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Posts Tagged ‘Poker Room’
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
There is more updated news on the Full Tilt Poker front as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has agreed to a deal that would see Groupe Bernard Tapie purchase the assets of the floundering online poker room: IF the current ownership agrees to forfeit those assets to the DOJ according to an article that appeared on money.cnn.com this past Friday.
The deal would call for the DOJ to make restitution to US players that have been unable to withdraw some $150 million from the site since Black Friday, while Groupe Bernard Tapie would take on the responsibility of repaying players from the rest of the world. However, it was implied by Full Tilt Poker attorney Jeff Ifrah that a 100% payment is not guaranteed, and that players would have to fill out a request to the DOJ.
If payments on account balances are not 100% guaranteed, it’s quite unlikely that the DOJ would honor Full Tilt Poker Points accumulated by players, some having amassed tens of thousands of dollars worth of these now potentially worthless points.
Groupe Bernard Tapie would shell out $80 million for the assets, which when combined with the up to $250 million owed by Full Tilt poker to players from the rest of the world makes this a huge amount of capitol to sink into the poker room.
By agreeing to forfeit their assets, Full Tilt Poker will have the civil complaints dropped against the site itself (although charges would still remain against key individuals specifically named by the DOJ).
Tags: Account Balances, Assets, Bernard Tapie, Black Friday, Civil Complaints, Cnn, Department Of Justice, Doj, Full Tilt Poker, Gbt, Money, online poker, Poker Players, Poker Room, Rest Of The World, Restitution, Tens Of Thousands, Thousands Of Dollars, Us Department Of Justice
Posted in Online Poker, Poker Industry News | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Another prominent member of Team Full Tilt Poker has decided to break their silence regarding their role with the ailing online poker room. This time it was PokerTube.com that got the exclusive interview, talking to Patrik Antonius while the poker superstar was in Cannes for the World Series of Poker Europe tournament series.
Antonius was emphatic in stating that he had nothing to do with the management of Full Tilt Poker, and was strictly under a “marketing contract” with the site. He went on to state that if the site does become insolvent he will be one of the biggest losers due to the amount of money still locked-up in his Full Tilt Poker account –according to Antonius the amount is so large that even the amount he has been paid since becoming a Full Tilt Poker Pro wouldn’t cover it!
According to Antonius, he knows less than most of the poker media that have been following the story, telling PokerTube.com: “I feel like when I read the news, they know much more about it than I do. Nobody talks to me, so I am always the last person to know… I did call Howard in the beginning of the summer, and I was supposed to meet him. But I was too busy, and I don’t even know if he was in Las Vegas. This was before they lost their license, though… Everyone in the poker industry should care about this. It’s hurting the reputation of poker a lot, and this makes me very sad,”
Antonius has now joined other Team Full Tilt Poker Pros Tom Dwan and Mike Matusow as vocal critics of their former employer.
Tags: Amount Of Money, Biggest Losers, Cannes, Chats, Europe, Full Tilt Poker, Las Vegas, Marketing, Mike Matusow, online poker, Poker Pros, Poker Room, Reputation, Sad, Series Of Poker, Silence, Tom Dwan, Vocal Critics, World Series, World Series Of Poker
Posted in Online Poker, Poker News | No Comments »
Thursday, September 29th, 2011
Full Tilt poker attorney Jeff Ifrah once again gave an exclusive statement to PokerStrategy.com regarding the possible deal that would see a French investment group take over the ailing online poker room. Ifrah told PokerStrategy.com that he was recently in France to help with the negotiations, and that the only major sticking point still remaining was the state of Full Tilt poker’s Aldernay Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) license –which if revoked is apparently the deal-breaker.
Here are Ifrah’s comments to PokerStrategy.com:
“The investors are totally committed to doing this- we’ve met with them and seen the funds. Their primary concern right now is the AGCC’s decision on Full Tilt’s license. The investor’s position is that if Alderney revokes the license, they won’t go through with the deal because it makes things too difficult.”
“They called and volunteered to discuss their commitment directly with the commissioners. Without hesitation, they are prepared to review the terms of their offer. Additionally, they’ve hired a prominent and respected lawyer in the gaming industry and are setting up a meeting with the DOJ to try and work out the issues Full Tilt has in the U.S.”
