Winnings confiscated...

Message from the casino concerning a player's cashout:

Unfortunately, I have some bad news for you. Our security department has made their final ruling on your account. Since you have joined, you have made a total of 9 deposits adding up to $1550. Since then, you have cashed out 11 times adding up to $5510. The statistical odds of winning at blackjack is 44.49 percent. However, you have managed to win 355.84 percent. It is not unusual to beat the casino every so often, but you have managed to consistently beat our casino since you have joined with us. If this happened in a land based casino, you would be asked not to return for suspicion of card counting or other unfair activity. They have a right to decide who plays in their casino, and so do we. You have left here with more than you came with, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Again, we have a casino that confiscate players' winnings after they decide they don't like how the player plays. Simple fact: if a player meets that wagering requirements and there is no fraud involved, pay 'em THEN lock them out. I know many operators don't like to hear this, but it's something casino operators need to come to terms with. You make the offer, the player accepts and plays out the offer, you pay the player. To deviate from this casinos venture into the dark side of online casino management.

"If this happened in a land based casino, you would be asked not to return for suspicion of card counting or other unfair activity". This is true, but Vegas casinos are required by law to pay these players before they are banned. Many operators make comparisons to virtual bonus "abusers" to land based card counters and how a casino has the right to take action against them, but the following statement completely negates this:

The Nevada Supreme Court agrees that advantage gambling is legal and can include such techniques as card counting, shuffle tracking and playing slot machines that are paying out more than their fair share. Nevada's highest court, as well as courts in other gambling states, have ruled advantage gambling is legal since players don't manipulate any cards or machines. Rather, they do nothing more than use normal intelligence much as a bridge player would use while watching other players.