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Fertitta Entertainment Lines Up Online Poker Payment Processor

The new Ultimate Poker platform by Fertitta Entertainment signed a deal this month with Central Account Management System (CAMS) to accept online payments via their future Nevada intrastate gambling site.

Ultimate Poker is one of the many online poker operators recently licensed by Nevada to offer intrastate online poker once the program is free of kinks and up and running. “From stacking chips and talking trash to pushing to the top of custom leader boards, Ultimate Gaming brings excitement every day,” says a press release from CAMS announcing the partnership between the two entities.

CAMS states that they will “provide Ultimate Gaming’s new online poker brand, Ultimate Poker, IP Geo-Location services, Mobile Geo-Location, Device Intelligence, Player Age Verification, payment connectivity, chargeback representment and tokenization through a single integration to its centralized platform.”

CAMS was approved by Nevadan authorities last year and given a Class Two gaming license so that the company can assist online poker operators in processing online gaming site payments that will adhere to the strict regulations set forth by the Nevada Gaming Commission and the licensing they’ve issued to the future intrastate online poker providers who will provide online poker services to Nevada residents.

Matthew Katz, Chief Executive for CAMS, says, “CAMS supports the creation of a safe and secure payment environment for casinos, lotteries, brands and players and helps meet or exceed regulatory and compliance requirements. Our solutions are specifically tailored for partners like Ultimate Gaming and will become increasingly critical as new United States regulatory markets continue to develop for the online gaming world.”

Chris Derossi of Ultimate Gaming believes that the partnership with CAMS will ultimately decrease the cost of internal programming, centralize day to day operating overhead, while reducing upfront and monthly expenditures from vendors by almost 30%.

PCA Zoom Poker Event Causes a Stir

After another successful PokerStars Caribbean Adventure with a record number of participants, an issue remains unresolved for some players who participated in the Zoom Poker promotional event at this year’s PCA.

While PokerStars is admitting to poor planning and is working out a plan to rectify the situation, many are unsatisfied with the results of the Zoom event.

Players were allowed to pay $1K+$25 in entry fees to play Zoom Poker against real players on the site’s play money counterpart. Players began with 20K in chips and they were to see who could accrue the most chips within 12 minutes, and players could enter over and over. The issues began as the event drew to a close, as multiple players were allowed to participate, falsely inflating the chips available. This made opportunities for chip dumping and multiple players getting caught in all-in jams.

There has been a lot of buzz on the online poker forums regarding the complaints, and PokerStars execs are addressing them directly, but no statement has been made as to affected players getting refunded for the operator error.

PPA for State-Level Online Poker Legislature

Many people in the online poker community were disappointed when an bill that would legalize and regulate online poker was not passed during the lame duck session of Congress. After 2012 did not see a federal online poker bill passed, the grass roots organization for legal and regulated online poker, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) is now shifting their focus to the state level. Nevada has had success passing an intrastate online poker bill and has in fact already passed out licenses to many online poker brands hoping to open up shop to Nevada residents.

Delaware has also passed intrastate online poker legislature, and other states that are expected to pass similar laws include Iowa, and New Jersey. Others will hopefully follow.

Executive director of the PPA John Pappas says he doesn’t anticipate leaving his headquarters in Washington DC, but has explains that “the fight for Internet poker is moving to the states.” He was also quoted to say, “We will be largely focusing our efforts on passing player friendly bills in the states.”

After the DoJ re-interpreted the Wire Act of ’61 that excluded online poker and online casino from the law, leaving it to only apply to online sportsbetting, states started “sending strong signals that they intend to push for Internet poker legalization,” says Pappas.

Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl did push strongly for online poker legislation that would regulate and legalize Internet poker, but it just didn’t work out.

Pappas says, “It has become clear that last year’s dysfunctional Congress was a huge obstacle in our mission to secure safe and regulated Internet poker. Sadly, the prospects of the partisan Congress working together in 2013 do not look promising.”

Online Poker Pros in an Upswing for 2013

Online poker sensation Viktor “Isildur1” Blom has had good luck this year. Within the first few days of the year, he had already won around $1 million playing online poker at the newly re-established Full Tilt Poker, only to win another $3 million by the ninth day of the year, making his 2013 winnings total more than $4 million. The Swedish pro is the biggest winner to play at the online poker site since it reopened back in November of last year.

Unfortunately fellow Full Tilt Poker pro Gus Hansesn’s luck has not been as good this year. Hansen has lost another six figures since the New Year, sitting on losses totaling more than $3.3 million since November.

Blom has made most of his money playing limit Omaha eight or better, pot limit Omaha, and limit deuce to seven triple draw, winning a massive pot from Scott “mastrblastr” Seiver, but he also crushed Phil Galfond and 25-year-old Ben “Sauce123” Sulsky from New Hampshire, the most profitable online player of 2012 (on all sites), who was up about $50K for the new year that has resulted from less than 10 sessions before Blom got a hold of him at the $400/$800 PLO tables.

