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The past year has seen the re-emergence of online poker in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware, and some legal experts say California won't be far behind.
"I don't have any doubt we'll have legal online poker in California," says Whittier Law School Professor I. Nelson Rose, a specialist in gambling law. "Only politics is preventing it."
By politics he primarily means Indian tribes that wield immense influence in Sacramento and are said to believe most legal online gambling could reduce the number of people playing in casinos. He notes the state already allows remote online betting on horse races. "The tribes have done a tremendous job of using the wealth generated from gaming to gain political power," he says.
Rose says the state's need for increased tax revenue will drive it to legalize Web-based poker. Given that 2014 is an election year, he says he expects the state to approve some type of online poker format in 2015.
Some history: In April 2011, the U.S. government shut down three of the largest online poker sites - Full Tilt, PokerStars and Absolute Poker. In late 2011, the Department of Justice gave states authority to offer legal online gaming within their borders. In 2013, Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware launched online gaming with geo-location to ensure that players were within state borders.
Jeff Ifrah, a Washington, D.C., attorney who specializes in gaming law, says the lack of problems in other states will encourage California to approve some type of system. "There haven't been any incidents where someone has accessed the system and actually played the game from outside of those three states, as far as I know," he said.
Ifrah says that if California does allow online gaming, the state could reap great benefits. "California coming online would dwarf any success that those other markets had," he said.
Richard Schuetz of California's Gambling Control Commission says the state will consider online poker but not other games because those could pose a threat to tribes that invested heavily in Indian casinos with the promise of limited competition.
"I think there's a belief among our tribal partners that the Internet as a distribution network for gambling products could in some ways cannibalize the brick-and-mortar environment," Schuetz said in an interview with OP Report.
But Ifrah disagrees: Tribes believe "there are only so many pieces to the gaming pie. ... But I don't think that's the way it works. It's not like opening another casino across the street. Online gaming can actually generate new foot traffic for land-based casinos."
Online poker: When will California have part of the deal? - SFGate
"I don't have any doubt we'll have legal online poker in California," says Whittier Law School Professor I. Nelson Rose, a specialist in gambling law. "Only politics is preventing it."
By politics he primarily means Indian tribes that wield immense influence in Sacramento and are said to believe most legal online gambling could reduce the number of people playing in casinos. He notes the state already allows remote online betting on horse races. "The tribes have done a tremendous job of using the wealth generated from gaming to gain political power," he says.
Rose says the state's need for increased tax revenue will drive it to legalize Web-based poker. Given that 2014 is an election year, he says he expects the state to approve some type of online poker format in 2015.
Some history: In April 2011, the U.S. government shut down three of the largest online poker sites - Full Tilt, PokerStars and Absolute Poker. In late 2011, the Department of Justice gave states authority to offer legal online gaming within their borders. In 2013, Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware launched online gaming with geo-location to ensure that players were within state borders.
Jeff Ifrah, a Washington, D.C., attorney who specializes in gaming law, says the lack of problems in other states will encourage California to approve some type of system. "There haven't been any incidents where someone has accessed the system and actually played the game from outside of those three states, as far as I know," he said.
Ifrah says that if California does allow online gaming, the state could reap great benefits. "California coming online would dwarf any success that those other markets had," he said.
Richard Schuetz of California's Gambling Control Commission says the state will consider online poker but not other games because those could pose a threat to tribes that invested heavily in Indian casinos with the promise of limited competition.
"I think there's a belief among our tribal partners that the Internet as a distribution network for gambling products could in some ways cannibalize the brick-and-mortar environment," Schuetz said in an interview with OP Report.
But Ifrah disagrees: Tribes believe "there are only so many pieces to the gaming pie. ... But I don't think that's the way it works. It's not like opening another casino across the street. Online gaming can actually generate new foot traffic for land-based casinos."
Online poker: When will California have part of the deal? - SFGate
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2006/12/07
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The ranking of the top ten online poker rooms and networks was jostled a bit last week, with re-positioning occurring near the bottom of the industry's leading poker sites.
MPN was booted out of the top ten, now finding itself in 12th place globally. As predicted in last week's update, the defection of Ladbrokes to the iPoker Network meant that Microgaming's MPN would likely take a tumble. That tumble amounted to 100 cash players in a weekly average.
Also losing ground was Bodog/Bovada, falling one slot to ninth place. Winamax moved up to eighth in PokerScout's rankings, outpacing the estimated player traffic at Bodog by 100 players or so.
PokerStars.fr has claimed sole possession of tenth place after being tied with MPN for that position last week. Industry leader PokerStars operates four of the top ten-ranked poker rooms, as PokerStars.it and PokerStars.es hold down sixth and seventh place, respectively.
The top five poker rooms and networks retained their positions from the previous week, with 888poker continuing to enjoy its end-of-year push into second place. The iPoker Network and Full Tilt remain in third and fourth, with iPoker's 2,600 average weekly cash players only 100 behind 888. Likewise, Full Tilt's 2,500 average players trails iPoker by 100, as well.
PartyPoker has fallen off the pace a bit in fifth place, with a seven-day average of 2,100 cash players. But in New Jersey, Party's partnership with Borgata continues to dominate that market. As of this writing, Party Borgata averages 240 cash players weekly, while WSOP-NJ clocks in at 150.
The New Jersey market is being watched intently by other states, as a few more may regulate online poker in 2014. That is purely speculation at this point, however, as some states may decide to wait and see how things progress in New Jersey over time before making the plunge.
Also being watched closely among U.S.-facing poker rooms is one of the newest kids on the block, the Equity Poker Network. Since launching for real-money on Nov. 8, EPN has slowly added players. Only 60 cash players are found playing there on a weekly average, but that is considerable progress for being up and running less than two months.
Another site for U.S. players to watch in 2014 and beyond is Infiniti Poker. The bitcoin-friendly poker room soft launched earlier this month and will begin the new year with its hard launch.
It appears as though 2014 may be another exciting year in online poker, with the possibility of regulation spreading in the U.S. An industry-wide trend toward attracting recreational players has also been underway, with more of the same expected in 2014. We here at PokerUpdate would like to take this opportunity to wish a Happy New Year to all of our loyal readers!
Online Poker Player Traffic Update - December 31, 2013 | PokerUpdate
MPN was booted out of the top ten, now finding itself in 12th place globally. As predicted in last week's update, the defection of Ladbrokes to the iPoker Network meant that Microgaming's MPN would likely take a tumble. That tumble amounted to 100 cash players in a weekly average.
Also losing ground was Bodog/Bovada, falling one slot to ninth place. Winamax moved up to eighth in PokerScout's rankings, outpacing the estimated player traffic at Bodog by 100 players or so.
PokerStars.fr has claimed sole possession of tenth place after being tied with MPN for that position last week. Industry leader PokerStars operates four of the top ten-ranked poker rooms, as PokerStars.it and PokerStars.es hold down sixth and seventh place, respectively.
The top five poker rooms and networks retained their positions from the previous week, with 888poker continuing to enjoy its end-of-year push into second place. The iPoker Network and Full Tilt remain in third and fourth, with iPoker's 2,600 average weekly cash players only 100 behind 888. Likewise, Full Tilt's 2,500 average players trails iPoker by 100, as well.
PartyPoker has fallen off the pace a bit in fifth place, with a seven-day average of 2,100 cash players. But in New Jersey, Party's partnership with Borgata continues to dominate that market. As of this writing, Party Borgata averages 240 cash players weekly, while WSOP-NJ clocks in at 150.
The New Jersey market is being watched intently by other states, as a few more may regulate online poker in 2014. That is purely speculation at this point, however, as some states may decide to wait and see how things progress in New Jersey over time before making the plunge.
Also being watched closely among U.S.-facing poker rooms is one of the newest kids on the block, the Equity Poker Network. Since launching for real-money on Nov. 8, EPN has slowly added players. Only 60 cash players are found playing there on a weekly average, but that is considerable progress for being up and running less than two months.
Another site for U.S. players to watch in 2014 and beyond is Infiniti Poker. The bitcoin-friendly poker room soft launched earlier this month and will begin the new year with its hard launch.
It appears as though 2014 may be another exciting year in online poker, with the possibility of regulation spreading in the U.S. An industry-wide trend toward attracting recreational players has also been underway, with more of the same expected in 2014. We here at PokerUpdate would like to take this opportunity to wish a Happy New Year to all of our loyal readers!
Online Poker Player Traffic Update - December 31, 2013 | PokerUpdate
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2013 was a strange year in the effort to license and regulate Internet poker in the United States. There were long stretches with few developments on the legislative front. Yet, quietly, more was accomplished in 2013 than in the sum of the previous six years since the movement really began in response to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
Fully legal and regulated online poker started up in three states. It's something that one really needs to step back and appreciate. Prior to this year, Internet poker wasn't sanctioned by any state. Now online poker sites are live in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. In a decade, when online poker is being played throughout much of the country, with player pools that go across state lines, people will look back and think of 2013 as the beginning.
As I previewed the year, I wrote that online poker lobbyists planned to shift their focus from a federal to state-by-state platform. This certainly proved to be the case. The highlight of the year came early, when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie finally signed into law a bill approving Internet gambling in the Garden State last February. It came three years after the legislation was first introduced, and two years after it first passed through the state legislature. He vetoed the first bill, and waited until the final day this time with no one knowing what he would do. He went for a conditional veto, but it was good news as he laid out the exact changes he needed to sign the bill. Three weeks later, the legislature put the bill back on his desk with the chances and he signed it immediately.
As work began on New Jersey's online gambling regulations, Nevada took the lead by featuring the first hand of poker played at a regulated market in the United States on the Station Casinos-owned site UltimatePoker-com in April.
There were federal online poker bills introduced in 2013, mainly from Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), but the issue was largely ignored on Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) didn't even muster his usual attempt at teasing legislation to appease his Las Vegas casino constituents.
Congress did hold two hearings regarding Internet gambling. A July hearing in the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance was disappointing as Senators came off as completely ignorant on the issue while witnesses offered clichéd fear mongering by calling the activity hotbed for money laundering and an avenue for human and drug trafficking.
Poker took a legal hit in August when the U.S. Appeals Court overturned the acquittal of Lawrence DiCristina. District Court Judge Jack Weinstein had ruled that DiCristina, who operated a regular poker game out of a warehouse in Brooklyn, was not liable under the Internet Gambling Business Act because the IGBA doesn't mention poker and the activity was distinguished from the forms of gambling that were addressed because it is a skill game. The Appeals Court ruled that whether or not poker is included in the definition of the IGBA was irrelevant because the activity was prohibited by state law. On the bright side, the Appeals Court left alone Weinstein's assertions that poker is a skill game, leaving them to be used as precedent.
