Latest information about 666Bet and Metro Play
08 July 2015
The Commission has been informed that Metro Play Limited is being compulsorily wound up following an Order of the Court of Alderney dated 2 July 2015.
The official notice states that KPMG Channel Islands Limited have been appointed liquidators for the company and creditors should contact them before 7 August 2015:
L M JohnsonJoint Liquidator KPMG Channel Islands Limited
Glategny Court
Glategny Esplanade
St Peter Port
Guernsey
GY1 1WR
Email: restructuring-ci@kpmg.com
As the company is being liquidated, under section 114 (2) (b) of the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in a new tab), Metro Play Limited’s operating licence has lapsed. They are no longer licensed to provide facilities for gambling in Great Britain.
The Commission does not know whether this development will have any impact on the payment of outstanding balances to customers.
Posted on 23 June 2015
The Commission has been informed by a spokesperson for the owner of Metro Play that it is understood that funds will be made available to pay customers who have requested withdrawals, subject to such claims being satisfactorily validated by the company.
The spokesperson also understands that, whilst the company that provided administration and marketing services to Metro Play and 666Bet has gone into liquidation, he was not aware of any insolvency action being taken against Metro Play.
Posted on 5 June 2015
The Commission understands that Metro Play Limited (Metro Play) have now re-opened email customer support for 666Bet and Metro Play customers.
The 666Bet website currently states: “666BET are no longer able to provide access to your account as the web site is no longer in operation. Unfortunately we are no longer able to process any withdrawals from your account as the deadline of 24th May has now passed.
“All current withdrawal requests and queries will be handled as quickly as possible but please be patient as we have limited resources available at this time.
“Customers with pending withdrawals have been contacted and advised of what information is required to complete the withdrawal, if you have not received this email please contact help@hexiglobal.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
The Metro Play website currently states: “Metro Play are no longer able to provide access to your account as the web site is no longer in operation. Unfortunately we are no longer able to process any withdrawals from your account as the deadline of 24th May has now passed.
"Customers with queries should contact help@hexiglobal.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Following a number of enquiries to the Commission about voided bets we have added the following FAQs
Does the suspension of 666Bet’s licence prevent them from settling bets under GB law?
No. Our original press release states ‘in accordance with section 118(4)(c) of the Act the Licensee is authorised to settle any outstanding winning bets that it has accepted in reliance on the above operating licence and return any outstanding balances to customers’.
Posted on 29 May 2015
Metro Play Limited (Metro Play) is an Alderney registered company. Until recently it held a licence from the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, under which it offered gambling under the MetroPlay and 666Bet brand names.
When the law changed in November 2014, Metro Play had to apply for a licence from the Gambling Commission (the Commission), which it did. As a result, the Commission was required to issue a continuation licence whilst it considered Metro Play’s application for a full operating licence.
Before the Commission was able to complete the process of assessing Metro Play’s application, concerns came to light which led the Commission to suspend their continuation licence. Under the terms of the suspension the Commission made it clear that Metro Play could continue to settle outstanding bets and repay customer balances, although the Commission could not compel it to do so.
The Commission has been working with Metro Play to try and resolve issues in paying customers. On 12 May 2015, the Commission agreed to reproduce a statement from Metro Play on their behalf, as they were having difficulties in communicating with their customers. The statement informed customers that payments would be made via Skrill and that outstanding requests for withdrawal of funds should be made by 24 May 2015.
The Commission is aware that some customers have experienced difficulties in making withdrawal requests and a number of customers have not yet been paid. The Commission is also aware that customers have been unable to make contact with Metro Play as customer support resource, which the Commission was informed would become available, has not yet been provided.
The Commission has now been informed by Metro Play’s Chairman and major shareholder that he plans to make additional funds available to enable payments to customers. The Commission also understands that customers will no longer be able to access their accounts and make withdrawal requests via the websites. Metro Play has also stated the following:
- “we will be publishing a contact email on both sites from Monday June 1st for customers to contact us with queries”
- “we intend to contact those customers who have not yet had their withdrawal processed and offer an alternative payment method to Skrill (most likely a bank transfer)”
- “we will contact the customers as soon as the support email address becomes available which should be over the weekend and then process the withdrawals manually when the customers provide us with the relevant information”
- “the MetroPlay site now has a static page and all pending withdrawals have been processed”
- “we are still having problems with the 666Bet home page but we are hopeful that this will be rectified by the end of Friday ie 29 May 2015 when a static page should be in place.”
The Commission understands that payments are not presently being made, pending the promised additional funding needed from the owners and the alternative withdrawal arrangements being made available.
Whilst the Commission is attempting to ensure that Metro Play customers are kept up to date, we can provide no independent assurance of the information we relay and cannot assist customers in recovering funds, or become involved with contractual disputes between customers and Metro Play. As we have previously set out, the Commission does not in any way guarantee funds deposited by consumers or prizes due.
Posted on 12 May 2015
The following information is for consumers and businesses who have transacted with Metro Play Limited trading as www.metroplay.com and www.666bet.com.
As Metro Play Limited and 666Bet are unable to send emails to customers, the Commission has agreed to publish the following statement on their behalf. We hope that this information will be helpful to customers of Metro Play and 666Bet, but customers will appreciate that the Commission cannot guarantee the accuracy of the statement.
Read the Metro Play statement for customers.
What is the latest situation on payments to customers?
Our understanding from information provided by the operator and third parties is that a significant number of customers have been repaid via the Skrill account, including some of those whose withdrawals had been pending. Further information is available in Metro Play/666Bet’s statement. However, it remains the case that the Commission cannot guarantee when or indeed whether customers will be paid.
Metroplay/666Bet are not answering emails etc and not providing communications – what’s happening?
We understand that Metro Play ran into practical problems over communicating with customers. Further information is available in Metro Play/666Bet’s statement.
Metro Play Limited have set a deadline of 24 May for withdrawal requests. What happens after that that?
As with any other commercial transaction such as buying consumer goods or entertainment, consumers enter into a contract with the operator when placing a bet. We understand that Metro Play Limited are doing all they can to honour their debts, but once the deadline has passed customers will have the normal legal remedies for debt recovery in the courts, under the terms and conditions of their contract with the operator. The Commission does not in any way guarantee funds deposited by consumers or prizes due.
I can't access the Metroplay/666Bet website – does that mean that they are no longer paying customers?
Our understanding of the current position is that the websites for Metro Play and for 666Bet are unstable, ie they intermittently cease to function. As far as we are able to determine, this is not connected with ongoing efforts to pay customers.
Why did the Commission license Metroplay and 666Bet?
666Bet.com and Metroplay.com are operated by Metro Play Limited, which is a company incorporated in Alderney. When the change in law requiring overseas based operators to obtain a Gambling Commission licence came into effect, in November 2014, they continued trading with British customers on the basis of a continuation licence. Metro Play Limited already held a licence from the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). As a result, the Commission was required to issue a continuation licence, while we considered the application for a full operating licence.
Before we were able to complete the process of assessing the application for a full operating licence, we were forced to suspend Metro Play Limited’s continuation licence. The suspension followed the arrest of one of their key directors and the suspension of Metro Play Limited’s AGCC licence. We made it clear in the suspension notice that the suspension of the continuation licence did not prevent the repayment of customers’ balances.
Last updated: 20 August 2021
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