PIC Club Merge Poker Fight Generates Heated Debate
The PIC Club Merge Poker dispute has helped garner intense readership among Gambling911.com readers, many of whom have felt compelled to express themselves in our increasingly popular comments section (found at the right hand side of the Gambling911.com website home page here)
"Whenever a hot story comes out, the comments feature of our site often results in extensive debate," said Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website. "Comments sections are replacing posting forums and message boards in terms of popularity it seems."
PIC Club and Merge have been embroiled in a heated dispute over payment with PIC Club (an online poker payment platform) claiming they are owed over $100,000 from the online poker network while Merge implied that PIC Club had a "whale" moving in and out of their various rooms (skins) then proceeded to charge back his credit card.
Comments include:
Is this guy(Merge CEO) for real?
"Let me get this straight, A whale comes to the poker room through PIDCLUB and loses a bunch of money, He asks the poker room if they want his action and they take it. If the player has chargebacks at Merge then its obvioua that Merge was willing to take his action direct and bypass PICCLUB thus cutting them out of the picture to save fees, The whale then charges back the direct credit card business with Merge and they now decide to stiff PICCLUB for fees obviously owed. Talk about shady business. I don't see where PICCLUB did anything wrong here? They provided a service to the poker room that the poker room contracted for, then Merge went around PICCLUB to get the whales action direct. When they get hit for chargebacks they decide to stick it to PICCLUB. Its operators like this Merge CEO that gives this industry a black eye. Pay your debt to PICCLUB deadbeat. If you don't the Merge network should be avoided at all cost. Who is next to be stiffed? The Players or Operators or Affiliates? Just my Opinion."
And another:
What is important to point out here is that Merge and the operators wanted his action and was happy to have it as in their own words they made money on the whale. The could have stopped his play anytime but it was casino action and all profit. The issue of the fees is really a moot point as they had been in a contract for quite a while with PICCLUB and apparently was happy with the service provided. .Merge surely had the option at anytime to stop taking his action either direct or through PICCLUB but chose to accept it. If they had a contract for those fees they should pay them. I still don't see how it is PICCLUBs fault this guy decided to chargeback. And if he did chargeback how much is PICCLUB stuck for as most e-wallets imdemnify the funds going into aa poker room. It seems from the statement about Doyles room that PICCLUB had to eat some chargebacks that the whale must of done at PICCLUB and moved to Doyles room. Again I don't see how PICCLUB was wrong on this. I played at Carbon through PICCLUB for over a year, seems to me they were happy with the service and the fees. I remember a promotion for the PICCLUB PRO Bounty Tournament they ran for a month at Carbon this past spring. I may be old fashioned but a contract is a contract IMO.
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