In early November, Delaware beat New Jersey to launch the first the first regulated site in a U.S. state offering full online gambling.
Between February and November, the biggest news in New Jersey was whether or not PokerStars would be allowed to participate in the state's online gaming. The answer turned out to be not for now, as PokerStars and partner Resorts Casino Hotel were not allowed to participate when Atlantic City casinos launched their sites on Nov. 26. The New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement suspended review of PokerStars' application, citing the unresolved federal indictment of founder Isai Scheinberg.
Right around the time of the New Jersey launch, Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson arose as the biggest threat to the continued legalization of online poker. Claiming a moral issue against online gaming, the casino magnate and influential Republican who throws a lot of money around Capitol Hill began preparing a public campaign against online gambling.
A December hearing in the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade might have been pushed for by Adelson to be the kickoff event of that campaign. Instead, the year ended on a positive note with Congressmen pointing out the hypocrisy of Adelson's opposition.
The state race began in 2013, and all of Adelson's billions can't turn back the clock.
Year in Review: 2013 Online Poker Legislation in the U.S. | PokerNews
Fully legal and regulated online poker started up in three states. It's something that one really needs to step back and appreciate. Prior to this year, Internet poker wasn't sanctioned by any state. Now online poker sites are live in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. In a decade, when online poker is being played throughout much of the country, with player pools that go across state lines, people will look back and think of 2013 as the beginning.
As I previewed the year, I wrote that online poker lobbyists planned to shift their focus from a federal to state-by-state platform. This certainly proved to be the case. The highlight of the year came early, when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie finally signed into law a bill approving Internet gambling in the Garden State last February. It came three years after the legislation was first introduced, and two years after it first passed through the state legislature. He vetoed the first bill, and waited until the final day this time with no one knowing what he would do. He went for a conditional veto, but it was good news as he laid out the exact changes he needed to sign the bill. Three weeks later, the legislature put the bill back on his desk with the chances and he signed it immediately.
As work began on New Jersey's online gambling regulations, Nevada took the lead by featuring the first hand of poker played at a regulated market in the United States on the Station Casinos-owned site UltimatePoker-com in April.
There were federal online poker bills introduced in 2013, mainly from Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), but the issue was largely ignored on Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) didn't even muster his usual attempt at teasing legislation to appease his Las Vegas casino constituents.
Congress did hold two hearings regarding Internet gambling. A July hearing in the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Insurance was disappointing as Senators came off as completely ignorant on the issue while witnesses offered clichéd fear mongering by calling the activity hotbed for money laundering and an avenue for human and drug trafficking.
Poker took a legal hit in August when the U.S. Appeals Court overturned the acquittal of Lawrence DiCristina. District Court Judge Jack Weinstein had ruled that DiCristina, who operated a regular poker game out of a warehouse in Brooklyn, was not liable under the Internet Gambling Business Act because the IGBA doesn't mention poker and the activity was distinguished from the forms of gambling that were addressed because it is a skill game. The Appeals Court ruled that whether or not poker is included in the definition of the IGBA was irrelevant because the activity was prohibited by state law. On the bright side, the Appeals Court left alone Weinstein's assertions that poker is a skill game, leaving them to be used as precedent.
In early November, Delaware beat New Jersey to launch the first the first regulated site in a U.S. state offering full online gambling.
Between February and November, the biggest news in New Jersey was whether or not PokerStars would be allowed to participate in the state's online gaming. The answer turned out to be not for now, as PokerStars and partner Resorts Casino Hotel were not allowed to participate when Atlantic City casinos launched their sites on Nov. 26. The New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement suspended review of PokerStars' application, citing the unresolved federal indictment of founder Isai Scheinberg.
Right around the time of the New Jersey launch, Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson arose as the biggest threat to the continued legalization of online poker. Claiming a moral issue against online gaming, the casino magnate and influential Republican who throws a lot of money around Capitol Hill began preparing a public campaign against online gambling.
A December hearing in the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade might have been pushed for by Adelson to be the kickoff event of that campaign. Instead, the year ended on a positive note with Congressmen pointing out the hypocrisy of Adelson's opposition.
The state race began in 2013, and all of Adelson's billions can't turn back the clock.
Year in Review: 2013 Online Poker Legislation in the U.S. | PokerNews
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2006/12/07
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Onlinecasinoarchives-com reported on 26th December, 2013 stating that according to security experts, online poker players are increasingly coming under attack by hackers.
Their theory is greatly supported by online poker player Jens Kyllonen who was struck by hackers when he was staying in a hotel in Barcelona in September 2013 while participating in the European Poker Tour Event and his laptop went missing temporarily.
Kyllonen turned to Internet security firm F-Secure to check whether it was compromised and the forensic examination by F-Secure revealed that a RAT (Remote Access Trojan) - had been installed on the machine during the period when it was disappeared in Barcelona.
The RAT was programmed to silently start whenever the computer was turned on and it gave the operator the ability to view Kyllonen's cards when he was playing online poker.
The security researchers suppose that the malicious software (malware) was installed through a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device.
The register.co.uk published a report in second week of December, 2013 quoting researchers as saying that it is accidently that the poker aces who succeed in both on and offline shall be subjected to an installation of spyware. By installing spyware to secretly watch the screen of online players for high-stakes, a competitor could achieve the upper-hand in a match by spying his opponent's hand."
F-Secure said that this isn't the first time that expert poker players have been beleaguered with custom-made Trojans.
Such well-struck "spear phishing" campaigns rely on thorough exploration to collect details about the person which can be subjugated to hold an attack.
According to news published by onlinecasinoarchives-com on 26th December 2013, Kyllonen has said that he will not give interviews but he has complained online about the lack of security at the hotel. As per the news, he also said that the organizers of the tournament, PokerStars, were not aggressive enough while dealing with the situation.
In all likelihood, Kyllonen wouldn't have known that his computer was compromised had he not returned to his room and noticed that his computer was missing. Luckily, Kyllonen did and therefore he was able to prevent any serious theft. - See more at: Players of Online Poker Increasingly Targeted by Cybercriminals - Experts - FIGHTERtools
Their theory is greatly supported by online poker player Jens Kyllonen who was struck by hackers when he was staying in a hotel in Barcelona in September 2013 while participating in the European Poker Tour Event and his laptop went missing temporarily.
Kyllonen turned to Internet security firm F-Secure to check whether it was compromised and the forensic examination by F-Secure revealed that a RAT (Remote Access Trojan) - had been installed on the machine during the period when it was disappeared in Barcelona.
The RAT was programmed to silently start whenever the computer was turned on and it gave the operator the ability to view Kyllonen's cards when he was playing online poker.
The security researchers suppose that the malicious software (malware) was installed through a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device.
The register.co.uk published a report in second week of December, 2013 quoting researchers as saying that it is accidently that the poker aces who succeed in both on and offline shall be subjected to an installation of spyware. By installing spyware to secretly watch the screen of online players for high-stakes, a competitor could achieve the upper-hand in a match by spying his opponent's hand."
F-Secure said that this isn't the first time that expert poker players have been beleaguered with custom-made Trojans.
Such well-struck "spear phishing" campaigns rely on thorough exploration to collect details about the person which can be subjugated to hold an attack.
According to news published by onlinecasinoarchives-com on 26th December 2013, Kyllonen has said that he will not give interviews but he has complained online about the lack of security at the hotel. As per the news, he also said that the organizers of the tournament, PokerStars, were not aggressive enough while dealing with the situation.
In all likelihood, Kyllonen wouldn't have known that his computer was compromised had he not returned to his room and noticed that his computer was missing. Luckily, Kyllonen did and therefore he was able to prevent any serious theft. - See more at: Players of Online Poker Increasingly Targeted by Cybercriminals - Experts - FIGHTERtools
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Online poker is a booming business.
Millions of Americans play the card game online, circulating hundreds of millions of dollars each year. There are international tournaments, a growing number of gaming companies and a lot of money to be made.
The only catch? Under federal and most state law, online poker is illegal.
But one Palo Alto man claims his 100-percent skill-based version of the game, which involves no luck or chance, is totally legal.
Arthur Pfeiffer, a local software engineer who's lived in Palo Alto since 1968, created his own version of poker years ago but plans to launch an upgraded version next year called Texas Block 'Em. The new game is very similar to two other poker variations he invented and patented in the early 2000s, in which players privately select a card from the same deck on each round instead of being randomly dealt cards to play.
"You're no longer working by the mathematical principles of randomness," Pfeiffer explained, "so it's a matter of outwitting and out-thinking your opponents in a skill-based situation. Because it turns outs that everything that happens in terms of the cards is a function of what the players do, there's no outside force giving one player an advantage over another."
Any game that contains three particular elements — consideration (paying a fee to participate), chance and a prize — is illegal under U.S. gambling law. All three elements must be present to deem something illegal; a game that charges a fee to play but doesn't award prizes would not be violating the law.
Pfeiffer's two previous iterations are called "Hold 'em Blitz" and "Hold 'em Battle" and are connected to ThwartPoker Inc., a software company he founded with his son in 2001. Both games are available on the iPhone and iPod touch (not on a desktop computer) and neither award prizes. They come with single and multi-player options (in the single, one plays against a computer).
There's are free versions of both games that accommodate smaller numbers of players and full versions. The full version of Hold 'em Blitz costs 99 cents and Hold 'em Battle costs $1.99 (players can place bets in the latter). The games require Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to operate, meaning that if there are multiple players, everyone has to be in the same room together — even though everyone is playing on their own devices.
When the game starts, everyone is shown three face-up "community" cards, similar to popular poker game Texas Hold 'Em. Each player is then prompted to privately choose a card from a limited deck that's randomly generated fresh for each new hand. Players aim for the same hands that are desirable in poker (royal flush, full house, four of a kind, etc.). The second round of selections are made public, introducing the skill element: once a player sees what another player is aiming for (say there's a jack of spades in the community cards and one sees another player selecting a jack of clubs), he or she can strategize to "block" that player. If two players select the same card, they're dealt a "thwart" card that has no value.
"This adds a whole dimension on top of poker because card selection now becomes a very important feature," Pfeiffer said. "And when you play you can play to try to improve your hand, to try to block somebody or when you're trying to improve your hand, you have to consider they might be trying to block you, so you might not make the best selection to avoid (that). So there's a whole different dynamic involved."
