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PokerStars May Purchase Atlantic City Hotel Casino

The online gambling legalization debate that has been going on just got more intriguing after gaming giant PokerStars made known their intention to purchase the struggling The Atlantic Club.

PokerStars, according to the Wall Street Journal, is in negotiations with Colony Capital, a private equity group, for the purchase of this Atlantic City hotel casino at a price below $50 million. This Boardwalk property originally went by the name Golden Nugget when Steve Wynn founded it in the 1980s, before being called the Atlantic City Hilton.  PokerStars’ interest in it comes as no surprise, and the price being considered is a real steal.

The concern that supersedes even this purchase is whether the player from Isle of Man will garner licensing approval from the gaming regulators of the mega-restrictive New Jersey gambling industry. PokerStars already has a record of a nine-count court indictment, for which an agreement to pay the federal government $731 was reached in August. If they can pull this off, the other question relates to whether they will go for a similar strategy in Nevada.

Evidence of the ground work in New Jersey already being underway is the increased presence of PokerStars attorneys in the state. According to the Wall Street Journal, the success of the deal is dependent on the passing of a bill to legalize online gambling, which is currently being debated in the legislature. Once approved, Atlantic City casinos will be allowed to operate websites that gamblers would have access to while within the New Jersey borders.

On April 15^th 2011, the U.S federal government ran a crackdown on Internet poker and PokerStars ended up ensnared in a legal tussle. The company and its founder, Isai Scheinberg, were accused of operating an illegal gaming business, bank fraud, and money laundering, in a nine-count indictment.

PokerStars finally got from the wrong side of the U.S. Department of Justice on August 1^st 2012 when they agreed to the $731 million settlement. However, they denied all allegations leveled against them by the prosecution and have been restricted from operating in the U.S. gambling market. Isai Scheinberg is still under indictment for various charges, but he is yet to be charged officially.

PKR Nominated Again at 2013 Internet Gaming Awards

Once again, PKR finds itself as a contender at the 2013 Internet Gaming Awards. The UK-based online poker powerhouse, greatly popular in the poker virtual world community, made it as a nominee of both the Online Poker Operator of the year Award and the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Online Award.

Having already won the 2010 and 2011 titles, this is the fourth year in a row that PKR has made it on the nomination list of Online Poker Operator of the Year award. The award acknowledges the operator with the greatest progress in the online real-money-poker marketplace within the year, and the judges consider originality, usability, growth, and scale, marketing, and payment processing. The Socially Responsible Operator of the Year category considers the easy accessibility of problem gambling assistance, as well as the execution of conscientious gaming safeguards in accord with various legislation.

The IGA is now in its 6th year and boasts the leading global brick-and-mortar and online gaming segments, covering 21 categories and moderated by a select panel of elite players in the industry. This time, the Internet Gaming Awards celebrations will be held on 4^th February, 2013, at The Brewery in London.

Commenting on the 2012 IGA celebration, the PKR Marketing Director, Simon Prodger, explains that the IGA is a great event to be involved with, commenting,“It’s great that our unique approach is still recognized within the industry and we’d be thrilled to win for a third time. We take pride in our responsible approach to gaming and the relationship we have with our player base, so it’s nice to be named in the Socially Responsible category. Win or not, the IGA are significant and it’s great to be involved. I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic evening in February.”

Blom Victorious Over Dwan in $400K Heads Up Battle

Poker fans from all around headed to Full Tilt Poker to marvel at Tom “durrr” Dwan and Victor “Isildur1” Blom battling it out, whereby Blom emerged the victor between the two Full Tilt sponsored pros. For his variant efforts, Dwan took home a whopping $100,000 stake in an online session that was over in less than three hours.

Dubbed “Dwan vs. Blom”, this is the latest edition of a series of battles that date back to 2009, when the pair began the occasional high-stakes battles that they are so well known for. Prior to the battle, both players had already joined Full Tilt’s “The Professionals” team, which is new and comprises of sponsored pros.

The straightforward set up required both Dwan and Blom to put up $100,000 each across four tables with bets of $100/200 NLHE, playing until one pro had stashed all the cash in his corner. Dwan had a pilot lead before Blom’s luck changed.

A total of 1,391 hands were played across six tables by the two players. Some of the largest hands, like second to last hand played between the two poker giants, bore witness to Blom rivering or turning flushes that resulted in Dwan losing some hefty pots.

Dwan was down to his last $4,000 on just one table by the time of the final hand, but he turned a pair of 10s while Blom’s held an A/3. The board was once again going Blom’s way when a turn landed him an Ace, and he acquired an even better hand to guarantee him a win. This was the climax of the challenge, and no spectator could say they didn’t see it coming from a mile away.

