Asian Poker Tour comes to Manila - 24th January 2009
After the success of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) events in Manila and Macau last year, the biggest and original poker tour in Asia once again holds its 2009 tour in Manila.
Just like last year, the Asian Poker Tour Philippines 2009 will attract top professional and amateur poker players around the world.
With an estimated $1-M in prize money, world-renowned poker masters and fans will gather to showcase their poker mastery and skills on Jan. 27 to Feb. 1 at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.
It is estimated that more than 800 players will participate in the various tournaments. International poker superstars like Quinn Do, David “Chino” Rheem and Nam Le have confirmed their participation as well as other leading Filipino players.
The main tournament will be the No Limit Texas Hold’em event, which will be played in four days.
The tournament begins with two flights (1A and 1B), then Day 2 and the Final Day (Sunday) where big cash prizes await the winners. For walk-ins and those who are no longer playing in the main tournament, cash games will be running on-site, as well as special events such as the PKR Headhunter Tournament and the Dafa Poker “PLO” Pot Limit Omaha, which, incidentally, will be the first time this particular game is played in Asia at a major poker event.
Omaha, popular among European and North American poker players, is gaining a following in Asia. Local celebrities will be invited to join a charity poker event where their cash prizes will be donated to charity organizations of their choice.
Celebrities expected to participate include Dingdong Dantes, Maui Taylor, Rajo Laurel, Andrea del Rosario, Jinno Rufino, Mo Twister and Tessa Prieto-Valdes.
The Asian Poker Tour Philippines 2009 is owned and managed by the AsianLogic Limited, an Asia-Pacific on-line and land-based gaming company. For details, call 889-3413 or visit www.asianpt.com.
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Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sport stars struggle at Aussie Millions - NineMSN - 23rd January 2009
Jan 23: As the Aussie Millions Main Event at Melbourne's Crown Casino heads towards its conclusion, the hopeful and the hopeless players have been winnowed away. From 651 entrants, 28 people whose skill and luck has held true are left to play the fourth day, and fight for a place on the final table.
The celebrities who showed up for the Main Event failed to make a lasting impression at the tables, and won’t see any of over $6.8 million dollars prize money on offer.
Cricket legend Shane Warne was quickly dismissed from the tournament. He spent almost as much time in a press conference for the event as he did at the tables, bowing out after two hours of play.
Tennis and reality TV star Mark Philippoussis could serve plenty of aces at his peak, but wasn’t lucky drawing them at the table. He was also out on Day One; unlucky when his two pair, Kings and Queens, was beaten by a flush.
Two other champs, boxer Jeff Fenech and jockey Shane Dye, failed to mimic their sporting success at the tables, and left without prize money.
It wasn’t just part-time players who struggled in the field, with plenty of big names falling by the wayside. Joe Hachem made an early exit, dropping out of the action during Day Three, while last year’s winner, Alexander Kostristsyn, only lasted one day of competition.
Keeping hopes alive for an Aussie victory tomorrow is Melbourne fashion designer, Christopher Chronis. He starts Day Four sitting nicely in third position. (Credit: NineMSN)
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Jan 23: As the Aussie Millions Main Event at Melbourne's Crown Casino heads towards its conclusion, the hopeful and the hopeless players have been winnowed away. From 651 entrants, 28 people whose skill and luck has held true are left to play the fourth day, and fight for a place on the final table.
The celebrities who showed up for the Main Event failed to make a lasting impression at the tables, and won’t see any of over $6.8 million dollars prize money on offer.
Cricket legend Shane Warne was quickly dismissed from the tournament. He spent almost as much time in a press conference for the event as he did at the tables, bowing out after two hours of play.
Tennis and reality TV star Mark Philippoussis could serve plenty of aces at his peak, but wasn’t lucky drawing them at the table. He was also out on Day One; unlucky when his two pair, Kings and Queens, was beaten by a flush.
Two other champs, boxer Jeff Fenech and jockey Shane Dye, failed to mimic their sporting success at the tables, and left without prize money.
It wasn’t just part-time players who struggled in the field, with plenty of big names falling by the wayside. Joe Hachem made an early exit, dropping out of the action during Day Three, while last year’s winner, Alexander Kostristsyn, only lasted one day of competition.
Keeping hopes alive for an Aussie victory tomorrow is Melbourne fashion designer, Christopher Chronis. He starts Day Four sitting nicely in third position. (Credit: NineMSN)
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Countdown is on to Asian Poker Tour Philippines
Manila, Philippines – 22nd January 2009 – The countdown is on to the keenly anticipated Asian Poker Tour Philippines, which gets underway on the 27th January and runs until the 1st February at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Manila.
