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Yesterday in Melbourne, Australia, poker superstar Daniel Negreanu took down the inaugural WSOP APAC Main Event for A$1,038,825, collecting his 5th WSOP winners bracelet along the way. Following the Canadian pro’s remarkable performance, poker fans have been giving their reactions to the news and here is a selection of some of those messages, starting with the man himself, Daniel Negreanu:

“I had so much fun. It’s such a blast. It’s been a while since I have had one of these on my wrist..Number five! It’s been a long drought since 2008. It’s a great way to start 2013. I always thought I should have more than four and now I plan to get to seven or eight by the end of the year.”

Phil Ivey: “I think we found the newest #IveyPoker member, @RealKidPoker, whether he likes it or not.” (see photo)

Doyle Brunson: “CONGRATS TO @RealKidPoker . They can’t find fault with over 400 entries! About time.”

Bertrand Grospellier: “@RealKidPoker YES😡 Congrats on such an Amazing Job Daniel, you’re making all of us proud to be #TeamPokerStars”

Phil Hellmuth: “Congrats to @RealKidPoker on picking up WSOP Bracelet #5 in style! Daniel just won the WSOP APAC Main Event! #WSOPAPAC”

Joe Hachem: “Congrats @RealKidPoker for an amazing effort to win the inaugural wsopapac main event. Just goes to show hard work does pay off #WSOPAPAC”

John Racener: “Congrats @RealKidPoker, back in the winner’s circle where u belong.”

David Doc Sands: “@RealKidPoker impressive win – congrats😡”

Brian Hastings: “Congrats to @RealKidPoker on bracelet #5! Although I think the bracelet system needs tweaking, this one is most certainly well-deserved!”

Joe Stapleton: “Congratulations to one of the best guys on the planet, who deserves to win ‘em all. Nice work, buddy. @RealKidPoker.”

Sam Levene: “Huge congrats to @RealKidPoker for his #5thbracelet @WSOP APAC. You could see it meant a lot to him! Awesome”




Pros React To Daniel Negreanu's WSOP APAC Main Event Victory
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The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has now released its casino table game figures for March, revealing a 9% increase in revenue to $67.4 million compared to the same month last year. Collectively, Pennsylvania’s 11 casinos paid $9.7 million in taxes on their table games revenues for March.

Pennsylvania opened its first strictly slot machine casino in 2006, before adding table games in 2010. March 2012, then saw table games set a record for gross monthly revenue before this March that previous record was surpassed by $5.5 million.

Commenting on the impressive figures, gaming board spokesman Richard McGarvey explained: “March is always the highest month of the year. We’re not entirely sure why, but I’ve heard theories that it’s the month people get their [IRS refund] checks, or that it’s the first month after the winter. Whatever the reason, March is the month.”

Raking in the highest amount of table game revenues in March was Sands casino in Bethlehem up 27% to $15.3 million, followed by Parx Casino in Bensalem Township generating $11.1 million in revenue, and SugarHouse Casino in Philadelphia with $8 million. Harrah’s Casino in Chester took $7.3 million for March; Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh $6.7 million, and Mount Airy Casino $3.6 million.

On the other hand, Presque Isle Downs Casino in Erie experienced a dramatic 38% revenue decline to $2.1 million compared to March last year. Furthermore, it is believed that the coming months will test Pennsylvania’s table-game market to the full, especially with the $500 million Maryland Live Casino opening up its new table games recently.

“I’ve read where analysts have projected that to be one of the busiest casinos on the East Coast,” commented McGarvey. “We’ll have to see what impact it has on Pennsylvania.”




Pennsylvania Table Games Up 9% To $68m In March
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IPoker's anonymous poker tables are now available across their entire network. Poker sites which update their software to the latest version will be able to start offering anonymous tables to their players.

The idea behind anonymous tables is to create a more equal playing field for players who do not use HUDs and tracking software. Players that are seated at anonymous tables are identified by their seat number and therefore cannot be tracked by software like PokerTracker or Holdem Manager.

Anonymous tables have received both praise and criticism in the poker community and therefore are being monitored closely by the iPoker staff. Anonymous tables are currently only available in No Limit games of heads-up, 6-max and full ring. The buy-in levels are from 2Nl to 100Nl. The iPoker network plans to expand the rollout of anonymous tables based on the community's feedback.

The biggest concern that players have with anonymous tables is that collusion and bots could run rampant within the network without any possible way to monitor their activities and therefore identify them as cheats.