As the game drew to a close, the two players left the tables with a “gg” exchange, leaving the spectators to speculate on whether or not Full Tilt will host another match like this one as the increasingly popularity of challenges like these, similar to the matches Blom took part in on PokerStars, grows.

Successfull Spanish Championship of Online Poker

Last month, the world poker community received announcement that Rafael Nadal, the Spanish tennis prodigy, began playing on PokerStars’ real money tables. It wasn’t too long before the seven-time French Open champion found himself among 1,842 players seated at the main event €200 buy-in tournament of the ESCOOP, the Spanish Championship of Online Poker, Spain’s answer to the WCOOP at PokerStars.

Nadal took up the nickname ‘RAFA’ during the tournament, and his participation is probably the link behind the event’s recorded massive success. The tournament’s prize pool exceeded the proposed guarantee by far, reaching a whopping €339,241.14.

RAFA has proved his worth for a high place in the pro world of poker, showing the world that his success is not only restricted to the tennis court. The tennis star is among the most famous sportsmen in the world, colossus on the court and famously all smiles off it. He is that guy whom everyone wants to hang out with and everyone loves his sunny smile, which he even takes with him to the poker room. His failure at mastering a poker face has not put a damper on his remarkable career though.

As a Team PokerStars SportStar player, RAFA flew past the first levels of the ESCOOP main event without a hitch, remaining solid in the face of his competitors’ aggressiveness. He even took part in the elimination of a player, earning him a leadership spot. Unfortunately, he lacked the necessary experience to avoid all poker pitfalls, but ultimately he still came out a winner. The tennis star went only a few levels before he abandoned the championship, which eventually ended with tonet_1981’s victory. All the same, Nadal had still won himself a place in poker. It will be exciting to see where his poker career goes alongside his tennis career.

More Nevada Operators Apply for Online Poker License

Online poker in Nevada may soon rival live poker in prevalence if the licensing application process is anything to go by. Several Las Vegas casinos have already applied for and obtained the licenses to run online games, and now there an additional two casinos that have submitted their applications.

Treasure Island and Hard Rock Hotel are the most recent to show their interest in the much awaited online poker industry of the Silver State. They have joined a rapidly growing list of applicants, which currently has 12 approved operators.

The parent company of Hard Rock is Brookfield Real Estate Financial, but BREF Interactive Gaming, LLC, one of its subsidiaries, actually submitted the license application for the hotel. Brookfield Real Estate Financial has already been reported to be in the process of securing online poker software, as it currently negotiates with software providers.

Twelve companies have already confirmed that they have been approved for a Nevada online poker operator licenses. The most recently approved operator is MGM Resorts International. In the past month, Fertitta Interactive, Golden Nugget, and Boyd Gaming have all also received their approvals for the operator licenses. Other companies already holding their licenses include: American Casino & Entertainment Properties, Bally Technologies, Shuffle Master, WMS Gaming Inc, South Point Poker, International Game Technology, Global Cash Access, and Monarch Interactive.

Switch Communications Group made an application for a license to operate a hosting center, which is basically a location that houses computer networks and is separate from casinos. If Treasure Island and Hard Rock are granted approval, the number of licensed operators will rise to 14. However, there is yet to be an indication of the first money site launching. South Point’s initial expectations were squashed with the postponement of the company’s debut, citing delays and negotiations in testing.

Reid-Kyle Online Poker Bill to be Modified

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) requested Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl to make a few changes to the online poker bill’s current draft in a letter dated November 2. Written by Alfonse D’Amato, PPA Chairman, the missive commended the senators for their efforts in trying to legalize and regulate online poker in the US.

D’Amato expressed the Alliance’s approval of the current draft, saying that the PPA is “pleased with many aspects of the draft.”  The Reid-Kyl bill provides a stable platform for states to carry out their own regulations, addresses consumer protection, generates revenue, and serves as an economic stimulus through job creation.

D’Amato has, however, singled out six areas of improvement, chief among them being the requirement for individual state legislatures to opt-in to the federal scheme. The PPA is of the opinion that the state legislature does not have to bear the burden of approving states already providing not-tribal, live commercial poker.

The PPA is also against the proposed waiting period of 15 months before operators can start to deal cards online. Reid and Kyl put in that provision to prevent operators from getting a jump on their peers, but D’Amato stresses that that delay is too long for professional and recreation players to wait. He also explains that Internet poker has been regulated by other countries successfully for years in much less time than 15 months.

