Centrebet

[slothrop]

Centrebet are an Australian on-line bookie, operating a website with a UK licence. They have a really intrusive, over-involved registration process. This means that whilst you can give them money electronically you cannot get it back (winnings included) unless you complete an identity check. You have 90 days to complete these checks or they close your account and keep everything.

Centrebet tells customers that these checks are necessary to avoid fraud. This is not truthful. The really big legal issue for Centrebet is that it cannot offer access to their gaming site to Australians (clause 15 of the Internet Gambling act).

So, as a UK customer you can make a deposit from a debit/credit card which Centrebet will duly accept.
That's all fine and dandy but the problem is how Centrebet go about finding out where you are in the world (jurisdiction speaking).

You can bet/win/lose/deposit - and at no point in this process do Centrebet call your account provisional or ask for ID verification - it's only when you try to collect, because you assume that you have opened an account, that you found you have not.
Providing copies of your cards, passport, driver's licence and utility bills will help but even three forms of faxed/emailed ID won't quite cut it with Centrebet. For if you want to transfer back on to that card you will be disappointed. If you will accept payment by personal cheque, forget it.
Nope, Centrebet will only pay direct to your bank account - details of which they will need (for ID verification purposes, of course, rather than costs).

If all this seems way too involved for the benefits (afterall Centrebets' offers and reputation are hardly market leaders) then I humbly suggest that you open an actual, real world, usueable account elsewhere.
If you had to go through all this in the days proceeding placing your fiver eachway on some nag (YES, it did win) I do not think Centrebet would get many new customers.
No, much better to take the money and then introduce the lengthy conditions (and the slew of nonsense which counts as explanation from customer services) on getting it back...
I use my card on-line under the assumption that if a service is willing to take on a charge card, then they should refund on that charge card - merchant terms and conditions have got to apply, otherwise there's no trust.

Thanks for reading.

[Paul Ross]

So what's your point?

I had to email them ID etc... before I even asked for a withdrawal, so you are in fact wrong, it's probably quite random.

Either way, it's a strange first post, not sure what you are trying to achieve.

[slothrop]

My experience of joining Centrebet was unnecessarily frustrating.
Other on-line bookmakers handle it better. That list, for me, includes BET365, Boylesport, Totesport, BetDirect and plenty others advertised around here and everywhere else.
The terms and conditions upon payments/transfers were clear and straightforward with these services, they were not with Centrebet.
If any of these services wanted anything verifying then they asked before they set up an account, not after.

So the point of my post is to offer a cautionary note that not all on-line services are easy to access.
Because Centrebet's Australian there will be more to the process than with the others. I think they need too much information and that much of their explanation as to why it's all necessary is BS (they tell you it's to beat fraud).

In your experience you didn't find it intrusive. I'm glad you're happy to mail them details. I'm not.

And given that there's plenty of alternatives, may be somebody else won't be either.

Personally, I find it unreasonable to refuse transfers back on to a card from which a transfer has already been accepted. It is unreasonable because the basics of trading on-line rely on honouring third party transfer systems. The cards come with safeguards for both parties; if a service does not find them adequate then they should not accept funds from them.
Most merchant agreements will state this as an important principle somewhere within the terms.

It isn't an earth shattering point I'll admit, but if your looking for a place to bet where you'll get a wager settled without having to prove your blood group then I cannot recommend Centrebet.

[Ashtee]

Yeah Australian books are becoming a pain the butt with all the ID requirements,etc. The 90-day or keep everything sounds a bit rough but generally your funds are safe with Australian books.

Nope, Centrebet will only pay direct to your bank account - details of which they will need (for ID verification purposes, of course, rather than costs).

Will they not pay to Moneybookers, etc? I thought they would.

[DeepBlueDevilFish]

There are generally quite a few hoops to go through when opening an online account with most bookies these days. It goes with the territory. Once you're set up though you will find Centrebet a very good, reliable bookmaker. I've never had a single problem with them.

[gazabroad]

Originally Posted by Ashtee

Will they not pay to Moneybookers, etc? I thought they would.

Yes they would if You prefer. I have to say that they are no different from any other bookmaker as regards to security (which is for YOUR benefit by the way).
I have nothing but the highest regard for Centrebet and would like to assure anybody that the measures in place are there for a reason.
You talk about withdrawing back to a card but you dont say what it is, debit or credit. If its Mastercard then you need to read up mate.

[slothrop]

Yep, to be fair Centrebet will transfer funds back through a variety of electronic handling services (like Neteller) but I don't have an account with any of them.
I could open one, I guess.
Though my main gripe with CB still holds for me; it ain't hassle free being their customer.