The group is rumored to be fronted by French businessman Laurent Tapie, who would infuse the company with enough capital to repay customers around the world as well as settle the civil case brought against Full Tilt poker by the US Department of Justice.
While these deals can fall apart at just about any moment during the proceedings, the fact that there are still viable investors for Full Tilt poker will be viewed as really, really, good news for the thousands of players who have nearly $400 million in funds frozen on the site.
Tags: Agcc, Alderney, Businessman, Civil Case, Department Of Justice, Doj, Full Tilt Poker, Gambling Control, Gaming Industry, Hesitation, Investment Group, Laurent Tapie, Lawyer, Negotiations, online poker, Poker Gambling, Poker Room, Proceedings, Sticking Point, Us Department Of Justice
Posted in Online Poker, Poker Industry News | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011
On June 15th the Pinnacle Poker Room will close its doors permanently as the site was told by the Entraction Poker Network that the current Pinnacle license – Pinnacle Poker is currently licensed by Curacao– is not up to snuff with current European Union Gaming regulation.
The news was released in a statement on the Pinnacle Poker website:
“The Entraction Poker Network has advised us that due to recent updates to EU gaming regulation, our current Curacao license is no longer accepted within their network. The steps required to remain within the Entraction Network will necessitate a significant commitment for Pinnacle Poker. Given that our current focus is on developing our leading Sportsbook and Casino products, we have decided not to pursue the necessary changes.”
A Pinnacle representative went on to layout the timetable for the removal of the site from the Entraction Poker Network, stating that players will no longer be able to deposit into their Pinnacle Poker funds after June 9th, and the client will be permanently shut-down on June 15th.
Players were advised to move their poker funds into their sportsbook accounts by June 15th. The following disclaimer was also included in the official statement: “Please be aware that Pinnacle Sports Poker will not be responsible for any tournament fees incurred, or potential winnings of poker hands currently in-play at the time that we are removed from the Entraction Network.”
Tags: Casino Products, Current, Doors, European Union, Gaming Regulation, Pinnacle Sports, Poker Hands, Poker Network, Poker Room, Recent Updates, Sportsbook, Timetable
Posted in Poker Industry News | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011
After his three bracelet performance in the 2009 World Series of Poker –winning a bracelet in three different Stud disciplines: Seven-Card-Stud, Seven-Card-Stud hi/lo, and Razz—it seemed almost a foregone conclusion that Jeffrey Lisandro would land a sponsorship deal at a major online poker room… which somehow never came to fruition.
Two years later Lisandro has finally landed that sponsorship deal, but it’s not with Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars –who have their own issues after Black Friday—instead Lisandro landed at Matchbook.com as a Worldwide Ambassador for the gaming giant.
The announcement was made in a press release issued on June 13: “Matchbook.com and Check Raise Management are delighted to announce the signing of poker pro Jeffrey Lisandro; the all time Italian number one and five time World Series of Poker bracelet winner.”
Lisandro talked about the signing in the official press release, saying, “I’m truly delighted to be part of Matchbook, I’m looking forward to representing the brand on my travels around the world. My first competitive stop as an Ambassador is the World Series Of Poker where I’ll be announcing a whole range of exclusive poker markets at Matchbook.com. I am hungry for more bracelets, I plan to play as much as possible and if the cards fall my way I am confident I can add more titles at WSOP 2011″.
Matchbook.com came under new ownership in 2011, and after leaving the US market in February has been thriving in Europe. While the new ownership group remains a mystery, several sources have pointed to a collection of big name European Poker players having purchased the site.
Tags: Ambassador, Black Friday, Card Stud, Disciplines, Foregone Conclusion, Fruition, Full Tilt Poker, Gaming Giant, Jeffrey Lisandro, online poker, Ownership Group, Poker Players, Poker Pro, Poker Room, Press Release, Sponsorship Deal, Time World, World Series, World Series Of Poker, WSOP
Posted in Online Poker, Poker News | No Comments »
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
It was just a week ago that Doyle Brunson and his eponymously named online poker room DoylesRoom.com decided to part ways –details of any buyout/severance pay were not disclosed—and here we are on Monday learning that DoylesRoom.com is one of ten online gaming sites named in the second case filed by the DOJ against offshore gaming providers.
