The Alderney Gaming Control Commission (AGCC), from whom we’ve heard a great deal during the course of the Full Tilt scandal, has issued a new statement to British citizens, urging them to take action. While the AGCC doesn’t come out and say that British players who are still owed money by Full Tilt Poker (some of the 440 million dollars in player funds that have been held by the company for almost a year now) should press legal charges, they certainly imply it. The most recent press release from the gaming commission informs players that they should contact their local authorities if they feel that they have been the victim of a crime, and also reminds them of the many legal cases currently pending against Full Tilt– just in case some British citizens are starting to think that they should get in on that action.
It’s been a while since the AGCC has released a statement, and countless former Full Tilt players have been waiting for quite some time for news regarding the company’s outstanding balance. All in all, there has been little for anyone to report, as Full Tilt Poker still seems to be stalling, despite a change in ownership and an alleged deal between Groupe Bernard Tapie and the US Department of Justice. The DOJ shut down Full Tilt, along with PokerStars and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet back in April of last year, and FTP remains the one company who hasn’t at least partially resolved the problem. Groupe Bernard Tapie struck a deal with the US Department of Justice so that they could purchase the struggling company for $80 million in November, but there has been radio silence since the acquisition.
The AGCC explains its silence in their most recent statement: because the group no longer licenses or is attempting to restore the license of Full Tilt, they are unable to mediate or intercede in problems with the former poker giant (except for customers who are registered in Switzerland). Since they can no longer offer any help to their fellow British citizens, the AGCC offered this statement:
Players may have the following alternative options:
- Full Tilt has been requested to provide a specific player contact: this is awaited and will be incorporated here upon receipt.
- Any player who believes they are a victim of crime, as a result of their dealings with Full Tilt, should in the first instance contact their own local police in their country of residence and report the matter to them. These reports will then be coordinated centrally.
- It is understood that a number of civil actions have been initiated by players against Full Tilt, some as class actions representing multiple players by UK, US and Canadian lawyers. Details of the firms concerned can be found through internet search.
The AGCC also mentions that they have been collecting incident reports on behalf of the police, and that customer complaints have been and will continue to be taken and turned over to the authorities. This is perhaps the nature of this “centrally coordinated” police action against Full Tilt– it seems like the company is soon to have a lot more problems than it had before. If its troubles with the DOJ and the numerous class action lawsuits were insurmountable obstacles before, Full Tilt may end up wishing that they’d cashed in and given up when they had the chance.