The proposal has no allowance for international play and restricts expansion of player pools beyond the US soil, making this perhaps its most short-sighted aspect. Forging external agreements consumes time, but the PPA asserts that the increased player liquidity and revenue from international competition is a must.

The PPA also wants the bill to have a provision that directs “the IRS to formulate guidelines for reporting income from online poker prior to commencement of play,” as D’Amato stated in the letter.  In addition, he has suggested an amendment that ensures equal treatment of federal online poker, state lotteries, and Indian tribes. Finally, he has called the five-year ban on the licensing of online poker providers who were in operation in the US marketplace after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was enacted in 2006 unduly unfair, arbitrary, and possibly unconstitutional.

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) requested Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl to make a few changes to the online poker bill’s current draft in a letter dated November 2. Written by Alfonse D’Amato, PPA Chairman, the missive commended the senators for their efforts in trying to legalize and regulate online poker in the US.

D’Amato expressed the Alliance’s approval of the current draft, saying that the PPA is “pleased with many aspects of the draft.”  The Reid-Kyl bill provides a stable platform for states to carry out their own regulations, addresses consumer protection, generates revenue, and serves as an economic stimulator through job creation.

D’Amato has, however, singled out six areas of improvement, chief among them being the requirement for individual state legislatures to opt-in to the federal scheme. The PPA is of the opinion that the state legislature does not have to bear the burden of approving states already providing not-tribal, live commercial poker.

The PPA is also against the proposed waiting period of 15 months before operators can start to deal cards online. Reid and Kyl put in that provision to prevent operators from getting a jump on their peers, but D’Amato stresses that that delay is too long for professional and recreation players to wait. He also explains that Internet poker has been regulated by other countries successfully for years in much less time than 15 months.

The proposal has no allowance for international play and restricts expansion of player pools beyond the US soil, making this perhaps its most short-sighted aspect. Forging external agreements consumes time, but the PPA asserts that the increased player liquidity and revenue from international competition is a must.

The PPA also wants the bill to have a provision that directs “the IRS to formulate guidelines for reporting income from online poker prior to commencement of play,” as D’Amato stated in the letter.  In addition, he has suggested an amendment that ensures equal treatment of federal online poker, state lotteries, and Indian tribes. Finally, he has called the five-year ban on the licensing of online poker providers who were in operation in the US marketplace after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was enacted in 2006 unduly unfair, arbitrary, and possibly unconstitutional.

Poker Guru Katie Dozier Relocates to Mexico to Play Poker

Katie Stone, better known as “katie75013,” relocated to Rosarito, Mexico to pursue her career as an online poker player. She is one of the Grindettes, a group of four women who have turned online poker playing into a career. She has been followed by Katie “hotjenny314” Dozier in this averse but popular decision to relocate to play. Katie Stone pretty much put the whole group together, including Jennifer Shahade, Jamie Kerstetter, and Dozier. The dynamic group of women, all of which are excellent poker players, not only support each other at the poker table, but also in every day life.

Dozier started playing way back in 2004, while she was still majoring in creative writing in the state of Florida. She relocated to Washington DC, where she attended a French culinary school, but at the same time, she upheld her taste for online poker. She played her way through the online poker ranks while acquiring quite a sizeable amount of loot, more than $110,000.

Maybe being married to Collin Moshman, a renowned poker pro and noted author, might have contributed to her decision. Moshman is the author of Sit ‘n Go Strategy, Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em, and The Math of Hold’em. Dozier edited all the books and even co-authored two of books alongside her husband. The Superuser and Pro Poker Strategy: The Top Skills.

Following a successful run in Las Vegas, as well as several World Series of Poker events, Dozier saw it fit to delve into the world of online poker, heading south of the border. Currently she lives in Rosarito, Mexico where she recounted how her childhood shaped her decision today. Jokingly, she recounts how her online screen name, “hotjenny314,” came about. After she noticed how guys went ga-ga over sexy-girl screen names, she decided to give it a try, and the name stuck.  “Jenny,” as she recounts, is influenced by hot girls from her sorority while “314” speaks to math, important to the game.

Being a female player in a male dominated field, Dozier is pretty much unaffected. Online, she is pretty much genderless, so she says. She prefers tournaments to cash, which is a strong indicator of her competitive nature—online poker players be warned—where she plays mid-stakes MTTs and MTT SNGs and averages 15 tables at a time.

Her life in Rosarito is something to envy. She has a house near the ocean, a beautiful complex that she shares with her friends and family.

