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The Casinomeister Wrote
"Player fraud and player problems were addressed by Rick Smith of the Interactive Gaming Council and Frank Catania from Catania Consulting Group

They brought up some interesting points about how player problems arise. There is a cross-border complexity and lack of uniformity that players are normally unaware of. This is true.

Many players who have problems have either fallen victim to misunderstandings or inflated expectations. Operators need to be objective when dealing with player issues."

Misunderstanding? by the Casinomeister.

Sometimes while I'm speed writing, or speed proofreading, I occasionally don't make myself quite clear. Last week I made an observance at the EIG that may have been misconstrued into an implication that I think online players are daft.

Day 3 - player fraud and player problems were addressed by Rick Smith of the Interactive Gaming Council and Frank Catania from Catania Consulting Group. They brought up some interesting points about how player problems arise. There is a cross-border complexity and lack of uniformity that players are normally unaware of. This is true. Many players who have problems have either fallen victim to misunderstandings or inflated expectations. Operators need to be objective when dealing with player issues. And one of the most important points that they made is that when dealing with a player complaint, turn a negative into a positive. This is a defensive marketing strategy.

Apparently to one reader, I'm blaming the player for their problems. Sorry, this is not what I tried to convey. What I was explaining, is that this is the viewpoint of Rick Smith and Frank Catania, which I understand and agree with.

There is a cross-border complexity and lack of uniformity that players are normally unaware of. Hardly one casino is like the other, so when players expect to be treated the same, or expect the same service, offers, games, etc., they may run into problems. Also, most players have no idea what is involved with payments. To not know something does not equate stupidity or being thick. I'm a relatively intellegent person - so I'm told - but I'll be damned if I can explain to my five-year-old boy how my computer screen works. You plug it in - it works, right?

Many players who have problems have either fallen victim to misunderstandings or inflated expectations.

"Fallen victim" is a key term here. Just because one becomes a victim of not understanding the language of a website doesn't mean one is dense. The language of a casino website might be foreign to the user either by translation, lack of English skills, or by terminology. Or perhaps the player expects to win more often - "payouts better than Vegas!" "Win cash today!" etc, can give rise to false expectations. Players need to learn that they are playing with the chance of winning, and they should focus in on the enjoyment of the game - not merely on the hopeful outcome.

These situations give rise to a myriad of problems, and I've seen them all - and they don't stop. Operators need to have a good hard look at their sites and the information they are providing to the players. In doing so, make a determination - are you eliminating these hazards proactively, or are you part of the problem. Don't let players point out your casino's pitfalls by slamming your operations on the boards, or lodging complaints through me.