eCOGRA to Investigate Grand Prive Closure

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The Grand Prive group had been running a number of popular online casinos powered by Microgaming for over a decade. In August 2008 the group announced its decision to close operations from December 1, 2008. According to the Grand Prive management all accounts with the affiliates were settled. However there has been considerable and rising discontent at Internet forums against Grand Prive Affiliates, which managed the affiliate program of the online casino group. Therefore in order to protect its business reputation and to make amends to any affiliate members if required, Grand Prive has commissioned eCOGRA to carry out an independent and comprehensive probe into the closure.

While entrusting eCOGRA with the investigation, the Grand Prive group has given the following clarifications to the online casino industry at large. The closure of the online casinos was only for commercial reasons. All affiliates were paid as per the contract terms in force. Extra compensation was paid to affiliates who had active players and would be incurring an opportunity loss because of the closure. No complaint has been directly addressed to Grand Prive in the matter of payment to affiliates.

Grand Prive has also made the following commitments in connection with the eCOGRA investigation. eCOGRA will place it findings in the public domain. Grand Prive will not interfere with the enquiry but will submit all information it is asked to by eCOGRA. The most important commitment is that Grand Prive will accept the findings of eCOGRA without demur and will abide by the recommendations made by eCOGRA. eCOGRA has been given the authority to solicit any claims from any member of the Grand Prive Affiliate program.

The entire software and database of Grand Prive online casinos has been made available to eCOGRA so that its professional staff can trace the payments due to the affiliate members and verify whether the payments were made. eCOGRA has simultaneously initiated a process of collecting claims of non-payment directly from affiliate members. In an e-mail sent across the Internet to subscribers of its newsletters, eCOGRA has sought assistance from Internet forums and watchdog organizations in publicizing this request so that aggrieved affiliates step forward. eCOGRA has provided the Internet address of the site where the claims can be lodged. This is www.ecogra.org/grandprive.aspx. A claim form will have to be filled by the affiliate providing stated details so that eCOGRA can verify the claim. A last date of December 21, 2009 has been set by eCOGRA for receiving the claims.

Given eCOGRA's expertise, professionalism and integrity, the online casino players' community should welcome this move by the Grand Prive management. If there is any affiliate who has not been compensated adequately according to the findings of eCOGRA, then Grand Prive will issue an apology and make the required financial settlement.

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