Second high-roller deal for Crown casino, by Michael Warner - Herald Sun - 16th May 2009
EXCLUSIVE: CROWN casino has hit the jackpot for the second time this week.
The state's gambling watchdog revealed it had given preliminary approval for Crown to expand its rich high-roller Mahogany Room.
It comes just days after Premier John Brumby announced the casino would be granted an extra 150 gaming tables in a sweetheart deal with its billionaire owner, James Packer.
The Mahogany Room expansion will see a new VIP facility built above the Crown Towers driveway at the casino's eastern end.
High-stakes roulette, blackjack and baccarat tables will cater for bets of up to $280,000.
And smoking will also be permitted under special international exemptions, despite the vast majority of patrons hailing from Victoria.
"We've told them (Crown) that, based on how they've described it to us, we see no impediment to it proceeding," Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation chief Peter Cohen said.
"They've sought some boundary changes to the room."
Mr Cohen revealed sections of the casino's public gaming floors were also set to increase.
But a spokeswoman for Gaming Minister Tony Robinson said last night the two rulings were unrelated.
"I've just had a few more discussions, and my understanding is that all of this is at very preliminary stages between Crown and the VCGR. And so at this point, the minister has not been formally advised of any expansion of the Mahogany Room," Rebecca Harrison said.
Mr Brumby revealed on Tuesday - just hours before the handing down of the federal Budget - that he had handed Crown 150 new tables in exchange for higher tax on the casino's poker machines.
He defended the timing of the announcement and rejected criticism that he had tried to hide the deal.
But sources suggested the agreement was signed more than 10 days ago, and its announcement delayed until Budget day.
Mr Brumby admitted to private discussions with Mr Packer at a taxpayer-funded suite at the Albert Park Grand Prix six weeks ago.
He initially refused to detail the discussions, claiming they were private, but has since said they talked about Tiger Woods' visit to Melbourne in November and not the lucrative casino deal.
Mr Packer described the talks as "casual" and unrelated to the arrangement. (Credit: Herald Sun)
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Friday, May 15, 2009
PokerPalooza to Debut at 2009 WSOP, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 14th May 2009
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Gaming Life Expo is no more. In 2009, the world’s largest poker expo will be re-branded PokerPalooza and debuts at the Rio in Las Vegas on July 2nd, one day before the start of the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event.
Harrah’s officials tout PokerPalooza as being geared towards “everyone from the professional to those who have not yet taken up the game.” Past WSOP bracelet winners and Main Event champions are slated to be on-hand signing autographs and imparting their poker knowledge on PokerPalooza attendees. A special “Bad Beat Bar” will also be set up, in addition to a full food court. The Rio Pavilion, which is around the corner from the Amazon Room at the Las Vegas hotel, will host PokerPalooza.
A variety of non-poker activities can also be found at the event formerly known as the Gaming Life Expo. Guests can try their luck on a mechanical bull, put their nerves to the test in the Richard Petty Driving Experience, don oversized sumo wrestling outfits, and take home prizes in a series of carnival games. Appropriately, Ty Stewart, Marketing Director for the WSOP, commented in a press release distributed by Harrah’s this week, “It’s going to be part trade show, part carnival, all fun.”
Last year, the Gaming Life Expo attracted 50,000 visitors to the Rio. A total of 165 booths could be found over the Pavilion’s 50,000 square feet of space. Exhibitors drumming up sales and awareness included New Balance, Bass Pro Shops, McFadden’s, Gamma-O, and All-In Energy Drinks. The Aussie Millions, a high-stakes poker tournament that takes place every January, even set up shop. In January, its Main Event attracted 681 entrants (down from 780 the year before) and was won by Australian native Stewart Scott. ESPN Radio broadcasted from the Expo; its television arm will air the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament, the Ante Up for Africa charity festivities, the WSOP Champions Invitational, and the $10,000 buy-in Main Event this year. Television coverage begins on July 28th.
