Poker
Poker News
PokerStars' Hopes of Online License in New Jersey Diminish

 A flurry of activity last Friday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) saw regulators in that state feverishly using their 'Approved' rubber stamp in relation to gaming companies seeking permission to participate in New Jersey's online gambling regime.

DGE officials likely had to moisten their ink pad as gaming licenses were awarded to bwin.party, Caesars Interactive Entertainment and Gamesys, eGR reported. Transactional waivers to operate in the state have also been approved for the likes of SHFL Entertainment, 888, Bally Technologies, Ongame, Cadillac Jack, Betfair, GameAccount Network, CAMS, Fertitta Acquisitionco, and the All American Poker Network.
Notably missing from the wave of approvals was PokerStars and rumors are circulating that DGE regulators may be preparing to dust off their 'Denied' rubber stamp for the world's leading poker site. Nothing is official yet and more is expected to be known on Friday, November 15 when more licenses will be issued. But several media outlets are reporting that PokerStars may not make the cut.
“Our application remains under review by NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement and we remain committed to working with them to complete the process,” tweeted an optimistic Eric Hollreiser, spokesman for parent company Rational Group.
New Jersey officials are perhaps willing to overlook PokerStars' actions that saw them continue catering to the U.S. market after the UIGEA was passed by the Bush administration in 2006. What is apparently holding up PokerStars' approval is the fact that founder Isai Scheinberg remains a fugitive from justice.
Scheinberg was named in the Black Friday allegations with operating an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and violating the UIGEA. The Israeli-Canadian has reportedly not been on American soil for a number of years and likely prefers not to return considering a rendezvous with the feds that includes handcuffs and a jail cell awaits.
But his choice to not face the charges may cost PokerStars entry into the U.S. online gambling market. The company tried to enter via casino ownership of the Atlantic Club earlier this year. That attempt fell flat and 'plan B' was a partnership with the Resorts Casino. But that plan is reportedly now in jeopardy and there is not yet any indication if a 'plan C' has been mapped out.
Mark Scheinberg, Isai's son, is listed as the company CEO. But reports surfaced during the failed Atlantic Club acquisition that father Isai was still calling the shots behind the scenes. Rumors have been swirling that New Jersey officials may require both the father to surrender to authorities and the son to divest himself from any interest in PokerStars before giving the greenlight to operate in New Jersey.
Part of the reason that the Atlantic Club backed out of the deal with PokerStars was the belief that the company would not be able to secure a New Jersey license. Many questioned this reasoning at first because the state removed bad actor provisions from its online gambling statute. But now, it seems, the Atlantic Club was privy to more information than the general public was aware of.
Several more gaming companies are being considered for transactional waivers in New Jersey. Paddy Power, Scientific Games, Williams Interactive, Genesis Gaming and Pala Interactive are among them. Approvals are anticipated later this week. But don't expect PokerStars to be on that list.
Author: Ekaterina
11 . 11 . 2013 y.
US Virgin Islands Internet Gaming Act Legal, Says Attorney General

 The year 2013 has seen some major steps being taken in parts of the US to legalise and regulate online poker.

