PIC Club Merge Poker Fight Generates Heated Debate

The PIC Club Merge Poker dispute has helped garner intense readership among Gambling911.com readers, many of whom have felt compelled to express themselves in our increasingly popular comments section (found at the right hand side of the Gambling911.com website home page here)

"Whenever a hot story comes out, the comments feature of our site often results in extensive debate," said Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website.  "Comments sections are replacing posting forums and message boards in terms of popularity it seems."

PIC Club and Merge have been embroiled in a heated dispute over payment with PIC Club (an online poker payment platform) claiming they are owed over $100,000 from the online poker network while Merge implied that PIC Club had a "whale" moving in and out of their various rooms (skins) then proceeded to charge back his credit card.

Comments include: Is this guy(Merge CEO) for real?

"Let me get this straight, A whale comes to the poker room through PIDCLUB and loses a bunch of money, He asks the poker room if they want his action and they take it. If the player has chargebacks at Merge then its obvioua that Merge was willing to take his action direct and bypass PICCLUB thus cutting them out of the picture to save fees, The whale then charges back the direct credit card business with Merge and they now decide to stiff PICCLUB for fees obviously owed. Talk about shady business. I don't see where PICCLUB did anything wrong here? They provided a service to the poker room that the poker room contracted for, then Merge went around PICCLUB to get the whales action direct. When they get hit for chargebacks they decide to stick it to PICCLUB. Its operators like this Merge CEO that gives this industry a black eye. Pay your debt to PICCLUB deadbeat. If you don't the Merge network should be avoided at all cost. Who is next to be stiffed? The Players or Operators or Affiliates? Just my Opinion."

And another:

RE: the commissions or fees

What is important to point out here is that Merge and the operators wanted his action and was happy to have it as in their own words they made money on the whale. The could have stopped his play anytime but it was casino action and all profit. The issue of the fees is really a moot point as they had been in a contract for quite a while with PICCLUB and apparently was happy with the service provided. .Merge surely had the option at anytime to stop taking his action either direct or through PICCLUB but chose to accept it. If they had a contract for those fees they should pay them. I still don't see how it is PICCLUBs fault this guy decided to chargeback. And if he did chargeback how much is PICCLUB stuck for as most e-wallets imdemnify the funds going into aa poker room. It seems from the statement about Doyles room that PICCLUB had to eat some chargebacks that the whale must of done at PICCLUB and moved to Doyles room. Again I don't see how PICCLUB was wrong on this. I played at Carbon through PICCLUB for over a year, seems to me they were happy with the service and the fees. I remember a promotion for the PICCLUB PRO Bounty Tournament they ran for a month at Carbon this past spring. I may be old fashioned but a contract is a contract IMO.

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher

 

Submitted by C Costigan on Thu, 11/05/2009 - 12:47
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Comments

Biased Reporting At Gambling911

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 06:25 — Guest
Could it be anymore clear. Even in this story, there are 2 comments quoted in a story about comments, and yet they can't pull a quote from each side, they insist on using only quotes that are obvious Pic Club supporters. At least make it look like you are trying to be unbiased Chris. Some of us know what you are doing.... Spinning in a way that isolates you from a lawsuit.

Transaction Limits

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 19:25 — Guest
Doesn't MERGE have some limits in place, such as based on a minimal rollover before allowing a withdrawal or some type of maximum, like $100,000 per month for withdrawals to PIC? If they signed a contract with PIC, but didn't have these "safeguards" to make sure a player doesn't absue the system, a player could go in, deposit any amount, never play a hand, and withdraw over and over again----and MERGE would still be liable for the transaction fees to PIC, since PIC had completed their obligation under their contact with MERGE. If MERGE had a problem with this player going in, playing 10 hands and withdrawing, they could / SHOULD have set limits or closed his account, but I'm guessing that the 10 hands he played, were more profitable to them then the cost of the 7% fee (especially, if MERGE never planned to pay the fee). I think MERGE is trying to re-neg on the contract because of their own lack of safeguards. Pay PICCLUB!

Pic club is a shady company,

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 21:11 — Guest
Pic club is a shady company, why would anyone use them in the first place. There are easier ways for deposits and only idiots would cash out with them and wait weeks for their money and get cheap excuses why it takes forever. No pokersite with reputation uses this Pic junk anyway.

another picclub employee post

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 19:35 — Guest
Merge are a transparent and reputable organization. They know you can't just "stiff" vendors. When there's trouble in the gaming industry, its usually a processor thats at the centre of the problem.

