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UK Gambling Bill Clears House of Lords Vote

 The UK House of Lords has voted its final approval of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) bill that will require operators with UK customers to have a license from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).

Only two amendments were debated: one to do with a horse racing levy, and one concerning gambling advertising. The advertising amendment was rejected, although the UKGC has said that it will conduct a review, to report by the end of the year, which will contain proposals to deal with the issues raised.
The bill will now go to the House of Commons for its final reading and vote, before coming into law, sometime before the House of Parliament breaks for its Summer recess.
The second to the UK’s new regulatory strategy is a Treasury bill which will impose a point of consumption (POC) tax. The POC will apply to revenues generated by UK customers and the Treasury appears set on an initial rate of 15%.
An incentive for companies to bring their gambling revenues onshore is that the new tax will only apply to income generated by UK customers—there will be no gaming taxes on operator’s overseas customers.
The Gibraltar government has seen this as a threat to its own status as a gambling business centre, although at least one major operator, William Hill, has said that it will not be leaving the “Rock” to return to the UK when the new laws are implemented.
Author: Ekaterina
19 . 03 . 2014 y.
Peak Traffic: Nevada Online Poker Market Matches its Population Size

 There are less than six weeks to go until Ultimate Poker (UP) can celebrate its first anniversary, and the anniversary of state-regulated online poker in the US.

But the celebrations will be muted. Since launch there has been no growth in Nevada cash game traffic. The total market size today is no larger than it was just six weeks after UP debuted.
Nevada has a population of 2.75m and total cash game traffic of 180 seats filled, based on 7-day moving average. That is approximately 0.006% of the population sitting playing poker, or about 65 people playing for every million residents.
This ratio is seen elsewhere. France, with a population of 66.6m, is sustaining a market of 4,082—or 61 players per million. Sweden is at 67; Italy is lower, at 55.
Without considering affluence, propensity to gamble or the proximity of highly-populated unregulated markets, the implications are that Nevada has no great market demand waiting to be served.
Using the same rule of thumb, the New Jersey market should have at least 15% growth yet to come. With a population 8.9 million, using the same 65-per-million ratio, we can expect New Jersey to achieve at least 580 cash game seats—up from the current average of just under 500.
Geolocation and financial transaction issues have taken much of the blame for the slow start to the market, and these have certainly had an impact in both Nevada and New Jersey, but it is also possible that the size of the Nevada market that now exists is at its natural peak.
Author: Ekaterina
19 . 03 . 2014 y.
PokerStars Invites Players to Play Against Rafa Nadal on Play Money Facebook

 PokerStars SportsStar Rafa Nadal will be playing for an hour on PokerStars’ play-money Facebook app on Wednesday, March 19.

The game will be a “low stakes” 6-max NL Zoom play money game, meaning that everyone can join the pool and have the opportunity to play against the Tennis champion.
A live webcast of the event will be broadcast on PokerStars.TV, showing a split screen: On one side, players can watch Rafa live as he moves around the Zoom tables; on the other side Daniel Negreanu will be at Rafa’s side offering live commentary and asking viewer questions to Rafa as he plays.
The live stream will also be accessible through the Facebook app itself, and on Youtube.
Though the game is for play money only, a challenge aspect of the game has been added to “Rafa vs the World,” with a running tally of hands won or lost by Rafa on display. PokerStars will make a donation to Care International on behalf of the winning side.
It is the second time PokerStars has run such a promotion: in January it ran something similar on PokerStars Spain, its Spanish-regulated site. That event was on a real money Zoom table—albeit only at NL2—and €3000 was donated on behalf of Nadal, who succeeded in winning more hands than he lost during the hour.
In total 1000 players sat at the Zoom game to play against Nadal, and 10,000 watched the livestream.
PokerStars launched its Facebook App in early 2013, a fully-featured and polished social app that competes directly with Zynga Poker. It includes missions and achievements, virtual items and coins, play money chips purchase, and a full slate of game types options.
The game is promoted primarily on the Facebook platform. However, because the Facebook player pool is shared with the dot-com website, players will also be able to get take part in the event through their download clients too.
Author: Ekaterina
18 . 03 . 2014 y.
PokerStars, Tribes and Bad Actors in California

 Rumors abound that PokerStars and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians in California are working together to oppose any new law which includes a “bad actor” clause that might exclude PokerStars from a state regulated market.