Another big winner from last year, Ben “Bttech86” Tollerene is also in the black for 2013.

The Status of US Online Poker Regulations

Senator Harry Reid’s online poker bill died for the year 2012 during the Friday lame-duck session of the Legislature. This marked the official expiry of federal efforts by Congress to pass laws on internet poker, and is perhaps the end of the last chance at regulation by the federal government before online gambling is taken on by the states.

Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Senate Majority Leader’s Chief of Staff, David Krone, explained that time has ran out for the Nevada Senator in pushing for the establishment of  Internet poker licensing and regulation in 2012. Krone implied Reid’s intention to try again next year, though optimism was far from apparent.

“Our goal is to definitely try again next year but Senator Reid’s feeling is that after a while there comes a time when you’ve lost momentum, you’ve lost the consensus you’ve built,” he said, adding, “There will be a window next year, but I don’t see it going long.”

The effort during the lame-duck session appeared like the best and last chance for creation of an online gambling federal structure prior to the states striking out and making their own systems and regulations. In Nevada, companies are already acquiring licenses for the State’s online poker, and the operations are set to start running within the New Year’s first half.

This year legislation was passed by Delaware for full online gambling, to be offered through the State lottery. New Jersey is waiting for next week to pass legislation that allows full online gambling by Atlantic City casinos. New Jersey and Nevada aspire to influence other states into approving online poker and allowing US players to play within their borders, and in return the states get tax revenue.

John Pappas, the Poker Player Alliance’s executive director, had something to say about the disappointing end to a year full of optimism, “It is an extremely disappointing end to a year where tremendous progress was made… I am most upset for the players, who have been calling on Congress for years to pass an Internet poker law that protects consumers, restores their freedoms and raises revenue. While I don’t think these voices have fallen on deaf ears, I am discouraged that Congress could not coalesce around a solution in the wake of the ongoing fiscal crisis.”

Full Tilt Is Back and Thriving

Since the November 6 relaunch of Full Tilt Poker, there has been a continuous slide in traffic and presently, the online poker room is recording a massive 53% off its record of 8,000 cash players while at the highest peak.

All is not gloomy for the poker room though. The good news is that with an average of 4,300 cash players in seven days, Full Tilt Poker is still in the range of its closest competitors, coming second behind PokerStars. It is comfortably ahead of the iPoker Network, which includes Bet365, William Hill, Titan Poker, and Betfred and has an average of 2,750 cash players, as well as PartyPoker which is not far behind in fourth position with an average 2,650 cash players every seven-day duration.

The FTOPS is even back at Full Tilt Poker.

In the meantime, PokerStars continues to reign over the industry, boasting a multitude of real money game players averaging at 23,400.

Last week PokerStars may have seen a 10% decline in traffic, which is probably a result of its behemoth promotion finishing. According to the PokerScout, 93,168 cash game players were reported on the day the 90 billionth hand promotion’s hand was hit. $66,380 went to “m1sspiggy”, the lucky winner, while $14,000 went to each of five other finalist players.

Lastly, Microgaming Poker Network (MPN), which was recently rebranded, enjoyed a boost in player traffic by 20%, and is now looking set to continue making strides in the poker traffic rankings following the initial hitches experienced when transitioning.

Mark Lipparelli Gives Insight into Online Poker Regulations

Nevada is still rolling ahead with its online poker plans, as recent comments by former Nevada Gaming Control Board chairman, Mark Lipparelli, have revealed.

He may be out of the regulations business, but Lipparelli is still a key player in the collective push for federal legalization of online poker. The former regulator was at the helm of a gaming regulatory body in the Silver State when he joined the process that resulted in the United States’ first-ever regulations for online gaming to be adopted.

He was the spokesman for the regulatory body at a US Online Gaming Law conference in 2011, whereby he unveiled the agency’s plan to start accepting licensing applications in Nevada for Internet poker operators as early as February 2012. This was an application allowance made in accord with the legislation Governor Brian Sandoval had signed that summer, calling for license holders and gaming regulators to adopt the licensing rules.

Lipparelli was a pillar of Nevada’s front position as other states now look to legalizing poker. However, a new law needs passing. The Nevada market may be open, but Lipparelli and the state now want a nationwide market, as this brings a host of benefits including the creation of liquidity.

He argued for poker legislation at Capitol Hill, saying that it is an excellent idea because “without congressional action, slot machines and roulette wheels will soon be spinning inside every computer and cellphone in America.”

This is not the first time Lipparelli has broached the federal issue. The fall of 2011 saw him testify on the possibility of intrastate online gaming during a House hearing.

Meanwhile, Lipparelli is poised to spend the first year of retirement following the step-down from the Control Board cooling off before re-entering the private sector.

bwin.com Now Shares the PartyPoker Network

bwin.com poker players can now enjoy the full share of the PartyPoker network following bwin’s re-emergence. The poker site took a day’s downtime to transition its player base successfully from Ongame to the Partygaming platform, and now shares PartyPoker’s player pool.