In an email to Pokerfuse, iPoker had the following to say about this serious concern. "Anti-collusion and bots prevention are being handled on Anonymous tables as if there were regular tables. Anonymity is merely on the tables, our system and anti-collusion team still recognizes the players and is fully capable at maintaining the network's security just as in any other table".

Anonymous tables are an interesting inclusion in the online poker world because for years now professionals could data mine their opponents and use this information to gain an even greater edge. It will be interesting to see how popular these tables will be without this element and if sharks who do not use tracking software will consider it their new feeding great. Whatever the case is, it's good to see continued innovation in the online poker world.

To try Anonymous tables now check out Bet365 Poker, William Hill Poker or Titan Poker




Anonymous Poker Tables Available at Bet365 - Gaming - Onlinecasinoreports-com
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A total of 18 Massachusetts House of Representatives members have sponsored an attachment to the fiscal year 2014 budget that would legalize and regulate online poker in the state. The proposal would add language such as “internet card rooms” to a number of lines in the budget bill that includes brick and mortar casino revenue.

Massachusetts has already legalized casinos in the state. While these casinos will not be live before 2016, licensing fees may be paid during the 2014 fiscal year once the winning bidders are determined.

The sponsors of the bill believe that hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents gamble online with offshore sites. By regulating these sites, the state could generate tens of millions of dollars in revenue, create more than 1,000 high paying jobs, provide consumer protections, provide gambling problem programs, aid law enforcement and bolster the lottery system.

The bill acknowledges that the Department of Justice reversed its opinion of the Wire Act on December 23, 2011. This letter was actually dated September 20, 2011, but not released to the public for three months. The new opinion stated that only sports betting was covered by the Wire Act. Interstate online poker and casino games would be allowed by the federal government provided states agreed on gaming compacts.

Online Poker Licensing

Operators and software providers would be issued a Category 3 license. No more than three online poker operator licenses would be issued. That is the same number of commercial casinos allowed in the brick and mortar casino law. Online poker licenses would be granted for ten years. Renewal terms would be legislated no more than 180 days before the first license expires.

Only online poker would be licensed. Casino games and sports betting would not be allowed.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission would require licensees to verify the age and location of all players. Players must be at least 21 years of age. Only players physically located within Massachusetts could play on licensed sites. Players that are self excluded or banned for gaming violations would also be excluded.

All operators, software providers, payment processors and affiliates must be located in Massachusetts. The gaming commission could allow out of state operations should it find a reason to allow it. This could lead to interstate online poker, though the proposal does not explicitly allow this.

Operators must disclose rake clearly on their website and during game play. Tournament rake must also be disclosed when players enter these events.

Approved companies would be required to pay a licensing fee of $10 million. This would be applied to the first $10 million in taxes or cover the first two years if $10 million in taxes are not due during that time. A tax rate is not included in this bill. The tax rate for future Massachusetts brick and mortar casinos will be 25%. It seems likely this tax rate would also be applied to online poker rooms as well. The language of the bill gives the Massachusetts Gaming Commission the ability to impose unique rules to online poker so it is possible the rate could change.

Operators would have 30 days to launch their operations after receiving a license. The language is unclear as to whether this means launching games or just launching their actual internet business plan. If they failed to follow this rule they could be subject to suspension or revocation of their license. They may also face fines of up to $25 million if they are found to have acted in bad faith.

Bad Actor Clause

Any company that accepted US players in violation of federal or state law after October 13, 2006 would be banned from receiving a license. That is the day that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Most states that have proposed this type of bad actor clause have made the cutoff date December 31, 2006. Paradise Poker, Sporting Bet and affiliated companies are one example of a company that would not be able to qualify under this provision, but could qualify with the December 31, 2006 date as they accepted US players for 30 days after the UIGEA was signed into law, but banned them before Dec 31st.

The bad actor clause bans brand names or trademarks of companies that accepted players after this date. This could make it impossible for offshore companies that accepted US players post-UIGEA from even selling their software or brands to Massachusetts operators. This may cause a conflict when and if interstate compacts are negotiated.

Player Requirements

Players would need to supply personal information to the online poker room. This includes providing a Social Security Number. Deposits would only be allowed by debit card, credit card, personal check, cashier check, wire transfers and money orders. The gaming commission is given some latitude in approving other methods. Ewallets such as Paypal would be excluded unless they are approved later by the commission. Player to player transfers would be banned. Credit may not be extended to players.