I've already paid so as to be able to give CB some money off of a Mastercard (have you seen the APR on those t'ings).
And then J'asus mary and joseph, I won, for once, against all the odds...
And if I quickly put it all back on my card then I won't be charged too much interest and I'll have made a card payment and when the wife reads the statement she will see gambling funds out bigger funds in and I might...
but wait, CB won't transfer back on to the card because - wait - this is priceless - Mastercard won't let them. I laughed so hard I peed a little.

So I could open an account with a wire service or I could give them my bank account details (though the bank advised against this, as the card details should be all CB need to make a transfer).
Plus, I assume that if I transfer funds through a wire service, like Neteller or Money bookers, then I would be down the fees.
And whilst I know those fees are likely to be low, so are my margins.
It's work enough to find winners, and value for them, without having to pay out continually for the handling of funds.

[gazabroad]

Sorry mate, but you are slagging off Centrebet for the wrong reasons.
NO betting site will withdraw back to mastercard. None whatsoever.

[slothrop]

Hoops?
From bookies?
Never.
Generally, I get diaries and calendars.
Which is nice.
Though most importantly I get settled wagers paid back on to my Mastercard (a card I use with both Boylesport and Bet365 - a change in the past 18months may be??) with no more than a mouse's click.


I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, for they only go down under.

[gazabroad]

Originally Posted by slothrop

I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, I shall not be enticed by lame advertising links, for they only go down under.

Take the blue pill

[ordinarysunday]

Maybe this betting game is not for you sir,you seem to have got yourself rather stressed out over the most standard of requests,I would get out of this crazy regime before it gets the better of you

[Paul Ross]

Seems like you aren't even listening to people on this thread, so I'm not going to listen to you either.

[DAO]

hmmm
I use Centrebet and i have to say.
this is one of safest and greatest bookie.
yes, i had some problems with cash out, but it was my problem as i haven't sent them all required documets. after it everything is really ok.
so i was really wander where from you bring bad words about centrebet?.
and one more, i never had problems with them about stake limits too, when many other bookies cut limits almost immediatelly.
BEST REGARDS

[Mr Intensity]

Is this thread about Centrebet?

[slothrop]

I'm reading alright.
And what I'm reading is an inspiring amount of love for a bookie.
The down side is that the love for CB comes with a fair amount of lightly veiled hostility for my impugning them.
Which comes over as irrational - Not least because what I think I've said, and elaborated on, is pretty uncontroversial - though that seems unlikely because I really doubt that any of us are free of interest.

And my interest is in having a punt on-line with minimum additional cost and fuss.

In my experience Centrebet offers a poor customer service. This is relative to me and my experience of other much better, customer friendly services I've used.

Now, if you want me to big it up for Laddies - my local shop staffed by 'appy' Steve and the lovely Gene, people I've had a great relationship with for ten years despite the odd spat - then I will.
But why would I bother doing this?
Balance? To be equitable?
I don't think bookmakers need my well-weighted appreciation of their services. They seem to be emotionally thriving with just my money.
This is not the only way in which simply accepting a poor service serves my interests poorly.

[Mr Intensity]

It says all of this on the Centrebet website so it's not like they're just making it up to mess with you.....

Note: You will need to provide a copy of a passport or driver's licence confirming date of birth and an official document confirming proof of residence if these have not been supplied previously. We will also require a copy of both sides of any credit card or debit card used to make a deposit into the betting account. These forms of identification can be faxed, emailed or mailed to Centrebet. Please refer to the contact us section for these details. You can elect to withdraw part or all of your funds from your betting account at anytime. Payments can only be made in favour of the Centrebet account holder. Payments are generally made via electronic transfer to your nominated bank account and usually take between one to five banking days. Centrebet reserves the right to request copies of identification and credit/debit card/s prior to settlement.

[Paul Ross]

Originally Posted by slothrop

I'm reading alright.
And what I'm reading is an inspiring amount of love for a bookie.
The down side is that the love for CB comes with a fair amount of lightly veiled hostility for my impugning them.
Which comes over as irrational - Not least because what I think I've said, and elaborated on, is pretty uncontroversial - though that seems unlikely because I really doubt that any of us are free of interest.

And my interest is in having a punt on-line with minimum additional cost and fuss.

In my experience Centrebet offers a poor customer service. This is relative to me and my experience of other much better, customer friendly services I've used.

Now, if you want me to big it up for Laddies - my local shop staffed by 'appy' Steve and the lovely Gene, people I've had a great relationship with for ten years despite the odd spat - then I will.
But why would I bother doing this?
Balance? To be equitable?
I don't think bookmakers need my well-weighted appreciation of their services. They seem to be emotionally thriving with just my money.
This is not the only way in which simply accepting a poor service serves my interests poorly.

Clearly you are just here on a wind up, thread closed.