All-In and Poker Pro Magazine were two of a handful of industry publications scurrying around last year’s event to boost readership. Signing autographs were a bevy of poker pros including 10-time WSOP bracelet holder Doyle Brunson, Full Tilt Poker pro Gus Hansen, Celebrity Apprentice runner up Annie Duke, 2008 HORSE Championship winner Scotty Nguyen, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, 2005 WSOP Main Event Champion Joe Hachem, 2007 WSOP Main Event Champion Jerry Yang, and Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari. Master Toddy’s Muay Thai Academy dispatched its “Fight Girls” to the Rio to teach martial arts to guests.
One of the highlights from 2008 was a “Man vs. Machine” poker competition. The “Machine” in question was from the University of Alberta; it squared off against several brand name poker pros including Nick “Stoxtrader” Grudzien, the face behind the popular training site StoxPoker. According to the Rio’s website, Full Tilt Poker pro Matt Hawrilenko and StoxPoker instructor Jay Palansky also competed against the computerized poker mind. The crowd watching man and machine battle included belly dancers on loan from the Gaylord India Restaurant, which makes its home at the Rio, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) stars Josh Burkman and Grey Maynard.
Here are the hours of operation for the inaugural PokerPalooza:
Thursday, July 2nd: 11:00am – 8:30pm
Friday, July 3rd: 11:00am – 8:30pm
Saturday, July 4th: 11:00am – 8:30pm
Sunday, July 5th: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Booths run $2,500 each, with a $200 surcharge for a corner space. Vendors can pay using a major credit card. Interested companies are asked to contact Sharon Wayne, the WSOP’s Expo Manager, at (702) 777-2310 for more information. The event is free and open to anyone age 21 and up. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Gaming Life Expo is no more. In 2009, the world’s largest poker expo will be re-branded PokerPalooza and debuts at the Rio in Las Vegas on July 2nd, one day before the start of the prestigious $10,000 buy-in Main Event.
Harrah’s officials tout PokerPalooza as being geared towards “everyone from the professional to those who have not yet taken up the game.” Past WSOP bracelet winners and Main Event champions are slated to be on-hand signing autographs and imparting their poker knowledge on PokerPalooza attendees. A special “Bad Beat Bar” will also be set up, in addition to a full food court. The Rio Pavilion, which is around the corner from the Amazon Room at the Las Vegas hotel, will host PokerPalooza.
A variety of non-poker activities can also be found at the event formerly known as the Gaming Life Expo. Guests can try their luck on a mechanical bull, put their nerves to the test in the Richard Petty Driving Experience, don oversized sumo wrestling outfits, and take home prizes in a series of carnival games. Appropriately, Ty Stewart, Marketing Director for the WSOP, commented in a press release distributed by Harrah’s this week, “It’s going to be part trade show, part carnival, all fun.”
Last year, the Gaming Life Expo attracted 50,000 visitors to the Rio. A total of 165 booths could be found over the Pavilion’s 50,000 square feet of space. Exhibitors drumming up sales and awareness included New Balance, Bass Pro Shops, McFadden’s, Gamma-O, and All-In Energy Drinks. The Aussie Millions, a high-stakes poker tournament that takes place every January, even set up shop. In January, its Main Event attracted 681 entrants (down from 780 the year before) and was won by Australian native Stewart Scott. ESPN Radio broadcasted from the Expo; its television arm will air the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament, the Ante Up for Africa charity festivities, the WSOP Champions Invitational, and the $10,000 buy-in Main Event this year. Television coverage begins on July 28th.
All-In and Poker Pro Magazine were two of a handful of industry publications scurrying around last year’s event to boost readership. Signing autographs were a bevy of poker pros including 10-time WSOP bracelet holder Doyle Brunson, Full Tilt Poker pro Gus Hansen, Celebrity Apprentice runner up Annie Duke, 2008 HORSE Championship winner Scotty Nguyen, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, 2005 WSOP Main Event Champion Joe Hachem, 2007 WSOP Main Event Champion Jerry Yang, and Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari. Master Toddy’s Muay Thai Academy dispatched its “Fight Girls” to the Rio to teach martial arts to guests.
