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Gamesville.com - Help - Questions About Prizes

Question 

How do prizes work on Gamesville?

Answer

Is Gamesville an online casino? (No) Is this gambling? (No) Is Gamesville free? (Yes!)


No, Gamesville is not an online casino. No, this is not gambling. Why? Because Gamesville web games are free to play. Since players never wager, bet, or risk their hard-earned money playing Gamesville web games -- they are not gambling.

Which begs the question...

How can Gamesville afford to pay out prizes, for free?


Gamesville.com went live on the Internet in 1996. Many people were delighted, others were a little skeptical. Some degree of skepticism about "free games for cash prizes" is to be expected: After all, many of us are taught that you never get something for nothing. Yet, Gamesville games such as Bingo Zone, Magic 21, Three-Eyed Bingo and Frantic Fish are totally free to play--you don't pay anything to register and you don't wager or risk anything to play and win real cash--so how does Gamesville make money?

Simple: We sell advertising and sponsorships on Gamesville. You, the players, play our games and as you play our games, you generate ad space that we sell to advertisers.

Can't understand how anyone can make money by giving money away? Ask that question of a game show like "Wheel of Fortune" or "The Price is Right". They'll tell you, it's all supported by advertising. In a very real way, our games are online -- and interactive -- game shows, operating on a similar kind of model to our TV counterparts. Except, instead of you watching a handful of contestants vie for a prize, you actually get to compete and win!

Do I have to pay taxes on my winnings?


All taxes, fees and surcharges on prizes are the sole responsibility of the game winners.
Gamesville, by law, may be required to withhold certain taxes or other assessments with respect to the prizes awarded on Gamesville and reserves the right to withhold any such applicable taxes with respect to such prizes.

Current IRS regulations require Gamesville to send 1099 Forms to all U.S. citizens who win more than $600 in any calendar year. Gamesville will send the forms within the first 45 days of the new year. The IRS also requires the reporting of any transaction involving more than $10,000.

To comply with these regulations, Gamesville may require winners to provide us with their social security numbers prior to the release of their winnings.

Non-U.S. residents are subject to United States tax withheld from winnings and are responsible for any local taxes.

Can I play and win where I live?


Gamesville's free games are open to everyone 18 or older, with a computer and an Internet connection. Our free games with cash prizes, such as Bingo Zone or Magic 21, can be played by people worldwide but only residents of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom who are 18 years of age (or the age of majority in their respective jurisdiction at the time of entry) are currently eligible to win cash prizes. (Be sure to check each game's official rules page to see if you're eligible.)

If some regions appear to have a higher concentration of cash winners, that is because they start off with a higher number of registered players. Statistically, the more players in a given area, the more winners you will find. However, on an individual basis, each player has as much of a chance to win as any other player.

Please note: If you're a resident of an eligible region and you're receiving the message that you may be ineligible to win cash prizes, please contact customer service for assistance.

Will clicking ads help me win?

No. Clicking ads will not increase your chances of winning any Gamesville game - ever.

What happens when I win?


When you win a prize at Gamesville, your member name will appears on the winners page for that game.

When you win a jackpot game, such as Three-Eyed Bingo or Magic 21, you will be asked to execute an affidavit confirming your mailing address and other information; to ensure timely delivery of your winnings and avoid delays in receiving your winnings, be sure to complete this paperwork in a timely manner.

When you win Frantic Fish or Pit Stop Slots, your prize check will be delivered automatically to the mailing address you registered with us -- so it's vital that the mailing address is accurate (Verify your mailing address).

When you win Bingo Zone, we will accrue and withhold prizes for you until the total amount won by you is at least $25.00. However, if a player has not accumulated $25 total within 365 days of his or her initial win, at the end of that 365-day period, a check for their then-current total Bingo Zone prizes will be automatically sent to the valid mailing address you registered with us. (NOTE: Gamesville cannot combine wins by multiple member names or accounts into a single lump sum.)

All jackpot and sweepstakes winners will receive a confirmation email at the email address you have on file for your account--so please be sure that it is accurate, and up to date.

If you find yourself on the winners page but didn't get an email confirmation or the affidavit, don't worry!

Over the years, we've seen many reason why winners haven't received an email from us, including...
  • Your email address was mistyped when you registered
  • Your ISP filters email from commercial sites
  • You've (accidentally) changed your preferences to filter out commercial email
  • There is a delay with delivering some of your email (as frequently occurs with free email hosts)
  • You've changed email providers since you registered with us
If you do not receive this paperwork within 5 days of your win, please contact customer service and tell them your real name, Gamesville member name, game you won on, and win date, and they will send the paperwork to you.

Are there limits on how much I can win?


There is no overall limit on how much you can win at Gamesville.com.

When I win, when will I receive my prize?


Checks are mailed via the U.S. postal service to winners within 45 days following the date of their valid win claim--or, in the case of a jackpot game such as Three-Eyed Bingo or Magic 21, within 45 days of us receiving your correctly and completed affidavit of eligibility.

It is probable that you will receive your money sooner, but please do allow this reasonable amount of time for it to be delivered to you.

If more than 45 days have passed since you won, please contact customer service and tell them your real name, Gamesville member name, game you won on, and win date, and they will help you claim your win.

Where can I see the lists of prize winners?


Each game on Gamesville that offers a prize or jackpot has a winners list associated with it. To view the winners for a particular game, go to that game's description or lobby page and click the "Winners" link in the area titled "Game Description", or click the link below:

Gamesville, part of the Lycos Network, is a great place to play free games, bingo, solitaire, poker and more. Win cash and prizes as you compete in free, massively multiplayer game shows and free games in one of the best, friendliest online communities on the web!