Virgin Gaming

Virgin Gaming offers the chance to play your favorite online console games for big prizes without having to leave your comfy, comfy couch. You might be wondering how we operate. Here are some questions we hear a lot.

Virgin Gaming provides a fair, safe, and technologically mind-blowing platform that lets gamers from around the world join head-to-head matches, regularly scheduled tournaments, and special events. Here are some general gaming questions we hear a lot.

What consoles and games are available for gameplay on Virgin Gaming?

Virgin Gaming supports top multiplayer titles that meet our criteria for safety, security, and “OMG did you just see that!” greatness.

All games on the Virgin Gaming roster feature titles that allow our system to directly verify game stats. This ensures that you get rewarded for your hard earned victory, and sore losers can't ever cheat the system.

At this time, only select games on the Xbox 360 and PS3 meet these standards.
Now Playing - XBOX 360®: Halo™ 3, Madden NFL™ 10, FIFA™ 10, NHL™ 10, NCAA™ Football 10.
Now Playing - PS3™: Fight Night™ Round 4, Madden NFL™ 10, FIFA™ 10, NHL™ 10, NCAA™ Football 10

Coming soon: UFC™ Undisputed 2010, ModNation Racers™

What tournaments are available?

Virgin Gaming hosts tournaments every glorious day of the week. While eligibility and restrictions will change based on the specific offer and game title, tournaments fall into three broad categories: single entry, team entry, and limited entry.

Single entry tournaments are open to individual members. Team entry tournaments are, well, open to teams. To ensure that all Virgin Gaming members have the opportunity to fairly compete in tournament play, entry eligibility will vary to accommodate different skill levels and reputation levels. There are also higher stakes tournaments held each month for heavy hitters and those who like to live big.

One way we encourage good behavior at Virgin Gaming is through limited entry or “invite only” tournaments. These events are open only to members who have built a positive reputation on the site through their gameplay and site activity. While you may not know who all the players are in an invite only tournament, you can rest assured that they’re worthy competitors. Or that at least we think they are.

To view upcoming single and team-based tournaments, check out the schedule in any Game Lobby or the calendar of your
“My Home” page.

What do I need in order to compete?

In order to compete on Virgin Gaming, you need the following things:

• A free Virgin Gaming account
• A supported platform/console (Xbox 360, PS3)
• A valid email address and a valid Xbox gamertag or PSN ID
• A copy of the game you want to play
• An Internet connection to the network of your supported platform

How do I become a Virgin Gaming member?

Registering at Virgin Gaming is a simple 3-step process. Start your registration from anywhere on the home page, or click here to get in on the action. As long as you have a valid email address and a valid Xbox gamertag or PSN ID, you’re ready to open an account and start playing the best games for the best prizes today.

Does it cost money to register and use the site?

Nope! Registration is quick, painless, and 100% free - no credit card or deposit required. Frag, snipe, and rocket pass to your heart's content in free head-to-head matches and tournaments while you explore the Virgin Gaming community and build up your skills.

When you're ready to experience the thrill of winning cold hard cash in tournament play, deposits can be easily made to your Virgin Gaming account though PayPal, ClickandBuy, and all major credit cards.

To play the best games for the biggest prizes, some terms do apply. You must be at least 18 years of age to become a member (register and fund an account), and be in a location where you can lawfully play on our site. As stated in our Terms and Conditions, Virgin Gaming reserves the right to terminate and/or sweep any account where a player under the age of 18 or from a restricted country or state is found to have somehow registered an account.

Can I have more than one account on Virgin Gaming?

You only have one driver’s license, right? Same thing applies here. You will only be allowed to register one account with Virgin Gaming. If you are found to have multiple accounts, you will be in violation of our Terms and Conditions. Multiple account holders are subject to the wrath of our Customer Care team, as well as termination of any and all accounts you hold.

Is the Virgin Gaming site safe? Secure?

In a word, yes. In three words, very much so. Much like the workings of a nuclear submarine, Virgin Gaming relies on multiple systems to ensure the overall integrity of our operations. In our case, this integrity applies to every head-to-head match and tournament played through our site.

Virgin Gaming guarantees that every transaction made through Virgin Gaming is secure. We use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption connections for all passwords and financial information. Any sensitive information sent to the Virgin Gaming servers is encrypted to meet the highest security standards for online financial transactions, ensuring an unmatched guarantee of privacy for our global community of players.