One of the highlights from 2008 was a “Man vs. Machine” poker competition. The “Machine” in question was from the University of Alberta; it squared off against several brand name poker pros including Nick “Stoxtrader” Grudzien, the face behind the popular training site StoxPoker. According to the Rio’s website, Full Tilt Poker pro Matt Hawrilenko and StoxPoker instructor Jay Palansky also competed against the computerized poker mind. The crowd watching man and machine battle included belly dancers on loan from the Gaylord India Restaurant, which makes its home at the Rio, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) stars Josh Burkman and Grey Maynard.
Here are the hours of operation for the inaugural PokerPalooza:
Thursday, July 2nd: 11:00am – 8:30pm
Friday, July 3rd: 11:00am – 8:30pm
Saturday, July 4th: 11:00am – 8:30pm
Sunday, July 5th: 11:00am – 6:00pm
Booths run $2,500 each, with a $200 surcharge for a corner space. Vendors can pay using a major credit card. Interested companies are asked to contact Sharon Wayne, the WSOP’s Expo Manager, at (702) 777-2310 for more information. The event is free and open to anyone age 21 and up. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Virgin's Branson Supports The Prince Of Wales 'Frog' Campaign - Virgin Poker
Today (11th May 2009) Richard Branson pledged his support for the Prince of Wales “Frog” Campaign. Richard stated “As you all know, for many years I have been concerned with climate change and its impact. The plight of the world’s rainforests is a massive influence on this and perhaps the single most important factor in protecting our environment – that is why I have served on the steering group for this project.
“I will use my speeches and contacts to reinforce his message. The Prince is looking for public support across the globe by seeking millions of sign ups for his web based petition.”
Simon Burridge CEO of Virgin Games (poker, casino and bingo games) commented “This is another great initiative by Richard and The Prince of Wales. They are setting the standard when it comes to campaigning on climate change. Virgin Games is thrilled to be a part of helping bring awareness of the devastation that it’s having to rainforests all over the world.”
To find out more and get involved with the The Princes Rainforest Project please go to www.rainforestsos.org and pledge your support to saving the worlds rainforests.
About Virgin Games Virgin Games, a subsidiary of Virgin.com Ltd, launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises three distinct entertainment offerings, giving consumers the chance to play their favourite online games the Virgin way:
Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, provides a taste of Vegas online, with classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as popular feature slots like Elvis, Cleopatra and Vegas, Baby!
Virgin Poker, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros – as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry. The successful Virgin Poker Festivals, which take place in casinos around the UK throughout the year, now allow gamers to experience the fun of Virgin Poker offline too.
Virgin Bingo offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as regular promotions and an unrivalled loyalty scheme.
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Today (11th May 2009) Richard Branson pledged his support for the Prince of Wales “Frog” Campaign. Richard stated “As you all know, for many years I have been concerned with climate change and its impact. The plight of the world’s rainforests is a massive influence on this and perhaps the single most important factor in protecting our environment – that is why I have served on the steering group for this project.
“I will use my speeches and contacts to reinforce his message. The Prince is looking for public support across the globe by seeking millions of sign ups for his web based petition.”
Simon Burridge CEO of Virgin Games (poker, casino and bingo games) commented “This is another great initiative by Richard and The Prince of Wales. They are setting the standard when it comes to campaigning on climate change. Virgin Games is thrilled to be a part of helping bring awareness of the devastation that it’s having to rainforests all over the world.”
To find out more and get involved with the The Princes Rainforest Project please go to www.rainforestsos.org and pledge your support to saving the worlds rainforests.
About Virgin Games Virgin Games, a subsidiary of Virgin.com Ltd, launched in June 2004 and has quickly established itself as one of the leading gaming websites in the UK. Virgin Games comprises three distinct entertainment offerings, giving consumers the chance to play their favourite online games the Virgin way:
Virgin Casino, part of the Wagerworks network, provides a taste of Vegas online, with classic casino offerings like blackjack and roulette, as well as popular feature slots like Elvis, Cleopatra and Vegas, Baby!
