Natural8 freezes account and withholds guaranteed prize after system error, player calls for fairness
A Natural8 GGNetwork player, who finished first in the APL Jeju Main Event Day2 Qualifier, had approximately $808,701 erroneously credited due to a system error, after which their account was frozen and the prize was deducted. The player states they do not claim the erroneous amount, but demand the guaranteed prize as per rules and compensation for the freeze, calling on the community to witness.
Incident Details
A regular player of Natural8 (a platform under GGNetwork) recently experienced a frustrating incident. The player participated in the APL Jeju Main Event Day2 Qualifier (buy-in ¥7,000) held on June 27, 2026. After the tournament ended, the system erroneously credited ¥5,500,000 (approximately $808,701) to their account. Based on PokerCraft screenshots, transaction history, and cash balance records provided by the player, the amount was actually deposited.
However, four hours later, Natural8 froze the player's account without warning, preventing them from registering for other ongoing Day2 events that day. After multiple complaints from the player, the account was reactivated, but the entire erroneously credited amount was deducted, and the player ultimately received no reward from the qualifier.
Natural8's Explanation
In an email response, Natural8 stated this was a "temporary system configuration error" and noted that the tournament was a qualifier for a live event, "which should not have distributed prizes online." The email content was made public by the player on Reddit.
Player's Demands
The player stated they fully understand that the ¥5,500,000 was a system error and have no intention of claiming that amount. However, they argue that according to the original tournament rules — if a player is unable or unwilling to attend the live Day2 site, they are still entitled to the online guaranteed minimum cash (Min-Cash). Yet after clawing back the erroneous amount, Natural8 did not even issue the guaranteed min-cash due from the qualifier. This effectively means the player lost all tournament outcomes due to the platform's mistake.
The player demands Natural8 to:
- Immediately release the min-cash they are entitled to under the original tournament rules;
- Provide reasonable compensation for the 4-hour account freeze that prevented them from participating in other events.
Seeking Community Help
Since Natural8 has removed the original lobby information for that tournament, the player cannot independently verify the rule description. Therefore, they posted on the r/poker subreddit seeking other players who participated in the same qualifier, hoping to confirm whether the tournament structure explicitly included a clause about "online min-cash for those unable to attend live." The player provided relevant screenshots (with nicknames blurred) and stated that if a Natural8 official representative responds, they are willing to provide the exact nickname via private message for case verification.
Current Status and Impact
As of the time of writing, Natural8 and GGNetwork have not publicly responded on Reddit. This incident has sparked discussion within the community about how online poker platforms handle system errors, particularly whether platforms should safeguard players' reasonable rights according to original rules.