The highlight is the $2500 + $200 No Limit Hold’em Main Event, which runs from the 29th January – 1st February. The latest news sees the confirmation of an FHM sponsored party, a celebrity event and a PKR sponsored bounty tournament.
Parties on the Asian Poker Tour in Manila and Macau last year have taken on legendary
status and have even won an award! One highlight for this year’s event is definitely the FHM/DafaPoker Player’s Party, which starts at 19.30 on the 31st January and promises to be ‘tastefully wild,’ with FHM planning to send plenty of their cover models. After the party, the Asian Poker Tour and FHM have hired party buses to take players around Manila’s hotspots. At 20.00 on the 27th January, the Asian Poker Tour Celebrity Challenge, presented by Ray Ban, FHM and JBet, also promises to be lively. 20 celebrities will take part and the Asian Poker Tour and sponsors will be donating a minimum of 200,000 pesos to the charities of the celebrities’ choice. More details are to follow on this event but expect a twist to proceedings!
The Asian Poker Tour is also delighted to introduce the PKR Headhunter Tournament to the fantastic range of side action at the event. Getting underway at 19.30 on the 28th January the $250 + $20 tournament will feature members of The Poker Pack as bounties including Nam Le, David ‘Chino’ Rheem, Quinn Do, Steve Sung and Kwang Soo Lee. A recent online bounty tournament featuring members of The Poker Pack, who are currently on a phenomenal run on the world circuit, broke all records on next generation site PKR.
DafaPoker is the official partner of the Asian Poker Tour in presenting the Pot-Limit
Omaha Hi tournament – a first for a major Asian Tour. The game is scheduled to take
place at 14.00 on the 31st January. The buy-in for this tournament will be $185 + $15. On the same day at 19.00 there will also be a hugely anticipated 13 card tournament featuring a $460 +$40 buy-in. Other highlights include the world’s first GREED tournament and a huge range of cash games, sit and gos and satellites into the Main Event. Registration for the Main Event starts on the 27th January with welcome ceremony cocktails on the evening of the 28th January.
Chris Parker, CEO of the Asian Poker Tour said: “The excitement is building as the clock ticks down to the Asian Poker Tour Philippines. Manila is one of the most fun cities in the world and the event will reflect this. We are delighted with our package of famous parties and the range of side action around our prestigious Main Event. This is one experience not to miss!”
Last year’s Asian Poker Tour Philippines winner was Australia’s David Saab, who scooped first place and $280,000. Coverage of this year’s Main Event will be televised and distributed internationally later in the year. Overseeing the action will be leading tournament director Matt Savage.
The Asian Poker Tour is supported by the iPoker Network, Titan, Dafa Poker, PKR,
PartyPoker, Everest, 888, JBet Poker, 32 Red Poker, Microgaming Network and Everleaf
Network. Full details can be found at http://www.asianpt.com
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Manila, Philippines – 22nd January 2009 – The countdown is on to the keenly anticipated Asian Poker Tour Philippines, which gets underway on the 27th January and runs until the 1st February at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Manila.
The highlight is the $2500 + $200 No Limit Hold’em Main Event, which runs from the 29th January – 1st February. The latest news sees the confirmation of an FHM sponsored party, a celebrity event and a PKR sponsored bounty tournament.
Parties on the Asian Poker Tour in Manila and Macau last year have taken on legendary
status and have even won an award! One highlight for this year’s event is definitely the FHM/DafaPoker Player’s Party, which starts at 19.30 on the 31st January and promises to be ‘tastefully wild,’ with FHM planning to send plenty of their cover models. After the party, the Asian Poker Tour and FHM have hired party buses to take players around Manila’s hotspots. At 20.00 on the 27th January, the Asian Poker Tour Celebrity Challenge, presented by Ray Ban, FHM and JBet, also promises to be lively. 20 celebrities will take part and the Asian Poker Tour and sponsors will be donating a minimum of 200,000 pesos to the charities of the celebrities’ choice. More details are to follow on this event but expect a twist to proceedings!
The Asian Poker Tour is also delighted to introduce the PKR Headhunter Tournament to the fantastic range of side action at the event. Getting underway at 19.30 on the 28th January the $250 + $20 tournament will feature members of The Poker Pack as bounties including Nam Le, David ‘Chino’ Rheem, Quinn Do, Steve Sung and Kwang Soo Lee. A recent online bounty tournament featuring members of The Poker Pack, who are currently on a phenomenal run on the world circuit, broke all records on next generation site PKR.