How does the Virgin Gaming reputation system work?

The Virgin Gaming reputation system was designed to help give you more information and better insight into your opponents’۪ gaming career. After each game played on Virgin Gaming you will receive a notification in your inbox containing your "Match Results." These results will ask you to rate your opponent from the match you just played. You can choose one of two options that represent your overall gaming experience, and your vote is factored into your opponent’s reputation. The options are:

Thumbs up — you had a positive overall experience.
Thumbs down — your opponent was a tea bagging, trash talking rat.

After you give your opponent a rating, it is important that you provide comments to back up your stance. This lets fellow members of the Virgin Gaming community know what to expect if they agree to a match against that gamer.

You must play at least five games before a reputation score is assigned.

A player's overall reputation is summarized in their profile by a number of stars:

Rating	Explanation
---	No feedback yet / less than 5 games played
1 Star	0-50% positive feedback
2 Stars	51-75% positive feedback
3 Stars	76-90% positive feedback
3 Gold Stars	91-100% positive feedback

How does Skill Rating work on Virgin Gaming?

We understand that to keep Virgin Gaming fair, players need as accurate a picture of their opponent’s skill – or lack thereof – as possible. To provide you with impartial information, we have implemented a variant of TrueSkill™ to calculate each player’s skill level, relative to other players who play the same game on Virgin Gaming.

TrueSkill is a skill based ranking system developed for Xbox LIVE at Microsoft Research that features a rating scale of 0-10. This rating is updated at the completion of every game, but displays as “NR” (not rated) until five games have been played through Virgin Gaming.

When evaluating TrueSkill, keep the following points in mind:

1.  Skill Ratings will not win games: your skills will win games. It is ultimately up to you and your performance in any given match, regardless of your Skill Rating and that of your opponent.

2.  The difference you see in Skill Rating only reflects the estimated chance you have to win or lose a match against a person based on your respective playing histories, but Skill Ratings cannot measure the heart of a champion. If you play against a player with an equal Skill Rating, statistically speaking, you will have an equal chance of winning. Skill Ratings are simply an average observed over numerous Virgin Gaming matches and assume that a player always exhibits an identical level of skill consistent with their previous gaming history.

3.  Tip: Virgin Gaming recommends that you challenge opponents who are in your skill range and have played a number of games in the past that you see as relevant. It is important to take into account your opponent's entire profile including their number of games played, along with their reputation and feedback comments prior to challenging/accepting a game with them. Each player's history will have a Skill Rating AND a total number of games played for that specific game. The real skill of a player is better illustrated after a person has played a number of games and has a track record of wins versus loses. In fact, by the time a person has played 50 games, their Skill Ranking should be very accurate. Conversely, a player who has only played a handful of games may not yet have played enough games to get a very accurate Skill Rating and therefore, you may find yourself up against a very skilled or unskilled player who is just starting out on Virgin Gaming.

What are the required or recommended web browsers and systems?

Virgin Gaming recommends Firefox 3 for Windows, Linux or Mac OS X.

We additionally support Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and higher, Firefox 2 and higher, and Google Chrome.

We offer limited support for Internet Explorer 6 and Safari as some advanced features do not function reliably on these browsers.

What’s this about Virgin Gaming putting up a million dollars?

Quite simply, over the next 12 months, Virgin Gaming will award $1 million in tournament prizing. There will be a variety of tournaments across all titles and skill levels. Tournaments entry fees will be free for members and jackpots will vary from $500 to $50,000.

How do I find an opponent on Virgin Gaming?

Find your next Virgin Gaming target um…opponent by entering any game lobby. Each game lobby lets you view all online players along with their Virgin Gaming reputation and skill level. Research opponent profiles or issue a challenge directly from the game lobby.

In order for players to find each other, you must select the games you wish to play on Virgin Gaming. You can select games during the registration process or at any time by adding new games from your “My home” page. Tying your account to the games you want to play ensures that your online status will be accurately listed, and that other members will be able to find you in the appropriate game lobbies.

How do I challenge other members?

To issue a head-to-head challenge, click the red “challenge” button next to a user’s name in the game lobby of your choice. Clicking the challenge button will pull up a challenge card and give you a chance to enter all the match details for your game.

