Online poker players with PartyPoker registered accounts are frustrated with the site’s new cashout transaction fees. PartyPoker describes the fees as motivation for players to shift their deposits and payouts to other accepted payment methods.
The transaction fees appear to only affect players who use Skrill, formerly Moneybookers, or Neteller to cashout their winnings. The fees were initially believed to target the Russian online gambling market – where fraud is of widespread concern, but soon were noticeable in accounts around the world. The Neteller fees are of little concern to Canadians as the payment method is banned in this market, though Skrill is a very popular cashout option.
There are actually two types of fees implemented by PartyPoker, one is a flat processing charge, and the other is based on the amount a player cashes out. In Canada and the US, the flat rate is around $4 imposed on every cashout made from an account, a move that angered many loyal PartyPoker players.
The other fee will often be even more expensive for most players. PartyPoker is charging 3 percent on all Skrill and Neteller withdrawals, and announced there is no limit to the fee. However, the percentage fee is charged on top of the $4 flat rate.
This means a player who cashes out $100 will pay $4 + $3 to make the withdrawal, but a player who cashes out $1,000 will pay $4 + $30 for the same transaction.
Players are understandably upset about the fees, though PartyPoker defends its decision to charge the new levies. The online poker site is expected to launch its new operating software after a number of repeated delays, and wishes to limit the amount that players can use Skrill or Neteller on the new operating platform.
