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PokerStars Objects to 888 Ads Claiming to be "Best"

 Bonus and VIP programs of various online poker and gambling sites often have a tendency to proclaim the offers available as too good to pass up. However, the Rational Group felt that 888 Holdings went a bit too far in a recent ad campaign and took the issue up with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

888 displayed several banners on its casino website touting that it offered the “best VIP promotions anywhere,” the “best VIP program around,” and even the “best benefits, bonuses, promotions and exclusive event offers anywhere online.” The parent company of PokerStars and Full Tilt took offense at 888's bold proclamations and persuaded the ASA to force the removal of said banners, eGR reported.
In siding with PokerStars, who has in the past been cited as one of the "best workplaces" in the UK and Isle of Man, the ASA ruled that the statements put forth by 888 were "misleading." The regulating body on advertising found that 888 was not able to make such claims without comparing their bonuses and promotions with their competitors and finding the proclamations to be true.
888 admitted that it had not done a comparative study, but argued that many gaming companies, including PokerStars, made somewhat similar claims and that consumers were aware that such marketing strategies should not always be taken literally. The ASA was not swayed and warned 888 to tread lightly when making such "best" claims henceforth.
Author: Ekaterina
21 . 11 . 2013 y.
Bitcoin Value Increase Sparks Interest Among Poker Players

 Bitcoin has yet to be fully embraced by the online poker industry, with only a handful of sites offering the digital currency as a payment processing option.

However, that may change in the future, especially considering a somewhat renewed popularity in Bitcoin that is centered around a recent spike in value. Trading of the virtual currency skyrocketed to more than $900 earlier this week, before a downward slide in less than an hour's time sent the value back down to around $650.
Just last week, the price of a Bitcoin reached an all-time high of $400. The fact that the digital currency more than doubled in value momentarily after achieving a previous high only days before had many investors taking notice. Also noticing were online poker players, who tend to look for value beyond overlays and favorable pot odds.
The temporary huge gain in valuation was attributed to a U.S. Congressional hearing on digital currency, the first of its kind. Legislators debated the potential risks of Internet currencies at the Monday sit-down and considered possible regulation, CoinDesk reported.
Chief among the concerns of U.S. lawmakers is the need to combat illicit activities such as money laundering that the nearly-anonymous trading of Bitcoin attracts among society's criminal element. Regulation may go a long way in controlling some of the illegal behavior associated with the online currency, but may also go against the intent of its proponents.
The Congressional hearing that lasted about three hours did a bit more than create a temporary jump in value for Bitcoin. It also allowed the virtual currency to gain a certain degree of legitimacy. That apparently may bode well for poker sites whose cashier cages accept Bitcoin.
Take SealswithClubs, for instance.The U.S-friendly poker site uses Bitcoin exclusively and has seen a surge in traffic of late, according to PokerScout. Ranked 37th on the global online poker industry charts, SealswithClubs now clocks in with a seven-day average of 130 cash players. That's a far cry from the numbers posted just a couple months ago and may signal a developing trend of greater acceptance toward Bitcoin.
CoinDesk reports that there are roughly 12 million Bitcoin in existence and more than 50,000 are transacted per hour. The virtual currency is trading at slightly higher than $650 as of this writing. Considering that the value was around $70 about five months ago, investors (and poker players) who had the foresight to buy low are now reaping a windfall similar to that of winning a major poker tournament.
 
Author: Ekatetrina
21 . 11 . 2013 y.
Gaming Lawyer: China Would Benefit From Online Gaming Regulation

 A prominent US online gaming lawyer has said that China would benefit from legalising and regulating online gaming.

According to the Macau Daily Times, Anthony Cabot made the comments at a gaming summit in Macau recently. Cabot is a partner at Lewis Roca Rothberger which, according to the law firm’s website, offers services on ‘interactive gaming,’ ‘gaming’ and ‘tribal affairs and gaming.’
Cabot said that there were players in the online gaming industry who were already targeting potential Chinese customers, which showed there was significant interest in online gaming from China. “Right now, almost 200 gaming sites are available in Chinese languages and about 20 accept Chinese Renminbi and 14 accept Hong Kong dollars,” he said.
Another point that was raised by Cabot during the summit was his belief that most people engage in online gaming on illegal sites due to the fact “they don’t need to pay tax.” Cabot was quoted as saying that the Chinese government could take advantage of this by “permitting financial transactions at lower costs than the illegal sites.”
In a financial context, Cabot’s sentiments and suggestions are certainly viable. Many Chinese pursue live gaming as a pastime, with the bulk of casino patrons in the gaming enclave of Macau coming from mainland China.
Should even a minority of those patrons take up gaming online, it would likely lead to growing revenue for gaming companies and the economies in which they are based. A number of poker tournaments have also been aired in China in recent years, which has helped lead to a growing awareness and popularity of the game in the country.
The growing number of poker events held in Macau, such as the Macau Poker Cup and the Asia Championship of Poker (ACOP), have also attracted many Chinese participants, which has also played a part in greater awareness of the game.
Government regulation of online gaming is not something that should be done overnight as doing it right takes widespread consultation and formulation of clear cut plans and policies. However, in the long term, online gaming regulation could be an added benefit to the already growing economy of China.
Author: Ekaterina
20 . 11 . 2013 y.
AGA President Expresses Support For Online Gaming

 US gaming entrepreneur Sheldon Adelson made headlines earlier this week after the 79-year-old revealed plans to launch a campaign for a federal ban on online gaming in the US in 2014.