Texas Block 'Em will be based on the same concept but will involve either fee- or subscription-based online tournaments that award cash prizes. So the elements consideration and prize will be present, but not chance, meaning the game does not violate gambling laws, Pfeiffer claims.
Pfeiffer's games also have potential educational value, he said. They can be used to teach strategy and negotiation skills, for example.
"When you play this game, it makes you a better thinker, strategist and poker player," he said.
Pfeiffer is not the only one trying to reinvent the world of Internet poker. PurePlay, a San Francisco-based company, broke into the scene in 2005, claiming its legality based on the absence of consideration. PurePlay users don't have to pay to play in its online tournaments, but instead pay a monthly $25 subscription fee to join the website. It's a different business model, but the game that users play remains the same as regular poker.
Pfeiffer's company has been compared to PurePlay, but he said the two aren't in competition.
"It's really a totally different thing because our game basically is a game of skill," he said. "Their game is not a game of skill by the definition of skill where there's no outside force intervening."
David Levine, an affiliate scholar at the Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society, said: "The argument that this is more a game of skill and therefore it wouldn't run afoul of laws certainly seems probable."
Levine, himself a poker player, added that learning how to read other players' "tells," bluffs or potential next moves involves a "high degree of skill."
But both ThwartPoker and PurePlay are operating during a difficult time for online poker, during which many companies have come under major legal fire. In 2011, the U.S. Justice Department shut down two of the world's biggest online poker companies, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, charging their founders with fraud. The next year, PokerStars paid the government a $527 million gambling fine and an additional $184 million to reimburse customers outside the United States.
Pfeiffer also recalled in the early 2000s when offshore poker sites were formed so that American players could take part in the lucrative game. In response, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006, making it illegal for businesses to knowingly accept payment in connection with illegal online gambling.
At the state
Millions of Americans play the card game online, circulating hundreds of millions of dollars each year. There are international tournaments, a growing number of gaming companies and a lot of money to be made.
The only catch? Under federal and most state law, online poker is illegal.
But one Palo Alto man claims his 100-percent skill-based version of the game, which involves no luck or chance, is totally legal.
Arthur Pfeiffer, a local software engineer who's lived in Palo Alto since 1968, created his own version of poker years ago but plans to launch an upgraded version next year called Texas Block 'Em. The new game is very similar to two other poker variations he invented and patented in the early 2000s, in which players privately select a card from the same deck on each round instead of being randomly dealt cards to play.
"You're no longer working by the mathematical principles of randomness," Pfeiffer explained, "so it's a matter of outwitting and out-thinking your opponents in a skill-based situation. Because it turns outs that everything that happens in terms of the cards is a function of what the players do, there's no outside force giving one player an advantage over another."
Any game that contains three particular elements — consideration (paying a fee to participate), chance and a prize — is illegal under U.S. gambling law. All three elements must be present to deem something illegal; a game that charges a fee to play but doesn't award prizes would not be violating the law.
Pfeiffer's two previous iterations are called "Hold 'em Blitz" and "Hold 'em Battle" and are connected to ThwartPoker Inc., a software company he founded with his son in 2001. Both games are available on the iPhone and iPod touch (not on a desktop computer) and neither award prizes. They come with single and multi-player options (in the single, one plays against a computer).
There's are free versions of both games that accommodate smaller numbers of players and full versions. The full version of Hold 'em Blitz costs 99 cents and Hold 'em Battle costs $1.99 (players can place bets in the latter). The games require Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to operate, meaning that if there are multiple players, everyone has to be in the same room together — even though everyone is playing on their own devices.
When the game starts, everyone is shown three face-up "community" cards, similar to popular poker game Texas Hold 'Em. Each player is then prompted to privately choose a card from a limited deck that's randomly generated fresh for each new hand. Players aim for the same hands that are desirable in poker (royal flush, full house, four of a kind, etc.). The second round of selections are made public, introducing the skill element: once a player sees what another player is aiming for (say there's a jack of spades in the community cards and one sees another player selecting a jack of clubs), he or she can strategize to "block" that player. If two players select the same card, they're dealt a "thwart" card that has no value.
"This adds a whole dimension on top of poker because card selection now becomes a very important feature," Pfeiffer said. "And when you play you can play to try to improve your hand, to try to block somebody or when you're trying to improve your hand, you have to consider they might be trying to block you, so you might not make the best selection to avoid (that). So there's a whole different dynamic involved."
Texas Block 'Em will be based on the same concept but will involve either fee- or subscription-based online tournaments that award cash prizes. So the elements consideration and prize will be present, but not chance, meaning the game does not violate gambling laws, Pfeiffer claims.
Pfeiffer's games also have potential educational value, he said. They can be used to teach strategy and negotiation skills, for example.
"When you play this game, it makes you a better thinker, strategist and poker player," he said.
Pfeiffer is not the only one trying to reinvent the world of Internet poker. PurePlay, a San Francisco-based company, broke into the scene in 2005, claiming its legality based on the absence of consideration. PurePlay users don't have to pay to play in its online tournaments, but instead pay a monthly $25 subscription fee to join the website. It's a different business model, but the game that users play remains the same as regular poker.
Pfeiffer's company has been compared to PurePlay, but he said the two aren't in competition.
"It's really a totally different thing because our game basically is a game of skill," he said. "Their game is not a game of skill by the definition of skill where there's no outside force intervening."
David Levine, an affiliate scholar at the Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society, said: "The argument that this is more a game of skill and therefore it wouldn't run afoul of laws certainly seems probable."
Levine, himself a poker player, added that learning how to read other players' "tells," bluffs or potential next moves involves a "high degree of skill."
But both ThwartPoker and PurePlay are operating during a difficult time for online poker, during which many companies have come under major legal fire. In 2011, the U.S. Justice Department shut down two of the world's biggest online poker companies, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, charging their founders with fraud. The next year, PokerStars paid the government a $527 million gambling fine and an additional $184 million to reimburse customers outside the United States.
Pfeiffer also recalled in the early 2000s when offshore poker sites were formed so that American players could take part in the lucrative game. In response, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006, making it illegal for businesses to knowingly accept payment in connection with illegal online gambling.
At the state
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Niklas “ragen70” Heinecker went on an absurd heater during the fourth quarter of 2013 on Full Tilt Poker to end the calender year up around $6.3 million, which was tops in the online poker world, according to tracking data from HighstakesDB.
By the way, he also won another $4.5 million from tournaments.
It’s safe to point to Heinecker as the largest winner, but after that it’s impossible to give you any sort of top 10 list, as numerous high-stakes regulars have opted out of having their results tracked. They wanted privacy, and HighstakesDB obliged.
At any rate, Texas-native Ben “Bttech” Tollerene won nearly $3 million during 2013, which was by far his best year ever. Tollerene was up that massive amount despite losing $1.7 million to Viktor “Isildur1” Blom in a single session during in an action-packed spring.
Ola “Odd Oddsen” Amundsgaard, who defeated a Norwegian politician in a highly publicized heads-up battle in early December, also won around $3 million last year.
Brit Alex “IReadYrSoul” Millar had a consistent 2013, winning around $2 million.
Patrik Antonius, who now plays under the screen name “FinddaGrind”, proved yet again why he might be the best online poker player in history. He won $1.7 million last year in his return to Full Tilt, bringing his lifetime earnings there to at least $13 million.
Tom “durrrr” Dwan played sparingly in 2013, but still managed to win $750,000.
Although he was up more than $5 million at one point during 2013, Blom managed to end the year with profits of around $580,000. A large six-figure year doesn’t sound too bad for the Swede, given his lifetime deficit on Full Tilt Poker, but the year could have been much, much greater had he figured out how to slow down a bit.
As for the losers last year, no one compared to Gus Hansen. He dropped around $8.4 million, bringing his lifetime losses on the Full Tilt software to around $14 million. He had few upswings in 2013, as he continued to get crushed session after session. However, he still remains stubborn and looks to be a very active player in 2014.
Unknown Macau account “MalACEsia” lost around $3.7 million last year, but that was in a pretty short span during the summer. The account was the catalyst for massive $400-$800 no-limit hold’em six-handed games that made a lot of regulars a lot of money.
Perhaps the biggest surprise last year was seeing Phil Ivey — now playing as “Polarizing” — get owned at the virtual felt. He is still the largest online poker winner in history, but 2013 saw him drop around $2.4 million. Perhaps his online magic is gone?
New Hampshire-native Ben “Sauce1234” Sulsky was the largest winner in 2012, taking home nearly $4 million, but 2013 was terrible for him. He lost $1.4 million.
His final figure was not the result of a couple of bad months near the tail end of 2013. He struggled all year, and against the same opponents he had crushed a year before.
There is a lot of parity in the high-stakes online poker world.
The year 2013 was the first full year of Full Tilt Poker being back as the epicenter of the high-stakes online cash games. The site was shutdown in 2011 thanks to the Black Friday mess, before re-opening in late 2012. The return of Full Tilt reunited a lot of high-stakes regulars with their frozen account balances, most notably Hansen, who had been on a $6-million upswing prior to the site going defunct. Hansen went on to dust off all of that and then some to his peers.
One should expect 2014 to also be an exciting year for the online games at Full Tilt Poker, and to some extent at its sister site PokerStars. Stay tuned to CardPlayer-com for weekly recaps on Friday, with results and even some hands from the action.
Online Poker's Biggest Winners And Losers From 2013
By the way, he also won another $4.5 million from tournaments.
It’s safe to point to Heinecker as the largest winner, but after that it’s impossible to give you any sort of top 10 list, as numerous high-stakes regulars have opted out of having their results tracked. They wanted privacy, and HighstakesDB obliged.
At any rate, Texas-native Ben “Bttech” Tollerene won nearly $3 million during 2013, which was by far his best year ever. Tollerene was up that massive amount despite losing $1.7 million to Viktor “Isildur1” Blom in a single session during in an action-packed spring.
Ola “Odd Oddsen” Amundsgaard, who defeated a Norwegian politician in a highly publicized heads-up battle in early December, also won around $3 million last year.
Brit Alex “IReadYrSoul” Millar had a consistent 2013, winning around $2 million.
Patrik Antonius, who now plays under the screen name “FinddaGrind”, proved yet again why he might be the best online poker player in history. He won $1.7 million last year in his return to Full Tilt, bringing his lifetime earnings there to at least $13 million.
Tom “durrrr” Dwan played sparingly in 2013, but still managed to win $750,000.