DafaPoker is the official partner of the Asian Poker Tour in presenting the Pot-Limit
Omaha Hi tournament – a first for a major Asian Tour. The game is scheduled to take
place at 14.00 on the 31st January. The buy-in for this tournament will be $185 + $15. On the same day at 19.00 there will also be a hugely anticipated 13 card tournament featuring a $460 +$40 buy-in. Other highlights include the world’s first GREED tournament and a huge range of cash games, sit and gos and satellites into the Main Event. Registration for the Main Event starts on the 27th January with welcome ceremony cocktails on the evening of the 28th January.
Chris Parker, CEO of the Asian Poker Tour said: “The excitement is building as the clock ticks down to the Asian Poker Tour Philippines. Manila is one of the most fun cities in the world and the event will reflect this. We are delighted with our package of famous parties and the range of side action around our prestigious Main Event. This is one experience not to miss!”
Last year’s Asian Poker Tour Philippines winner was Australia’s David Saab, who scooped first place and $280,000. Coverage of this year’s Main Event will be televised and distributed internationally later in the year. Overseeing the action will be leading tournament director Matt Savage.
The Asian Poker Tour is supported by the iPoker Network, Titan, Dafa Poker, PKR,
PartyPoker, Everest, 888, JBet Poker, 32 Red Poker, Microgaming Network and Everleaf
Network. Full details can be found at http://www.asianpt.com
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Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Kentucky Domain Seizures Struck Down by Appeals Court
PPA heralds ruling as "tremendous victory"
January 20, 2009 -- The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) website is reporting that the Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled today that the state may not enforce its order attempting to seize 141 domain names, which was pending since last fall.
The PPA's Executive Director John Pappas has made this statement: "This is a tremendous victory for Internet freedom and the rights of Kentucky residents who enjoy playing online poker. We are pleased that the appeals court has forcefully reversed Judge Wingate's earlier ruling and confirmed many of the arguments that have been raised in opposition to the seizure effort. The Court of Appeals has agreed with the PPA's position that Judge Wingate did not have jurisdiction to issue the order that he entered against these domains and that Secretary Brown has no legitimate right to deprive the citizens of Kentucky of the legal right to play poker online."
"On behalf of the thousands of PPA members who live in Kentucky we hope that Governor Beshear and Secretary Brown will abandon this misguided effort and focus new energies into regulation and taxation of Internet poker," said Rich Muny, Kentucky State Director for the PPA, who resides in Union, KY. "This common-sense approach would benefit Kentucky's poker enthusiasts and the revenue will benefit the state as a whole. Rather than spending hard to find dollars on this case, the Governor could actually turn this into a much needed new revenue stream for the Commonwealth."
This quote comes courtesy of the Casino City Times website, which also stated that the ruling may be due to "powerful arguments from a strong coalition of independent voices who opposed the Franklin Circuit Court ruling. Groups like the PPA, the ACLU of Kentucky and the Electronic Frontier Foundation all successfully weighed in with the appellate court from a variety of legal perspectives."
This should be the end of this situation, although Kentucky Governor Beshear may continue to appeal or take other action if he is unwilling to accept this judgment. Still, an important victory has been won on behalf of the online gaming industry today.
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PPA heralds ruling as "tremendous victory"
January 20, 2009 -- The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) website is reporting that the Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled today that the state may not enforce its order attempting to seize 141 domain names, which was pending since last fall.
The PPA's Executive Director John Pappas has made this statement: "This is a tremendous victory for Internet freedom and the rights of Kentucky residents who enjoy playing online poker. We are pleased that the appeals court has forcefully reversed Judge Wingate's earlier ruling and confirmed many of the arguments that have been raised in opposition to the seizure effort. The Court of Appeals has agreed with the PPA's position that Judge Wingate did not have jurisdiction to issue the order that he entered against these domains and that Secretary Brown has no legitimate right to deprive the citizens of Kentucky of the legal right to play poker online."
"On behalf of the thousands of PPA members who live in Kentucky we hope that Governor Beshear and Secretary Brown will abandon this misguided effort and focus new energies into regulation and taxation of Internet poker," said Rich Muny, Kentucky State Director for the PPA, who resides in Union, KY. "This common-sense approach would benefit Kentucky's poker enthusiasts and the revenue will benefit the state as a whole. Rather than spending hard to find dollars on this case, the Governor could actually turn this into a much needed new revenue stream for the Commonwealth."
This quote comes courtesy of the Casino City Times website, which also stated that the ruling may be due to "powerful arguments from a strong coalition of independent voices who opposed the Franklin Circuit Court ruling. Groups like the PPA, the ACLU of Kentucky and the Electronic Frontier Foundation all successfully weighed in with the appellate court from a variety of legal perspectives."
This should be the end of this situation, although Kentucky Governor Beshear may continue to appeal or take other action if he is unwilling to accept this judgment. Still, an important victory has been won on behalf of the online gaming industry today.