The owner of the Las Vegas Sands group has made his anti-online gaming views clear and he intends to show how children and other Americans could be adversely affected by what he sees as the perils of playing online.
Those plans, however, were always going to have their fair share of critics. It was only a matter of time before those critics stepped up to the plate and voiced a stance opposite that of Adelson. Well, the American Gaming Association (AGA) has come out as one of those critics, having outlined their opposition to any moves to ban online gaming in the US.
In a statement that did not directly mention Adelson or his campaign plans, AGA President and CEO Geoff Freeman said regulated online gaming in the US will yield more benefits than disadvantages.
“Time and again, government efforts to prohibit use of everyday products have failed. In 2012, Americans spent nearly $3 billion gambling with rogue offshore operators. The Internet cannot be forced back into the bottle - nor can market demand.
“We support pragmatism and strong regulation of online gaming that protects consumers, prevents underage play, ensures the integrity of the games and empowers law enforcement.”
Freeman also expressed caution on a blanket ban on online gaming in the US as he believed it would lead to a variety of disadvantages for the country. “New government efforts to prohibit online gaming will unintentionally strengthen black market providers, create more risk for American consumers, including children, and drive U.S. jobs and potential revenues overseas.”
There is some irony in this situation as Adelson’s Las Vegas group is a member of the AGA. However, it is obvious that the online gaming views of Adelson and the AGA President transcend any general gaming bond that may exist through Adelson's ownership of various bricks and mortar casinos.
Freeman’s comments are likely to be echoed by many of those in the poker and gaming industry as well as some members of the public. News of Adelson’s plans to launch a campaign is also quite fresh, which means other figures with views similar to Freeman’s are also likely to speak out in the coming days and weeks.
While major opposition to Adelson’s online gaming views and impending campaign is to be expected, the businessman’s wealth, political clout and almost obsessive views on online gaming will likely mean his campaign will go on regardless.
The main question is just how successful his campaign will be in swaying the US government and the US public.  
Author: Ekaterina
20 . 11 . 2013 y.
Full Tilt Petitions for Remission Accepted Beyond Deadline

 The Full Tilt remission process has been a work in progress from the beginning, with the Garden City Group (GCG) amending various rules and requirements regarding player submissions throughout the two-month ordeal that claims had been accepted.

Another update was issued today by the GCG on the FAQ page of the official FullTiltPokerClaims.com website. While we were previously led to believe that November 16 was the cut-off date for filing Petitions for Remission, the GCG is now relaxing strict adherence to that deadline. From the website:
"The deadline to submit a Petition for Remission was Saturday, November 16, 2013. If you have not yet submitted your Petition, you may still do so. However, please be advised that there is no guarantee that late-filed Petitions will be accepted."
Apparently, while GCG administrators continue analyzing the claims received thus far, they won't mind if a few more trickle in beyond the previous deadline. It is hard to imagine that players who are owed a substantial amount of cash have not yet filed to recoup those funds. But human nature being what it is, a number of procrastinators will likely benefit from the GCG's lax requirements regarding the submission deadline.
Author: Ekaterina
20 . 11 . 2013 y.
Full Tilt Remission Website Confirms Payments by March 31, 2014

 The deadline for submitting claims in the Full Tilt Poker remission process is upon us, as today marks the last day that claims administrator Garden City Group (GCG) will accept filings from U.S. players not flagged as affiliates or pros.