Although he was up more than $5 million at one point during 2013, Blom managed to end the year with profits of around $580,000. A large six-figure year doesn’t sound too bad for the Swede, given his lifetime deficit on Full Tilt Poker, but the year could have been much, much greater had he figured out how to slow down a bit.
As for the losers last year, no one compared to Gus Hansen. He dropped around $8.4 million, bringing his lifetime losses on the Full Tilt software to around $14 million. He had few upswings in 2013, as he continued to get crushed session after session. However, he still remains stubborn and looks to be a very active player in 2014.
Unknown Macau account “MalACEsia” lost around $3.7 million last year, but that was in a pretty short span during the summer. The account was the catalyst for massive $400-$800 no-limit hold’em six-handed games that made a lot of regulars a lot of money.
Perhaps the biggest surprise last year was seeing Phil Ivey — now playing as “Polarizing” — get owned at the virtual felt. He is still the largest online poker winner in history, but 2013 saw him drop around $2.4 million. Perhaps his online magic is gone?
New Hampshire-native Ben “Sauce1234” Sulsky was the largest winner in 2012, taking home nearly $4 million, but 2013 was terrible for him. He lost $1.4 million.
His final figure was not the result of a couple of bad months near the tail end of 2013. He struggled all year, and against the same opponents he had crushed a year before.
There is a lot of parity in the high-stakes online poker world.
The year 2013 was the first full year of Full Tilt Poker being back as the epicenter of the high-stakes online cash games. The site was shutdown in 2011 thanks to the Black Friday mess, before re-opening in late 2012. The return of Full Tilt reunited a lot of high-stakes regulars with their frozen account balances, most notably Hansen, who had been on a $6-million upswing prior to the site going defunct. Hansen went on to dust off all of that and then some to his peers.
One should expect 2014 to also be an exciting year for the online games at Full Tilt Poker, and to some extent at its sister site PokerStars. Stay tuned to CardPlayer-com for weekly recaps on Friday, with results and even some hands from the action.
Online Poker's Biggest Winners And Losers From 2013
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California gaming attorney I. Nelson Rose, considered by many to be one of the leading experts of gambling law in the United States, has predicted that 2014 will be a tough year to see online poker legislation passing in the state of California. Professor Rose told the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday that while he is confident that the Golden State will eventually see online poker become a reality, it won’t be happening next year.
Rose pointed out that 2014 is an election year where the governor is chosen, and the issue of online poker, considered a highly controversial one across the board, may be put on the back burner for the next 12 months. However, he believes that 2015 will be the year that online poker is introduced in the state and that, for now, “only politics is preventing it”.
Rose elaborated on the main obstacle standing in the way of California online poker, namely the Indian tribes who, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “wield immense influence in Sacramento and are said to believe most legal online gambling could reduce the number of people playing in casinos.”
“The tribes have done a tremendous job of using the wealth generated from gaming to gain political power,” Prof. Rose is quoted as saying. The newspaper also points out that California already allows online wagering on sports betting, and therefore the idea of legal remote gambling is not a strange one to the state’s residents.
Another expert on the subject interviewed by the newspaper was Jeff Ifrah, an attorney from Washington, who said that California would be able to benefit hugely from a legal and regulated online gambling industry, and would lead among the states who have already legalized online poker, including New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. ”California coming online would dwarf any success that those other markets had,” he said.
Analysts: Elections May Stall California Online Poker in 2014
Rose pointed out that 2014 is an election year where the governor is chosen, and the issue of online poker, considered a highly controversial one across the board, may be put on the back burner for the next 12 months. However, he believes that 2015 will be the year that online poker is introduced in the state and that, for now, “only politics is preventing it”.
Rose elaborated on the main obstacle standing in the way of California online poker, namely the Indian tribes who, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “wield immense influence in Sacramento and are said to believe most legal online gambling could reduce the number of people playing in casinos.”
“The tribes have done a tremendous job of using the wealth generated from gaming to gain political power,” Prof. Rose is quoted as saying. The newspaper also points out that California already allows online wagering on sports betting, and therefore the idea of legal remote gambling is not a strange one to the state’s residents.
Another expert on the subject interviewed by the newspaper was Jeff Ifrah, an attorney from Washington, who said that California would be able to benefit hugely from a legal and regulated online gambling industry, and would lead among the states who have already legalized online poker, including New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. ”California coming online would dwarf any success that those other markets had,” he said.
Analysts: Elections May Stall California Online Poker in 2014
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And the winners are…
Now that we’ve taken a deep and introspective look at each NJ poker site, it’s high time we pass out a round of awards. Broken into categories, the winners are:
User interface: NJ.PartyPoker and BorgataPoker-com
Traffic (Cash games and SNGs): Party/Borgata
Traffic (MTTs): Tie – PartyPoker/Borgata and WSOP-com
Tournament offerings: It’s close, but I’ll give the nod to 888poker.
Customer service: Ultimate Poker
VIP rewards: No site truly excels in this area. Borgata/Party has the most diversified loyalty store, but WSOP’s has better tiers. Ultimate Poker would win if more higher-stakes cash games ran.
Server stability: Party/Borgata
Promotions: WSOP-com
Deposits/Withdrawals: Ultimate Poker
In the coming months, more online poker sites will undoubtedly prop up in New Jersey, including Tropicana’s and the Golden Nugget’s. Stay tuned for future updates.
Read more: NJ Online Poker Site Reviews: Where Rooms Stand After 6 Weeks
Now that we’ve taken a deep and introspective look at each NJ poker site, it’s high time we pass out a round of awards. Broken into categories, the winners are:
User interface: NJ.PartyPoker and BorgataPoker-com
Traffic (Cash games and SNGs): Party/Borgata
Traffic (MTTs): Tie – PartyPoker/Borgata and WSOP-com
Tournament offerings: It’s close, but I’ll give the nod to 888poker.
Customer service: Ultimate Poker
VIP rewards: No site truly excels in this area. Borgata/Party has the most diversified loyalty store, but WSOP’s has better tiers. Ultimate Poker would win if more higher-stakes cash games ran.
Server stability: Party/Borgata
Promotions: WSOP-com
Deposits/Withdrawals: Ultimate Poker
In the coming months, more online poker sites will undoubtedly prop up in New Jersey, including Tropicana’s and the Golden Nugget’s. Stay tuned for future updates.
Read more: NJ Online Poker Site Reviews: Where Rooms Stand After 6 Weeks
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We’re less than a week into the New Year, and already it’s been a promising 2014 for “SallyWoo,” the unidentified high-stakes online pro that relocated from the United States to Mexico after Black Friday. The Omaha Hi/Lo (FLO8) specialist is already up $504,679 from 1,738 hands over eight sessions.
Interestingly, “SallyWoo” is friends with Kyle “KPR16” Ray and Kyle “cottonseed1” Hendon. Like them, “SallyWoo” has recently joined the movement of opting out of having his long-term results tracked, an issue I recently addressed in my op-ed titled The Problems of Opting Out from Online Tracking.
Apparently another high-stakes player, Gus Hansen, has a problem with the recent trend. Hansen, who finished 2013 as the biggest loser after dropping more than $8.4 million playing online, lashed out at “SallyWoo” in the chat box over at Full Tilt Poker just prior to the New Year.
Hansen, who is up $155,111 in 4,485 hands over 27 sessions so far this year, apparently became upset after he was three-bet in a game of FLO8 and subsequently became disconnected. He stated his “friend” believed “SallyWoo” should pay back the $4,000 Hansen had invested before being disconnected. “SallyWoo” referenced a deal the two had previously made regarding such situations, and suddenly Hansen accused his opponent of misconduct through the use of a computer program.
Here’s a look at the applicable part of the chat log:
SallyWoo: and this "friend" of yours told u i closed the table, when i didnt
SallyWoo: and i explained why, this "friend" should have also seen what happened
Gus Hansen: the computer program right by your side - could be slippery slope
SallyWoo: ?
SallyWoo: huh
SallyWoo: are you accusing me of cheating?
Gus Hansen Accuses Online Poker Rival
Interestingly, “SallyWoo” is friends with Kyle “KPR16” Ray and Kyle “cottonseed1” Hendon. Like them, “SallyWoo” has recently joined the movement of opting out of having his long-term results tracked, an issue I recently addressed in my op-ed titled The Problems of Opting Out from Online Tracking.
Apparently another high-stakes player, Gus Hansen, has a problem with the recent trend. Hansen, who finished 2013 as the biggest loser after dropping more than $8.4 million playing online, lashed out at “SallyWoo” in the chat box over at Full Tilt Poker just prior to the New Year.
Hansen, who is up $155,111 in 4,485 hands over 27 sessions so far this year, apparently became upset after he was three-bet in a game of FLO8 and subsequently became disconnected. He stated his “friend” believed “SallyWoo” should pay back the $4,000 Hansen had invested before being disconnected. “SallyWoo” referenced a deal the two had previously made regarding such situations, and suddenly Hansen accused his opponent of misconduct through the use of a computer program.
Here’s a look at the applicable part of the chat log:
SallyWoo: and this "friend" of yours told u i closed the table, when i didnt
SallyWoo: and i explained why, this "friend" should have also seen what happened
Gus Hansen: the computer program right by your side - could be slippery slope
SallyWoo: ?
SallyWoo: huh
SallyWoo: are you accusing me of cheating?
Gus Hansen Accuses Online Poker Rival
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The U.S. federal government is once again intervening in online poker. According to The Oklahoman, last month the U.S. Department of the Interior stopped the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, owners of the Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla., from offering online poker to international players through its website pokertribes-com, something the state agreed to in a gaming compact.
As a result the tribe filed a lawsuit against Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn in Oklahoma City last week. The tribe hopes a federal judge will prevent interference and allow the reestablishment of the website, which is currently inactive.
“It's pretty groundbreaking,” said Richard Grellner, an attorney representing the tribe. “In Oklahoma, we have the Native American culture we can sell to the world, and the state and the tribes can really benefit.”
According to Steve Mullins, general counsel for Governor Mary Fallin, the tribe has an agreement with the state that permits them to offer iGaming from tribal lands to international players. As a result, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have estimated they could make $132 million per year. The compact with the state would then dictate that:
The state would receive 4% of the first $10 million in annual net revenue from electronic gaming;
5% of the next $10 million;
6% of any subsequent amount; and
A monthly 10% from non-house banked card games such as poker.
The federal government intervened based on the fairness of the state compact, not necessarily due to the nature of online poker.