Bonuses and rakeback would be allowed through the language of this bill as long as it was paid by the poker room and not by a third party such as a marketing affiliate.

Unlicensed Online Gambling Companies

Illegal and unlicensed operators risk their domains being seized. Domain registrars and internet service providers are immune from civil claims and criminal prosecution unless they are found to have conspired with illegal operators.

Author Notes

It is interesting that Massachusetts is looking to legalize online poker before the brick and mortar casino licenses are even awarded. It seems that limiting the operator licenses to three is not a coincidence since that is the number of commercial casinos allowed by the brick and mortar casino law. This could present an issue with tribal casino interests do
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The state of Massachusetts is considering legalizing online poker in the near future.

There is a good chance that 2014 will be the year that Massachusetts legalizes online poker. The budget for the 2014 fiscal year has had some attachments added regarding the regulation of online poker in the state. 18 members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives have sponsored the online poker attachment to the 2014 budget.

The budget bill already included land-based casino revenue since the state of Massachusetts had already legalized land-based casinos, although they will not be in operation before 2016. Even though licenses have not yet been awarded, the reason that this item is included in the 2014 fiscal year’s budget is that licensing fees will be due in 2014, once the winning bids have been chosen.

Those who have sponsored the attachment to the budget bill are of the opinion that there are a significant number of Massachusetts residents that play online poker and other forms of online gambling via offshore online gaming sites. It is believed that the state would be able to generate a large amount of revenue from both taxation and licensing fees should online gambling be legalized in Massachusetts. There would also be around 1,000 jobs created, both directly from the industry, and as an offshoot of the online gambling industry.

This move comes after the Federal government publicized that the Wire Act only applied to sports betting, and did not apply to online poker and other forms of online gambling games. The Department of Justice ruled that individual states could make their own decisions regarding interstate online poker and other online casino games. For those states that choose to allow online gambling, interstate gambling is legal as long as all states involved agree on the gaming compacts.

While the attachment to the bill allows for online poker to be legalized, only three online poker operators would be granted licenses, with each license being valid for a period of 10 years. At this time, only online poker will be granted licenses, while other online gambling games will not yet be allowed in the state.Players need to be a minimum of 21-years-old, and all players need to be physically present in Massachusetts when playing. There also needs to be a program to exclude those players that have been banned or have chosen the self-exclusion option. While in theory, interstate poker would be allowed, at this time, the proposed legislation has not explicitly stated this.




Massachusetts 2014 Budget May Bring Online Poker Legislation
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IPoker operator Playtech announced Thursday a significant new upgrade to its poker client that will include new mobile clients, a new multi-tiered VIP system, and new tournaments structures.

A native mobile client for Apple iOS devices and an HTML5 platform are scheduled for released “within weeks” on select rooms on both iPoker and iPoker France, pokerfuse has been informed.

Also set to roll out is a new iPoker client update that includes a new “Elite VIP” system, which will allow operators to customize up to 54 separate tiers, allowing for “highly segmented rewards and benefits” to create “prestigious VIP levels.”

The new Elite system will work in conjunction with existing VIP rewards. A new progress bar in the poker client will let players to track progress through the Elite system.

Rooms will have the facility to run year-long VIP goals. No details yet on exactly what rewards poker rooms will be offering, but an example screenshot of a “SuperElite” loyalty program may hint that it looks to compete with PokerStars’ annual high-volume Supernova Elite program.

The new client also brings new shoot out and heads up tournament formats, both in SNG and scheduled tournaments. Heads up SNGs will also have popular “rematch” buttons. Also in the upgrade are configurable bet buttons to allow players to define bet sizing.

The new client is scheduled to roll out over all operators across iPoker’s networks in the coming weeks.



Major iPoker Upgrade: Mobile Platforms, New VIP System | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
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Lawmakers in the US state of Massachusetts have introduced amendments to the state’s General Laws to allow for licensed online poker operations.

The amendments are sponsored by 18 lawmakers who say that since the introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts consumers have been playing internet poker through websites controlled by illegal off-shore businesses.
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Manne wrote: Lawmakers in the US state of Massachusetts have introduced amendments to the state’s General Laws to allow for licensed online poker operations.

