A Calgary woman has recently expressed her frustration with Alberta’s only regulated website, PlayAlberta, which refused to pay out her deceased stepfather’s estate money. Samantha Craig has now sought help from media outlets to share her story on how the regulated iGaming platform took its time before finally paying out her stepfather’s account.
Ms. Craig started dealing with her stepfather’s estate and gambling site back in August 2022, which was a month after her dad, Brian Winter passed. He was a former Calgary Airport White Hat Volunteer and a retired business instructor at SAIT and a keen financial man who had everything in order. However, it took her months to deal with PlayAlberta.
Lack of Communication
In a recent interview, Ms. Craig explained that it took her months to get the online platform to pay out Mr. Winter’s estate the money he had on his playing account which was CA$219. She explained that everything else went smoothly except for the government gambling agency. This issue was resolved in the middle of this month, said Ms. Craig.
Furthermore, she elaborated that there was almost no communication from the website regarding Mr. Winter’s gaming funds. She believes that she has gotten just one phone call from the agency in five months, which was to tell her that the platform had no updates on the matter. In response, PlayAlberta’s spokesperson said the website cannot comment on specific player situations.
In its statement, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis stated that it makes sure that every account and player is protected. It explained that in order for funds to one’s estate, certain legal documentation must be provided. The Crown recognized that this is a difficult time for the family but noted that it is important to ensure that the protection processes are in place and are applied.
But, Ms. Craig claimed that she provided all required documents more than once, however, it was not enough. Her issue was resolved only after she threatened to file a lawsuit or contact the media about it. She also presented emails from the website, which displayed that her request has been “regretfully sitting with two departments for several months now.”
After that, she received an apology from the Crown corporation and some of the money, however, it was not the full amount. She was told that the remaining funds were bonus plays and that it cannot be redeemed. However, she does not agree and believes that if the money has already been won fair and square there should be a way of cashing out in the name of the estate.
Previous PlayAlberta News
Albertans should know that PlayAlberta is the only regulated online gambling site in the province of Alberta. A while back the AGLC promoted the platform via a campaign titled “A Better Way To Play”, which was inspired by scenes from classic horror films. The aim of this initiative was to remind locals that it is the only legal iGaming site in the province and engage more bettors.
At the end of December 2022, the AGLC announced that it will be suspending wagering on UFC events after a controversy over potential insider betting. However, quickly after that concerns eased and thus the AGLC decided to lift its ban on UFC betting markets. The commission says it will stay on alert when monitoring the situation and ensure players will continue to have safe and secure gaming options on its platform.
Source: DaSilva, Tomasia “Alberta woman accuses Play Alberta of playing games with her late stepdad’s money” Global News, January 24, 2023
