The Merge Gaming Network was once considered one of the top online poker networks for players all over the world. In the last year, its operators were forced to exclude players from many regions, including the UK due to the region’s new licensing requirements. Now, it seems the network is on a steady decline, with the latest burden for players being the disablement of Skrill as a payment option.
Skrill (formerly Moneybookers) has risen to the top of the totem pole for online poker players seeking out a fast and secure method of processing payments. The eWallet is considered by many to be the most reputable and reliable method of depositing and withdrawing funds for the purpose of online gaming. Until now, it was the only option for ROW (rest of world) players. The fact that it’s no longer available on the Merge Gaming does not bode well for the network.
OnlinePokerRealMoney.co.uk tries to dispel some legal confusions stemming from passage of George Bush's UIGEA of 2006 . Federal status seems to depend on interpretation of the wire act and other laws which were crafted many years ago and which remained high level in nature. The United Kingdom has much clearer laws including their own real money gambling commission .
Merge Gaming Advises Players of Skrill Deactivation
Members of Merge Gaming sites, which currently include its flagship, Carbon Poker, along with Players Only Poker, Sportbook.ag and SuperBook Poker, first reported the issue on TwoPlusTwo. Those who attempted to withdrawal via Skrill received an email message that read:
| …Unfortunately, we are unable to process Skrill Withdrawals at this time. Therefore, since this method is temporarily disabled, we need you to complete the bank wire verification process and upload your banking information online so that we can send your request as a via bank wire.
Please contact our support team as soon as this is complete so we can move forward with your payout via bank wire. Thank you for your understanding and we apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. |
The deactivation of Skrill will have no effect on American online poker players. Merge Gaming’s operators have been accepting US players for years now, despite a legal framework that many would argue prohibits them from doing so. However, the only payment methods available for Americans are Visa and Cash Transfer for deposits, and Check or Wire Transfer for withdrawals. Unfortunately, non VIPs are resigned to Cash Transfer deposits and Check withdrawals only.
For all other players around the world where Merge Gaming operates, the only payment option was Skrill. Now that Skrill is disabled—Merge claims temporarily, but permanent is more likely—chances are the online poker network is going to lose the majority of its ROW players.
Reports of Slow Payments on Merge Gaming Network
Things were smooth sailing for the Merge Gaming Network throughout most of 2014, but reports of slow payments started pouring in early this year. With each passing month, the situation has gotten worse.
In January, John Mahaffey of 4Flush, which issues monthly payment processing reports for offshore poker sites that accept US players, had graded Merge Gaming with a B, stating that checks take an average of 3 weeks to arrive.
By February, the online poker network had been downgraded to a C+ with checks taking 5-6 weeks to arrive. The situation was blamed on the holiday season, but when no improvement was experienced over the next month, Merge Gaming’s grade was relegated to a C in March. The latest April report saw the network falling even further to a C- as players complain checks are now taking anywhere from 8-10 weeks to arrive.
Merge Gaming’s Payment Issues could go Global without Skrill
Now that Skrill is off the payment menu, it’s feasible to surmise that members of the Merge Gaming Network all over the globe could experience the same, inexcusably slow rate of withdrawals. However, players outside the US are now able to withdrawal via bank wire, so until players begin reporting an average timeframe, it’s hard to say whether payments will slow down for ROW players.
Other international and US-facing networks are getting much higher marks from the payment processing report. Bovada and the Winning Poker Network both received A+ grades for April, and BetOnline and Intertops both received a B+. As such, Merge Gaming may find itself in big trouble in the coming months.
As many of you are well aware, the problems with Lock Poker started in the same manner. Payments became slower, then ceased altogether before Lock Poker finally shut down for good last month.