Up to now, the US states of Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey have passed legislation allowing online gambling in their jurisdictions, and online poker companies have launched in Nevada since then. Real-money online gambling sites will launch in both the other states before the end of the year, with most of the behind the scenes work now in its late stages.
Those three US jurisdictions may soon have a fourth joining its ranks, with the government of the US Virgin Islands officially giving the green light to regulating online gaming, according to Cardplayer.com. The announcement could pave the way for online poker and gaming sites to be launched on the islands, although that is yet to be determined.
Government representatives of the US Virgin Islands said that they hoped the creation of an online gaming industry within their borders would help boost their economy and compliment other already existing industries.
“At a time of unprecedented fiscal crisis, the implementation of Internet Gaming and Gambling will attract gaming related technology companies to the territory, creating new jobs, while transforming St. Croix and the Virgin Islands into a gaming leader in the Caribbean,” a press release said.
The US Virgin Islands had actually passed legislation in its parliament permitting online poker as well as other forms of gaming back in 2001. Known as the Virgin Islands Internet Gaming and Internet Gambling Act, the legislation laid dormant due to a 2004 letter written by then U.S. Attoney to the Virgin Islands, David Nissman.  
The letter stated that the act contravened federal law, which “prohibited all forms of Internet gambling.” However, the US territory’s current Attorney General, Vincent Frazer, has said that the Act is legal, which essentially gives the government the green light to enforce it if it wishes.
While an online gaming industry gives the islands another potential avenue for revenue, there is the potential that any such industry on the US Virgin Islands may be quite small in size. Should US Virgin Islands-based gaming companies only be allowed to operate within the territory’s borders – as is the case in the three aforementioned states – they will find it hard to attract large amounts of players.
The islands have a population of only around 107,000 people, a small number for any online gaming company to work with. The islands do attract hordes of tourists, however, with around 2 million people visiting the US Virgin Islands every year. Online gaming companies would likely have to market their services to those vacationers if they are to achieve major success in the territory’s market.
 
Author: Ekaterina
01 . 11 . 2013 y.
PartyPoker Answers Player Concerns About Segregated Tables

 In an article written earlier in the week found here, PokerUpdate explained a lot of the issues that players have in regards to bwin.party. One of those concerns has been answered in a very long post on 2+2 by Jeffery Haas. He tried to stay on the topic of segregated tables for most of the post, as that was the main concern that players had raised. Of course, with any post that long, a few different points that were a bit off topic were also mentioned. I will break down what was important from the post, as it is a really long wall of text otherwise.

Highlights from the post:
- We are only going to talk about segregated tables currently, because all of the issues are complex and trying to tackle everything will cause major derails.
- PartyPoker stands behind the segregation of tables on the basis that it is good for the game. They didn’t foresee people exploiting them.
- PartyPoker has no intention of being a grinder-hostile site, as many have accused them of being recentl. But they do think that the poker world was inefficient previously. This needs to be corrected and has led to many of the decisions in recent weeks and months.
- Protected or segregated tables were introduced on February 24, 2013 and are no longer going to be offered as of October 30, 2013.
- There will be something to replace these tables in due time. As mentioned earlier, PartyPoker thinks that having something to separate novice players from grinders is needed for the poker ecology. When this does happen, PartyPoker will be more open about the decision and what it means. They are no longer going to be silent about major decisions like this.
- Someone from PartyPoker will post in the thread at least weekly from this point forward to help address issues that players have with the software, rewards or other problems. The best way to contact them is through direct support.
The long post, and those points, were met with a lot of different reactions. Some players thought that it was a good response and really appreciated it, while others thought that it didn’t answer anything and hoped that PartyPoker would fail. Yet others were more moderate and said that Party has done a lot to lose the trust of players recently, but this was a good first step in trying to mend those fences. As more players read the post and respond, it will be interesting to see how they feel, as there is not a clear consensus.
PartyPoker was thrilled that players put the pressure on them to change. They said that it helped them realize what the really important issues to players are and encouraged players to continue doing this. With this prompt and drastic change, PartyPoker did its part to ensure players will voice their opinions in the future and not just rail against the company carte blanche. As more of the issues are addressed, PokerUpdate will keep you updated.
 
Author: Ekaterina
01 . 11 . 2013 y.
PaddyPower Tops in Social Media Marketing

 In this day and age of heightened social media that allows anybody with an Internet connection to have a voice, those who use the availability of Facebook, Twitter and the like to their advantage may gain an edge over their competition in various industries.

