasonRC (not verified)

at 18:41 on April 15th, 2011

The real gambling is "LOTTO, POWER BALL, MEGABALL, and the like"... In NYS it is also illegal for "skill" games to be conducted if the house takes a cut, YET NYS offers all of the lotto games for which they take a HUGE stake. Government Sucks. They feel that anying fun, no matter what the law says about it, shoulde only be allowed if they get a cut.

JPTexas (not verified)

at 18:23 on April 15th, 2011

Full Tilt had an update for me to download for me to even open up the website. I have had a 240 dollar withdrawal pending for over a month. I cant even get into the website, is this something that will be fixed, so we can at least attempt to take funds out or contact Full Tilt support for withdrawal help?

CAMaggie (not verified)

at 18:01 on April 16th, 2011

JPTexas: You will have to re-download Full Tilt at: fulltiltpoker.net. This is a site where people can play for free. Hopefully, you will be able to contact someone regarding your account. When I re-downloaded Full Tilt, I used my same user name and password. Good luck to you!

CAMaggie (not verified)

at 18:17 on April 16th, 2011

JP: Re-download Full Tilt using fulltiltpoker.net. Use your same user name (screen name), and password. Good luck in recouping your funds.

GreggCA (not verified)

at 19:04 on April 15th, 2011

Weird. I'm on FullTilt right now with a bunch of other U.S. players. It appears to be up for the moment. PokerStars not so much. You try to get in any game or Tourney and you get a message saying We're sorry, but you can't play in the U.S.

Screwball (not verified)

at 19:13 on April 15th, 2011

I can go down to the poker hall and legally loose 10's of Thousands of dollars. But can't enter an online poker tournament for $1. These guys tracking the poker crooks. I guess they won't vote for Trump for President who earns his money with gambling. These are the same guys who will arrest people for smoking cigarettes on Manhattan streets. I would like to see the stats on percentage of money lost over time on average compared to the average Soc Sec Old Lady sitting at the totally legal Slot Machines down at the local Casino. Well be proud forcing them to go to the casino instead where real huge money is lost. They won't let you play for free at the Casino and everyone knows that's a fact. Most people I know play for free at these, now closed, places.

Tdouble (not verified)

at 19:41 on April 15th, 2011

Yea I have been trying to withdraw $2000 for 2months now. I dont think we will be getting any money back.

Lil Kev (not verified)

at 09:09 on April 16th, 2011

I'm in the same boat... Ive been trying to cash out 2-3 k for the past 4 months. The payments get screwed up because of their banks and the checks bounce almost every time. Now this ,..... UNBELIEVABLE. I litterally withdrew 1300 using the check method a week ago.... GREAT!

zilla (not verified)

at 21:02 on April 15th, 2011

if any of u have e checks that have not yet gone thru ur bank,,,close your checking account.that way pokerstares wont get any money from ur bank account......why not screw them if u had money to cash out in pokerstars u wouled not beable collect it.....so dont let them collect from u....if u made a e deposit in the last 9 days chances r pokerstars has not taken the money from ur bank account .. so close it so thay cant collect....

most2hip (not verified)

at 21:46 on April 15th, 2011

poker sites should of claimed to be the mexican drug cartel!

most2hip (not verified)

at 21:57 on April 15th, 2011

US government will not F <<<<<<<<u))))))))))c((((((k with the Mexican drug cartel!

weezie (not verified)

at 01:49 on April 16th, 2011

Shouldn't they close things down after these sites are proven guilty in a court of law? This is not the country I singned up for. I think it's time to call a spade a spade, and make the Feds act according to law, and not punish the players while lawsuits are pending. Any attorneys out there should be filing injunctions! I am waiting to have surgery, and cannot hop on down to the nearest casino. It's not as simple for me, and I wish the do-gooders would shut-t-uck-up! Playing takes the sting out of my woes, and helps me concentrate on the game. Besides, my entire family has played poker down to my great great granfather. Poker is one of the great American past times. You can't tell me there is anything wrong with playing poker. It's good, clean competition. The gall of Feds is unconstitutional, unamerican and just plain pathetic.