The amendments are sponsored by 18 lawmakers who say that since the introduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts consumers have been playing internet poker through websites controlled by illegal off-shore businesses.
It's just a question of time
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Like many state governments across the United States, the state of Massachusetts is currently preparing its budget for the upcoming year. As a part of those budget negotiations, the state is looking to potentially open its borders to online poker, but those proposals would prohibit some companies from applying for a license.

Back in February, the Massachusetts legislature passed two bills to open up online gaming in the state. One was to allow for the sale of lottery tickets online but the second one is the bill that has brought the interest of the poker community. That bill, proposed by Senator Bruce Tarr, would allow for the issuance of licenses for online gaming to be overseen by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

When in was introduced in February, the Tarr proposal did have some caveats. The online gaming bill would not allow for slot-machine-type games, pretty much limiting any potential offerings to online poker, blackjack or other table games. In addition to that provision, Tarr did not have any language in the bill that would prohibit certain companies from applying for a license.

That changed last week, however, in a new amendment tacked onto the bill as it works its way through the Massachusetts legislature. That amendment will prohibit any company that accepted online bets in the United States after October 31, 2006 (the date that then-President George Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act). It would also prohibit a company that earns an online poker license from using software from a company that violated the UIGEA.

This means that PokerStars, along with its sister site Full Tilt Poker, would not be allowed into the proposed Massachusetts online poker industry nor could a licensee use their software as a platform.

The other provisions of the new online poker laws under consideration in Massachusetts spell out what the costs would be for companies. The licensing fee for such sites would be $10 million up front, with additional monthly fees that have yet to be determined. That fee would have to be paid within 30 days of receiving a license from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and, if said company did not go live in that timeframe, an additional $25 million fine could be imposed for “acting in bad faith.”

At this time, the proposed law would only allow for three online sites to operate in the state. With two powerful Indian gaming organizations in Massachusetts (the Mohegan Tribe, the operators of the Mohegan Sun, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, owners of Foxwoods Resort Casino), it could be figured that they would get first crack at any online gaming licenses. That would leave only one other online gaming license up for grabs.

Massachusetts is joining a growing list of states that are examining the potential for legalization and regulation of online gaming in one form or another. States such as New York, California, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Iowa have at least seen a bill proposing online gaming to add revenues to state coffers, with varying levels of success. Two states, Kansas and New Mexico, have attempted to bar their governments from entering into the online gaming arena (both measures failed) and one, Utah, has actually been able to pass a measure to prohibit online gaming.

As of now, there are only three states that have passed any form of online gaming. Nevada, who has had regulations on the books the longest, currently restricts their online gaming to just poker but allows for multi-state “compacts” to partner with other states in the industry. The other two, Delaware and New Jersey, have passed laws for full-fledged online casinos and also have the multi-state options in their laws. Even though these three states have regulations on the books, no real-money online gaming operations have come online as of this time.





New Massachusetts Budget Plans For Online Poker
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Last week, an amendment sponsored by eighteen members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives was attached to the fiscal year 2014 budget that would legalize online poker in the state.

The bill would authorize only online poker in the state; no casino games would be authorized. Players would be required to be at least 21 years old and licensees would be required to verify both the age and location of the player.

All operators, payment processors, and software providers would have to be located in Massachusetts. Companies would be required to pay a $10 million licensing fee, which would be credited toward the taxes the company must pay over the first two years of operation. No more than three online poker operator licenses would be issued. In February, a bill was introduced in the Massachusetts Senate that would allow for online casino games to be offered. Massachusetts legalized brick and mortar casinos in 2011 and the regulations for licensing casinos are scheduled to be finalized in June. The brick and mortar casinos are not expected to be in operation until 2016, leaving open the possibility that online poker rooms could be operational before the casinos open.

The bill contains a bad actor clause that would prohibit any company that accepted money from U.S. players in violation of federal or state law after October 13, 2006, would be prohibited from obtaining a license.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission could allow for operations outside the state if it chooses to, which could allow for the possibility of Massachusetts participating in interstate online gaming compacts.

Massachusetts is among eleven states currently considering online gaming legislation. In February, New Jersey became the third state to legalize online gaming and regulations are expected to be released shortly. Delaware and Nevada have already legalized online gaming.

We are happy to see Massachusetts consider online gaming. This bill has the potential to provide an enormous boost to the state economy and creating a significant number of jobs in the state, as well as provide gamers a place to play online again.