A recent report undertaken by the Media & Entertainment Consulting Network (MECN) shows that in the world of online gambling, PaddyPower leads the pack in successful social media marketing. The online gaming operators surveyed by MECN were found to receive an average of 159,828 Facebook likes.
PaddyPower improved on that average almost seven-fold with Facebook followers that numbered 1,042,180. The Irish bookmaker outpaced the Facebook numbers of second place William Hill and third place PokerStars.
In Twitterverse, PaddyPower has racked up 201,096 followers, almost five times better than the 40,736 found to be the average throughout the industry. PokerStars managed to land in second in Twitter marketing, while Ladbrokes took down third place.
“It’s great for our efforts across social media to be recognised by this independent report," a PaddyPower representative told eGR. "Social media plays a vital role in helping us engage with our customers. For us, it’s all about making sure we’re funny and topical so our fans and followers genuinely feel entertained rather than talked at.”
Not surprising, social media usage is booming. MECN reports an increase of followers of more than 60% since early 2013.
The world's leading poker site did manage to grab a top ranking among online gaming companies in one category. PokerStars has more YouTube subscribers than its competitors, weighing in with 53,902. That dwarfs the industry average of 4,209. PaddyPower landed third in YouTube subscriptions, also trailing bwin.party, who holds down second place.
Author: Ekaterina
31 . 10 . 2013 y.
Canada Unveils First Bitcoin ATM

 Bitcoin began a new chapter in its storied history as the world's very first ATM that allows for transactions in the digital currency opened in Vancouver, Canada.

The Waves Coffee House downtown is the venue of the first kiosk that converts Canadian dollars into Bitcoin and vice versa. The grand opening occurred at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and attracted dozens of onlookers who were curious to see how the automated teller machine operated.
The ATM, which resembles typical ATMs but also allows for barcode and hand scanning, is under the charge of the partnership of Bitcoiniacs and Robocoin. The former is based in Vancouver while the latter is headquartered in Nevada. The pair hope to open four other ATMS throughout Canada.
"We think the Vancouver market is enormous and we're excited to be here," said Jordan Kelley, chief executive of Robocoin, the ATM manufacturing company. "By the end 2013, we'll be all over Canada. By the end of 2014, we'll be all over the world, including the United States."
In order to use the Bitcoin ATM, customers must allow their palms to be scanned. The daily maximum exchange permitted is $1,000 in Bitcoin. Canadian currency can be inserted or taken from the ATM and exchanged for the digital currency on the VirtEx exchange in Canada.
Bitcoin will be transferred both to and from a customer's Internet Bitcoin wallet. As is customary at ATMs that accept transactions in non-Bitcoin currency, a paper receipt will be dispensed as proof of the exchange.
"It's as easy as walking up to a machine, scanning your hand, entering some cash and buying Bitcoin," Kelley told Reuters. "It's a two-minute process. For any online exchange, it's at least two days."
Bitcoin is currently trading at slightly over $200 USD. Its value has been quite volatile throughout the year, beginning January at about $13 and reaching a high in April of roughly $265. The virtually currency has been exchanged since 2009 and is not controlled by any centralized banking system.
That lack of regulation sparks both intrigue and fear in online poker and gambling operators. To date, only a handful of online poker rooms offer Bitcoin as a payment processing option.
Bitcoin can be bought and sold nearly anonymously, which lowers fees and allows for privacy. However, that anonymity is attractive to those who move money illicitly via drug-dealing or money laundering.
Author: Ekaterina
31 . 10 . 2013 y.
Delaware Online Gambling Soft Launch Set for Today

 Delaware is rolling the dice with its real-money online gambling scheme today, becoming the first state to launch more than just Internet poker as Nevada did earlier this year.