PICCLUB

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 17:16 — Guest
It’s amazing how quick people are to judge. I have used picclub for a long time and watched them as they grew. I was skeptical at first like many. The only time I have ever had a problem taking money out of pic was when a room decided to not pay their bill to pic, in that case I was always assured my funds were safe and I would be paid. Never have I not been paid my money. Yes I have had to wait for it, but I always got it. I have seen those complaining about the % the rooms have had to pay. Is that not agreed upon when you sign a contract with them? Do you sign a contract? I like that the rooms pay the fees, not me as a member. I have never paid a fee to use picclub. I have paid fees to banks when I have used my credit card, but that’s my choice I don’t have too if I do not want too. I think the CEO of pic is being honest (my choice again). I think he was stiffed and has had to put a lot of hold waiting for the payment. I read somewhere someone calling him a one man company, well I know that is not true as I have spoken to them on the phone many times and find their support to be very helpful

picclub

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 15:30 — Guest
Yes, One sided bunch of crap... From the first article that was written here, It shows without question that Gambling 911 and The Piclub management are friends, and probably good friends at that... Maybe you you people here at Gambling911 should do a proper investigation before posting harmful crap on your site... You guys post shit that is ten times more inaccurate han the National Enquirer You guys are SO WELL KNOWN for posting one sided information, and its about time people realized that who already dont... I am 100% on the side of Merge here from all the information that I have read, and from reading most of the other posts, I looks like I am not alone. I mean just be looking at the pic club website should tell anyone in their right mind who the professionals are and who not... And my second point here today would be the folllowig: I also have heard rumors of PIC CLUB planning on opening a poker network! If you are running a payment processor, ISNT THIS LIKE A HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST against the poker sites yo are dealing with.. I mean: Build a database of players through the sites you offer processing to, then use that information to t open a poker network of your own after trying to SCREW one of the networks that you had previously worked with... My thoughts are that Merge will be around for a long time to come, BUTif PicClub makes it to the end of 2009 Id be surprized... And Doyles Room, Pokerhost and all other sites currently using PIC CLUB, Id be thinking carefully about sending any players to a scum trying to open a poker network...

Christopher Costigan - Mr Investimagator!

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:02 — Guest
Wow, how can you publish such one sided BS, and then not even take the time to edit your work... PIDClub? Christopher Costigan = Can't spell, is biased! How much did you Chuck pay for the puff piece?

sorry...Where's the debate you refer to?

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 13:26 — Guest
All you did was post two pro-picclub comments. Easy to see how biased you guys are based on your comments and headlines.

Debate

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:25 — Guest
They are referring to the comments on the right side of home page. It's hard to keep up thogh. You have to go to the individual articles unless you're checking the site regularly. I visit the home page about twice a day.

BIAS HUH

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 13:53 — Guest
Maybe its not bias but having access to all the facts that dictates what is being posted. Unlike other forum operators that seem to make up stories or are being spoon fed bad info because they have an affiliate deal to protect, Gambling 911 has been quoting both company CEOs this tells me that the story being told here is based on fact not bias.

According to your story, the

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:07 — Guest
According to your story, the reason for MERGE ending the contract as was pointed out by the CEO if you care to read the "story" was the same "player" was opening multiple accounts at EVERY room on the network, putting in the Max allowed under the PIC Club limits and playing 10 hands and withdrawing his money straight back, PIC were then trying to charge 7% on those transactions and Merge refused to pay them. The fact that the player then charged back after those fees were disputed, well lets just leave that to the readers to decide who is the shady operator here. A guy who runs a one man band operation out of his house in Costa Rica or a multi national company who operated a poker network without an issue..

PICClub exclusive interview here

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 10:29 — Guest
go to ONTILTRADIO and tune into the braodcast there is an exclusive interview running all day long on the PICClub Merge saga http://www.ontiltradio.com

THERE IS NO EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THESE PEOPLE

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 15:08 — Guest
DIDN'T HAPPEN AND WONT HAPPEN

Where is this ???

Fri, 11/06/2009 - 17:29 — Guest
Where is this interview? I would like to hear it

Reply to Guest on Thur 11/05/2009 - 14:07

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 19:21 — Guest
Doesn't MERGE have some limits in place, such as based on a minimal rollover before allowing a withdrawal or some type of maximum, like $100,000 per month for withdrawals to PIC? If they signed a contract, but didn't have these "safeguards", a player could go in, deposit any amount, never play a hand, and withdraw over and over again----and MERGE would still be liable for the transaction fees to PIC, since PIC had completed their obligation under their contact with MERGE. I think MERGE is trying to re-neg on the contract because of their own lack of safeguards. Pay PICCLUB!

Yeah...

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 13:41 — Guest
It's called steering the story - the latest rage in the media these days.