Online Poker May Soon Come to Boston, Mass | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
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The European Union happens to be a key market for online poker after America. Germany accounts for the second largest number of online poker players globally, with only the US ahead of them. Black Friday crippled online poker there. But a few years down the line, with the changed stance of DoJ has paved way for US legislature to legalize online poker. Now several US states have already passed legislation legalizing online poker. Across the Atlantic, despite immense popularity for the game, both in its live versions as well as online forms, lack of a unified and sensible legislative framework is actively strangling the growth of online poker industry in many EU member countries.

A checker-board of laws and policies

Across the Eurozone, each member nation has their own policies and laws regarding gambling in general and online poker in particular. The end-result is a crude patchwork of legislative framework that keep changing across borders. And many of the countries are actively antagonistic to or plain unconcerned about the industry. Any economic activity requires a clear and precise legislative framework that protects the interests of all the stakeholders: the companies, the state and the consumers. This is all the more so in the case of gambling and similar games of chance/skill, where historically, industries have flourished under strict legislative control. The current climate in EU shows a total lack of centralised legislation or policy framework, which is actively hampering the growth of the industry. This was amply demonstrated in March 2013 in Brussels, where industry experts, national regulators and representatives from the European Parliament and the European Commission gathered to explore the need for unified regulation of the online poker market.

A case of contrasting fortunes

Despite having one of the largest number of poker enthusiasts playing online, Germany has an actively hostile policy towards online poker. The game became effectively banned in all 16 states in the country in December 2012, when Schleswig Holstein finally joined the other 15 in the State Treaty on Online Gambling. Licenses are only granted for online sports betting in the treaty that was ratified in July 2012. And neighbouring France is a veritable mess when it comes to regulations regarding online poker, with the regulatory body ARJEL frequently being accused by companies for making the business unviable in that country. But past mistakes are being learned, as is shown in the case of Spain and Italy, who are in the process of allowing operators to interlink the player pools from both countries. This decision, which might come into effect by the end of 2013 is a step in the right direction, following the whole EU ethos of business transcending borders.

The UK on the other hand, has always had more positive attitude towards online gambling in general and poker has also benefited from it. But the industry is being weighed down by the fact that other EU member states, with whom UK share EU treaty agreements, do not have proper regulation matching that of UK. This has led to several complications in the past. Also, a recent amendment to the 2005 Gambling Act proposes to increase operator liability towards the government via increased tax liability which, according to some observers will adversely affect the overall profitability of the industry in the UK.

What the companies are left to

With US fast becoming a lucrative destination, companies like 888 Holdings are heading Stateside to get a piece of the pie. Bwin.party, in the meanwhile, has stopped taking new customers in 18 countries, primarily in Europe and some in South America. The main reason for this decision is the legislative concerns, especially in the case of countries like Greece, Poland, Romania and Cyprus. The move will allow Bwin to focus more of the US market, by hiving off its less profitable operations in smaller markets in Eastern Europe as well. Live tournaments and televised events like the immensely successful European Poker Tour (EPT, currently in its 9th season) continue to become huge crowd pullers, and companies like PokerStars and Party Poker host bigger and bigger online competitions in Europe. Even go-to destinations for online poker enthusiasts like Flopturnriver etc. indubitably have huge potential in Europe; the market is there with a dedicated audience. It just remains to be seen if the regulators wake up to this reality, the same way their American counterparts have. If they don't, companies will just head to greener pastures in Asia and America. And that would be a crying shame indeed. But the legislative climate seems to be slowly but surely changing. Things could very well turn out for the better.



Preetam Kaushik: Online Poker Choking in the Grey Fog of Legislative Uncertainty in Europe
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Carbon Poker has been relatively growing because of its great diversity of games, fast and reliable software, remarkable multi-table-tournament leader board program, several live event satellites with smaller fields, a variety of deposit and withdrawal options and graphics that are superior and top of the industry.

Because US players are welcome here, no wonder there is already a good player volume initially on Carbon Poker and it is gradually increasing day by day.


Carbon Poker


The Carbon Poker website was designed in order to attract possible players with its attractive, yet functional layout. They have, what most online poker sites have determined as well, the bonuses and promotions ads right in the middle. This is a good tactic to initially hook a new player, since after they start to play on Carbon Poker, they will stay for the experience. They also show the current and upcoming events; along with the Bad Beat Jackpot running total.


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The timing couldn’t have been better.