GCG officials updated the site yesterday to confirm what the Poker Players Alliance had alluded to previously. That payments for undisputed balances will reach claimants in Q1 of 2014. From the official website:
"We are in the process of reviewing Petitions filed by Petitioners who confirmed their balances online and who have not disputed their FTP Account Balance or submitted multiple Petitions. We expect payments to be made with respect to such Petitions with confirmed balances by March 31, 2014."
So the long wait for reimbursement by U.S. players that began in mid-2011 is indeed nearing its end. It will have taken almost three years for players with undisputed balances to be reunited with their funds. The old adage that good things come to those who wait may apply in this instance.
The waiting will continue for petitioners labeled as affiliates, however, who remain at the mercy of additional scrutiny by the GCG. Those players will reportedly receive emails instructing them how to complete the submission process after the GCG has determined the additional documentation or information required. Those affiliates will have 30 days from receipt of the emails to comply with GCG directives.
The Full Tilt remission website established by the GCG was also updated yesterday to include information regarding Full Tilt pros. The DoJ has ruled that "the only Pros who will be deemed ineligible to participate in this remission process are Team Full Tilt players and other players who were playing with funds from FTP or who were compensated by FTP to play on the FTP site."
In conjunction with the DoJ, the GCG is reviewing the statuses of players who have been identified as Full Tilt pros and therefore ineligible for reimbursement. Those found to be eligible following the review will receive emails in much the same way as that of affiliates, requiring instructions to be followed within 30 days.
Players who tend to procrastinate and have yet to file a Petition for Remission need to do so by the end of the day today. None will be accepted after today, except from those U.S. Full Tilt players labeled as affiliates or pros who are awaiting additional instructions.
Author: Ekaterina
19 . 11 . 2013 y.
Sheldon Adelson to Launch Campaign for US Online Gaming Ban

 Gaming and casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson has made his less than favourable feelings about online gaming very public and very clear – he does not like its existence.

Now the 79-year-old billionaire has outlined aims to take his anti-online gaming views one step further by preparing to launch a public campaign to raise awareness of what he sees as the perils of online gaming.
Adelson made headlines back in June when he wrote a piece in Forbes magazine blasting online gaming, describe it as being “fool’s gold” and said it allowed players to “lose their house” from the click of a mouse. In the same piece he also called for the US government to ban online gaming nationwide as he believed it was “a societal train wreck waiting to happen.”
Those comments were met with harsh criticism by many in the poker and gaming communities, a number of whom saw the comments as narrow-minded and inaccurate. However, that does not appear to have stopped Adelson and his quest to see a US-wide ban on online poker and gaming in general.
The owner of the Las Vegas Sands aims to put forward a campaign that shows online gaming as being a “danger to children, the poor and others who could be exploited by easy access to Internet betting.” Adelson is taking his anti-online gaming campaign so seriously that he has hired lobbyists and public relations experts to help make it as effective as possible.
Currently, there are three states in the US – Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey – that regulate online gaming. There is also the potential for more states to join the mix should the markets in those three states be successful and sustainable.
That may be a key reason why Adelson has chosen to create a campaign to encourage a nationwide ban on online gaming – to try and sway opinions on it while regulation is still in its relative infancy.
Adelson’s proposed campaign is something that proponents of online gaming should not take lightly. Along with his immense wealth, Adelson also holds some influence over sections of US politics and is a donor to numerous Republican Party causes.
Those two attributes will be an asset in Adelson’s push to seek a ban on online gaming, but he will also face his fair share of opposition once the campaign kicks off. Among that opposition will, of course, be much of the poker community.
Some members of the poker community have already voiced their opposition to news of a campaign. Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas was quoted by the Washington Post as saying he believes many Americans are for online gaming, which will lead to a win for the pro-online gaming side.
Whatever, if anything, happens as a result of the impending campaign, it appears that online gaming will be widely debated in the US in 2014.
Author: Ekaterina
19 . 11 . 2013 y.
Everest Poker Eyes Top of French Online Poker Market

 Everest Poker is back and wants to spoil the plans of PokerStars and Winamax in the French online gambling market.

BetClic Everest Group announced at a press conference the relaunch of the Everest Poker brand in an attempt to revive its business in France after a major restructuring the last couple of years. The company wants to increase its current 8% online poker market share in France by 50% next year.
“From a strategic point of view, BetClic can say ‘we’re purely a betting operator’ or we can do more than that and we have a brand like Everest Poker and there’s really something to be done with it. It won’t be easy and the market is in a difficult place at the moment but the timing is good and when we look at what we’ve been able to do in online betting, a market that is very heavily taxed with very strict working conditions, there’s no reason we can’t succeed in poker,” BetClic Everest Group chief executive Isabelle Andres told iGamingBusiness.
The French online poker market is currently on a major downswing, according to the regulatory body Autorité de Regulation des Jeux en Ligne (ARJEL). The poker gross gambling revenue has decreased by 17% in the third quarter of 2013, down to €58 million, compared with the same period of 2012. Also, the total amount staked on online poker fell 21%, the biggest quarterly downfall since the French market opened in 2010.
“We see a decline in the poker market in France but we still think it remains a significant market. Some operators left the market so there is more room for the ones that are remaining and we definitely think there is a challenger place up for grabs,” Andres told eGamingReview.
So far, the French online poker market has two clear leaders – Winamax and PokerStars.fr. Everest has high hopes that it will defeat the other two major contenders – Partypoker.fr and PMU Poker – for third place and become a real threat to the top two. And the plan is set: a new loyalty programme, a new Everest.fr mobile application, plus a major three-month media campaign. Not to mention the successful migration to the Playtech iPoker network that will put the company in a strong position.
“After the migration to the iPoker network, which took us some time to improve our offering, we believe that we now have a good product. We have some features which are really exciting, a strong product and also a historical brand,” the chief executive added.
Author: Ekaterina
18 . 11 . 2013 y.
iPoker Announces Changes to Benefit Players

 iPoker, the world's leading online poker network, has announced the coming implementation of a new optimization plan designed to enhance the poker experience for players.