Virgin Poker, offers a huge array of games and content for beginners through to experienced pros – as well as the most generous loyalty scheme in the industry. The successful Virgin Poker Festivals, which take place in casinos around the UK throughout the year, now allow gamers to experience the fun of Virgin Poker offline too.
Virgin Bingo offers cash prizes worth thousands of pounds in the progressive jackpots, as well as regular promotions and an unrivalled loyalty scheme.
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World Series of Poker And Online Site Offer Chance At Main Event, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 14th May 2009
Since its purchase of the World Series of Poker back in 2005, Harrah’s Entertainment and WSOP officials have been highly aggressive in driving for sponsorship opportunities for the largest poker event in the world. On Thursday, it was announced that the WSOP and the online gaming developer Zynga have joined forces to push the WSOP brand name even further into the worldwide consciousness.
Zynga, who developed a free Texas Hold’em application that is one of Facebook’s top game application and features over twelve million monthly active users, will be offering two seats to the $10,000 Championship Event of the WSOP. Zynga will host several “Shootout” tournaments via their online application with a sizeable prize package for the two winners of the event. The “Shootout” tournaments begin on June 8th and will run through June 22nd.
Eighteen winners from these tournaments will be randomly selected to play in the Final Showdown on June 29th and 30th and the final two will be determined on July 1st, in time for the opening of the Championship Event on July 3rd. The WSOP package will include roundtrip airfare to Las Vegas, three nights’ accommodations at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, a backstage tour of the WSOP venue and a day pass to the VIP player’s lounge.
“We built our Texas Hold’em poker game into the largest game on Facebook by keeping an eye on what is important to our players”, Mark Pincus, CEO of Zynga, stated during the announcement. “We know that poker is a lifestyle which includes playing online, offline and watching it on television. This partnership is an opportunity to bring those worlds together.”
“Any poker player knows the Holy Grail is to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker”, echoed Craig Abrahams, World Series of Poker vice president, in the announcement. “Now for the first time, we’re reaching fans in a new way through Zynga’s platform. Players from all over the world can play the free Texas Hold’em game from the convenience of their own living rooms and win a seat to the biggest poker tournament in the world.”
This business move is only the latest in what has been a huge undertaking by Harrah’s and the WSOP to market the game to different corporations and beyond just the poker mainstream. Since 2005, such companies as major sponsors have included Miller Brewing’s Milwaukee’s Best beer brand (which will continue to be the main sponsor of this year’s event), Corum (who crafts the bracelets that winners take home), Pepsi’s SoBe Adrenaline Rush energy drink, the Helene Curtis’ Degree deodorant, the United States Playing Card Company’s Bicycle Pro Cards, Levitra erectile dysfunction medicine, chocolate maker Hershey’s and Planter’s Peanuts. Poker magazines have also invested in sponsorship of the WSOP, usually in return for “exclusive” coverage of the event. It is estimated that these sponsorships and other licensing outlets – such as playing cards, chips, apparel and video games – bring in more than a million dollars to Harrah’s yearly. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Since its purchase of the World Series of Poker back in 2005, Harrah’s Entertainment and WSOP officials have been highly aggressive in driving for sponsorship opportunities for the largest poker event in the world. On Thursday, it was announced that the WSOP and the online gaming developer Zynga have joined forces to push the WSOP brand name even further into the worldwide consciousness.
Zynga, who developed a free Texas Hold’em application that is one of Facebook’s top game application and features over twelve million monthly active users, will be offering two seats to the $10,000 Championship Event of the WSOP. Zynga will host several “Shootout” tournaments via their online application with a sizeable prize package for the two winners of the event. The “Shootout” tournaments begin on June 8th and will run through June 22nd.
Eighteen winners from these tournaments will be randomly selected to play in the Final Showdown on June 29th and 30th and the final two will be determined on July 1st, in time for the opening of the Championship Event on July 3rd. The WSOP package will include roundtrip airfare to Las Vegas, three nights’ accommodations at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, a backstage tour of the WSOP venue and a day pass to the VIP player’s lounge.