Federal Government Intervenes in Oklahoma Tribal Online Poker Compact | PokerNews
As a result the tribe filed a lawsuit against Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn in Oklahoma City last week. The tribe hopes a federal judge will prevent interference and allow the reestablishment of the website, which is currently inactive.
“It's pretty groundbreaking,” said Richard Grellner, an attorney representing the tribe. “In Oklahoma, we have the Native American culture we can sell to the world, and the state and the tribes can really benefit.”
According to Steve Mullins, general counsel for Governor Mary Fallin, the tribe has an agreement with the state that permits them to offer iGaming from tribal lands to international players. As a result, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have estimated they could make $132 million per year. The compact with the state would then dictate that:
The state would receive 4% of the first $10 million in annual net revenue from electronic gaming;
5% of the next $10 million;
6% of any subsequent amount; and
A monthly 10% from non-house banked card games such as poker.
The federal government intervened based on the fairness of the state compact, not necessarily due to the nature of online poker.
Federal Government Intervenes in Oklahoma Tribal Online Poker Compact | PokerNews
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Zynga has announced it is trialling the use of Bitcoin payments for some of its most popular games.
The test is available for in-game purchases on FarmVille 2, CastleVille, ChefVille, CoasterVille, Hidden Chronicles, Hidden Shadows and CityVille—but not currently its poker app, Texas Hold’em Poker, nor its UK real-money counterpart.
Zynga partnered with bwin.party to launch UK-only Zynga Plus Poker as a real money poker skin on the PartyPoker dot-com network. However, it has not drawn the hoped-for hordes of players from Zynga’s social gaming customers, and five months ago Zynga announced that it had cancelled plans to launch real money gaming in the US. It also signalled a refocus on its free-to-play suite of titles.
The Bitcoin trial is unlikely to change those plans, but the synergy between social and real money gaming remains an exciting prospect for Zynga investors—once the company has managed to find a stable market from which it can start to grow. Zynga’s last financial report showed that daily active users had fallen from 60m to 30m.
For the Bitcoin trial, Zynga is in partnership with BitPay which plans to be the “PayPal of the Bitcoin world,” and early testers have found the payment process to be commendably fast and simple. Poker operators considering accepting Bitcoin payments will watch the trial with interest, as will existing Bitcoin poker rooms like Seals with Clubs and InfinitiPoker.
Zynga Launches Bitcoin Trial | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
The test is available for in-game purchases on FarmVille 2, CastleVille, ChefVille, CoasterVille, Hidden Chronicles, Hidden Shadows and CityVille—but not currently its poker app, Texas Hold’em Poker, nor its UK real-money counterpart.
Zynga partnered with bwin.party to launch UK-only Zynga Plus Poker as a real money poker skin on the PartyPoker dot-com network. However, it has not drawn the hoped-for hordes of players from Zynga’s social gaming customers, and five months ago Zynga announced that it had cancelled plans to launch real money gaming in the US. It also signalled a refocus on its free-to-play suite of titles.
The Bitcoin trial is unlikely to change those plans, but the synergy between social and real money gaming remains an exciting prospect for Zynga investors—once the company has managed to find a stable market from which it can start to grow. Zynga’s last financial report showed that daily active users had fallen from 60m to 30m.
For the Bitcoin trial, Zynga is in partnership with BitPay which plans to be the “PayPal of the Bitcoin world,” and early testers have found the payment process to be commendably fast and simple. Poker operators considering accepting Bitcoin payments will watch the trial with interest, as will existing Bitcoin poker rooms like Seals with Clubs and InfinitiPoker.
Zynga Launches Bitcoin Trial | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
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Americas Cardroom on the Winning Poker Network has become the latest and largest online poker room to accept Bitcoin deposits. The cashier was upgraded today.
Bitcoin deposits will be converted to $US for play at the tables. There is currently no option in the cashier to withdraw in Bitcoin but sources indicate the option is currently in development.
iPoker room WinPoker-com became the first major network site to accept Bitcoin, back in March of last year. It operates a poker room on Playtech’s iPoker network. The most popular Bitcoin site to date, and one which exclusively uses the virtual currency for deposits withdrawals and all play at the tables is SealsWithClubs.
SealsWithClubs saw its cash game traffic double in 2013 as the currency became a hot alternative investment which soared in value over the year.
Americas Cardroom continues to accept players from the US—except for players from Kentucky, Maryland and Washington State. It has an excellent record in processing players’ withdrawals and scores an A- on Poker Affiliate Solutions’ latest Online Poker Payment Processing Report.
The adoption of Bitcoin by SealsWithClubs, and recently launched Canadian site Infiniti Poker is one strategy to make withdrawals easier for US players following the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act.
Americas Cardroom Adds Bitcoin Deposits | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
Bitcoin deposits will be converted to $US for play at the tables. There is currently no option in the cashier to withdraw in Bitcoin but sources indicate the option is currently in development.
iPoker room WinPoker-com became the first major network site to accept Bitcoin, back in March of last year. It operates a poker room on Playtech’s iPoker network. The most popular Bitcoin site to date, and one which exclusively uses the virtual currency for deposits withdrawals and all play at the tables is SealsWithClubs.
SealsWithClubs saw its cash game traffic double in 2013 as the currency became a hot alternative investment which soared in value over the year.
Americas Cardroom continues to accept players from the US—except for players from Kentucky, Maryland and Washington State. It has an excellent record in processing players’ withdrawals and scores an A- on Poker Affiliate Solutions’ latest Online Poker Payment Processing Report.
The adoption of Bitcoin by SealsWithClubs, and recently launched Canadian site Infiniti Poker is one strategy to make withdrawals easier for US players following the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act.
Americas Cardroom Adds Bitcoin Deposits | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
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The chief executive of the NHL's New Jersey Devils and NBA's Philadelphia 76ers doesn't believe the teams will be cast in a bad light by agreeing to a multiyear sponsorship deal with one of the world's leading online poker companies.
Scott O'Neil, who runs the teams and the Prudential Center for groups led by leverage buyout specialist Josh Harris, and Norbert Teufelberger, the chief executive of bwin.party digital entertainment that operates partypoker, announced the historic deal Thursday.
It's the first between major U.S.-based professional teams and an online gambling company, but there were immediate questions about the relationship between sports and online gambling, which isn't seen positively in all circles.
O'Neil called it new territory, and hopes the reward outweighs the risk. The former NBA executive noted that his old employer held its All-Star game in Las Vegas in 2007 and its WNBA All-Star game at Mohgan Sun Casino in Connecticut in July.
"This doesn't seem like we're breaking any taboos," O'Neil said. `I think for us the most important thing is being with a partner that can really engage our fans in a smart way and someone who understands for those of our fans who do play poker and those that are inclined for gaming whether they come to concerts here or a Sixers' game or a Devils' game they will be treated like a royal flush, if you will."
Partypoker ceased operations in the United States seven year ago after laws were changed, Teufelberger said, adding it has been looking to return for a while.
It has operated in Europe and has partnerships with some of the world's top soccer clubs - Manchester United in England, Real Madrid in Spain and Bayern Munich Germany.
Teufelberger realizes coming back to the United States is a new game.
"We have learned over the many years, with Real Madrid and Manchester and Bayern, and especially here in this country where it's such a controversial topic, that we're not just selling toothpaste," Teufelberger said. "We're selling a product that can be viewed as very problematic. It has to be engaging, it has to be entertaining, but it shouldn't be addictive."
New Jersey authorized Internet gambling last year to give a boost to Atlantic City's struggling casino industry, which has been beset by increasing competition for the past seven years. It began with a five-day trial period on Nov. 21 and launched publicly on Nov. 25.
As of Monday, 148,487 accounts had been created, though the state's Gaming Enforcement Division notes that individuals often create separate accounts on more than one site.
O'Neil said some 60 million people play poker in the United States.
"I hope they get to New Jersey and come to the Prudential Center and I hope they all go on partypoker-com," he said.
Neither O'Neil not Teufulberger would disclose the length of the partnership nor the amount involved in the agreement.
Teufulberger could not estimate how many money partypoker hoped to earn through the agreement, but added the company hoped to secure 20 percent of the online business in New Jersey.
Included in the partnership is the integration of partypoker into the Devils and 76ers websites and social media channels, and mobile applications; tickets and hospitality; in-arena signage, including dasherboards, on-ice and on-court; and rights to broadcast television and radio advertisements during Devils and Sixers games.
There will be booths at the Prudential Center to explain how to play online.
New Jersey is the third state in the nation to offer Internet gambling, after Nevada and Delaware.
The partypoker partnership will be immediately visible Saturday at the Prudential Center, when the Devils play, and the Wells Fargo Center, the home of the Sixers. Fans at the Prudential Center could play online after downloading an app on their cell phone.
"All the other states are watching how we do this," Teufelberger said. `We're really under the microscope here."
O'Neil and Teufelberger said the partners have not explored what would happen if sports gambling were legalized in New Jersey.
"It'd be very difficult with the leagues at this point in time," O'Neil said, noting the NBA had to make some adjustments to its laws to allow the deal.
And if it did happen?
"The leagues would have a tough time with it. That's a moment in time," O'Neil said. "I'm fascinated and curious how this plays out over time, because we all know what's coming. We just don't know when how what or why. I wouldn't want to speculate."
Sixers exec not worried about online poker deal | NBA-com
Scott O'Neil, who runs the teams and the Prudential Center for groups led by leverage buyout specialist Josh Harris, and Norbert Teufelberger, the chief executive of bwin.party digital entertainment that operates partypoker, announced the historic deal Thursday.
It's the first between major U.S.-based professional teams and an online gambling company, but there were immediate questions about the relationship between sports and online gambling, which isn't seen positively in all circles.
O'Neil called it new territory, and hopes the reward outweighs the risk. The former NBA executive noted that his old employer held its All-Star game in Las Vegas in 2007 and its WNBA All-Star game at Mohgan Sun Casino in Connecticut in July.
"This doesn't seem like we're breaking any taboos," O'Neil said. `I think for us the most important thing is being with a partner that can really engage our fans in a smart way and someone who understands for those of our fans who do play poker and those that are inclined for gaming whether they come to concerts here or a Sixers' game or a Devils' game they will be treated like a royal flush, if you will."
Partypoker ceased operations in the United States seven year ago after laws were changed, Teufelberger said, adding it has been looking to return for a while.
It has operated in Europe and has partnerships with some of the world's top soccer clubs - Manchester United in England, Real Madrid in Spain and Bayern Munich Germany.
Teufelberger realizes coming back to the United States is a new game.