Only 25 to 75 already registered players at the state's free-play online gambling sites operated by Delaware's three 'racinos' or racetrack casinos will be invited to play during a week of testing, Delaware Online reported. If the trial run is deemed successful by state officials, a "full suite" online gambling launch is expected to commence on November 8.
“This is another chapter in Delaware’s history of staying competitive in the gaming industry,” said Delaware’s finance secretary, Thomas Cook. “It is something that has to grow but we’re in a fiercely competitive environment here. This is just one more opportunity for entertainment.’’
Delaware gaming officials continue to remain mum on whether all casino games including roulette and blackjack will be available a week from tomorrow. Earlier this week, lottery director Vernon Kirk indicated that the initial soft launch may entail only slots and poker. We will have to wait and see if additional casino games will also make their online debut.
In any event, it is progress and anybody located within Delaware's borders on Nov. 8 that is of legal age will be able to legally gamble online. Speaking of ages, Delaware officials are hoping their Internet gambling scheme will attract young folk between the ages of 28-35. Studies have shown that that particular demographic is not a prevalent sight on the casino floor. Research indicates that the AARP crowd in their late 50s are more likely to visit casinos.
The First State's goal with online gambling is to find new customers. State officials are hoping that the typical older casino goers don't become shut-ins that prefer the online action over the entertainment found at the land-based locales. Should that turn out to be the case, the online gambling launch might cause some regret.
“Then we have taken a step back because it’s taking away business from the bricks and mortar where people are employed,’’ Cook said.
Revenue at Delaware racinos has been falling as of late, as competition from casinos in neighboring states has been cutting into the profits enjoyed in previous years. Just three years ago, Delaware casinos brought in revenue of $241 million to state coffers. This year, without online gambling, that number is expected to be in the ballpark of $175 million.
But state officials are optimistic that today's soft launch and the enhanced online gambling action set for Nov. 8 is the right decision. They are pleased to be first and ahead of New Jersey's Internet gambling rollout scheduled for late November. It is believed that a number of other states will also soon be joining the game.
“Its gonna happen no matter what," said Dover Downs Hotel and Casino chief executive Ed Sutor. "The Internet is part of everyday life. Some people do all their banking and stock transactions online. You are either going to get on the train or be left behind. We are going to get on the train.’’
Author: Ekaterina
31 . 10 . 2013 y.
World Poker Tour in Midst of Large Week on a Global Scale

 The World Poker Tour (WPT) has a lot of really exciting and interesting things going on right now that thrust it squarely into the spotlight following the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) that was just completed in Paris, France. There are currently two tournaments in Europe that are trying to attract two very different types of players to the felt. The first of those tournaments is the WPT stop in Paris itself with a reasonable buy-in that tries to catch everyone right before they return home. The other is the second Alpha8 series in London right now, which is close enough to attract all the high rollers who were at the WSOPE.

The WPT National Event in Paris makes a triumphant return and currently has 24 players remaining. The WPT was hoping to get a large crowd of international players who had just completed the WSOPE and they succeeded by most measures. The tournament, which features a €7,500 buy-in, attracted 187 entries and still has major names left including defending champion Matt Salsburg, Kara Scott, Christian Lindley, Jason Koon, Mohsin Charania and Marvin Rettenmaier. The tournaments also featured deep runs from Barry Greenstein, Tony G and many other names that readers are familiar with. With three eliminations needed for the event to reach the money, it’s going to be a tense day before a winner is crowned over the course of action during the next two days.
The tournament might seem a little small, but it’s not that small compared to the numbers for the WSOPE Main Event that attracted 375 entries and was completed over a week ago. Also, as the WPT hasn’t had a long history of these events across different parts of the world, it’s good to see these crowds that are sure to continue growing. This also marks one of the first times that a WPT event outside of the US is going to be broadcast on TV in America, which will only do more to grow awareness for all of these events. The WPT is in South Africa, Jacksonville and Montreal to round out of the month, which will mark the most ambitious portions of the schedule.
The event in Paris isn’t the only thing going on right now for the WPT and arguably it’s not even the biggest event, as the Alpha8 series is conducting its second event. The Alpha8 series, for those unfamiliar, is a series of events that sport a $100,000 buy-in and are meant to attract the largest names in poker. The event in London has done exactly that and the registration isn’t even closed. Antonio Esfandaria, Sam Trickett, Tony G, Viktor Blom, Erik Seidel and many others have turned up for the event and some have even entered 2 or 3 times. Currently leading is Tobias Reinkemeier, who has nearly 25% of the total chips in play, which is good for a chip lead nearly double that of 2nd place.
The total number of entries sits at 21 right now, which might be seen as kind of a disappointment because that is a very small number and doesn’t even equal three tables of players as there are many reentries. The other important note here is that there are large cash games going on right now, which might actually end up with some players not showing up to play in the event. The appearance of Blom, who is still alive in the tournament, is a special treat, as he doesn’t travel to many events. It will be interesting to see who registers for the tournament over the next couple of hours before play starts on Tuesday. If it is a very low number of players, expect many to call this tournament a failure. That would mark yet another disappointing turnout for this series that the WPT hoped would really take off.
Even with a failure of an Alpha8 event for the World Poker Tour, it’s still an impressive result as the event in Paris got a good turnout and they continue to grow the brand on a global scale, which was one of the major criticisms just a few years ago. As these tournaments play down to a win over the next two days, PokerUpdate will provide you with recaps of all the important information and tournament results. 
 