“We built our Texas Hold’em poker game into the largest game on Facebook by keeping an eye on what is important to our players”, Mark Pincus, CEO of Zynga, stated during the announcement. “We know that poker is a lifestyle which includes playing online, offline and watching it on television. This partnership is an opportunity to bring those worlds together.”
“Any poker player knows the Holy Grail is to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker”, echoed Craig Abrahams, World Series of Poker vice president, in the announcement. “Now for the first time, we’re reaching fans in a new way through Zynga’s platform. Players from all over the world can play the free Texas Hold’em game from the convenience of their own living rooms and win a seat to the biggest poker tournament in the world.”
This business move is only the latest in what has been a huge undertaking by Harrah’s and the WSOP to market the game to different corporations and beyond just the poker mainstream. Since 2005, such companies as major sponsors have included Miller Brewing’s Milwaukee’s Best beer brand (which will continue to be the main sponsor of this year’s event), Corum (who crafts the bracelets that winners take home), Pepsi’s SoBe Adrenaline Rush energy drink, the Helene Curtis’ Degree deodorant, the United States Playing Card Company’s Bicycle Pro Cards, Levitra erectile dysfunction medicine, chocolate maker Hershey’s and Planter’s Peanuts. Poker magazines have also invested in sponsorship of the WSOP, usually in return for “exclusive” coverage of the event. It is estimated that these sponsorships and other licensing outlets – such as playing cards, chips, apparel and video games – bring in more than a million dollars to Harrah’s yearly. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Americans to Obama: Legalize Online Poker!
Citizens Briefing Book shows strong demand for full legalization of Internet poker (among many other ideas)
May 14, 2009 (CAP Newswire) -- An online survey released by the U.S. White House this week shows what's really on Americans' minds when it comes to priorities for the new president. Among the most important action items is "Boost American Economy with Legal Online Poker".
The report, called the Citizen’s Briefing Book, compiled the opinions of 125,000 U.S. citizens in an effort to illustrate to the new president what his priorities should be, as defined by the public he serves. The report is officially addressed “to President Barack Obama, from the American people”.
The suggestions are broken down into 10 categories: Economy, Education, Energy & Environment, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Homeland Security, Service, Technology, Veterans, and Additional Issues.
Number one on the list of Technology suggestions: “Boost America’s Economy with Legal Online Poker” (followed closely by “Restore Net Neutrality Protections to the Internet”, an issue that’s also relevant to the iGaming industry given the recent censorious activities in Minnesota).
"Let online poker players in the United States play legally and without fear of prosecution," the report quotes a voter's opinion. "Reform the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to exempt poker, a game of skill, from the law. Boost the economy by letting American companies and American players make money and pay taxes instead of sending online poker businesses offshore. Protect online poker players by regulating the industry to ensure that no one is ever cheated."
Sure, this is a document of opinions, and not one of official policy. But, given President Obama's focus on popular issues, as well as his general popularity in the U.S., it's very likely that he'll heed at least some of the report's suggestions.
In addition to the welcome news that Americans really, really want to get online poker legalized, this story is also significant because the Washington Post chose to highlight online poker as one of the three most important conclusions from the report. Combined with the recent surge of interest from the mainstream news industry on the issue of legalized online gambling (see yesterday’s story in the L.A. Times here), the media coverage of online gambling legal issues is rapidly growing, which is likely to help Barney Frank's drive to repeal the UIGEA bans.
Click here to read the Washington Post’s writeup on the story; click here to read the Citizens Briefing Book directly at the official White House website.
(Credit: CAP)
Greg Tingle comment...