• entry fee per player
• match date and time
• notes and custom rules (optional)

After completing the match details and agreeing to the site’s terms and conditions, your challenge is issued and will race through cyberspace to your opponent. Challenges are received via system notifications and email. You will be notified of accepted or rejected challenges through site notifications and email.

How do I create a game challenge?

Creating an open game for other members to see is the fastest and most visible way to find an opponent on Virgin Gaming. Click on "create a game" in the game lobby of your choice and enter the necessary game details, including entry fee, time and date, and whether you want your game to be visible to all members or just your friends. Click “submit challenge” and you’ve created a new open game for other members to view and accept.

To view open matches created by other members, click the "find a game" tab in the game lobby of your choice. A list of current open matches will appear that can be filtered by amount, reputation, and skill level. Click on any game to view the details of that challenge. If you like what you see, click “accept challenge” and begin planning your imminent victory.

Once an opponent has accepted your challenge, you will receive an email and system notification with your opponent details, including their Xbox gamertag or PSN ID. Should the start time of your game pass without the challenge being accepted, your match fee will be refunded to your account.

How do I set up my stats?

The Virgin Gaming system independently verifies game results to ensure the integrity and fairness of our system. To ensure that this process can take place, players should adjust their in-game settings to allow results to be sent to Virgin Gaming. Instructions can be found on the challenge card for each game.

Adjusting game settings is a one-time process and does not have to be done before each match. Once a game is completed, our Game Validator™ results validation engine will automatically verify the match results based on your unique PSN ID or Xbox gamertag and will update each player’s account accordingly. Tournament play follows the same steps as head to head matches.

How do I locate an opponent online?

Locating an opponent online isn’t much different than meeting a friend for dinner: confirm where and when you are supposed to meet, and then try your best to show up on time.

We suggest that players log on to the appropriate Virgin Gaming Game lobby at least five minutes prior to the scheduled match start time. The extra few minutes will give you a chance to make sure that you and your opponent can agree on which lobby to meet in on the console.

We also suggest that prior to head to head and tournament matches begin that you add your opponent to your friends list, either through Xbox LIVE or the PSN. Gamertag and / or PSN IDs can be viewed on the game challenge card and on your opponent’s profile page.

Feel free to use any of the messaging and chat tools so thoughtfully provided at Virgin Gaming to contact your opponent prior to the scheduled start time of your game.

How do I cancel a scheduled match?

If the start of your game is more than 15 minutes away, it can be canceled through the "my schedule" section of your "My home" page. Simply open the game details and the challenge card will appear on the screen. Click the "cancel" button, the game will be canceled, and the funds deposited back into your account.

If there are less than 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of your match you CANNOT cancel. Should you need to cancel a match less than 15 minutes before a scheduled game time, contact customer service and your opponent. While these situations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, failing to show up for an agreed-upon match may subject you to a forfeit of your entry fee and Virgin Gaming game management fee, and possibly a whipping.

What should I do if I get disconnected during my game?

Virgin Gaming understands that the magnificence of online console gaming is not perfect and disconnections do sometimes occur If you believe an in-game disconnection was unintentional, contact your opponent and begin a new game. However, your new game is to be played from the point of the disconnection with the score, possession, field position and time remaining the same as it was when the match was unintentionally disconnected. Results of the newly completed game will update on Virgin Gaming.

In games where you believe an opponent intentionally disconnects a game, you should choose to ”quit and count game” where this option is available. Report the event to customer support immediately with a detailed account of what happened. We know that you might be tempted to finish against the computer, yet doing this will just delay the overall process in determining the winner, or giving a refund to both users in the case of an unintentional disconnection.

Virgin Gaming is able to determine if a game was disconnected due to problems with the game servers and our customer support team will handle each disconnection on a case-by-case basis. Once the customer support team has made a decision, they will report the resolution to all members involved.

How do I join a Virgin Gaming multiplayer tournament?

Open tournaments are listed within each individual game lobby. To get started, click the "find a tournament" button inside the game lobby of your choice. From here you can browse all scheduled Virgin Gaming tournaments, or filter results by jackpot amount. Click on any open tournament to view the details of the challenge including time and date, minimum skill and reputation levels, and the number of remaining spots available.

If the tournament details match your game, click “join tournament.” Your tournament entry will be confirmed via email and system notification and added to your calendar on your “My home” page.

How much does it cost to enter a tournament and how much money can I win?