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Nobody calls Shane Warne's tattoo bluff - The Daily Telegraph - 21st January 2009
He has never been one to shy away from a grand entrance and it was no different yesterday when Shane Warne waltzed into Crown Casino in Melbourne sporting what appeared to be a brand new arm-length tattoo.
Smiling broadly as he walked into a press conference for the Aussie Millions Poker Championship - which he is competing in this week - Warne asked reporters if they liked his new ink.
He then rolled down the fake tattoo sleeve and pulled it from his arm.
"Gotcha, didn't I?" the spin king laughed.
Well, perhaps there could have been one member of the audience who had never before seen the joke tattoo sleeves (pictured) - though that seems doubtful.
Warne went on to explain he was wearing the sleeve to take the mickey out of current Aussie cricket star Michael Clarke, who last month hit the headlines with a huge new tattoo.
Clarke's elaborate piece of body art depicts a guardian angel sitting on a cross, with the initials of his fiancee Lara Bingle emblazoned at the top.
For Warne, the new addition to Clarke's body was the perfect opportunity for a bit of fun with a former teammate.
"I keep taking photos and sending them to Michael," Warne said.
The cricket legend-turned-poker pro will be among 850 players vying for a first prize of $2 million in the Aussie Millions tournament.
And just to add to the "has-been" feel of the event, Warne yesterday posed for photographs with fellow poker fans and former sports stars Jeff Fenech and Mark Philippoussis. (Credit: The Daily Telegraph)
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He has never been one to shy away from a grand entrance and it was no different yesterday when Shane Warne waltzed into Crown Casino in Melbourne sporting what appeared to be a brand new arm-length tattoo.
Smiling broadly as he walked into a press conference for the Aussie Millions Poker Championship - which he is competing in this week - Warne asked reporters if they liked his new ink.
He then rolled down the fake tattoo sleeve and pulled it from his arm.
"Gotcha, didn't I?" the spin king laughed.
Well, perhaps there could have been one member of the audience who had never before seen the joke tattoo sleeves (pictured) - though that seems doubtful.
Warne went on to explain he was wearing the sleeve to take the mickey out of current Aussie cricket star Michael Clarke, who last month hit the headlines with a huge new tattoo.
Clarke's elaborate piece of body art depicts a guardian angel sitting on a cross, with the initials of his fiancee Lara Bingle emblazoned at the top.
For Warne, the new addition to Clarke's body was the perfect opportunity for a bit of fun with a former teammate.
"I keep taking photos and sending them to Michael," Warne said.
The cricket legend-turned-poker pro will be among 850 players vying for a first prize of $2 million in the Aussie Millions tournament.
And just to add to the "has-been" feel of the event, Warne yesterday posed for photographs with fellow poker fans and former sports stars Jeff Fenech and Mark Philippoussis. (Credit: The Daily Telegraph)
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PartyGaming dealt blow as MD quits, by Roger Blitz - Financial Times - 19th January 2009
PartyGaming has suffered the loss of one of its key driving forces as John O’Malia, who missed out on the chief executive’s job last year, quit the online gaming company after only eight months as managing director.
The company said he would be stepping down at the end of next month to pursue other business interests.
Mr O’Malia’s departure comes at an important time for the company as it seeks to rebuild its once imperious position in the sector.
A settlement with the US department of justice, which would clear its liabilities in the US, is understood to be imminent, paving the way for possible deals.
Mr O’Malia, 39, joined PartyGaming in 2006 when it bought GameBookers, a sports betting operator, where he was chief executive.
He is widely credited with creating a casino product, for reforming the company’s flagship poker website and for providing the company with much of its intellectual firepower.
But when the chief executive position fell vacant last year following the resignation of Mitch Garber, Mr O’Malia was pipped to the job by Jim Ryan, a Canadian accountant who made his name in the high technology industry.
Industry experts said they believed Mr O’Malia was upset at not getting the top job and that the newly created job of managing director, as well as a board position, was insufficient to keep him at PartyGaming in the long term.
One expert said with the new poker site up and running since the autumn, this was one of the earliest opportunities for him to leave the company.
Mr O’Malia said: “We have made enormous strides in repositioning the group’s gaming portfolio, something that I was determined to achieve before moving on ... I am looking forward to taking on fresh business challenges.”
Mr Ryan, who will assume Mr O’Malia’s duties, said he had made a significant contribution to the transformation of PartyGaming in the past two and a half years.
The company was forced to rethink its strategy after a US clampdown on online gaming in 2006 forced its exodus from the US, along with other listed gaming companies.
