DISPUTE RESOLUTION

1.Purpose

This Complaint & Dispute Resolution Policy ("Policy") establishes the process for handling Player complaints, contest-outcome disputes, payment disputes, and formal grievances on the Deku Studios mobile applications, websites, and related services (collectively, the "Platform"). This Policy is incorporated into and forms part of the Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined here have the meanings given in the Terms of Service.

Our goal is to ensure that all Players have a clear, fair, and timely path to resolution. This Policy is designed to satisfy Section 17 of the Terms of Service and Player-protection expectations of state consumer-protection regulators and our payment-processing partners.

2.Scope

This Policy covers disputes related to contest outcomes (scoring, placement, prize distribution), payment issues (deposits, withdrawals, refunds, chargebacks), account actions (suspension, termination, KYC rejection), anti-cheat enforcement (warnings, suspensions, prize forfeiture), responsible-gaming tool issues, and any other complaint about the Platform or its operation.

3.How to Submit a Dispute

3.1Channels

3.2What to Include

To help us investigate your dispute efficiently, please include your display name or the email associated with your account, the contest ID, transaction ID, or date of the issue (as applicable), a description of the problem and what you believe the correct outcome should be, and any supporting evidence (screenshots, transaction confirmations).

You will receive an automated acknowledgment with a dispute reference number within minutes of submission.

4.Dispute Categories and Procedures

4.1Contest-Outcome Disputes

When: You believe a contest result is incorrect (wrong score, incorrect placement, missing prize).

How to submit: Use the in-app Match Dispute feature at Profile > Help & Support > Dispute a Match. Navigate to Match History, open the match detail, copy the Match ID, and paste it into the dispute form along with a written explanation of the issue.

Eligibility: Disputes must be submitted within forty-eight (48) hours of match completion. Only participants in the match may submit a dispute. Each Player may submit only one (1) dispute per match. Disputes may only be cancelled while in Pending status.

Investigation process:

1. Your dispute is logged in our review queue with status Pending.
2. An admin claims the dispute for review (status moves to Under Review).
3. We retrieve the contest record, including the shared seed (confirming all participants received identical contest conditions), all submitted inputs and their server-side validation results, score calculations per the published scoring rules, and final placements and prize distribution.
4. We verify the server-calculated score matches the published scoring formula.
5. If an error is found: the dispute is approved, scores are recalculated, placements corrected, and prizes adjusted as appropriate. You will be notified with resolution notes.
6. If no error is found: the dispute is denied with a clear explanation of how your score and placement were determined, referencing the applicable scoring rules.

Resolution outcomes: Approved disputes may result in entry-fee refunds, prize adjustments, or other corrective actions at our sole discretion. Denied disputes include written resolution notes visible to you explaining the basis for the decision.

Timeline: Initial claim within one (1) business day. Resolution within three (3) business days.

4.2Payment Disputes

4.2.1Deposit Not Credited

When: Your payment was charged but the deposit was not reflected in your wallet.

We will check the transaction status with our payment provider. If the payment was captured but the wallet credit failed, we will manually credit the wallet and notify you. If the payment was not captured, we will advise that no charge occurred and suggest retrying. If the charge is pending, we will advise you to wait for settlement (typically 1–3 business days for card payments, instant for PayPal).

Timeline: Initial response within one (1) business day. Resolution within three (3) business days.

4.2.2Withdrawal Delayed

When: Your withdrawal has not arrived within the expected processing window.

We will check the withdrawal status and provide updated timing estimates. If the withdrawal failed, we will investigate the failure reason, initiate a retry, and notify you.

Timeline: Initial response within one (1) business day. Resolution within five (5) business days (dependent on payment-provider processing times).

4.2.3Refund Requests

When: You request a refund for a deposit.

Refunds are evaluated against the following criteria:

Timeline: Decision within three (3) business days. Refund processing within five (5) to ten (10) business days (dependent on payment provider).

4.2.4Chargebacks

When: You file a dispute with your bank or card issuer rather than contacting Deku Studios directly.

We strongly encourage you to contact disputes@deku.net before filing a chargeback with your bank. Direct resolution is faster and avoids account consequences.

If a chargeback is filed, we will review the original transaction and your account history, then submit evidence to the payment provider. If the chargeback is upheld by the bank, the amount is deducted from your wallet balance and your account may be suspended until resolved. If the chargeback is reversed in our favor, no further action is needed.

Timeline: Response submitted within five (5) business days of notification. Final resolution depends on bank/card-network timelines (typically 30–90 days).

4.3Account-Action Disputes

4.3.1Anti-Cheat Enforcement Appeals

Appeals must be submitted to fairplay@deku.net within fourteen (14) days. See the Acceptable Use Policy § 9.3 and the Terms of Service § 10.3.

4.3.2KYC Rejection Disputes

If your identity verification was rejected due to document quality, we will advise on how to retry. If you believe the rejection was incorrect, we will escalate to our verification provider for re-evaluation. If suspected fraud, we will explain that the verification cannot be approved and you may provide alternative documentation.

Timeline: Response within three (3) business days.

4.3.3Account-Suspension / Termination Appeals

Submit your appeal to disputes@deku.net with your account identifier and explanation. We will review the original enforcement decision, evidence, and your appeal. If the appeal raises new information, we will re-investigate. The decision is communicated to you via email.

Timeline: Response within five (5) business days. Complex cases may require up to fourteen (14) business days.

4.4Responsible-Gaming Disputes

When: You have an issue with deposit limits, self-exclusion, or other responsible-gaming controls.

If you believe a responsible-gaming restriction was applied in error, we will review your account settings and activity log. Self-exclusion removal requests are subject to the twenty-four (24)-hour cooling-off period (this cannot be waived except in documented error cases). Deposit-limit issues are reviewed against your limit configuration.

Timeline: Response within one (1) business day.

5.Escalation

5.1Internal Escalation

If a dispute cannot be resolved at the initial support level, it is escalated to specialist review (compliance or finance), and then to senior leadership for policy exceptions or final decisions.

5.2External Escalation

If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of the internal dispute process:

Binding Arbitration. Subject to your right to opt out under Section 17.7 of the Terms of Service, unresolved disputes are subject to binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, as described in Section 17.3 of the Terms of Service. Mass-arbitration claims are governed by Section 17.5 of the Terms of Service.

Small Claims Court. You may pursue claims in small-claims court in your jurisdiction as an alternative to arbitration, for claims within the court's jurisdictional limits.

State Consumer-Protection Agencies. You may file complaints with your state's consumer-protection office or attorney general.

We will cooperate in good faith with any external dispute-resolution process.

6.Resolution Outcomes

7.Recordkeeping

All disputes are documented and retained for a minimum of seven (7) years from resolution, including dispute submissions, investigation evidence and findings, resolution decisions, chargeback evidence, and appeal records.

8.Player Protections

8.1No Retaliation

Players will not face adverse account action for filing a good-faith dispute or complaint.

8.2Confidentiality

Dispute investigations may involve reviewing other Players' gameplay data. We do not disclose other Players' personal information or account details to the disputing Player.

8.3Fair Process

All disputes receive a substantive investigation (not a form response). Players are informed of the outcome and the basis for the decision. Players have access to an appeal or escalation path if unsatisfied.

9.Changes to This Policy

We may update this Dispute Resolution Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through the Platform or by email. Your continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

10.Contact

If you need to submit a dispute or have questions about our dispute resolution process, please contact us:

Disputes: disputes@deku.net

General Support: support@deku.net

Mail: Deku Studios LLC, 418 Broadway #11209, Albany, NY 12207

Website: https://deku.net