So last Monday I get home from the office and log in to FT hoping to play a usual after-work session. I type in my login, password and here we go! Except that all of a sudden this message pops up :

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Due to our ongoing application for a French gaming license, real-money transactions and game play have been restricted for players based in France and French territories. The dedicated French version of our game software will be up and running as soon as possible.

Rest assured that your funds are safe and secure. If you would like to make a withdrawal or have any questions, please contact support@fulltiltpoker.com.

We look forward to continuing to provide you with the best online poker experience in the world.

Sincerely,

Full Tilt Poker

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WTF!!! I can't enter the least cash game or tourney. I'm blocked!

I know this had happened on other sites that hadn't officialy requested a licence from the brand-new french online gaming authority, A.R.J.E.L.. But I thought that they would at least warn us before blocking our accounts.

Furious, I wrote them this e-mail:

As a long time Full Tilt player I actually believed that your company respected its' clients. Unfortunately I discovered when I logged in this afternoon to your server that that was incorrect.

I can understand if Full Tilt must, for a certain time, operate according to French regulation and limit French play (although this is hypocritical, it is forseeable and will allow eventually french players to enjoy online poker legally).

However that your company isn't even able to warn french players of this measure in advance, because they are scared that free-willed players may react consequently by withdrawing a certain amount or the entire amount of money they have on your site is simply unexcusable!

How much would it cost you to send a simple e-mail to each of your french player to inform of this upcoming change?

How come I recieved your usual newsletter but nothing informing me of this restriction?

I am extremely aggravated by this lack of respect on your company's behalf. As a sales manager I can only imagine what would happen if I were to pull this kind of stunt on my clients...I'm pretty sure I would lose most of them to the competition

I count on informing a certain number of online poker forums such as 2+2, Pocketfives, and others about this unacceptable behaviour. I may be the the only one to think this but I believe that responsible adults are capable of making their own informed decisions and do not need to be led around like children, like what have done by blocking accounts without warning your clients. Hopefully others in the online poker community will agree.

An hour later I receive another e-mail that says the same thing as the first message that appeared after I logged in...wow...they finally warned me...an hour after I called them on it!

This afternoon I finally recieve an e-mail acknowledging my first complaint:

Thank you for contacting Full Tilt Poker Support.

Full Tilt Poker in the process of applying to ARJEL, the authority regulating gaming in France, for a license to launch a dedicated French version of our poker room.

We are working on getting the French version of our software and we hope to have it available shortly after a license is granted. Until we have this confirmation and are back in France, we are working on details to ensure that you will benefit from the value of your points, tickets and Iron Man status.

We will provide you additional information as soon as it becomes available. If you would like to withdraw your funds or part of your funds please confirm this action by email to the customer support.

We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Regards,

Kevin
Full Tilt Poker Support

So they sent an automatic response without answering my real complaint...the fact that we were at no time warned that this restriction was going to be applied.

I would like to know what other P5'ers think about this...

I am annoyed that first the Italians (stars only) and now the French (stars and FTP) are taken away from the cash games I played, however, FTP made a business decision to be in compliance.. There are some good French players, just though cutting down on the pool of players.. Hopefully they do not take away the Russians and Germans ;)

In your situation, I don't think you have a huge right to be pissed at FTP, if anything take your anger out on the French Government who made the regulations.. FTP is being fair, and they will not penalize your iron man and are giving you the right to cash out asap.. For Americans it was far worse a few years back when Neteller held their funds for a few months with no access and no warning, and partypoker, Paradise, Pacific (and others) without notice restricted players from playing cash games on their site (but did allow a cash out).. You are at least getting an itnerface you can play on by FTP and Stars.. if the French Government did not pass the regulations, you could still play on these sites with all the players around the world and have access to the bigger mtt's as well, not FTP or Stars fault imo..

I miss you guys a lot

lol france... dude calm down its not full tilts fault its your frenchy gov't! and they even said you could withdraw bro... far from being held hostage LOL

without warning? I am not from France and I knew this was coming. Pay more attention IMO.

I would love to have access to fulltilt.fr and pokerstars.fr.. That being said, as mentioned before, Americans had this happen to them as well, WITH their money locked up on Neteller.. When Pokerstars made the first move to go along with French regulation, it was a matter of time before FTP did even though they haven't done the same with the Italians.. I do understand your frustration, but taking it out on FTP doesn't seem warranted as all the notice would have done is similar to you logging in and finding out that way.. You still have access to your money, its not FTP's fault they can't offer you the worldwide games anymore.. I hope if American regulation finally passes Congress, that Americans will not be restricted to just playing against other Americans or worse just playing against players in their state.. Good luck to you on the French sites, maybe this will change back if enough people petition the French government.. I am not sure if there is a PPA representing French needs, but it would be a good time to start one..

I would be pissed also but I would be pissed at the government and not Full Tilt. Instead of mailing Full Tilt I would be emailing your politicians and tell them what is wrong with this law.

Libert� - Non
�galit� - Non
fraternit� - Non

Is there any way I can get an IP machine to give me a french connection???

The French had it coming to 'em anyway.....THERE I SAID IT !

It's the gov't's fault, not Full Tilt or stars.

My opinion.

 

Originally Posted by DeLime

Two things:

2. What REALLY pissed me off was we weren't warned about this. I mean it isn't very hard to send a preventive e-mail telling players that this will happen and around when it will take effect. The fact that they didn't warn us makes me think that they hoped to minimize player withdrawls. This doesn't seem very ethical to me...

No it doesn't seem very ethical, and if it is true, although you could probably never prove it, completely scumbagish in every capacity to target players this way!!!

so its 2005 in France now??!!

france = no good forget it

 

Originally Posted by squintster

so its 2005 in France now??!!

ffff I would give anything to go back to 2005

 

Originally Posted by DeLime

Two things:

I admit I prob took the whole thing too personally but I honestly enjoy playing on FT and am now limited to playing only against french players, playing only NLHE or PLOH and limited in the number of games (tourneys, sng's en ring games alike) that are offered.

LIBERTAD!!!

Really? I'd be more upset about stars...

 

Originally Posted by The Lab Rat

I miss you guys a lot

QFT