“John is a natural leader and is keen to fulfil his potential in a more senior management role that will play to his considerable industry and management experience,” said Mr Ryan said. (Credit: The Financial Times)
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PartyGaming has suffered the loss of one of its key driving forces as John O’Malia, who missed out on the chief executive’s job last year, quit the online gaming company after only eight months as managing director.
The company said he would be stepping down at the end of next month to pursue other business interests.
Mr O’Malia’s departure comes at an important time for the company as it seeks to rebuild its once imperious position in the sector.
A settlement with the US department of justice, which would clear its liabilities in the US, is understood to be imminent, paving the way for possible deals.
Mr O’Malia, 39, joined PartyGaming in 2006 when it bought GameBookers, a sports betting operator, where he was chief executive.
He is widely credited with creating a casino product, for reforming the company’s flagship poker website and for providing the company with much of its intellectual firepower.
But when the chief executive position fell vacant last year following the resignation of Mitch Garber, Mr O’Malia was pipped to the job by Jim Ryan, a Canadian accountant who made his name in the high technology industry.
Industry experts said they believed Mr O’Malia was upset at not getting the top job and that the newly created job of managing director, as well as a board position, was insufficient to keep him at PartyGaming in the long term.
One expert said with the new poker site up and running since the autumn, this was one of the earliest opportunities for him to leave the company.
Mr O’Malia said: “We have made enormous strides in repositioning the group’s gaming portfolio, something that I was determined to achieve before moving on ... I am looking forward to taking on fresh business challenges.”
Mr Ryan, who will assume Mr O’Malia’s duties, said he had made a significant contribution to the transformation of PartyGaming in the past two and a half years.
The company was forced to rethink its strategy after a US clampdown on online gaming in 2006 forced its exodus from the US, along with other listed gaming companies.
“John is a natural leader and is keen to fulfil his potential in a more senior management role that will play to his considerable industry and management experience,” said Mr Ryan said. (Credit: The Financial Times)
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Monday, January 19, 2009
CryptoLogic to Shed Poker Network by March, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 18th January 2009
Recently, the CryptoLogic Network, whose online poker sites include InterPoker and, until January 29th, Playboy Poker, announced that the move of all of its rooms to Boss Media will occur by the end of March. Poker News Daily spoke with Justin Thouin, Vice President of Product Development for CryptoLogic, to discuss the future of the mammoth software development company, which is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol “CRYP.”
Thouin told Poker News Daily why the decision was made for CryptoLogic to shed its online poker network. He explained, “If you look at the online gaming industry, it’s becoming more difficult to be a generalist. The companies that are succeeding now and will succeed in the future are those who can specialize. We saw an opportunity to differentiate ourselves in the online casino space.” Currently, the company offers more than 200 casino games, including 60 that can be played within a customer’s web browser. Among the latest rollouts is European Blackjack, which does not give the dealer a down card as in the traditional version of the game.
Celeb Poker and Paradise Poker are two rooms that make their homes on the Boss Network. Soon, the survivors from CryptoLogic will join them. Thouin describes the challenges of competing in the online poker industry in today’s economy: “In the online poker industry, it is hard to differentiate yourself. Players cared about liquidity. It was difficult to have the requisite liquidity given how much competition there was. We’ve cut $12 million in costs.” The company is aiming for $9 to $10 million in net profits during 2009 and plans to cut its server and office rental costs by 75%. Its worldwide headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland.
Since the company was founded 14 years ago, CryptoLogic has had to adapt to a market that was constantly in flux. It partnered with leading brands such as Marvel and Activision for its casino suite. Recently, it has allowed internet gambling companies to select which games to incorporate, rather than insist that new customers adopt the entire CryptoLogic catalog. On the industry’s future, Thouin predicts, “You’ll see more specialization. This is still a very attractive industry. Online gaming is still growing quickly. You’ll see it become a much more competitive space. Partnerships will form in ways there haven’t been before.” For example, this month, CryptoLogic forged a partnership with Gaming Technology Solutions, whose clients include 888 and bwin. Party Gaming has already incorporated 30 of CryptoLogic’s cutting edge games.
When most players sign onto an online poker room, they may assume that, from the site’s standpoint, very little staff and resources are required. Customer interactions are mostly automated. However, Thouin describes the requirements needed to operate a profitable online poker room: “You need poker room managers to set up tournaments. You need to interact with land-based events in order to have feeder systems. You have to have full fraud and collusion teams. The barriers to entry are fairly high. However, the rewards are also there.” Other publicly traded companies besides CryptoLogic include Party Gaming, 888, and Ladbrokes, all of which can be found on the London Stock Exchange. Playtech, William Hill, and Neovia (formerly Neteller) are traded in London as well.