The latest indication comes from a tweet put out by iGamingPlayer:
PokerStars and the Morongo tribe close to a deal in CA. No wonder there is no "bad actor" clause in the bill supported by Morongo.
iGamingPlayer is “the leading licensed affiliate marketing platform in the US,” according to the site’s twitter profile. It operates in all three regulated markets in the US. It later clarified that the information came from “a very good source close to the situation.”
The tweet was followed by a report from Gambling Compliance which reported that PokerStars, Morongo and two cardrooms were in partnership to block online poker legislation with “bad actor” provisions.
PokerStars has not yet been able to secure a New Jersey license, but its attempts to do so indicate that it has a strong interest in gaining a presence in the nascent US market.
California is in many ways the “grand prize.” Its population of 38 million, with an average household income of over $61,000 make it the largest potential single-state market in the US. A “bad actor” clause in a future law could exclude Rational Group from this market.
There are two bills currently on the table in California: AB 2291, from Assemblymember Reginald Jones-Sawyer, and SB 1366, sponsored by State Senator Lou Correa. Competing interests from politicians, existing business and tribes will all need to be reconciled before either bill could pass into law.
Back in 2009, the Chairman of the 1000-strong Morongo Band of Mission Indians Robert Martin set out the tribe’s position on internet gambling in testimony which roundly condemned previous attempts to legislate for online gambling in California.
Since then, the fears that land based casino businesses will be cannibalized by regulated online gaming have been partly dispelled, and the prospects for new opportunities for tribal nations have been increased. The Pala Band of Mission Indians in California is well advanced, having hired former bwin.party CEO Jim Ryan and picked up Phil Ivey as a brand ambassador.
Legislators have also developed a better feel for balancing competing interests—for dividing up the potential pie—and there is now a mood that the onset of California regulated online gaming has become inevitable.
A Rational Group spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on the rumors.
Author: Ekaterina
18 . 03 . 2014 y.
DOJ Rejects Calls to Investigate Senator Harry Reid in Connection to Online Poker Scandal

 The Department of Justice (DOJ) has rejected calls by two Utah prosecutors to investigate allegations against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT).

The allegations refer to whether the politicians asked for or received money or other benefits as the result of providing political favors or taking official action. The allegations particularly refer to contributions for online gaming companies in exchange for political support.
The allegations surfaced last year following claims by Jeremy Johnson, the Utah businessman who has connections to the online-poker payment processing at the center of the events leading to Black Friday, that John Swallow, who became Utah’s Attorney General, helped arrange an attempt to bribe Harry Reid.
Johnson released a tape-recording, allegedly of a conversation between himself and Swallow in support of these allegations. A segment of that recording indicates that Johnson also took part in a deal to send $1 million from Full Tilt to Reid using an intermediary. In exchange, Reid would help in getting a federal bill to legalize online poker.
Swallow resigned his position less than a year after the tape was made publicly available. Mike Lee’s spokesperson stated that no one from the FBI or the prosecutor’s office has contacted the senator with regard to the investigation.
Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for the Harry Reid said the statements by the district attorneys were “a publicity stunt.” He added that the whole affair was “nothing but a fever-brained witch hunt.” Senator Reid continues to work with Nevadan Senator Dean Heller to produce a federal bill that will legalize online poker in the US.
Author: Ekaterina
17 . 03 . 2014 y.
Case Against PokerStars in Illinois Dismissed

 PokerStars’ parent company Rational Group won a dismissal last Friday against a class action lawsuit aiming to reclaim money lost by Illinois players stemming from illegal gambling.