In late December, lawyers for several companies that own PokerStars — an online gambling business that spans the globe — told New Jersey casino regulators their clients had reached an agreement to buy the struggling Atlantic Club Casino Hotel and were seeking a temporary license.

Two months later, Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill legalizing internet wagering in the state, to be run by Atlantic City’s dozen casinos. Suddenly, PokerStars — the giant of online gambling — was poised to get in on the ground floor of a multibillion-dollar market.

The sale, long sought by the owners of the Atlantic Club, the former Hilton, was hailed as the last, best chance for saving the casino and the jobs of about 1,800 employees.

The results stand to be much more far-reaching. The potential owners could help transform Atlantic City, pulling it out of its years-long swoon and introducing the resort in a big way to the booming world of online gambling. But the company comes with a tortured history. PokerStars has faced accusations of illegal gambling, money laundering and bank fraud, and its founder remains under federal indictment.

"It’s unprecedented," said Steven Perskie, the architect of the New Jersey Casino Control Act, "because nobody with what is asserted to be this company’s background has ever bothered to apply (in Atlantic City) before."

The tone for keeping Atlantic City’s casinos free of corruption was set in 1977, when in signing the bill legalizing gambling Gov. Brendan Byrne warned organized crime: "Keep your filthy hands off Atlantic City. Keep the hell out of our state."

PokerStars, which owns a minority stake in a hip casino in London’s upscale West End, says it wants to reinvent the Atlantic Club and spend $40 million refurbishing it. It has already sunk $11 million into the business to ensure that its doors stay open during the transition.

"We plan to invest heavily in the state and help to make it an attractive hub for i-gaming in the U.S. and around the world," said Eric Hollreiser, a spokesman for PokerStars.

Under the new online gaming law, all Atlantic City casinos will be able to partner with established internet wagering firms.

THE INDUSTRY STAR

But it is PokerStars and its newly acquired brand, Full Tilt Poker, that are the biggest names in the business — and, analysts say, could be holding most of the cards in the fight for online gaming dollars.

The money has been piling up for PokerStars and its principals, including Isai Scheinberg, the Israeli-Canadian founder, who is known to keep a low profile — except for the occasional meeting with casino mogul Steve Wynn on a yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. The company runs branded live poker rooms in Spain, Belgium and China — and hosts poker events in such cities as Barcelona, Spain; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Prague; and Berlin. But for the most part, PokerStars doesn’t have a home. Its operations exist online, with large server farms in undisclosed locations delivering digital poker to couch potatoes and professional gamblers.

The traditional casino industry has not responded kindly to its latest suitor. The American Gaming Association, the casinos’ largest trade group, opposes PokerStars’ licensing petition because it "would send a damaging message."

"That … would dramatically undermine public confidence in gaming regulation and could cripple the industry’s public image," Brian Molloy, a Woodbridge attorney, wrote in the association’s brief to state regulators.

PokerStars contends that the association doesn’t have a right to be a part of the licensing process, and the firm’s supporters say the other casinos simply fear the competition it would bring.

But PokerStars does face an uphill battle. While the company maintains it did nothing wrong, the state’s casino regulators — charged with enforcing some of the most stringent standards in the country — will have hundreds of pages of accusations to consider.

In 2006, trade journals reported the company was floating a $2 billion initial public offering. But by autumn, a federal law was enacted making it a crime to knowingly accept most forms of payments for "unlawful" internet gambling.

PokerStars had a choice: Focus on operations in places like Europe, where it had established headquarters on the Isle of Man, a tax haven in the Irish Sea, or ignore the law and keep making money in the United States.



Read More: Troubled online gambling firm PokerStars betting it can transform Atlantic City | NJ-com
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THE GROWING popularity of online poker and casino games has sent revenues at 888 Holdings up by nine per cent year on year.

The company said yesterday that sales in the first quarter of the year had been above $100m (£65.5m) for the first time, reaching a record $103m.

This was led by the firm’s casino arm, which rose 13 per cent to make up almost half of revenues at $48m. 888 is one of a number of casino firms to ride a wave of looser regulation in EU territories, and it was boosted by the launch of slot machine games in Italy during the quarter.

Online poker made up $24m of sales, while other parts of the business, which include Facebook gaming and sports betting, grew from $6m to $8m.

888 Holdings, which has been held back by strict gambling regulation in the US, has recently made progress in the region, winning a contract to provide an online poker offering in Nevada earlier in the year.