CryptoLogic’s restructuring efforts are expected to cost the company $3.5 million in cash and up to $20 million in “non-cash charges,” according to a press statement released last week. Playboy Poker, which makes its home on the network, has announced that it will cease operations on January 29th. Customers will be encouraged to deposit on InterPoker and InterCasino. Betsafe is moving to the Ongame Network from CryptoLogic, although the timing for the departure is not yet known. Sun Poker and Poker Plex both packed up shop and headed to Playtech’s iPoker Network from CryptoLogic. Thouin told Poker News Daily that each licensee was given the option to join to the Boss Network.
Poker News Daily will keep you posted as the 2009 calendar year continues. We would like to thank Justin Thouin, Vice President of Product Development for CryptoLogic, for talking with us. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Recently, the CryptoLogic Network, whose online poker sites include InterPoker and, until January 29th, Playboy Poker, announced that the move of all of its rooms to Boss Media will occur by the end of March. Poker News Daily spoke with Justin Thouin, Vice President of Product Development for CryptoLogic, to discuss the future of the mammoth software development company, which is traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol “CRYP.”
Thouin told Poker News Daily why the decision was made for CryptoLogic to shed its online poker network. He explained, “If you look at the online gaming industry, it’s becoming more difficult to be a generalist. The companies that are succeeding now and will succeed in the future are those who can specialize. We saw an opportunity to differentiate ourselves in the online casino space.” Currently, the company offers more than 200 casino games, including 60 that can be played within a customer’s web browser. Among the latest rollouts is European Blackjack, which does not give the dealer a down card as in the traditional version of the game.
Celeb Poker and Paradise Poker are two rooms that make their homes on the Boss Network. Soon, the survivors from CryptoLogic will join them. Thouin describes the challenges of competing in the online poker industry in today’s economy: “In the online poker industry, it is hard to differentiate yourself. Players cared about liquidity. It was difficult to have the requisite liquidity given how much competition there was. We’ve cut $12 million in costs.” The company is aiming for $9 to $10 million in net profits during 2009 and plans to cut its server and office rental costs by 75%. Its worldwide headquarters are in Dublin, Ireland.
Since the company was founded 14 years ago, CryptoLogic has had to adapt to a market that was constantly in flux. It partnered with leading brands such as Marvel and Activision for its casino suite. Recently, it has allowed internet gambling companies to select which games to incorporate, rather than insist that new customers adopt the entire CryptoLogic catalog. On the industry’s future, Thouin predicts, “You’ll see more specialization. This is still a very attractive industry. Online gaming is still growing quickly. You’ll see it become a much more competitive space. Partnerships will form in ways there haven’t been before.” For example, this month, CryptoLogic forged a partnership with Gaming Technology Solutions, whose clients include 888 and bwin. Party Gaming has already incorporated 30 of CryptoLogic’s cutting edge games.
When most players sign onto an online poker room, they may assume that, from the site’s standpoint, very little staff and resources are required. Customer interactions are mostly automated. However, Thouin describes the requirements needed to operate a profitable online poker room: “You need poker room managers to set up tournaments. You need to interact with land-based events in order to have feeder systems. You have to have full fraud and collusion teams. The barriers to entry are fairly high. However, the rewards are also there.” Other publicly traded companies besides CryptoLogic include Party Gaming, 888, and Ladbrokes, all of which can be found on the London Stock Exchange. Playtech, William Hill, and Neovia (formerly Neteller) are traded in London as well.
CryptoLogic’s restructuring efforts are expected to cost the company $3.5 million in cash and up to $20 million in “non-cash charges,” according to a press statement released last week. Playboy Poker, which makes its home on the network, has announced that it will cease operations on January 29th. Customers will be encouraged to deposit on InterPoker and InterCasino. Betsafe is moving to the Ongame Network from CryptoLogic, although the timing for the departure is not yet known. Sun Poker and Poker Plex both packed up shop and headed to Playtech’s iPoker Network from CryptoLogic. Thouin told Poker News Daily that each licensee was given the option to join to the Boss Network.
Poker News Daily will keep you posted as the 2009 calendar year continues. We would like to thank Justin Thouin, Vice President of Product Development for CryptoLogic, for talking with us. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Virgin Poker - Newcastle, UK 4 - 5th April 2009
What?
The Virgin Poker Festival is heading to Newcastle's Aspers Casino for the fifth ever Virgin Poker Festival. These are the most downright fun poker events in the business and with eyewatering added value it all adds up to a cracking weekend. Here's what Virgin are promising:
A 150 Euro two day deep stacked poker event
£5,000 added to the main event prize pool
£1,000 worth bounties and prizes
All the usual favourites will be there such as, fun value added side events, Virgin girls, a bar promotion and prizes for the Nintendo Mario Kart Wii to ensure that everyone is throughly entertained throughout the weekend.
