Complaints of “improper” account closures and confiscations are commonplace on the 2+2 poker forum. Invariably, the original poster is found at fault.
However, a recent post detailed an account closure — and confiscation of a six-figure sum — has certainly raised eyebrows and sparked debate.
On February 6, a 2+2 user posting under the handle “Exodus944” took to the platform’s “News, Views, and Gossip” forum to detail a harrowing experience involving the confiscation of over $700,000 in winnings from his partypoker account — making it one of the biggest confiscations in recent history.
In his extensive post, he accused Entain’s flagship online poker brand of seizing winnings from his account after winning a million-dollar jackpot in a $100 Spins game. He alleged that the operator had arbitrarily seized his funds, citing a violation of terms and conditions related to the submission of allegedly forged documents.
The player claims to have provided documentation verifying their residency in a permitted country but later discovered that the documents were deemed invalid by partypoker. Despite repeated requests for evidence and clarification, the player alleges that the room failed to provide satisfactory explanations for their actions.
Not surprisingly, the thread has quickly gained traction, eliciting a myriad responses from the online poker community, with opinions divided on the merits of the allegations and the actions taken by partypoker.
Some users have expressed sympathy for the original poster and questioned the operator’s handling of the situation, while others have raised concerns about the possibility of fraud or misconduct on the part of the player, including playing from a restricted country through a VPN.
One reader noted that while using a fake document puts the player in a difficult position, it’s unjust for partypoker to accept it initially, benefit from the player’s deposits, and then contest its validity after a substantial win.
The $1 Million Win, Forged Documents, The Four-Month Wait — and Confiscation
The original poster, originally from Romania and relocated to Ireland, describes himself as a large volume Spins grinder at partypoker as part of a stable of players known as Team 651. In July 2021, prompted by his move of residence, he was asked to provide documentation to verify his new address. However, in a critical misstep, he inadvertently submitted an electricity bill from a friend’s premises, albeit in his own name.
Despite the questionable nature of the document, partypoker accepted it. His fortunes reached new heights on October 5, 2022, when he clinched a $1 million jackpot prize in a $100 Spins game. Inspired by his windfall, he opted to ease off his online poker pursuits and focus on live games while gradually withdrawing his winnings. By February 2023, he had successfully cashed out $300,000, leaving a balance of approximately $707,000 in his account.
However, on February 14, 2023, Exodus944 discovered that his account had been locked, rendering it inaccessible. Despite frantic attempts to reach out to partypoker and their affiliate, he was met with silence. According to the player, it took four months for an email response to finally arrive.
Exodus944 alleged that partypoker had initially indicated they would release his balance upon submission of new documentation, which he promptly provided. However, the room subsequently reneged on this promise. Additionally, he claimed that partypoker had offered him a deal, agreeing to pay out his balance minus $100,000, an offer he reluctantly accepted, only for it to be rescinded later.
The player contended that if he had indeed breached the terms, his confiscated funds should have been redistributed to other players, which, according to him, had not yet occurred. Furthermore, he accused partypoker of tacitly endorsing the use of VPNs in the past.
As of the time of writing, partypoker has not issued a public response to the specific allegations leveled by the poster. However, the consensus among forum members is that partypoker has been within their rights to seize the funds and Exodus944 should not have resorted to forging documentation.
Not the First Time An Operator Confiscated Large Winnings
Instances of online poker rooms confiscating significant winnings are not unprecedented occurrences. Dating back to 2007, PokerStars faced controversy when the winner of the WCOOP Main Event was disqualified due to evidence suggesting that the tournament was played by the account holder’s sibling. Despite accruing over a million in winnings, the accused account holder was stripped of their title and other players received a pay jump.
Similarly, in 2011, a Dutch player competing on PokerStars achieved a sixth-place finish, earning over half a million in a special edition of the Sunday Million. However, it was later revealed that the player was underage at the time of participation, resulting in the forfeiture of their $518,000 prize. Notably, PokerStars redirected these funds to charitable causes, as reported by PokerNews.nl.
In a more recent incident, Gordon Vayo, a notable online poker player and 2016 WSOP runner-up, faced consequences for his actions. After clinching the SCOOP 2017 title at PokerStars, Vayo’s $692,000 in winnings were revoked upon the discovery that he had utilized a VPN to conceal his location from the US.