In an interview from March 1, 2010 with Nathan Vardi of Forbes.com, Brunson opined about the potential for trouble between the US Department of Justice and the online poker rooms, telling Vardi: “I don’t have a problem with the Justice Department, and I hope they don’t have a problem with me… At my age I really don’t care if they are going to cast the gauntlet… The poker industry as a whole is ready to have a fight,” From these comments it would seem that Brunson’s foreshadowing skills are as legendary as his poker skills.
Brunson was one of the most outspoken critics of former Party Poker founder/owner Anarug Dikshit who plead guilty to violating US gambling laws and reportedly paid a hefty fine in the $300 million range a few years ago, in exchange for not serving any jail time. At the time Brunson stated that he felt Dikshit had thrown the entire online poker industry under the bus by pleading guilty.
Now in the wake of Black Friday, it looks as if there will be more people who will be entering guilty pleas and working with the government, which was likely the reason for Doyle’s decision to depart Doyles Room –although he claimed to simply be a sponsored pro and leasing his name and image to help brand the site. However you slice, Doyle once again was dealt a Ten-Deuce off-suit and came out a winner thanks to some good timing and a whole lot of luck!
Tags: Black Friday, Deuce, Dikshit, Doj, Doyle Brunson, Doylesroom, Gaming Sites, Gauntlet, Guilty Pleas, Impeccable Timing, Jail Time, Offshore Gaming, Online Poker Rooms, Outspoken Critics, Party Poker, Poker Room, Poker Skills, Severance Pay, Us Department Of Justice, Vardi
Posted in Poker Industry News | No Comments »
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
The first laid-off poker pro from UB Poker has now landed a new sponsorship deal, but it’s not with another online poker room, as word came down last week that Maria Ho inked a deal with WinStar World Casino to represent the brick and mortar casino’s poker room as a spokesperson.
Ho will join 2004 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Raymer as spokespeople for the casino, where her duties will include print and television ad campaigns as well as participating in the casino’s poker tournaments and satellites, including the annual River Poker Series.
Ho told PokerNews.com, “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity to work with WinStar. Their casino is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I could stay there for days without ever stepping outside!” Ho went on to say, “From my past experiences, the people who I’ve met and played with at the tables have a warmth and love for the game that is refreshing and reminds me why I love to play. I’m looking forward to spending more time there,”
The assistant general manager of WinStar world Casino, Michael McEwan, also spoke to PokerNews.com regarding the deal, saying, “We are honored to have Maria Ho represent WinStar World Casino in the 2011 Guaranteed $3,000,000 River Poker Series. She is a well-respected and often emulated poker player who we feel will be relatable to our patrons and to players across the nation,”
With online poker effectively banned in the US, deals like Maria Ho’s, Greg Raymer’s, Bernard Lee’s (Lee represents Foxwoods Casino), and Darvin Moon’s (Moon represents the Heartland Poker Tour), could start to become the norm instead of the exceptions.
Tags: 2004 World Series Of Poker, 2004 World Series Of Poker Champion, Brick And Mortar, Greg Raymer, Heartland, Michael Mcewan, online poker, Patrons, Poker Player, Poker Room, Poker Tournaments, Spokespeople, Spokesperson, Sponsorship Deal, Television Ad Campaigns, Warmth, World Casino, World Series, World Series Of Poker, World Series Of Poker Champion
Posted in Online Poker, Poker News | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
In the wake of Black Friday the poker world has undergone a number changes with everything from US access restricted, to indictments and criminal activity uncovered. Even tournament attendance, and televised poker shows have been unable to avoid the fallout of Black Friday, and the latest news has to do with the PPA, as Poker Players Alliance Board of Directors member Rich Muny announced on 2+2 that both Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer have stepped down as PPA Board of Directors members.
Both Lederer and Ferguson joined the PPA in its infancy in 2006, despite being members of Team Full Tilt Poker –officially Lederer is a consultant of some sort for PocketKings, the parent company of Full Tilt Poker; while Ferguson was part of the team that developed the Full Tilt Poker software. That said; it’s widely accepted that they are involved in the ownership/management of Full Tilt Poker as well, making them both potential targets for the US Government.