President Barack Obama advises the American people that they listen, and the American people are speaking. Just like down under here in Australia, the people have long enjoyed a game of poker... (a game of skill). Then the internet came along, and the rest is history. Barack Obama and his team might do well to get in the ear and consult with California's Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has shown great listening skills and leadership in going after other important matters such as the environment, support for the average person, and he's embraced technology advancements, even having his office plugged into social networking websites and the like. Barack Obama is also pretty tech savvy so on the surface it appears these two great leaders would share some common ground which is a great place to start these talks from. And... it appears these talks would have potential to do wonders for the American economy. You can bet that the likes of the switched on teams at PartyGaming, BetUS, Virgin Games, Boss Media, Playtech, Microgaming, Harrah's Entertainment, World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker and even Australia's James Packer and co, and a few others, would be watching with great interest.
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia
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Citizens Briefing Book shows strong demand for full legalization of Internet poker (among many other ideas)
May 14, 2009 (CAP Newswire) -- An online survey released by the U.S. White House this week shows what's really on Americans' minds when it comes to priorities for the new president. Among the most important action items is "Boost American Economy with Legal Online Poker".
The report, called the Citizen’s Briefing Book, compiled the opinions of 125,000 U.S. citizens in an effort to illustrate to the new president what his priorities should be, as defined by the public he serves. The report is officially addressed “to President Barack Obama, from the American people”.
The suggestions are broken down into 10 categories: Economy, Education, Energy & Environment, Foreign Policy, Health Care, Homeland Security, Service, Technology, Veterans, and Additional Issues.
Number one on the list of Technology suggestions: “Boost America’s Economy with Legal Online Poker” (followed closely by “Restore Net Neutrality Protections to the Internet”, an issue that’s also relevant to the iGaming industry given the recent censorious activities in Minnesota).
"Let online poker players in the United States play legally and without fear of prosecution," the report quotes a voter's opinion. "Reform the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act to exempt poker, a game of skill, from the law. Boost the economy by letting American companies and American players make money and pay taxes instead of sending online poker businesses offshore. Protect online poker players by regulating the industry to ensure that no one is ever cheated."
Sure, this is a document of opinions, and not one of official policy. But, given President Obama's focus on popular issues, as well as his general popularity in the U.S., it's very likely that he'll heed at least some of the report's suggestions.
In addition to the welcome news that Americans really, really want to get online poker legalized, this story is also significant because the Washington Post chose to highlight online poker as one of the three most important conclusions from the report. Combined with the recent surge of interest from the mainstream news industry on the issue of legalized online gambling (see yesterday’s story in the L.A. Times here), the media coverage of online gambling legal issues is rapidly growing, which is likely to help Barney Frank's drive to repeal the UIGEA bans.
Click here to read the Washington Post’s writeup on the story; click here to read the Citizens Briefing Book directly at the official White House website.
(Credit: CAP)
Greg Tingle comment...
President Barack Obama advises the American people that they listen, and the American people are speaking. Just like down under here in Australia, the people have long enjoyed a game of poker... (a game of skill). Then the internet came along, and the rest is history. Barack Obama and his team might do well to get in the ear and consult with California's Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has shown great listening skills and leadership in going after other important matters such as the environment, support for the average person, and he's embraced technology advancements, even having his office plugged into social networking websites and the like. Barack Obama is also pretty tech savvy so on the surface it appears these two great leaders would share some common ground which is a great place to start these talks from. And... it appears these talks would have potential to do wonders for the American economy. You can bet that the likes of the switched on teams at PartyGaming, BetUS, Virgin Games, Boss Media, Playtech, Microgaming, Harrah's Entertainment, World Poker Tour, World Series of Poker and even Australia's James Packer and co, and a few others, would be watching with great interest.
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia
Casino News Media
Classic Slots Online
Australian Sports Entertainment
Australian Casino News
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Does WSOP Help Affiliates? - CAP Forum
I'm curious -- what kind of benefit do poker affiliates really get from the popularity of the World Series of Poker?
As you probably know, just about every prominent online poker site is offering player satellite tournaments and freerolls, or travel packages to the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas. The theory is that affiliates can use these tournaments as tools to pull in more players. And that theory is based on the assumption that players get really excited for this event, and are scouring the Internet for places to qualify.