Chief executive Brian Mattingley said yesterday he expects the venture to launch in the summer.


www-cityam-com/article/888-dealt-103m-hand-thanks-demand-online-gambling
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A group of professional poker players were the target of an extortion plot in which a gang of Silicon Valley men tried to blackmail them by threatening to release private information stolen from their email accounts.

Appearing in court, Tyler Schrier, 23, Keith James Hudson, 39, and Ryder Finney, 22, pled guilty to a number of charges, including conspiracy, unauthorized access to a protected computer and extortion. For their parts in the “sextortion” plot, Tyler Schrier received 42 months in prison, Keith James Hudson two years, while Finney will be sentenced later this year and is expected to receive up to five years behind bars.

Apparently, Joe Sebok (photo) was one of the criminals’ victims, and the poker pro was hacked in the fall of 2010, when intimate messages and nude photos were stolen from his email account. Tyler Schrier then threatened to release all the information online unless Sebok paid up hundreds of thousands of dollars. When Seebok refused over 100 individuals received a nude photograph of Sebok, causing the poker pro much distress. As the San Francisco-based player explained in court:

“In short, I was no longer able to maintain my then-current level of participation in the poker industry, representing the brands that I had been previously, as well as greatly destroying my ability to do so with new companies moving forward. Without belaboring the point too much, it was a nightmare, and one that I was forced to live through with millions of people watching.”

Other crimes perpetuated by the men include extorting $26,000 from other poker players, and stealing a total of $4,000 from several online poker accounts.




Joe Sebok Targetted In Nude Photo Extortion Scam
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Manne wrote: Carbon Poker has been relatively growing because of its great diversity of games, fast and reliable software, remarkable multi-table-tournament leader board program, several live event satellites with smaller fields, a variety of deposit and withdrawal options and graphics that are superior and top of the industry.

Because US players are welcome here, no wonder there is already a good player volume initially on Carbon Poker and it is gradually increasing day by day.


Carbon Poker


The Carbon Poker website was designed in order to attract possible players with its attractive, yet functional layout. They have, what most online poker sites have determined as well, the bonuses and promotions ads right in the middle. This is a good tactic to initially hook a new player, since after they start to play on Carbon Poker, they will stay for the experience. They also show the current and upcoming events; along with the Bad Beat Jackpot running total.


Welcome!!
I like to play at Carbon Poker. I always makes a buck or two.
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Hotels on the Boardwalk of Atlantic City are waiting impatiently for regulations to be ironed out so that they, in turn, can offer their players online poker and casino games under new laws introduced in New Jersey this year.

One of these is the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, which hopes to be among the first to offer online gambling when the licensing process has been completed. The casino is owned by Boyd Gaming Corp and the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Keith Smith said that his group was moving swiftly to incorporate internet gambling options as soon as regulations allow.

“We look forward to being one of the first to launch in New Jersey,” he said this week.

Keith Smith said that online gambling was a hugely “lucrative market” for his company. He would not give any estimates as to how much he believed Boyd Gaming would benefit from the new laws, although he agreed that New Jersey, as a whole, would generate internet gambling revenue from $200 million to $1.2 billion each year, as has been predicted by gambling analysts and industry experts.

Addressing fears that online casino games and online poker would have a detrimental effect on the terrestrial operations of Atlantic City casinos, Smith said that there was little chance that internet gambling would “cannabilize” business for the casino. In fact, he believes that the casino’s ability to offer these services would increase the number of visitors.

Smith added: ““We think it’s going to be a great addition to our land-based platform.”

Like most Atlantic City casinos, the Borgata has been struggling over the past few years due to the decline of visitors to the area, competition from neighboring states and a string of bad weather events. In the first quarter of 2013, net revenues for the casino dropped 6%, while gross operating profits fell 27% compared to the same period last year.



Atlantic City Hotels Waiting for Online Poker
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Hold’em Manager has introduced a cloud-based hand database that allows players to access statistics remotely.

The latest version of the program, introduced last week as a product in limited Alpha release, is only currently available for PokerStars cash games.

There’s no database to download, which lends itself to speedier functions and less drag on computers, and players can access statistics online, through multiple computers or tablets, according to a Hold’em Manager blog post.

“You don’t need to install a database because hands are not stored on your computer. HM Cloud also doesn’t rely on your computer to perform a single calculation or retrieve any statistics on you or your opponents,” the post stated. “An HM Cloud local client you install on your computer only performs two functions: ... it forwards new hand histories received to HM Cloud and it receives updated HUD data from HM Cloud and displays it on your tables.”