Author: Ekaterina
30 . 10 . 2013 y.
Online Poker Player Traffic Update

 The online poker industry saw a 2% rise in cash game player traffic last week, following a decline of 1% from the week before.

PokerScout attributes much of the increase to PokerStars, who experienced a rise of 3% on its cash tables due to the conclusion of the Carnival of Tournaments promotion. Those who typically frequent ring games made a temporary transition to tournament action during the promo, but apparently have found their way back to cash games.
While PokerStars continues to dominate the industry, all eyes remain on New Jersey to see if that dominance will extend to the U.S. market. With the Garden State's online gambling launch less than a month away, we should know shortly if state gaming regulators will approve PokerStars as a licensee in conjunction with its partnership with Resorts Casino.
Among the top ten poker rooms and networks, the only change from the previous week was a flip-flop of positioning between Full Tilt and PartyPoker. The sister site of PokerStars moved up to fourth place, while PartyPoker tumbled to fifth.
That tumble at PartyPoker is due to the disillusionment of a number of players regarding various concerns at the bwin.party site. As chronicled at PokerUpdate yesterday, those complaints include a hefty fee on withdrawals via Skrill, a player segregation policy that some are exploiting, reduction of benefits in the VIP program, and customer service that will not win any awards in excellence.
PartyPoker cash traffic had been climbing in recent weeks following software updates that were necessitated after glitches were discovered in a major site revamp in early September. But that rise was short-lived and a threatened massive player sit-out on November 1 has PartyPoker honchos promising an explanation on Oct. 31.
In other news among top ten poker rooms, the PokerStars' site servicing Spain dealt its one billionth hand on Sunday. Traffic on PokerStars.es shot up about 40% around the time of the mega-milestone hand, as Spaniards were hoping to take advantage of the cash bonus promotion.
PokerStars.es saw its cash game action reach a high of 5,871 players during the bonanza, second most in its history. The site is entrenched in 6th place in PokerScout's independent rankings, ahead of PokerStars' offering in Italy that holds down the 7th spot. Winamax, Bodog and MPN round out the top ten, respectively.
The iPoker Network continues to hold down the no. 2 spot globally. This despite a recent Q3 report issued by Playtech that saw poker revenue dip in the range of 20%. 888poker remains in third place worldwide and is slowly releasing its fast-fold version of SNAP Poker to more players.
Over in the USA, the addition of Pot-Limit Omaha at Ultimate Poker was met with much excitement by those residing in or visiting Nevada. Action at the site on Sunday saw 33% of players looking at four hole cards instead of two. The industry's average for Omaha hovers around 10% and PokerScout predicts that 23% of UP cash players will eventually return to Texas Hold'em.
Ultimate Poker continues to outpace WSOP.com in Nevada's regulated market. But the online offering from Caesars is making strides to close the gap and take the lead. WSOP.com is just a couple of handfuls of players away from doing so based on seven-day averages.
Author: Ekaterina
30 . 10 . 2013 y.
Optimal Payments (Neteller) Granted New Jersey Permit

 New Jersey gaming officials have green-lighted Optimal Payments to provide payment processing functions in New Jersey's soon-to-be-launched online gambling regime.