Frankly, the involvement of people even whispered as being part of the ownership of a major online poker room was a terrible decision for the PPA’s Board of Directors. Not only does this present a major conflict of interest, but it also marginalizes the PPA’s influence as it pushes forward the online poker agenda.
While a number of Team Full Tilt Poker pros registered for the WPT Championship currently underway at the Bellagio, Lederer and Ferguson were both noticeable no-shows, further hinting that the duo may be fearful of prosecution by the US government, which could unseal another indictment just as fast as the one they blindsided the poker world on April 15, 2011.
Thus far only four of the 11 people indicted on Black Friday have been apprehended, and none of the four are from the poker sites themselves.
Tags: Alliance Board, Bellagio, Black Friday, Chris Ferguson, Conflict Of Interest, Full Tilt Poker, Howard Lederer, Indictments, Muny, Number Changes, online poker, Ownership Management, Poker Players, Poker Pros, Poker Room, Poker Sites, Poker Software, Poker World, S Board, Televised Poker
Posted in Online Poker, Poker News | No Comments »
Friday, May 13th, 2011
It’s hard to believe that it has only been one year since the Aria Casino in Las Vegas opened their high-stakes poker section known as ‘Ivey’s Room’ –it just seems as if it has been so much longer—and in honor of the one-year anniversary the Aria has decided to bring back the tournament that opened the room a year ago; the 2nd Annual Ivey Invitational on May 21, 2011.
The tournament will be hosted by actress/poker player Shannon Elizabeth and will feature a $250,000 first-place prize, with the winner having a chance to double that amount should he or she best Phil Ivey in a heads-up duel after the tournament concludes.
In a press release, Bill McBeath, president and chief operating officer of ARIA stated, “We have been extremely pleased with the success of The Ivey Room since its 2010 debut; it has quickly become the foremost room for high-stakes action. We are grateful to have a long-standing relationship with Phil as he remains one of the elite players in the world of poker.”
The Aria is one of the most state of the art luxury casinos on the Las Vegas strip, and its poker room boasts a total of 24 tables, 18 on the main floor, 5 in an elevated high-limit section, and of course the big kahuna, the single ultra-high-stakes table located in the private “Ivey’s Room” section.
Tags: Actress, Aria, Big Kahuna, Chief Operating Officer, Debut, Elite Players, High Limit, High Stakes Poker, Las Vegas, Luxury Casinos, Poker Player, Poker Room, Press Release, Relationship, Shannon Elizabeth, State Of The Art, Strip Poker, Vegas Strip, World Of Poker, Year Anniversary
Posted in Poker Industry News | No Comments »
Monday, April 18th, 2011
After the seizure of the PokerStars.com domain name the world’s largest online poker room has decided to make the move to the non-US hosted PokerStars.eu domain in an effort to keep their games up and running for online poker players from around the world.
So, while visitors to the PokerStars.com website are being greeted with the gaudy FBI/DOJ warning, the PokerStars.eu website looks precisely the same as the old .com website; down to Team PokerStars Pro USA members still being listed on the site.
In a statement issued by the site, PokerStars explained the move the .eu website, “The PokerStars website has been moved to www.pokerstars.eu, and the PokerStars Support email address is now support@pokerstars.eu. PokerStars apologizes to all players for any inconvenience caused by this disruption.” He cautioned, however, “Please be aware that PokerStars Support is currently experiencing a very high volume of emails, so response times are delayed. Player emails will be answered as quickly as possible.”
Full Tilt Poker has also moved to its .eu domain, leaving the Full TiltPoker.com website also sporting that less than lovely FBI and DOJ message. Additionally Absolute Poker and UB Poker have also switched to their .eu addresses.
Only time will tell on how this whole situation will play out, and more details are expected to be forthcoming over the next week.
Tags: absolute poker, Addresses, Disruption, Doj, Domain Name, Email Address, Fbi, Full Tilt Poker, Full Tiltpoker, Games, High Volume, Inconvenience, online poker, Poker Players, Poker Room, PokerStars, Response Times, Seizure, ub, Usa Members
Posted in Online Poker, Poker Industry News | No Comments »
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