In spite of no announcement being made prior to the bwin.party transition, the poker room was dedicated to completing the move within this year. It was pending since the March 2011 merger of PartyGaming and bwin and became possible in October 2012, when the final sale of Ongame to Amaya, which had earlier been delayed, finally took place. The transition has been confirmed in a bwin blog post, which also pointed out touted features on the new platform like custom avatars and tournaments.

bwin players can expect to see a significantly wider range of real money games running, as the number of active cash game players on the PartyPoker network is approximately double that of Ongame. Party’s fast-fold product will also be accessible to them.

Should the majority of bwin players migrate to the new software, PartyPoker players should expect the new traffic to sport a noticeable bump. Micro-stakes will be central in the weighing of the highest percentage of the increased liquidity. A number of estimates put the bwin player base on Ongame Network at 30-50%, which may possibly translate to a 15-25% bump in Party traffic.

Other players certain to notice the traffic increase are those in other Party skins, for instance Empire Poker and WPT Poker.

This bump will probably put PartyPoker on the number the spot ahead of iPoker, its perennial rival, on the much-quoted poker networks global ranking by PokerScout. Rankings are usually determined by average traffic on cash games.

Players on other Ongame skins should expect the traffic to drop. Fortunately, this drop may not be so pronounced outside the micro-stakes since a large number of bwin’s Ongame tables were exclusive to the poker site.

Zynga Applies for Online Gaming License in Nevada

The Nevada gambling industry has fallen in the crosshairs of Zynga Inc. Zynga, a top rated gaming firm boasting some of social network site Facebook’s hottest games, has a pending application for operation in the highly dynamic Nevadan gambling scene. It hopes to be granted a license to operate by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

The application paperwork comprises of requests to get the gaming firm a preliminary hearing that determines its eligibility for the gaming license. However, according to Nevada’s Gaming Board, the application failed to specify the kind of game Zynga seeks to offer.

As customary in the treatment of applications within the state since it began shifting its legal perspective to allow intrastate online poker, Nevada will seek to ensure Zynga meets and complies with its current terms in respect to a regulatory track record and financial standings. There is no specified time period before decisions on applications are made, but Zynga should expect a response within 18 months.

Zynga is one of numerous operators seeking operational licenses in the Nevada marketplace due to its potential income ramifications, greatly facilitated by the state’s huge population. A number of leading national operators have also submitted their gaming license applications, including Caesars Entertainment, Bwin.Party Digital, and MGM Resorts. More entrants are expected to make submissions, although it remains to be seen which big names will ultimately operate in Nevada’s tightly regulated market.

Barry Cottle, Zyngas’s Chief Revenue Officer, says, “As we’ve said previously, the broader U.S. market is an opportunity that’s further out on the horizon based on legislative developments, but we are preparing for a regulated market.”

WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic Champion Raghavan

Ravi Raghavan has become the new champion of the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic following a defeat of 503 entries. The 26 year-old pro from the US battled bravely at the Bellagio to be rewarded with the first place prize of $1,268,571, bringing his total live earnings to an astonishing $1,817,346. No mean feat to accomplish.

In the wake of the victory, Raghavan called this Las Vegas challenge the biggest and most memorable conquest of his life, “It is the biggest achievement of my life, and it’s amazing. Just winning is amazing, regardless of the stage. I should expect to win, but I didn’t.”

Exactly 368 players took part in the $10,300 buy-in tournament, and this total, combined with 135 re-entries, created a whopping $4,879,100 prize pool. Notable names that cashed out include Brain Rast, Scott Clements, Jeremy Ausmus, Freddy Deeb, Greg Mueller, Andrew Robl, and Yevgeniy Timoshenko. Fininshing in the top ten were Jason Somerville at 10, Theo Tran at 8 and Jonathan Aguair at 7.

The final table was dotted with the toughest of competition. One could be forgiven for imagining the players were wearing blank poker faces and surrounded by a thick cloud of cigar smoke, holding cards close to their chests as they waited, ever so patiently, to swoop in and take the loot. Andrew Lichtenberger, Jeremy Kottler, Antonio Esfandiari, Thomas Winters, Shawn Buchanan, and Ravi Raghavan were the last six competitors. Kottler was the first to leave the table with $187,845 after his A-K gave way against Winters’ pocket sevens. Lichtenberger, already short-stacked, followed him with $234,197 after losing out to Raghavans’ Q-4.

Raghavans’ pocket aces saw Esfandiaris’ A-K off and he bagged $329,339. Shawn Buchanan went ahead to eliminate Thomas Winters, who departed with $483,031. Raghavan pulled away to a 4 to 1 cheap lead against Buchanan’s K-7 when the final hand was played. Raghavan’s pocket sevens squashed Buchanan, who took home $746,502, and Ravi went on to win the 2012 WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic series.

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