US players searching for alternatives to Neteller in order to continue
playing online were faced with obstacles and frustration this week,
with inefficient e-wallet signup sites, poor communications and a
US-availability scenario that seemed to change by the hour.
Message boards and blogs across the industry lit up with exchanges
of information, angry exclamations and even despair as American players
showed that they are determined to gamble online, but need efficient
and professional e-wallets to give them access.
It's a business worth having; Neteller processed over $7 billion in
transactions in 2005 and $5.1 billion in the first half of 2006, mostly
from U.S. clients to and from online betting sites. By some accounts,
that amounted to roughly half of the global market for online wagers.
Yet players were experiencing problems signing up, getting information
and in some cases found their existing accounts at alternative e-wallets
locked for no apparent reason.
The fluid nature of the crisis accepted, the following was the list
of alternatives as we went to press this week:
Available to US players
.Click2Pay (but there have been reports of lock-outs and this is therefore
not certain)
·eWalletXpress
·UseMyBank
·EZIPay
·Ecocard
·EveryWhereMoney
.ePassporte
.Moneybookers
.ATMOnline
The following have abandoned the US market:
·Neteller
·Neteller InstaCash
·Citadel
·Instadebit
·Echeck
.Nexus
.Central Coin
Players still have bank wire and other more conventional methods of
transferring money, although the use of US-issued credit cards has
been generally problematical for some time due to restrictions placed
on this method by US banks.
Inevitably in a fast-moving crisis such as this, confusion and frustration
breeds and it is important that the companies involved communicate
efficiently and as directly as possible with their clients - even
if certain companies are on their way out of the US business.
This is a professional obligation to the customer that must be respected,
but regrettably that does not appear to be the priority. Companies
like Neteller seem more intent on placating investors than easing
the pain and huge inconvenience that their abrupt and badly communicated
withdrawal is causing to players.
Exacerbating an already bad situation is a volatile combination of
clearly inadequate planning by companies for an "orderly withdrawal"
and anxious players who are swamping e-wallet sites that do not seem
to have enough resources to efficiently handle the rush. Despite corporate
statements that the withdrawal has been in the works since last November
the unsatisfactory service, payment delays and general confusion indicate
otherwise.
For those companies that intend to capitalize on the withdrawal from
the US by Neteller et al, now is the time to get the ducks in a row
to ensure that players are welcomed and not discouraged from signing
up due to inefficient sites or ill-briefed Support reps.