The parent company of Neteller received the blessing of the state's Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) on Friday and are now permitted to supply payment technology to the online gaming sites that will be operated by the likes of Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, Golden Nugget, Trump Plaza, Trump Taj Mahal, and Tropicana Casino and Resort.
Those five casinos have already received approval from the DGE, with Caesars and its four Atlantic City casinos likely to follow suit in due course. That would leave only three operator permits remaining among the state's dozen casinos and rumor has it that two of the casinos may not be interested in taking advantage of online gaming opportunities.
The Atlantic Club and Revel have been known to be struggling financially and may have bigger fish to fry than to enter the realm of regulated Internet gambling. That's not to say that those casinos may never join the online gambling party. But they may not do so under current ownership, if various Twitter postings can be believed.
But those brick and mortar casinos that are gearing up for the November 26 launch will apparently turn to Optimal Payments for their payment processing needs.
“We are excited to be an approved vendor in New Jersey and we look forward to leveraging our vast experience and expertise to help facilitate online payments for our partners in New Jersey,” president and CEO of Optimal Payments Joel Leonoff told eGR.
That experience includes Neteller being the most popular company handling payment processing functions for poker sites and U.S. players during online poker's boom in the early to mid-2000s. Transactions via Neteller were simple and speedy and accepted at all poker sites, including player-to-player transfers.
That all changed in 2007 when U.S. prosecutors arrested Neteller's founders following the UIGEA's passage in 2006 and extracted $136 million in penalties. The company was forced to restrict its payment processing dealings to the European and Asian markets.
Neteller also looked beyond the gambling industry for revenue and now obtains 40% of its profit from non-gaming sources, the Financial Times reported earlier this year. But with online gambling becoming regulated in the U.S., Optimal Payments is making a triumphant return.
Leonoff, who held the title of PartyGaming COO before the merger with Bwin, believes that Neteller/Optimal Payments continues to enjoy a "well-regarded reputation" in the eyes of American online poker players. The DGE apparently concurs with that estimation and issued a permit to Optimal Payments as proof.
Author: Ekaterina
29 . 10 . 2013 y.
Nevada to Focus on Online Poker .... For Now

 Delaware and New Jersey will soon be launching online gambling regimes that include Internet casino games, but that is not prompting Nevada to stray from its poker-only scheme.

Nevada was first to legalize online poker and first to launch when Ultimate Poker went live in late April. But the decision of state officials to refrain from expanding into online casino gaming has not been met with an ounce of regret.
“We’re only six months into poker,” Gaming Control Board Chairman A.G. Burnett told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “For now, we want to prove out poker first.”
True to his word, a meeting of the Nevada Gaming Commission was held late last week with an agenda that listed a discussion on changes in certain regulations of the existing online poker statute. But delving into offering online casino games was not part of the talks.
Some continue to remain surprised that the leader in U.S. casino gambling has restricted itself to poker-only in the realm of online gambling. Yet others are of the mind that Nevada made a wise choice to take things a bit more slowly before fully embracing wagering on the Internet. After all, there is always time to expand in the future if the situation warrants it.
Assemblyman William Horne (D-Las Vegas) called it prudent that the Silver State is taking "conservative steps" in its approach to all forms of Internet gambling. “Nothing prohibits from going beyond poker" in the future, he added.
As Delaware and New Jersey prepare to launch online gambling schemes of their own, October 31 and November 26, respectively, don't expect Nevada to rush into that frontier anytime soon. Other online poker sites will first be joining Ultimate Poker and WSOP.com in Nevada's plan.
Online poker interstate compact agreements are also likely on the horizon for Nevada before any online casino regulations are seriously considered. Those compacts have reportedly been discussed among the trio of states, but will wait until after the rollouts in New Jersey and Delaware.
In the meantime, slot, roulette and blackjack players in Nevada will have to continue visiting brick and 
mortar casinos to make their wagers. Expect that to continue for the near future, at least.
Author: Ekaterina
29 . 10 . 2013 y.
pages: << 1 ... 44 45 46 47 48 ... 80 >>
  • 1669

  • 1816
  • 1537

  • 1543

  • 1549

  • 1546

  • Getting Started Poker in 4 steps

    Step 1 Step 2
    Step 3 Step 4
Sportsbook
Live betting
Mobile betting
Freeroll Tournaments
Poker
Casino
Bonuses