IveyPoker.Com Rakes in the Top Ranked Pro of the Decade

IveyPoker.com has recruited Cole South into its ever expanding talent of online poker players. This online instructional site added the young talent after South demonstrated talent in the game. He now joins an exceptional crew of veterans like the winner of WSOP Main Event winner Greg Merson, Phil Ivey, and Patrik Antonius.

Since he started playing poker at the age of 24, South has had an illustrious career. Starting out with just $50 as his bankroll and playing in small stash tables, South was ever-determined. This determination handsomely paid off just one year later when he found himself with a $13,000 bankroll. This allowed him to move on to higher staked tables that saw him reach the $2 million mark within a single year. This was the first sign that South was not your normal poker player.

He had attained magic-like talent in the game. His hunger to win was insatiable. Playing with the granddaddies of the game like Tom Dwan, Viktor Blom, and Illari Sahamies, his prowess only continued to grow. He went on to beat some of them, taking his bankroll to over $3.5 million. However, the road was not flowered with roses. South has lost as much as he has made. He lost $1 million in a single day, and made an equivalent amount in a single day of play. There was a month that he lost $2.6 million, yet he never gave up, a defining character among the greats.

With such experience, South will prove to be an invaluable addition to the team over at IveyPoker.com. He has gone on to write a poker paperback Let There Be Range, which comes at an eye popping $1,850 sticker price. But it is well worth it. Adding to his entrepreneur endeavors, South co-owns Cardrunners.com.

Aligning himself with other IveyPoker.com pros, South is at the forefront of developing innovative social poker games aimed at offering poker training from the world’s top pros.

Greg Raymer’s Four-Month, Four-Win Streak

Greg Raymer has had one really amazing streak of victories, winning four  Heartland Poker Tour titles in four months. In this tournament, the Florence HPT Championship Open, he lifted the title by overcoming more than 335 players in four days. This is a reminder to the world of why he was the 2004 WSOP Main Event champion. It is a conquest that earned him a cool $106,030. Not too bad for a world master!

Before this, Raymer conquered the July HPT Mexico to bag $71,875, the Missouri HPT in September for $121,973, and the HPT Iowa in October for $72, 089. This record of wins could be called the ultimate ground work leading to his four-month amazing run.

In the final six’s table of the HPT Florence, FossilMan Greg Reymer was among the short-stacks. After eight hands however, he had pushed to the lead chip to eliminate Kenny Hicks who held A/Q to FossilMan’ A/K. This was warning enough for the remaining contenders. Postman Jason Guinn had even commented earlier that no matter what happened, he was a recreational player simply exhilarated to be around a world champion.

A jinx could not have worked better than this comment, as Jason was next to fall out of the tournament. Iverson Snuffer was next in line followed closely by Bruce Ostrander. Finally, Jacob Bazeley was all that stood between Raymer and another world title. As the game progressed, Raymer got hold of a 5.36-million chip lead over Jacob Bazeley’s 2.96 million. In a bizarre twist, both players went all-in and Raymer held an A/Q to Bezeley’s A/6, winning the table.

As expected, the end of the game was met with the poker community patting the FossilMan’s back for yet another incredible run. Greg Reymer is not just a champion but also a modest man, a quality he demonstrated by later tweeting his acknowledgment of their support. He thanked them all profusely, saying that the last five months were incredible and winning four out of six was nothing short of amazing.

Full Tilt’s Early Peak Hits Plateau

Full Tilt’s awesome run has finally hit a plateau, nothing out of the ordinary as indicated by PokerScout’s report. There was an initial boost in the first week following the Deal Me In promotion. However, over the last one week, money bets have fallen from 8,000 to 6,400. PokerScout reports that an early peak subsides after a three week plateau is reached. Full Tilt has definitely hit a plateau, the numbers they are enjoying now can be expected to hold steady, with minimal variations/shifts.

Full Tilt is however not giving in that easily. There has been a sequence of aggressive moves to bring in as much traffic to the newly launched platform as possible. Former members who are yet to try the relaunched site are receiving unbelievable bonus offers in excess of what was initially advertised by the Deal Me In promotion. This was done in a bid to win them over and encourage then to return.

Full Tilt also aims to take over the market share. They aim to take players from other sites, and the effects are almost evident. The aggressive market move has contributed to a 2% decline on PokerStars, a 7% on iPoker, and a 6% on PartyPoker market share. Decline on the iPoker platform can be attributed to players from Everest leaving for other networks after the platform ditched its own software and adopted the iPoker network.

Everest, maintaining a substantial 85% of its .com members, has the strongest foothold on the French market after iPoker’s move. This puts iPoker as the third largest online poker network in France.

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