The overall goal of the new plan is to provide players with a "better and simpler poker offering," iPoker Network Operations Manager Asaf Younger told PokerUpdate. This will be accomplished by making several changes that take into account both market trends and network statistics.
First on the list is a currency consolidation scheme that will phase out the usage of U.S. dollars on the tables. Currently, USD is the main currency at iPoker, but network activity shows that GBP and Euro tables have acquired a popularity that is equivalent or higher than that of American legal tender. This phase out includes cash and tournament action at iPoker.
Secondly, iPoker players have voiced their preference for "fun, fast, and easy to find games." With that in mind, the network will embark on condensing the lobby offerings "by having less negligible sitting options" in order to make accessing the games a much smoother process.
Players needn't worry over whether or not their favorite game variants will be streamlined. They won't. The choices will, however, be more "clear, simple and accessible." This change is also being made with an eye toward the popularity of mobile gambling and providing players on the go with greater ease in navigating from table to table.
The third matter to be addressed in iPoker's optimization plan is keeping in line with market trends. iPoker has always been keen on enriching game selections such as hosting Shootout and KO tournaments, as well as adding antes at various cash tables. The network will continue to "update our games selection with recent industry trends" in order to provide a pleasing portfolio of games to its valuable players.
Lastly, but perhaps most important to many, is protecting player funds. iPoker has undertaken an intense analysis of the losses suffered per player at every stake level offered. This investigation has resulted in the identification of specific segments that need to be removed "in order to protect our players and allow them a longer playing time for their deposit."
iPoker will commence to remove those segments with the aim of protecting less-skilled players. The entire online poker industry is currently shifting in the direction of improvements toward recreational players and iPoker has long been at the forefront of such efforts.
Further details that include actions and timelines regarding the new optimization plan at iPoker will be revealed next week, PokerUpdate has learned. The changes being readied are certain to improve upon the poker-playing experience at iPoker. The network's efforts will serve the purpose of allowing players who log on and play at iPoker skins to enjoy their time spent on the virtual felt even more than those players have been accustomed to in the past.
 
Author: Ekaterina
18 . 11 . 2013 y.
Online Poker Only Industry in California a Future Possibility: Commissioner

 The legalisation and regulation of online gaming is something that has been in the cards for the US state of California for quite some time now.

A number of meetings have been undertaken between state government figures and various tribes (who operate a large number of gaming establishments in California) throughout the year. Those interactions resulted in the possibility of a proposal for the legalisation of online gaming to be put forward to the state’s congress.
Such a proposal has not been passed in the state as of yet, but the Commissioner of California’s Gambling Control Commission has expressed his optimism at online poker eventually being regulated in the state. Richard Schuetz, who has been the head of the Commission since 2011, was reported as saying that an online poker market in California could be successful in its own right.
“We have 38 million people,” he said. “We’re the eighth largest economy in the world. We’re bigger than Canada, so it’s not a case like Nevada that has 2.7 million people. We have more poker tables in the state of California than every other state in the nation.”
Schuetz also said that it would be more difficult to regulate other forms of online gaming due to its potential effects on some of the tribal-owned casinos in California.
While there is realistic potential for online poker to be regulated in California, it is unlikely to come anytime soon. That is because a state election is expected to be called and carried out sometime in 2014, which makes it unlikely for most major reforms to be undertaken by the government.
The assertion that a California online poker market could be successful without interstate compacts, should a state market eventually be established and regulated, certainly has strong merit. California's population is more than triple that of Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey combined, which are the only US states that have legalized online poker and gambling to date.
If poker would be the only game offered online in California, the high population could help lead to decent traffic numbers on state poker sites, provided they are of good quality. Two poker sites – Ultimate Poker and WSOP - currently operate in the neighboring state of Nevada, which has a population of just 2.7 million people.
According to PokerScout, Ultimate Poker has a seven-day player average of 100, while WSOP has an average of 120 for the same period. If those numbers, in terms of population percentage, were replicated in California, it would likely mean major success for the poker sites that would operate in the state.
However, that could also lead to a greater number of companies who wish to operate in California, which could also lead to poker traffic being spread out over a wider range of sites.
Author: Ekaterina
18 . 11 . 2013 y.
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