Thunderpick: FURIA win its World Championship while KYC complaints continue

Image: Thunderpick on X

The Thunderpick World Championship 2026 finished on 18 October at BLAST Studios Malta, and FURIA beat BETBOOM 3-2 in the grand final to win the title for a second year running, according to HLTV. BETBOOM led 2-1 after winning Ancient 19-16 in overtime and Nuke 13-9. FURIA took Dust2 13-6, Mirage 13-11 and Cache 13-6, and it was their first title of 2026.

Kaike "KSCERATO" Cerato was named MVP, his second, with a 1.34 overall rating, per HLTV. The event was announced by Thunderpick itself in a PR Newswire release on 13 August as its fourth edition, held from 14 to 18 October with a $1,000,000 prize pool.

HLTV’s preview, published on 12 October, says eight teams played for the $1 million. Prize money was $500,000, with each placing also earning an equal club share, so the winners received $250,000 plus a $250,000 club share, BETBOOM $125,000 plus the same again, and third-placed Aurora $50,000 plus a $50,000 share. Ninjas in Pyjamas replaced Virtus.pro, which withdrew after visa problems and health problems in its roster.

A big tournament shows a brand is spending money and has a public profile. It says nothing about how the betting site treats withdrawals, which is where player complaints cluster.

Clinton & Co, a UK-based reviewer, read the licence registers in early September and found conflicting records. Its page says the Curaçao register listed licence OGL/2024/677/0722 for Paloma Media B.V. as "Assessment in progress", the Curaçao certificate page described it as granted on 4 June 2025 and "Active", and the Anjouan register listed Napier Ltd under licence ALSI-202501018-FI1, valid to 17 January 2027, covering thunderpick.io. Its reading of the casino’s own pages also gave two different operator names. Those checks are from 3 to 6 September, not this week, and we could not open the casino’s footer ourselves because it returned an error.

The same page says Australia’s media regulator named Thunderpick in December 2023 and issued a formal warning to Paloma Media, and that thunderpick.io was still on its blocked-gambling list as of 20 July 2026. Clinton & Co could not open the warning document, so treat that as a second-hand report. It also records no UK Gambling Commission licence, which means GAMSTOP and UKGC protections do not apply to UK players.

Trustpilot showed Thunderpick at 2.7 out of 5 from 461 reviews on 20 October 2026, with 49% five star and 42% one star. Clinton & Co recorded 2.8 from 420 reviews on 3 September, so the score has slipped a little as the count grew. AskGamblers lists 10 complaints, one resolved and nine unresolved, at a CasinoRank of 6.3 out of 10; the same split was recorded on 3 September, and the page gives no date of its own.

Six reviews are dated 13 to 19 October, and four are negative. On 19 October a reviewer who said he won about $400 on a welcome bonus reported his account suspended at withdrawal with KYC requested by email; Thunderpick replied that verification is a security step and updates come by email. On 16 October another said he sent KYC documents, heard nothing and was still waiting; the reply denied any intent to delay funds. On 14 October a reviewer said his account was blocked after a $200 win and a $150 withdrawal request; the reply said accounts may be restricted during verification. On 13 October one review called the site a scam and said a wallet was switched; the reply said that is not how Thunderpick operates. "Scam" there is the reviewer’s word, not a regulator or court finding.

Not every review is bad. On 15 October a reviewer called withdrawals smooth, and on 14 October another praised a VIP host. Earlier in October reviewers praised instant withdrawals and esports prices. Almost half of Thunderpick’s Trustpilot reviews are five star, and the company replied to nearly every October review we read, even if many replies were generic.

The championship itself is also a point in the brand’s favour as a long-running operator: it was in its fourth edition this year, and FURIA’s 2025 win means the same event has now produced two consecutive champions on the same terms. That is a record of an event running as announced, not evidence about player payouts.

The open question is who the operator and licence holder really are, because that decides where a complaint can go. Watch for a clear statement from Thunderpick, an updated register entry, and any resolution of the AskGamblers complaints. Our Thunderpick review carries the current rating. The casino appears in the crypto casinos hub and in our Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and stablecoin, Solana, altcoin, crypto sportsbook and esports, crypto slots and live dealer guides.

Crypto balances move with the market and transfers are final, and winnings can be held until verification is complete. Gambling is for over-18s only; free, confidential help is at BeGambleAware.

• HLTV: FURIA go back-to-back at Thunderpick World Championship
• HLTV: KSCERATO crowned Thunderpick World Championship 2026 MVP
• HLTV: Thunderpick World Championship teams, format, schedule and prizes
• PR Newswire (Thunderpick): Thunderpick World Championship 2026 returns to Malta
• Trustpilot: Thunderpick reviews
• AskGamblers: Thunderpick Casino review
• Clinton & Co: Thunderpick licence, withdrawal and ADR findings

Who won the Thunderpick World Championship 2026?

FURIA beat BETBOOM 3-2 in the grand final on 18 October 2026 at BLAST Studios Malta, per HLTV, for their second Thunderpick title in a row. The winners took $250,000 plus an equal club share from a $1,000,000 pool, and FURIA’s KSCERATO was named MVP.

Is Thunderpick licensed?

Records conflict. Clinton & Co’s early September check found a Curaçao entry for Paloma Media B.V. marked "Assessment in progress" and a separate Anjouan entry for Napier Ltd valid to 17 January 2027, and the casino’s own pages gave two operator names. We could not open its footer to confirm which is current.

What do players complain about at Thunderpick?

Mostly account suspensions and KYC at withdrawal. October Trustpilot reviews describe wins followed by document requests and pending withdrawals, and AskGamblers lists nine of ten complaints unresolved. Thunderpick replies that verification is a security step. These are player reports, not findings by a regulator or court.

What is Thunderpick’s Trustpilot score?

On 20 October 2026 Trustpilot showed 2.7 out of 5 from 461 reviews, with 49% five star and 42% one star. A September snapshot recorded 2.8 from 420 reviews. Trustpilot does not verify reviews, and the split suggests very different experiences between players.

Can UK players use Thunderpick?

Thunderpick is not shown with a UK Gambling Commission licence, so UK players on the site are outside GAMSTOP and UKGC protections. Clinton & Co recorded no UKGC licence for it. We could not open the casino’s own terms, so check them directly for current country rules.

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