So what do you think? Does WSOP bring in the traffic and players, or does it have a limited effect on affiliate marketing? Have you even tried to market the event to players, or do you think it's unnecessary?
Greg Tingle comment...
Good question. We've found that the World Series of Poker helps spike traffic, boost some sales, but largely just adds positive buzz and helps generate both industry and news media stories, which are usually for the greater good of poker and igaming. We're a media, publicity and portal development company (with some involvement in specific affiliate programs) so we might see and experience things a little differently to some traditional affiliates. I'm certain some brand so better out of the WSOP than others. For example, Mike Sexton is signed to PartyPoker and is also associated with a number of poker tournaments such as World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. Because as I understand it Mike is so respected in the industry it's a great thing for PartyGaming's PartyPoker in addition to other poker brands and tournaments he associates himself with. Another side benefit of the WSOP is that I think it can force the hand of online poker brands to update their creative (banners etc). I think I've noticed Virgin Poker, Party Poker, PKR and Doyle's taking advantage of the WSOP to incorporate into some of their banners. The WSOP might also facilitate more travel and tourism packages into Las Vegas and some affiliates might do well to pro actively promote airline booking, accommodation and the like associated with poker tournaments in Las Vegas and the like. Centrebet had a promo for the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, Australia - Crown Casino which I understand was pretty successful with players based outside Australia. Blogging about these happenings might also have a number of additional benefits for affiliates such as improving search engine rankings and gaining stronger industry reputation. Good on CAP for raising this question as I've sometimes pondered the benefits of WSOP for igaming entrepreneurs and gaming affiliates. Maybe the wisdom of numbers method on the CAP forums may help us get to the bottom of this. I think it can only be a positive however some elements are difficult to measure. (Credit: CAP)
Greg Tingle
Media Man Australia
Casino News Media
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
I'm curious -- what kind of benefit do poker affiliates really get from the popularity of the World Series of Poker?
As you probably know, just about every prominent online poker site is offering player satellite tournaments and freerolls, or travel packages to the WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas. The theory is that affiliates can use these tournaments as tools to pull in more players. And that theory is based on the assumption that players get really excited for this event, and are scouring the Internet for places to qualify.
So what do you think? Does WSOP bring in the traffic and players, or does it have a limited effect on affiliate marketing? Have you even tried to market the event to players, or do you think it's unnecessary?
Greg Tingle comment...
Good question. We've found that the World Series of Poker helps spike traffic, boost some sales, but largely just adds positive buzz and helps generate both industry and news media stories, which are usually for the greater good of poker and igaming. We're a media, publicity and portal development company (with some involvement in specific affiliate programs) so we might see and experience things a little differently to some traditional affiliates. I'm certain some brand so better out of the WSOP than others. For example, Mike Sexton is signed to PartyPoker and is also associated with a number of poker tournaments such as World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour. Because as I understand it Mike is so respected in the industry it's a great thing for PartyGaming's PartyPoker in addition to other poker brands and tournaments he associates himself with. Another side benefit of the WSOP is that I think it can force the hand of online poker brands to update their creative (banners etc). I think I've noticed Virgin Poker, Party Poker, PKR and Doyle's taking advantage of the WSOP to incorporate into some of their banners. The WSOP might also facilitate more travel and tourism packages into Las Vegas and some affiliates might do well to pro actively promote airline booking, accommodation and the like associated with poker tournaments in Las Vegas and the like. Centrebet had a promo for the Aussie Millions in Melbourne, Australia - Crown Casino which I understand was pretty successful with players based outside Australia. Blogging about these happenings might also have a number of additional benefits for affiliates such as improving search engine rankings and gaining stronger industry reputation. Good on CAP for raising this question as I've sometimes pondered the benefits of WSOP for igaming entrepreneurs and gaming affiliates. Maybe the wisdom of numbers method on the CAP forums may help us get to the bottom of this. I think it can only be a positive however some elements are difficult to measure. (Credit: CAP)
Greg Tingle
Media Man Australia
Casino News Media
Australian Casino News
Australian Sports Entertainment
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Crown expansion plan draws fire from critics, by Sarah-Jane Collins and Jason Dowling - The Sydney Morning Herald - 13th May 2009
Crown Casino has been granted its biggest expansion in gambling capacity since opening at its Southbank location more than a decade ago, in a deal attacked yesterday by campaigners for responsible gaming.