Virgin Gaming offers a variety of tournament entry fees so that a wide variety of players, from cheapskates to high stakes thrill seekers, will find a tournament to match their interests.

Tournaments entry fees range from free ($0) to a maximum of $1,000. Any registered Virgin Gaming member can participate in free entry tournaments. To participate in cash entry tournaments, players must be Virgin Gaming members and have real money deposited in their account. The minimum deposit is $20.

Winnings are determined by the type and structure of the individual tournament you compete in. Generally speaking, the more players participate, the larger the payouts will be. For more information on specific payout structures, consult individual tournaments pages.

What types of games and tournaments does Virgin Gaming offer?

Virgin Gaming members can choose between three main types of games and tournaments:

Multiplayer tournaments
Virgin Gaming offers multiplayer tournaments for all games available on the site. Multiplayer, multi-round tournaments range in size from 4 to 64 players or more and offer big time jackpots and payouts, often much larger than head-to-head and direct challenges.

Multiplayer tournaments are large single-elimination contests. Generally a fee is required to enter and play the first round, and all subsequent rounds are free. Each round is a two-player competition in which the winner advances, and the loser is eliminated. Prizes are generally awarded after every round with the prizes increasing with each round. The longer you last, the higher the payout. Multiplayer tournaments continue until one player survives the set number of rounds and all other players have been eliminated.

Invite only tournaments
At Virgin Gaming, building a reputation as a positive gamer has its rewards. One way we encourage good behaviour is through “invite only” tournaments that are only open to members whose gameplay is consistent with our terms and conditions. In invite only tournaments, invited users may not know exactly who their competition is, but they know the quality of the game will be favorable.

Invite only tournament invitations are created based upon a player’s overall rating in the community. In some cases, invite only tournaments are based solely upon skill level, while in other cases skill level is only a partial consideration.

I entered into a multi player tournament. How do I find out when my scheduled game time is?

Your “My home” page lists all your upcoming scheduled tournaments. This includes the date and time of your next matches, along with your opponent and their gamertag or PSN ID. You will also receive a confirmation email as a result of signing up for a multiplayer tournament with all-important tournament details.

What happens if my opponent doesn’t show up for a scheduled multiplayer tournament match?

If your opponent does not show up to a scheduled tournament match then you will be automatically be awarded a buy into the next round.

In the event of a no show, we ask players to wait at least 30 minutes after the start time of your match before notifying customer support. We all know the Internet is not perfect and sometimes a connection issue is outside of a player’s control. To ensure that tournaments run smoothly, we generally advise players to send their opponents a message through their console and Virgin Gaming as a reminder of the time and place of the scheduled game.

How long do I have to play my scheduled tournament game?

Players in head-to-head games on Virgin Gaming have up to two hours from the start time of the match to complete their games. Users are given this two-hour window to ensure they have enough time to locate opponents and get the game started.

Each tournament match has different parameters based on the specific game being played. Please refer to individual tournament pages for more information on their schedule and terms and conditions.

How does Virgin Gaming know who won the games?

After many all nighters in the Virgin Gaming labs, we created the Game Validator™, a proprietary automated verification system. The Game Validator obtains the stats of all games played directly from the gaming servers themselves. This method leaves no doubt as to the outcome of the game. You can still tell all your offline buddies you ruled with a mighty fist, but since server-based game stats are unbiased and cannot be modified, we use them as the basis for declaring all winners of head-to-head matches and tournaments

How does Virgin Gaming combat cheating?

We take reports of cheating very seriously. As part of our mission to provide a transparent and level playing field for our members to win real money playing online console games, we have implemented the Fair Play Guarantee™ which offers the following features:

Automatic Results Verification – Game Validator™, Virgin Gaming’s proprietary automated verification system obtains the stats of all games played directly from the gaming servers themselves. This method leaves no doubt as to the outcome of the game.

Skill Rating System - Everyone loves a fair fight. Virgin Gaming’s skill ratings help members find and challenge members with similar abilities, so that victory will always be within reach.`Skill ratings don’t guarantee success – they only reflect the estimated chance a member has to win or lose a match based on their playing history.

Reputation System – Virgin Gaming members can have better insight into an opponent’s gaming career. After each game played, members will be asked to rate their opponents and leave a comment. Players with low reputation are less likely to get challenges in head to head matches and will be ineligible for Reputation threshold tournaments.