"We have learned over the many years, with Real Madrid and Manchester and Bayern, and especially here in this country where it's such a controversial topic, that we're not just selling toothpaste," Teufelberger said. "We're selling a product that can be viewed as very problematic. It has to be engaging, it has to be entertaining, but it shouldn't be addictive."
New Jersey authorized Internet gambling last year to give a boost to Atlantic City's struggling casino industry, which has been beset by increasing competition for the past seven years. It began with a five-day trial period on Nov. 21 and launched publicly on Nov. 25.
As of Monday, 148,487 accounts had been created, though the state's Gaming Enforcement Division notes that individuals often create separate accounts on more than one site.
O'Neil said some 60 million people play poker in the United States.
"I hope they get to New Jersey and come to the Prudential Center and I hope they all go on partypoker-com," he said.
Neither O'Neil not Teufulberger would disclose the length of the partnership nor the amount involved in the agreement.
Teufulberger could not estimate how many money partypoker hoped to earn through the agreement, but added the company hoped to secure 20 percent of the online business in New Jersey.
Included in the partnership is the integration of partypoker into the Devils and 76ers websites and social media channels, and mobile applications; tickets and hospitality; in-arena signage, including dasherboards, on-ice and on-court; and rights to broadcast television and radio advertisements during Devils and Sixers games.
There will be booths at the Prudential Center to explain how to play online.
New Jersey is the third state in the nation to offer Internet gambling, after Nevada and Delaware.
The partypoker partnership will be immediately visible Saturday at the Prudential Center, when the Devils play, and the Wells Fargo Center, the home of the Sixers. Fans at the Prudential Center could play online after downloading an app on their cell phone.
"All the other states are watching how we do this," Teufelberger said. `We're really under the microscope here."
O'Neil and Teufelberger said the partners have not explored what would happen if sports gambling were legalized in New Jersey.
"It'd be very difficult with the leagues at this point in time," O'Neil said, noting the NBA had to make some adjustments to its laws to allow the deal.
And if it did happen?
"The leagues would have a tough time with it. That's a moment in time," O'Neil said. "I'm fascinated and curious how this plays out over time, because we all know what's coming. We just don't know when how what or why. I wouldn't want to speculate."
Sixers exec not worried about online poker deal | NBA-com
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Ante Up Magazine and Southwest Poker News have announced a merger of the two print publications. The magazines will now be distributed in over 280 casinos and poker rooms across the USA.
Ante Up will increase its print run to 40,000 monthly copies and hopes to increase its coverage in the Southwestern states. Ante Up publisher Scott Long said: “Our combined forces will further cement Ante Up as the nation’s leading poker publication, and the potential for future growth is endless.”
Founder of Arizona Poker News LLC and Southwest Poker News, Christopher Cronin, will become Director of Sales for Ante Up. “I really feel that the hard work and dedication from myself and my staff has been recognized, and we look forward to bringing our readers the same great coverage on a much larger scale,” Cronin said.
Scott Long added: “For the past three years, Southwest Poker News has been the dominant poker news source in Arizona, New Mexico and other Southwestern states. With Chris Cronin now on our team, Ante Up looks forward to continuing that great work and giving the players and casinos in that region the national exposure that they so richly deserve.”
The secular shift to internet news consumption has affected specialty publications like poker magazines as much as it has affected mainstream news media. While the merger may be a response to that environment, there is also no doubt that the emergence of regulated poker in the USA will benefit poker publications with a wider readership.
Ante Up Magazine and Southwest Poker News Merge | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
Ante Up will increase its print run to 40,000 monthly copies and hopes to increase its coverage in the Southwestern states. Ante Up publisher Scott Long said: “Our combined forces will further cement Ante Up as the nation’s leading poker publication, and the potential for future growth is endless.”
Founder of Arizona Poker News LLC and Southwest Poker News, Christopher Cronin, will become Director of Sales for Ante Up. “I really feel that the hard work and dedication from myself and my staff has been recognized, and we look forward to bringing our readers the same great coverage on a much larger scale,” Cronin said.
Scott Long added: “For the past three years, Southwest Poker News has been the dominant poker news source in Arizona, New Mexico and other Southwestern states. With Chris Cronin now on our team, Ante Up looks forward to continuing that great work and giving the players and casinos in that region the national exposure that they so richly deserve.”
The secular shift to internet news consumption has affected specialty publications like poker magazines as much as it has affected mainstream news media. While the merger may be a response to that environment, there is also no doubt that the emergence of regulated poker in the USA will benefit poker publications with a wider readership.
Ante Up Magazine and Southwest Poker News Merge | Pokerfuse Online Poker News
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2006/12/07
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The pros of poker know well that at poker, there are times when we win and times when we loose, more than a simple player can imagine. During the season 2013, some players collected millions at online poker, while others have lost so much. The German Niklas Heinecker is undoubtedly the best player of online poker of the past year, in terms of gain. In fact, « ragen70 » ends as leader of the Top 10 classification of the great winners of the year, with a gain of more than $6.3 million. In the second place, we find Ben « Bttech » Tollerene, with an earning of $2.9 million, followed by Alex « IReadYrSoul » Millar (3rd /$2 million), Odd Oddsen (4rd /$1.9 million), Hac « trex313 » Dang (5th/$1.8 million), No Ola (6th/ $1.8 million), FinddaGrind (7th/ $1.7 million), Tight-Man1 (8th/$1.4 million), proudlikeagoat (9th/$1.3 million) and Follow The Hawk (10th/$985,000).
The big loser of the year is the Danish Gus Hansen. His underperformances have cost him a hallucinating debit balance of $8.4 million. In the Top 10 of the losers of the year, we find MalACEsia in the 2nd position with a loss of $3.7 million; followed by Samrostan (3rd / -$3.4 million), Phil « Polarizing » Ivey (4th/ -$2.4 million), Punting-peddler (5th/ -$1.7 million), Ben « Sauce1234 » Sulsky (6th/-$1.4 million), patpatpanda (7th / -$1.3 million), Scott “mastrblastr” Seiver (8th/- $1.2 million), Rui Cao (9th /-$1million) and Davin77 (10th /-$1million).
Poker News - Poker gain: Supremacy of German players at online poker
The big loser of the year is the Danish Gus Hansen. His underperformances have cost him a hallucinating debit balance of $8.4 million. In the Top 10 of the losers of the year, we find MalACEsia in the 2nd position with a loss of $3.7 million; followed by Samrostan (3rd / -$3.4 million), Phil « Polarizing » Ivey (4th/ -$2.4 million), Punting-peddler (5th/ -$1.7 million), Ben « Sauce1234 » Sulsky (6th/-$1.4 million), patpatpanda (7th / -$1.3 million), Scott “mastrblastr” Seiver (8th/- $1.2 million), Rui Cao (9th /-$1million) and Davin77 (10th /-$1million).
Poker News - Poker gain: Supremacy of German players at online poker
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2006/12/07
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As more states debate legalizing online gaming, the three states that permit Internet wagering have experienced few complications beyond some banks and financial institutions refusing to approve credit and debit card transactions.
Credit card issuers J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, American Express won’t allow gamblers to use their credit or debit cards to deposit money into online gaming accounts. That goes for both online poker and sports betting in Nevada.
“We don’t allow credit card transactions for this activity,” said Steve O’Halloran, director of public relations and public affairs for Chase Card and Merchant Services.
Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey all offer online gaming, whether its poker, slot machines or sports wagering.
Sanette Chao, a spokeswoman for American Express, said the financial services company “prohibits the use of the card for gambling services.”
“Gambling services, historically, account for a high number of card member credit losses and customer service disputes,” Chao said in an email.
It’s a similar story at Wells Fargo, according to Natalie Brown.
“In compliance with regulation GG (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006), we prohibit the use of consumer credit cards for Internet gambling,” said Brown, vice president of consumer lending communications with Wells Fargo. “The networks (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) monitor the merchant category codes and block charges that don’t comply with federal regulations.”
Brown said Wells Fargo also has controls in place to monitor for regulatory compliance.
In Nevada, Caesars Entertainment and Station Casinos operate online poker sites, while Station Casinos, William Hill, CG Technology (formerly Cantor Gaming) and Nevada Sports Books offer online and mobile sports wagering.
“What the industry has done is take a conservative approach or response to the legalization of online gambling,” said Tobin Prior, CEO of Ultimate Gaming, a subsidiary of Station Casinos Inc. “That can be frustrating, but we work with customers to find alternatives.”
Prior said Ultimate Gaming customers in Nevada and in New Jersey have options to fund their accounts, including cash deposits at any Station Casino in Southern Nevada or at the Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.
Other options include electronic check or wire transfer, Prior said.
“You wish everything went smoothly,” said Seth Palansky, a spokesman for the World Series of Poker and Caesars Interactive Entertainment. “It’s not the reality. It’s a new business.”
Palansky said there is an ongoing education regarding online gaming transactions in Nevada and the two other states where it’s legal.
WSOP-com and Ultimate Poker, two websites licensed by Nevada regulators, averaged 110 and 90 transactions per day, respectively, for the week ending Friday, according to Pokerscout-com.
Outside the U.S., Pokerstars-com was the largest website with an average of 25,500, followed by 888poker averaging 2,900, the industry website reported.
Wells Fargo and other financial institutions are concerned about processing illegal bets, including those placed by underage gamblers or by customers who might not be physically present in Nevada when a bet is made.
“The potential for fraud is way lower than it was previously,” Prior said. “We have proven we can verify a customer’s age and where they are playing. Denying plastic … is holding back industry growth potential.”
CG Technology is unusual because it accepts credit and debit cards to open accounts. The bookmaker, which operates eight sports book in Southern Nevada and online race and sports betting apps statewide, does not take the cards directly, but uses a vendor payment processor.
“We cannot accept credit for gaming transactions,” CG Technology said in a statement. “Our vendor payment processor processes a cash advance on credit cards. This is the method used since inception of the program (in March).”
The bookmaker added that it’s “worth noting that transaction volumes for (credit and debit cards) are very low.” CG Technology is “largely a cash business.”
The rejection of credit cards to deposit money into accounts comes at a crucial time for the online and mobile gaming business. A H2 Gambling Capital report expected mobile gaming to reach $25.8 billion in global gross win by 2018. That would equate to about 5 percent of all gambling, according H2 Gambling Capital.
Joe Pappano, senior vice president and general manager of Vantiv Gaming Solutions, is confident acceptance of credit cards will come, but it will take a few years as gambling and banking regulators, online operators and politicians need to cooperate.