HM officials have yet to set a price tag for the cloud version, instead focusing on feedback from the testers.

“The current features and supported sites/games limitations are in place only because Alpha user feedback is critical before further development takes place,” according to Hold’em Manager.

There are plans to release a Mac compatible version.

In initial testing, they reported “no lag” and a “very small CPU and RAM footprint” while running 16 tables on PokerStars.

Hold’em Manager says the cloud data would remain private. “Although future updates to HM Cloud will allow you to share a specific hand for public posts and/or with private groups, users cannot elect to make their database public.”

Those interested in participating in the alpha test can email [email]HMCloud@holdemmanager-com[/email]. The testing is restricted to current HM2 owners, so you must include a HM2 email address, a HM forums username, site(s) played, whether you are a cash or tourney player, database size and cultural settings used.


Hold'em Manager Reaches For The Cloud | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
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Blair Hinkle has won the WSOP Circuit Council Bluffs, after defeating a field of 367 players over three days to lift the title, and collect the $121,177 first place prize.

Amazingly, the 27 year old poker pro won the very same event back in 2010 for $88,566, and with his latest win in Iowa now becomes the first man in WSOPC history to take down the same event twice. Apparently, Hinkle was aware of the possible record going into the competition, and as he explains:

“Coming into the final table, my mom mentioned story lines for the reporters. I thought this would be a good one so I tried to make it happen.”

As the $1,675 buy-in event reached its final table of ten, Blair Hinkle was lying third in chips. Hinkle then proceeded to eliminate Tim Hughes in 9th ($11,457), before doing likewise to Ben Smith in 8th ($14,343) and Mark Bonsack in 4th ($40,627).

Next, Brendan Waite (A-K) eliminated a short-stacked Sean Small (K-10) in 3rd for $54,716 to herald-in the heads-up phase of the competition.

At his stage, Waite held a 4.35m to 2.95m chip lead over Hinkle, but following a three-hour heads-up epic battle, the defining hand was played after Hinkle was dealt 4-2 to his opponent’s 7-6. Hinkle then check-raised Waite all-in on a K-5-3-K-6 board, who subsequently made the call to finish the runner-up for a $74,881 payday. Meanwhile, Blair Hinkle was crowned the WSOPC Council Bluffs champion, again!

The Kansas City resident now boasts $1,665,952 in live tournament winnings to go with the $1,960,895 he has earned online under the screen name Blur5f6.

The final table payouts were as follows:

1st Blair Hinkle $121,177
2nd Brendan Waite $74,881
3rd Sean Small $54,716
4th Mark Bonsack $40,627
5th Cord Garcia $30,635
6th Trevor Deeter $23,448
7th Sterling Savill $18,209
8th Ben Smith $14,343
9th Tim Hughes $11,457
10th Phil Mader $9,275





Blair Hinkle Wins WSOPC Council Bluffs Again!
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Nevada residents are still waiting for the launch of the first legal, real-money online poker room in the Silver State. According to 888 Holdings CEO Brian Mattingley, they won't have to wait much longer.

Mattingley told Reuters Tuesday that the company expects to launch its online poker offering in Nevada by this summer. 888 is waiting for its software to be approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board before it can go live via three online gaming partners in the state. The control board has been testing the software of providers since last year.

888, which owns and operates 888poker outside of the U.S., will provide an online poker platform for Caesars Interactive Entertainment and its World Series of Poker-branded online poker site, as well as slot machine manufacturer WMS Industries and Treasure Island. 888 has nonexclusive business-to-business deals with all three companies in Nevada.

Mattingley told PokerNews last year that 888 will be "well positioned" to perform strongly in Nevada. On Tuesday, told Reuters that the company is also seeking approval to operate in New Jersey, which legalized online gambling in February.

The Nevada Gaming Commission has approved more than 20 companies for interactive gaming licenses already, including MGM Resorts International, Fertitta Interactive, Boyd Gaming and the Golden Nugget. None of the licensed operators have announced an official launch date for online poker, but many expect to be up and running by the end of the year.

Mattingley said the company will begin to see how much of an impact the U.S. poker market has on its bottom line starting in 2015. 888 will increase its marketing budget in the U.S. next year while it competes for a share of the online poker market.




888 Expects to Launch Online Poker in Nevada This Summer | PokerNetwork-com
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