According Ifrah Law, Rational Group’s legal council, the dismissal by District Court Judge David R. Herndon “likely spells end of [the] class action” brought by plaintiff Kelly Sonnenberg.
“This is a major victory for PokerStars and instructive for other online gaming providers facing similar attacks from plaintiffs seeking unjust windfalls,” said Jeff Ifrah, founder of Ifrah Law.
The class action aimed to recover gambling losses of PokerStars’ customers in Illinois. Under Illinois statute, third parties can reclaim money lost in the case of illegal gambling from the winner, as long as the gambler themselves failed to make such a claim within six months.
Sonnenberg is claimed to be the parent of an Illinois online poker player who lost money online on PokerStars.
However, the court ruled that—given that poker is a peer-to-peer game—PokerStars could not be considered the “winner,” but “more akin to a third party service provider that provides a forum for others to play the game,” the Judge ruled, adding that 
that PokerStars “[did] not have a stake in how the game is decided.”
The court also ruled that the claimant failed to define exactly what was lost.
“The first amended complaint is devoid of allegations stating the ‘who,’ ‘what’ and ‘when’ of the losses she seeks to recover,” Herndon said in his dismissal.
Ifrah Law attorney Rachel Hirsch took the opportunity to call it “an incredibly high-stakes case,” with “millions of dollars were at stake.”
 
Author: Ekaterina
17 . 03 . 2014 y.
Delaware Lottery Figures Show Continued Fall in Poker

 The Delaware Lottery has published the revenue results from February which show a 16% fall in poker rake and fees. The four months of figures now available provide a picture of how each of the three licensees is doing in the market.

The amount wagered on table games in February doubled from January’s $1.1m to $2.2m producing net proceeds of $65k. Adding in the $27k of video lottery revenues (slots) produced a total of $92k, which meant that poker’s proceeds of $74k now represent just 44% of the total. That compares with the 76% produced by poker in December’s figures.
The global market hit a peak on January 9, but the Delaware Lottery revenue figures show that Delaware’s market reached its high point some time in December. Projected of revenues of $3.75m forecast before the market opened now look extremely optimistic.
Delaware Park, Harrington and Dover Downs are the casino/racetrack—“racino”—operators with permission to operate online poker, all through the same 888 powered software. They share liquidity, but each operate their own branding and marketing.
The clear leader in the poker market is Delaware Park, which has garnered 62% of the online poker revenues. It marketed effectively in month one, back in November, registering 1480 players, whereas Dover Downs registered 772 and Harrington 402. Delaware Park’s early efforts have slowed—in February it registered just 293 new players, only slightly ahead of Dover Down’s 264.
In a state with a population of under a million people, online poker liquidity was always going to be a problem. Delaware has sought to overcome the issue by signing the first ever interstate compact to share its player pool with Nevada. New Jersey, which has a border with Delaware, may have seemed the natural partner, but political agendas have as yet, failed to coordinate.
There is no firm date for the new agreement to be implemented and in any case, at the moment 888’s All American Poker Network (AAPN) does not have a room in Nevada with which Delaware could share. WSOP.com uses 888 software, but outside of the AAPN network. Delaware’s figures look set to continue at their low level until something changes to give players the liquidity necessary to make online poker attractive.
Author: Ekaterina
14 . 03 . 2014 y.
Poker Refugees Offers All-inclusive Vacation to Mexico … to Grind SCOOP

 Poker Refugees, the relocation service and travel agent dedicated to online poker players, is offering a special two week package to those interested in flying to Mexico to play PokerStars’ largest online tournament series of the calendar year: The Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP).