“We’ve been processing payments for banks for over 40 years electronically,” Pappano said. “We handle payments for many e-commerce sites, so we’ve taken that same infrastructure and adapted it for Internet gaming.”
Pappano said banks can be cautious when it comes to processing online gaming payments. Launched in October, Vantiv Gaming Solutions, based in Cincinnati, and is a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank, has been processing Visa and MasterCard in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey.
“That’s why we have educate them … to sustain positive movement in I-Gaming,” he said. “You have to remember it has only been legal for about seven months, starting in Nevada then Delaware and New Jersey.”
Pappano attributed banks’ reluctance to approve gaming transactions to Congress passing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006. The federal law banned businesses from accepting payments for illegal online bets.
Prior reminded banks that betting online is legal in these three states, just as is using a credit or debit card to shop online.
Call, raise, fold
Credit card issuers J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, American Express won’t allow gamblers to use their credit or debit cards to deposit money into online gaming accounts. That goes for both online poker and sports betting in Nevada.
“We don’t allow credit card transactions for this activity,” said Steve O’Halloran, director of public relations and public affairs for Chase Card and Merchant Services.
Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey all offer online gaming, whether its poker, slot machines or sports wagering.
Sanette Chao, a spokeswoman for American Express, said the financial services company “prohibits the use of the card for gambling services.”
“Gambling services, historically, account for a high number of card member credit losses and customer service disputes,” Chao said in an email.
It’s a similar story at Wells Fargo, according to Natalie Brown.
“In compliance with regulation GG (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006), we prohibit the use of consumer credit cards for Internet gambling,” said Brown, vice president of consumer lending communications with Wells Fargo. “The networks (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) monitor the merchant category codes and block charges that don’t comply with federal regulations.”
Brown said Wells Fargo also has controls in place to monitor for regulatory compliance.
In Nevada, Caesars Entertainment and Station Casinos operate online poker sites, while Station Casinos, William Hill, CG Technology (formerly Cantor Gaming) and Nevada Sports Books offer online and mobile sports wagering.
“What the industry has done is take a conservative approach or response to the legalization of online gambling,” said Tobin Prior, CEO of Ultimate Gaming, a subsidiary of Station Casinos Inc. “That can be frustrating, but we work with customers to find alternatives.”
Prior said Ultimate Gaming customers in Nevada and in New Jersey have options to fund their accounts, including cash deposits at any Station Casino in Southern Nevada or at the Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.
Other options include electronic check or wire transfer, Prior said.
“You wish everything went smoothly,” said Seth Palansky, a spokesman for the World Series of Poker and Caesars Interactive Entertainment. “It’s not the reality. It’s a new business.”
Palansky said there is an ongoing education regarding online gaming transactions in Nevada and the two other states where it’s legal.
WSOP-com and Ultimate Poker, two websites licensed by Nevada regulators, averaged 110 and 90 transactions per day, respectively, for the week ending Friday, according to Pokerscout-com.
Outside the U.S., Pokerstars-com was the largest website with an average of 25,500, followed by 888poker averaging 2,900, the industry website reported.
Wells Fargo and other financial institutions are concerned about processing illegal bets, including those placed by underage gamblers or by customers who might not be physically present in Nevada when a bet is made.
“The potential for fraud is way lower than it was previously,” Prior said. “We have proven we can verify a customer’s age and where they are playing. Denying plastic … is holding back industry growth potential.”
CG Technology is unusual because it accepts credit and debit cards to open accounts. The bookmaker, which operates eight sports book in Southern Nevada and online race and sports betting apps statewide, does not take the cards directly, but uses a vendor payment processor.
“We cannot accept credit for gaming transactions,” CG Technology said in a statement. “Our vendor payment processor processes a cash advance on credit cards. This is the method used since inception of the program (in March).”
The bookmaker added that it’s “worth noting that transaction volumes for (credit and debit cards) are very low.” CG Technology is “largely a cash business.”
The rejection of credit cards to deposit money into accounts comes at a crucial time for the online and mobile gaming business. A H2 Gambling Capital report expected mobile gaming to reach $25.8 billion in global gross win by 2018. That would equate to about 5 percent of all gambling, according H2 Gambling Capital.
Joe Pappano, senior vice president and general manager of Vantiv Gaming Solutions, is confident acceptance of credit cards will come, but it will take a few years as gambling and banking regulators, online operators and politicians need to cooperate.
“We’ve been processing payments for banks for over 40 years electronically,” Pappano said. “We handle payments for many e-commerce sites, so we’ve taken that same infrastructure and adapted it for Internet gaming.”
Pappano said banks can be cautious when it comes to processing online gaming payments. Launched in October, Vantiv Gaming Solutions, based in Cincinnati, and is a subsidiary of Fifth Third Bank, has been processing Visa and MasterCard in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey.
“That’s why we have educate them … to sustain positive movement in I-Gaming,” he said. “You have to remember it has only been legal for about seven months, starting in Nevada then Delaware and New Jersey.”
Pappano attributed banks’ reluctance to approve gaming transactions to Congress passing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in 2006. The federal law banned businesses from accepting payments for illegal online bets.
Prior reminded banks that betting online is legal in these three states, just as is using a credit or debit card to shop online.
Call, raise, fold
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2006/12/07
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Candy Crush and the huge amount of free online poker games available to young people has caused a spike in childhood gambling addiction in the United Kingdom, according to a new report found in the Times Educational Supplement. The report is based on research done by Mark Griffiths, director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University in England. The expert on gambling believes that by allowing children to play online poker for free gets children hooked on the experience and can easily lead to children becoming gambling addicts in the future:
"One of the biggest predictors of whether people become gamblers is the playing of gambling-type games on free-play sites...When you start winning, you start thinking that, if I was playing with real money, I could be doing quite well. Children who play these free games are more likely to gamble and more likely to develop problem gambling behaviors. These are gateway activities that can lead people down the gambling road."
Griffiths claims that the huge amount of poker games found on social media websites and online poker websites that allow a free trial with no age restrictions has caused more and more children to get hooked into gambling. The professor backs up his claim with a 2011 survey of 2,700 secondary school children which found that 15 percent of those children had played gambling games online the week before the survey.
While free online poker may be a root factor in causing childhood gambling addiction, some may be confused as to how Candy Crush, one of the most popular mobile games available today, also encourages gambling. Griffiths believes that by offering users the chance to buy new levels allows them to be drawn into the game and become obsessed with it.
"It's a bit like the old drug-dealing analogy of giving a bit for free and hooking them in...Games like Candy Crush have a moreishness quality, a bit like chocolate. You say you'll just have one chunk and you end up having the whole lot. So you say, 'I'll just play for 15 minutes', and you end up still there four or five hours later."
Griffiths also cites games allowing users to spend money on avatar items as a source of childhood gambling addiction, and if developers started offering users the chance to win back their money they would trap even more young people. The professor believes that teachers as well as parents should teach children the differences between virtual and real gambling and the consequences that come with gambling addiction sooner so that children do not grow up with gambling issues.
Candy Crush and Online Poker Games Being Blamed For Childhood Gambling Addiction : World : Latino Post
"One of the biggest predictors of whether people become gamblers is the playing of gambling-type games on free-play sites...When you start winning, you start thinking that, if I was playing with real money, I could be doing quite well. Children who play these free games are more likely to gamble and more likely to develop problem gambling behaviors. These are gateway activities that can lead people down the gambling road."
Griffiths claims that the huge amount of poker games found on social media websites and online poker websites that allow a free trial with no age restrictions has caused more and more children to get hooked into gambling. The professor backs up his claim with a 2011 survey of 2,700 secondary school children which found that 15 percent of those children had played gambling games online the week before the survey.
While free online poker may be a root factor in causing childhood gambling addiction, some may be confused as to how Candy Crush, one of the most popular mobile games available today, also encourages gambling. Griffiths believes that by offering users the chance to buy new levels allows them to be drawn into the game and become obsessed with it.
"It's a bit like the old drug-dealing analogy of giving a bit for free and hooking them in...Games like Candy Crush have a moreishness quality, a bit like chocolate. You say you'll just have one chunk and you end up having the whole lot. So you say, 'I'll just play for 15 minutes', and you end up still there four or five hours later."
Griffiths also cites games allowing users to spend money on avatar items as a source of childhood gambling addiction, and if developers started offering users the chance to win back their money they would trap even more young people. The professor believes that teachers as well as parents should teach children the differences between virtual and real gambling and the consequences that come with gambling addiction sooner so that children do not grow up with gambling issues.
Candy Crush and Online Poker Games Being Blamed For Childhood Gambling Addiction : World : Latino Post
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2006/12/07
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After beginning the first half of the hot stove league with Dwight Howard like indecision surrounding the posting decision, the pursuit of Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka is kicking into high gear as we near the second half of January. With the new agreement between Major League Baseball and Japanese teams maxing out the posting fee at $20 million, the bidding wars of years past over Japanese pro players now switches to an contract salary competition.
As Jacob mentioned the other day, word is that the Cubs front office is willing to go to nine figures on their offer to Tanaka. To put that into perspective, we are talking C.C. Sabathia to the Yankees money; Justin Verlander extended to at least 2019 with the Tigers cash; Felix Hernandez remaining King of Seattle for several more years dollars; the amount of money that has people all across the United States buying Mega Millions and Powerball tickets. Get the picture?
All that chip shuffling for a right handed starting pitcher that has yet to toss even one pitch at the Major League level. It appears that what may end up being a known quantity is that when all is said and done, the Rangers’ signing of fellow Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish will look like cents on the dollar. Don’t get me wrong. Like Darvish did prior to his jump to America, Tanaka certainly has proven to be the best Japan has to offer. Going 24-0 in 2013 is no small feat, even if the Japanese pro league overall compares to an AAAA level of baseball. How many minor league pitchers here in the U.S. can you name that has accomplished such a win loss total over a full season’s worth of starts?
While Hideo Nomo and currently Darvish may represent examples of successful transitions to MLB, ask the Yankees how Hideki Irabu worked out for them. Even Nomo and more recently Daisuke Matsuzaka turned out to be flashes in the pan, with both struggling to maintain consistent levels of ace like production past two years into their Major League careers. That leaves some question to as to how Tanaka will adjust to the level of competition in MLB. The right handed starter would come in as a wild card, a joker if you will.