How can players qualify?
Players must qualify online on Virgin Poker take a look at how you can get on the road to qualification.
Virgin Festival Sat (€1.65 + €0.15) - These run everyday at 8pm (GMT) starting on Monday 8th December. 1 in 10 players will win a seat to the Virgin Festival Final.
Virgin Festival Final (€15 + €1.50) - These run every Sunday at 6pm(GMT). 1 in 10 players will win a seat to the Virgin Poker Festival main event in Newcastle.
Festival Super Sat (€7.50 + €0.70) - These rebuy tournaments will have one main event qualifier for every €150 added to the prize pot. They run every Thursday at 8.30pm (GMT).
Good luck and hopefully we'll see you in Newcastle!
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What?
The Virgin Poker Festival is heading to Newcastle's Aspers Casino for the fifth ever Virgin Poker Festival. These are the most downright fun poker events in the business and with eyewatering added value it all adds up to a cracking weekend. Here's what Virgin are promising:
A 150 Euro two day deep stacked poker event
£5,000 added to the main event prize pool
£1,000 worth bounties and prizes
All the usual favourites will be there such as, fun value added side events, Virgin girls, a bar promotion and prizes for the Nintendo Mario Kart Wii to ensure that everyone is throughly entertained throughout the weekend.
How can players qualify?
Players must qualify online on Virgin Poker take a look at how you can get on the road to qualification.
Virgin Festival Sat (€1.65 + €0.15) - These run everyday at 8pm (GMT) starting on Monday 8th December. 1 in 10 players will win a seat to the Virgin Festival Final.
Virgin Festival Final (€15 + €1.50) - These run every Sunday at 6pm(GMT). 1 in 10 players will win a seat to the Virgin Poker Festival main event in Newcastle.
Festival Super Sat (€7.50 + €0.70) - These rebuy tournaments will have one main event qualifier for every €150 added to the prize pot. They run every Thursday at 8.30pm (GMT).
Good luck and hopefully we'll see you in Newcastle!
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Sunday, January 18, 2009
PartyPoker Introduces Monthly $1 Million Guaranteed, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 17th January 2009
Beginning on Sunday, February 1st, PartyPoker will host a $640 buy-in $1 Million Guaranteed tournament once per month. Aptly called the Monthly Million, it will take place at 17:45 GMT on the first Sunday of every month. Qualifiers start as low as $1 and are running constantly on one of the largest online poker rooms that does not accept U.S. players.
A PartyPoker spokesperson explained in a press release distributed on Friday, “With $1,000,000 up for grabs in the Monthly Million, the first Sunday of every month is definitely not a day of rest at PartyPoker.com.” The tournament utilizes a Championship blind structure. For $1, players can enter rebuys that feed into either a $70 Monthly Million Qualifier with 18 seats guaranteed or a $35 Super Satellite Saturday with 25 seats guaranteed. Alternately, on Fridays, PartyPoker players can take advantage of a $55 buy-in tournament that doles out at least 30 seats into the Monthly Million. Country specific freerolls and points qualifiers are additional ways to enter, so check out the online poker room’s tournament lobby for more information.
Currently, PartyPoker’s premier tournament is the $300,000 Guaranteed, which takes place every Sunday at 17:45 GMT. The buy-in for the event is $215 and it will likely be replaced by the Monthly Million on the first Sunday of each month. Last week’s $300,000 Guaranteed was taken down by Rev_Hwy61, who bested a field of 1,451 entrants en route to a $60,000 first place payday. The turnout meant that the event had a $9,800 overlay, which occurs when the guaranteed prize pool of a tournament exceeds its actual prize pool. Finishing as the runner up was HOTEL_, who pocketed $30,000. Others who landed atop the field included paskwal (third place for $20,700), DoiNW8BeTs (fourth place for $16,350), Merseylad (fifth place for $13,800), Sonygolf (sixth place for $10,350), og1512 (seventh place for $7,950), RAGEUNIT22 (eighth place for $5,250), Poortwacht3r (ninth place for $4,050), and BrngMrRssns (tenth place for $2,850).
PartyPoker recently launched the Palladium Lounge for members who generate more than 5,000 points in a calendar month. Perks include 24 hour customer service, exclusive promotions, and additional deposit methods. Palladium Lounge Elite is available for players who accrue 75,000 points per quarter and 300,000 points per year. Benefits of Elite status include “snowboarding trips and adventure getaways” as well as the chance to “represent PartyPoker.com in televised events.”
