Whale at Center of PIC Club Merge Poker Scandal

A high rolling "whale" is getting blamed for the messy divorce between online poker payment processor PIC Club and poker network Merge.

The player in question had joined several of the Merge online poker skins.

In an email obtained by Gambling911.com, Merge CEO Anthony Taylor admits that the player had lost overall through Merge, while disputing the fees charged by PIC Club for each time the individual pulled funds from individual Merge poker rooms.  PIC Club charges a standard 7 percent to merchants on all monies going in and 2 percent for players monies going out.

"If you really think its fair to charge what you are charging for the activity, then I have run out of words. In your heart do you think that you should earn when (player's name deleted) deposits and doesn't play or plays a few hands for two minutes then withdraws and you earn on that. The only reason I investigated this was the sudden bill when I know the guy has lost to us overall."

Merge also claims the player in question charged back.  The player, who is well known to most of the bigger bookmakers and online casino operators, admitted that his wife had charged back his credit card at both Merge and Doyles Room.  PIC Club claims it has since settled with Doyles Room in regard to the chargeback, though Gambling911.com was still waiting for independent confirmation from Doyles Room. 

Gambling911.com has also obtained emails whereby Merge agreed to allow the high roller in after he emailed to advise of his big money plays. 

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher 

Submitted by C Costigan on Wed, 11/04/2009 - 22:16
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Comments

Contrast.

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 16:10 — Guest
The story printed here today, is THE SAME STORY that DrCheckRaise posted on his site days ago, no difference. And as far as Doc's numbers, well, he has hundreds show up at his organized events, so not sure where you get 65, unless you just spin everything you write. And I think if you could read you would see that Chuck Kidd did call Doc. But you are simply attempting to divert attention from the real story here. That the truth is finally coming out. If you belittle others who speak truth then maybe the facts will be over-looked.

DrCheckRaise

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 14:40 — Guest
Yet the DrCheckRaise Story he reported a few days ago is just now being reported here in stark contrast to the one sided story that was reported here yesterday.

IN CONTRAST

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 15:38 — Guest
YEA In contrast to the 1 sided story your trying to spin to you 65 members and use this story at 911 to attempt to build a third rate website by posting your "obvious Merge fed spin" Not 1 single piece of evidence on your website and I can see as you say there that the CEO of PIC wont talk to you. Why should he.

LET THE STORY COME OUT

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 12:12 — Guest
It looks like G911 has a handle on this issue and is getting input from both sides so why don't we just let the story unfold and stop jumping to conclusions or making wild un-substanciated statements. As to Dr. Checkraise it seems he is trying to spin a story to make himself look good. And he seems to have a bias. Could that be because of a conection to a Merge Room thats listed on his website? Hardly objective input from him. Let G911 write the story, its obviouse to me that the parties involved chose G911 because of it s respected status in this industry. Waiting for the next chapter on this one.

Commissions

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 10:28 — Guest
Actually it sounds to me like Merge suspects that the "Whale" might have been in cahoots with Pic, making a large deposit creating 7% commission there, and then play for a few minutes and withdraw, creating a 2% commission there. And therin lies your 70k in commission being withheld, not the charge backs which it looks like Merge ate and did not attempt to hold Pic accountable for.

Doyles

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 10:21 — Guest
Well like the story says, Pic "Settled" with Doyles. Which insinuates that there was a dispute there as well.

On another note:

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 09:46 — Guest
I just checked and Doyles Room is still doing business with PICCLUB so there doesn't seem to be a problem between them. FYI

RE: the commissions or fees

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 09:26 — Guest
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.

Stimulated Commissions To Pic Club

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 08:29 — Guest
The Disputed amount is not the Charge Backs, that was eaten by Merge, the disputed amount is the large commissions after the whale made huge deposits through Pic, played a few hands then cashed out through Pic, giving Pic Club 9% commission on a huge sum and not playing through.... This aspect of the story was actually reported first at the later part of the thread here...http://www.drcheckraise.com/phorum/read.php?1,16266

Is this guy(Merge CEO) for real?

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 00:58 — Guest
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

wrong

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 11:24 — Guest
No, you didn't get it straight.

You read that completely

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 01:24 — Guest
You read that completely wrong.

PIC Club?

Thu, 11/05/2009 - 13:09 — Guest
Are we sure that this isn't simply a ploy by PIC to abuse sites. There's no rea logic in a player dumping large amounts in and out of a site like this. If it was an in-house PIC player simply moving funds back and forth in order to generate increased revenue it would make sense (in a twisted way) or am I just so jaded with all the scandals of late?