The package includes airport transport, two weeks accommodation, maid service, high speed internet plus individual internet backup, and access to Poker Refugees staff if any problems or questions arise.
Package prices start from $800-$1200, and rise to $4000 depending on the choice of accommodation—from single occupancy apartments to a poker “grind house” that can accommodate up to six online poker players.
All residencies are in a tourist resort of Playa Del Carmen, an Eastern Mexico city along the Caribbean Sea coast.
The packages will naturally appeal to players who cannot play on PokerStars’ dot-com site from their native country—notably, the United States. However, Poker Refugees stresses that you must fully relocate—i.e. reactive your PokerStars account—before arriving in Mexico.
“Poker Refugees is not part of or affiliated with the PokerStars or SCOOP brands but we respect and comply with Pokerstars Terms & Conditions. If you are from the US, you must already be a fully relocated player before coming down to play,” the site warns.
“You cannot temporarily activate your account for 2 weeks and we will not help you do this; you should already be permanently relocated in order to be eligible for a Poker Refugees SCOOP package.”
Poker Refugees provides a “full relocation service,” where they help you search for property, complete the relevant paperwork, obtain the necessary documents and reactivate your online poker accounts.
Although the cost is not published on the website, when pokerfuse spoke with Poker Refugees back in 2011 when the service began, we were told the relocation process cost $1000 and includes a free consultation to consider your options.
Though not yet finalized, PokerStars published a draft schedule of SCOOP 2014 in late February. The series is slated to run from May 4-18.
Author: Ekaterina
14 . 03 . 2014 y.
Caesars Continues to Narrow the Gap in New Jersey Online Poker Market

 The partnership of Caesars and 888 has pulled even closer to the market leading pairing of partypoker and Borgata in revenue generated from online poker in New Jersey.

Only three percentage points and approximately $98,000 in revenue separated the two market leaders in February, according to revenue figures released Wednesday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Partypoker/Borgata, which share a player pool, jumped out to an early lead in New Jersey capturing almost 60% of the poker revenue in its first full month of December 2013.
Caesars/888, which operate on separate networks, made strides in January, upping its share from 37% in December to 44% in January. As of February, party/Borgata generated half of all internet poker revenues, with Caesars/888 coming in at 47%.
The total revenues from poker came in at $3.1 million—down approximately 10% from the $3.44 million in January; however, with February having three less days, the numbers actually reflect a 2% increase on a per day basis.
Overall online gaming revenue increased 8.9% from January to a total of $10.3 million. The number of internet gaming accounts created also rose, up 25.5% from January to 248,241 total since the soft launch on November 21, 2013.
The only increase in poker revenue was recorded by Ultimate Poker, posting greater than a 6% increase on a month-to-month basis and an almost 18% increase on a per day basis—the success of its NO-verlay promotion launched last month being a likely contributor.
Author: Ekaterina
13 . 03 . 2014 y.
Skrill Returns to Adjarabet After Software Fix

 Skrill has returned to online poker room Adjarabet, following its temporary removal in January due to integration issues.

Georgia-based Adjarabet was virtually unknown outside its home markets in Eastern Europe until it decided to expand and seek customers from further afield in late 2013.
It began to report its traffic numbers to PokerScout, and introduced deposit and withdrawal options suitable for the wider market—Skrill being one of the most important.
Poker Room boss Alastair Ives explained to pokerfuse that when they introduced Skrill they didn’t have their safeguards against fraud right—the subsequent problems led to the facility’s withdrawal.
Ives told pokerfuse that Adjarabet had accounts with most of the major payment processors, but was not going to add them to their system until they got their existing payment systems working.
There remain problems with local banks, which Ives explained was simply a lack of experience with multiple international transactions; Adjarabet hopes to have both Visa and Mastercard transaction options available presently.
The cash out problems which arose so soon after the company launched its campaign to get new players gave rise to immediate complaints on the forums. Now that an acceptable fix is in place, Adjarabet, which is currently 11th in the global cash game traffic rankings, may cautiously continue its campaign of international growth.
Author: Ekaterina
13 . 03 . 2014 y.
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