Its parent company, Party Gaming, is traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRTY.” In December, one of its co-founders, Anurag Dikshit, admitted to violating the Wire Act of 1961 in a New York court room. He agreed to shell out $300 million to the U.S. Government in three installments. Dikshit may also face up to two years in jail, although a sentencing hearing is not scheduled until December of next year. In the process, Dikshit sent shares of Party Gaming climbing, as his actions may serve to clear the air legally of any wrongdoing by the company in the eyes of the U.S. Government. Party Gaming was one of several publicly traded companies to withdraw from the U.S. market following the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
According to PokerScout.com, which tracks online poker room traffic, PartyPoker ranks as the fourth busiest worldwide by the number of cash game players, boasting a seven day running average of 4,500. It trails only PokerStars (23,200), Full Tilt Poker (9,900), and the iPoker Network (5,700) in that department. The iPoker Network, which like PartyPoker does not accept U.S. customers, is owned by Playtech.
Recently, PartyPoker added Quick Seat and table preview features to its lobby. Players also now have the ability to open similar tables to the ones they’re playing on without having to visit the lobby. Tiling and manual resizing of tables are also available. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Beginning on Sunday, February 1st, PartyPoker will host a $640 buy-in $1 Million Guaranteed tournament once per month. Aptly called the Monthly Million, it will take place at 17:45 GMT on the first Sunday of every month. Qualifiers start as low as $1 and are running constantly on one of the largest online poker rooms that does not accept U.S. players.
A PartyPoker spokesperson explained in a press release distributed on Friday, “With $1,000,000 up for grabs in the Monthly Million, the first Sunday of every month is definitely not a day of rest at PartyPoker.com.” The tournament utilizes a Championship blind structure. For $1, players can enter rebuys that feed into either a $70 Monthly Million Qualifier with 18 seats guaranteed or a $35 Super Satellite Saturday with 25 seats guaranteed. Alternately, on Fridays, PartyPoker players can take advantage of a $55 buy-in tournament that doles out at least 30 seats into the Monthly Million. Country specific freerolls and points qualifiers are additional ways to enter, so check out the online poker room’s tournament lobby for more information.
Currently, PartyPoker’s premier tournament is the $300,000 Guaranteed, which takes place every Sunday at 17:45 GMT. The buy-in for the event is $215 and it will likely be replaced by the Monthly Million on the first Sunday of each month. Last week’s $300,000 Guaranteed was taken down by Rev_Hwy61, who bested a field of 1,451 entrants en route to a $60,000 first place payday. The turnout meant that the event had a $9,800 overlay, which occurs when the guaranteed prize pool of a tournament exceeds its actual prize pool. Finishing as the runner up was HOTEL_, who pocketed $30,000. Others who landed atop the field included paskwal (third place for $20,700), DoiNW8BeTs (fourth place for $16,350), Merseylad (fifth place for $13,800), Sonygolf (sixth place for $10,350), og1512 (seventh place for $7,950), RAGEUNIT22 (eighth place for $5,250), Poortwacht3r (ninth place for $4,050), and BrngMrRssns (tenth place for $2,850).
PartyPoker recently launched the Palladium Lounge for members who generate more than 5,000 points in a calendar month. Perks include 24 hour customer service, exclusive promotions, and additional deposit methods. Palladium Lounge Elite is available for players who accrue 75,000 points per quarter and 300,000 points per year. Benefits of Elite status include “snowboarding trips and adventure getaways” as well as the chance to “represent PartyPoker.com in televised events.”
Its parent company, Party Gaming, is traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “PRTY.” In December, one of its co-founders, Anurag Dikshit, admitted to violating the Wire Act of 1961 in a New York court room. He agreed to shell out $300 million to the U.S. Government in three installments. Dikshit may also face up to two years in jail, although a sentencing hearing is not scheduled until December of next year. In the process, Dikshit sent shares of Party Gaming climbing, as his actions may serve to clear the air legally of any wrongdoing by the company in the eyes of the U.S. Government. Party Gaming was one of several publicly traded companies to withdraw from the U.S. market following the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
According to PokerScout.com, which tracks online poker room traffic, PartyPoker ranks as the fourth busiest worldwide by the number of cash game players, boasting a seven day running average of 4,500. It trails only PokerStars (23,200), Full Tilt Poker (9,900), and the iPoker Network (5,700) in that department. The iPoker Network, which like PartyPoker does not accept U.S. customers, is owned by Playtech.
Recently, PartyPoker added Quick Seat and table preview features to its lobby. Players also now have the ability to open similar tables to the ones they’re playing on without having to visit the lobby. Tiling and manual resizing of tables are also available. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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