So the question becomes, do the Cubs gamble nine figures on an unproven commodity? Jacob also commented that he would rather consider 2015 free agent Clayton Kershaw. The current Dodgers ace already has six years of MLB experience under his belt at just age 25 (same age as Tanaka). A 21-5 record in 2011 certainly is not perfection when compared to 24-0, but it darn well as may be when your league boasts the top talent in the world. Kershaw has also shown to be sturdy, going 30 plus starts and well over 200 innings each of his last five seasons. While long term, big money contracts will always be one of the biggest risks in the game (see Carlos Zambrano and Mike Hampton), pursuing Kershaw would be the safer bet over Tanaka.
The only issue is that the Cubs would need to rely on Kershaw hitting the open market next winter. As of right now, the Dodgers have yet to extend Kershaw the way the Cubs have not secured Jeff Samardzija long term. With the Dodgers lefty entering the final year under team control, there has to be some strong desire to see what his own value would be on the open market.
All of the above starts to make the case for the Cubs to gas up the bidding price on Tanaka. There is talk that the Dodgers will not be outbid on the Japanese righty’s services. If Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer can bump up the dollar figure to obtain Tanaka here in 2014, they could put a dent in Los Angeles’ plans to bring back Kershaw in 2015. Can the Cubs interest in Tanaka be a bluff? After all, Epstein and Company are no strangers to mucking up the free agent and trade markets from their days in Boston while competing with the rival Yankees.
Even if the Cubs gamble backfires and they miss out on both Tanaka and Kershaw as a result, the 2015 free agent starting pitching class is also led by Max Scherzer and Jon Lester, shoulder neither of that pair of aces not sign an extension with their respective teams.
The Cubs have barely caused a ripple in the free agent pool this off season and Epstein could play off feigned interest in Tanaka with a proven pair of aces in mind for the next free agency hand dealt. Assuming that Kershaw and Scherzer test the waters next winter, the better investment would be in one of those two. Or why not dare to dream big and reel in both? Many a poker player would consider going all in with pocket rockets.
Here is hoping the Cubs are just bluffing and that the teams going all in on Tanaka are the Dodgers or the Yankees.
Cubs Playing Poker with Tanaka Pursuit? - Cubbies Crib - A Chicago Cubs Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
As Jacob mentioned the other day, word is that the Cubs front office is willing to go to nine figures on their offer to Tanaka. To put that into perspective, we are talking C.C. Sabathia to the Yankees money; Justin Verlander extended to at least 2019 with the Tigers cash; Felix Hernandez remaining King of Seattle for several more years dollars; the amount of money that has people all across the United States buying Mega Millions and Powerball tickets. Get the picture?
All that chip shuffling for a right handed starting pitcher that has yet to toss even one pitch at the Major League level. It appears that what may end up being a known quantity is that when all is said and done, the Rangers’ signing of fellow Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish will look like cents on the dollar. Don’t get me wrong. Like Darvish did prior to his jump to America, Tanaka certainly has proven to be the best Japan has to offer. Going 24-0 in 2013 is no small feat, even if the Japanese pro league overall compares to an AAAA level of baseball. How many minor league pitchers here in the U.S. can you name that has accomplished such a win loss total over a full season’s worth of starts?
While Hideo Nomo and currently Darvish may represent examples of successful transitions to MLB, ask the Yankees how Hideki Irabu worked out for them. Even Nomo and more recently Daisuke Matsuzaka turned out to be flashes in the pan, with both struggling to maintain consistent levels of ace like production past two years into their Major League careers. That leaves some question to as to how Tanaka will adjust to the level of competition in MLB. The right handed starter would come in as a wild card, a joker if you will.
So the question becomes, do the Cubs gamble nine figures on an unproven commodity? Jacob also commented that he would rather consider 2015 free agent Clayton Kershaw. The current Dodgers ace already has six years of MLB experience under his belt at just age 25 (same age as Tanaka). A 21-5 record in 2011 certainly is not perfection when compared to 24-0, but it darn well as may be when your league boasts the top talent in the world. Kershaw has also shown to be sturdy, going 30 plus starts and well over 200 innings each of his last five seasons. While long term, big money contracts will always be one of the biggest risks in the game (see Carlos Zambrano and Mike Hampton), pursuing Kershaw would be the safer bet over Tanaka.
The only issue is that the Cubs would need to rely on Kershaw hitting the open market next winter. As of right now, the Dodgers have yet to extend Kershaw the way the Cubs have not secured Jeff Samardzija long term. With the Dodgers lefty entering the final year under team control, there has to be some strong desire to see what his own value would be on the open market.
All of the above starts to make the case for the Cubs to gas up the bidding price on Tanaka. There is talk that the Dodgers will not be outbid on the Japanese righty’s services. If Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer can bump up the dollar figure to obtain Tanaka here in 2014, they could put a dent in Los Angeles’ plans to bring back Kershaw in 2015. Can the Cubs interest in Tanaka be a bluff? After all, Epstein and Company are no strangers to mucking up the free agent and trade markets from their days in Boston while competing with the rival Yankees.
Even if the Cubs gamble backfires and they miss out on both Tanaka and Kershaw as a result, the 2015 free agent starting pitching class is also led by Max Scherzer and Jon Lester, shoulder neither of that pair of aces not sign an extension with their respective teams.
The Cubs have barely caused a ripple in the free agent pool this off season and Epstein could play off feigned interest in Tanaka with a proven pair of aces in mind for the next free agency hand dealt. Assuming that Kershaw and Scherzer test the waters next winter, the better investment would be in one of those two. Or why not dare to dream big and reel in both? Many a poker player would consider going all in with pocket rockets.
Here is hoping the Cubs are just bluffing and that the teams going all in on Tanaka are the Dodgers or the Yankees.
Cubs Playing Poker with Tanaka Pursuit? - Cubbies Crib - A Chicago Cubs Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More
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Iowa residents hoping that that the state would take up the issue of online poker in 2014 will apparently have to keep waiting. According to an article by CasinoEnterpriseManagement-com, an Iowa bill will not happen in 2014 but may be considered in 2015.
Wes Ehrecke, President and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association, was part of a panel interviewed for 2014 Gaming Predictions and his outlook for the year focused primarily on land-based casinos in the state.
He pointed out that commercial casino revenue in the state was relatively flat in 2013 due to the uncertainty in both the economy and economic confidence. Ehrecke believes that improvements planned by several casinos will help to bolster the economy in 2014.
Ehrecke then moves on to talk about the potential of any legislative changes in regards to land-based and online gambling for the year. The Iowa legislature is planning to shorten their 100-day session by at least two weeks this year, and the short session will wind up having a negative impact in the short term for online gambling.
Due to the lack of time to explore issues, he believes that an online poker measure in the state will not even be considered in 2014. Instead, he believes that lawmakers and lobbyists will focus on the progress in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey. They will make notes of what is working in those states, determine whether the regulations in those states are indeed working and then watch their progress with interstate compacts. After examining those areas, they will then work on a bill to be presented into the 2015 legislative session.
This stance very well could become the norm for many states in 2014. Legalized iGaming in the United States is still in its infancy and some states are going to let Nevada and company work out the kinks in their respective states before they take the plunge. Should iGaming continue to prove successful, especially in New Jersey, 2015 could be the year that we start to see a true explosion of legalized iGaming in the US.
Iowa Online Poker Not Happening in 2014 Per Head of IGA
Wes Ehrecke, President and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association, was part of a panel interviewed for 2014 Gaming Predictions and his outlook for the year focused primarily on land-based casinos in the state.
He pointed out that commercial casino revenue in the state was relatively flat in 2013 due to the uncertainty in both the economy and economic confidence. Ehrecke believes that improvements planned by several casinos will help to bolster the economy in 2014.
Ehrecke then moves on to talk about the potential of any legislative changes in regards to land-based and online gambling for the year. The Iowa legislature is planning to shorten their 100-day session by at least two weeks this year, and the short session will wind up having a negative impact in the short term for online gambling.
Due to the lack of time to explore issues, he believes that an online poker measure in the state will not even be considered in 2014. Instead, he believes that lawmakers and lobbyists will focus on the progress in Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey. They will make notes of what is working in those states, determine whether the regulations in those states are indeed working and then watch their progress with interstate compacts. After examining those areas, they will then work on a bill to be presented into the 2015 legislative session.
This stance very well could become the norm for many states in 2014. Legalized iGaming in the United States is still in its infancy and some states are going to let Nevada and company work out the kinks in their respective states before they take the plunge. Should iGaming continue to prove successful, especially in New Jersey, 2015 could be the year that we start to see a true explosion of legalized iGaming in the US.
Iowa Online Poker Not Happening in 2014 Per Head of IGA
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The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians currently operates the Lake of the Torches Resort Casino in northern Wisconsin, not far south of the state’s border with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As mentioned, the tribe has been having financial problems; in 2009, it defaulted on a $50 million bond offering that was issued just the previous year. Though the tribe’s casino and related businesses made a profit of almost $12 million on revenues of over $53 million in the 12 months ended October 31, 2009, it was apparently unable to make the required $800,000 monthly payments on the bond (the interest rate was 12 percent).
Also in 2008, the tribe had considered mortgaging parts of its reservation.
Online gambling, including poker, is seen by the tribe as a way to bolster its cash flow. Tom Maulson, the tribe’s president, said that they are ready to go and “could just flip a switch” to start its internet gaming operations. One problem, though, is that unlike New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware, online gambling has not been legalized and regulated in Wisconsin. In fact, even though land-based tribal gaming has been legal throughout the state for quite some time (coincidentally, this writer’s first casino experience was at Ho-Chunk Gaming in Baraboo almost 20 years ago), there has been absolutely no discussion in the state legislature of regulating the online game.
Nevertheless, online gambling is technically still a possibility because it is permissible within the borders of the reservation. Of course, the number of players in a single reservation would be next to nil, so the hope for the Chippewa would be to join forces with other tribes in the Tribal Internet Gaming Alliance to offer combined player pools with other reservations. That brings up another sticking point: there are no tribes that have launched online gaming yet.
The tribe is already familiar with online enterprises, as it got two payday loan businesses up and running online this month with a third to come. Because of the limited populations and often remote locations of reservations, online businesses are attractive to tribes, as they offer the ability to reach many more customers. Payday loan outfits are typically looked upon in a very unfavorable light, as they take advantage of vulnerable, low-income people by extending extremely high interest loans. Taking payday loan businesses online also allows lenders to pick and choose from which states they want to accept customers. The Lac du Flambeau tribe’s payday loan companies do not offer loans in Wisconsin because of the state’s strict regulatory environment.
Lake of the Torches does have an active online casino, but for play money only.
Wisconsin Tribe Wants to Offer Online Poker