Best in Class Customer Support - Friendly, smart, and able to play Capture the Flag for 16 hours straight, our sharpshooting customer service team aims to respond to all inquiries with no lag.

What are Virgin Gaming Points and how do I earn them?

Virgin Gaming Points are reward points that members earn from gaming and site activities at Virgin Gaming. The more you explore and take part in our universe, the more Virgin Gaming Points you accumulate.

Members in good standing can rack up Virgin Gaming Points in all sorts of ways, including registration, uploading an avatar, and playing a game with a friend.

Your Virgin Gaming Points balance will appear on your “My home” page. As the program develops, we will be making Virgin Gaming Points even more valuable with more ways to earn, and great redemption offers including custom merchandise, and select tournaments entries.

I just spilled soda on my controller. What do I do?

Don’t panic. Mop up as much of the liquid as you can. While Virgin Gaming doesn’t recommend fiddling with console hardware yourself, here are some external FAQs you may wish to consult:

XBox 360
PS3

How do I deposit money into my Virgin Gaming account?

Eligible members can make deposits through VirginGaming.com during the registration process or at anytime afterwards. To deposit funds after the registration process simply click the “Funds” button on the right hand side (below “Challenges”), or on the “My Account” button beside your username in the top right corner. From there, follow the instructions on the deposit tab on how to deposit funds into your Virgin Gaming account.

What payment methods are available?

Members may deposit funds into their account via credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, JCB, and American Express), US Debit checking cards, pre-paid credit cards, PayPal, or ClickandBuy.

What is the withdrawal process for players to get paid out?

Members may request a withdrawal of funds from their available account balance at any time. All withdrawals are processed within 96 hours of their request. You will receive an email upon processing.

In the “My Account” section, you will see the “Withdraw” tab, where you will be given the option to withdraw funds from your account. You’ll need to select the method by which you wish to receive your funds. Please note the fees associated with each withdrawal option in the “Withdrawal Via” section.

Please Note: It is the policy of Virgin Gaming to process withdrawal requests first by refunding any and all deposits in full back to the same PayPal or ClickandBuy account, or credit card which was used to deposit, and subsequently any winnings that you are withdrawing can be sent to you in your preferred manner. You will receive an email with all details of your withdrawal request when it has been approved and processed, or in the event it has been declined.

Are there ways to have my cheque sent to me faster?

Currently Virgin Gaming uses Express Mail to deliver all hard copy cheques. Virgin Gaming also offers Next Day and 2 Day shipping at an extra charge.

Cash Bonus Requirements

Virgin Gaming deposit bonuses give you the chance to earn extra cash and grow your account. Deposit bonuses are unlocked by playing cash games.

Here's how it works: for each cash game you play where your entry fee is $5 or more, you will earn a portion of your bonus whether you win or lose the game. Bonuses are earned as you play, not all at once, up to the maximum bonus amount allowed.

The more cash games you play, the faster you earn your bonus funds. This chart shows how much bonus money you would receive relative to your entry fee.

Entry Fee	Virgin Gaming Bonus Funds Earned
$0-$4.99	No Bonus Funds Earned
$5-$20	You will earn back 5% of your Entry Fee ($0.25-$1.00)
$20-$39.99	$1
$40+	$2

Cash bonus promotions are limited time offers. Once activated, you have 60 days to earn your bonus, up to the maximum amount of your offer. Bonus funds cannot be withdrawn before this 60-day period is over.

You can track and manage your bonus offers through the Cashier section of your Virgin Gaming account.

Please Note: To withdraw a bonus that was received by entering a code during registration, a minimum of two (2) cash games, with a total of $10 or more in entry fees, must first be played. Additional restrictions may apply to bonus withdrawals. For additional information on cash bonuses and promotions, please see the Virgin Gaming Terms and Conditions.

Refer A Friend Bonus

Referring a friend earns you $10; $5 cash and $5 earnable. The referred gamer must be at least 18 years old, and a resident of a state or country in which skilled gaming is legal, and must make a deposit in order for you to receive your bonus. No person is allowed two (or more) accounts, and any person found having two accounts is subject to account suspension and/or termination for all accounts. The earnable bonus is only valid for 60 days. You may not withdraw the promotional funds before the 60 day period. Any excess funds a user receives may be withdrawn. This promotional offer is only available to members who are eligible to fund their accounts.