The casino, now one of the biggest in the world, will be able to increase its number of gambling tables by more than 40 per cent to 500 tables.
"Clearly the casino is being treated as the primary and first citizen of the state, with privileges that are really a cosy deal without the rest of the community having any say," the Reverend Tim Costello said.
The Victorian Gaming Minister, Tony Robinson, said the Government had agreed with Crown to alter their licence agreement to allow for 150 extra gaming tables and an expansion of the gaming floor. In exchange, Crown will pay about 10.5 per cent extra in poker machine taxes, bringing it into line with other pokie machine operators across Victoria. The increase will be implemented in 1.7 per cent increments over six years.
"This is bringing the tax that they pay on their poker machines up to the level that is paid by other entities across the state, so it's a good deal for taxpayers," Mr Robinson said.
He said allowing the expansion would ensure Crown remained the first choice casino destination in Australia.
"If people ultimately want to have the boiled sweets experience of casinos, let them go to Sydney. If they want the rolled gold dark chocolate experience they're going to keep coming to Melbourne and we're going to ensure that."
Gary O'Neill, from Crown Casino, said the deal meant Crown would be able to keep up with growing rivals in Macau and Singapore. "The new mega complexes are very big. They will be very competitive and they will compete for the tourist dollar in this part of the world."
Mr O'Neill said the gaming floor at Crown would expand but final approval for an expansion rests with the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation.
Mark Zirnsak, from the Interfaith Gambling Taskforce described the expansion as appalling. "This, coming at a time when there's a global financial crisis, it's going to push more Victorians into being in hardship and vulnerable," he said.
Dr Zirnsak said the deal pointed to the "very cosy relationship between the Government and Crown".
"There's been no consultation on this expansion, which we believe there should have been, and the timing is indeed appalling," he said.
He said Crown did not need an expansion to remain competitive. "They've got a monopoly [in Victoria] and most of their patrons aren't millionaires flying in from overseas. They are locals," he said.
But he said he supported the increase in pokies taxes.
The Opposition's gaming spokesman, Michael O'Brien, said Mr Robinson had waited until budget day to announce the deal in an attempt to bury a bad decision. "Labor is clearly embarrassed by this gambling boost and tax grab, as it should be." (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
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Crown Casino has been granted its biggest expansion in gambling capacity since opening at its Southbank location more than a decade ago, in a deal attacked yesterday by campaigners for responsible gaming.
The casino, now one of the biggest in the world, will be able to increase its number of gambling tables by more than 40 per cent to 500 tables.
"Clearly the casino is being treated as the primary and first citizen of the state, with privileges that are really a cosy deal without the rest of the community having any say," the Reverend Tim Costello said.
The Victorian Gaming Minister, Tony Robinson, said the Government had agreed with Crown to alter their licence agreement to allow for 150 extra gaming tables and an expansion of the gaming floor. In exchange, Crown will pay about 10.5 per cent extra in poker machine taxes, bringing it into line with other pokie machine operators across Victoria. The increase will be implemented in 1.7 per cent increments over six years.
"This is bringing the tax that they pay on their poker machines up to the level that is paid by other entities across the state, so it's a good deal for taxpayers," Mr Robinson said.
He said allowing the expansion would ensure Crown remained the first choice casino destination in Australia.
"If people ultimately want to have the boiled sweets experience of casinos, let them go to Sydney. If they want the rolled gold dark chocolate experience they're going to keep coming to Melbourne and we're going to ensure that."
Gary O'Neill, from Crown Casino, said the deal meant Crown would be able to keep up with growing rivals in Macau and Singapore. "The new mega complexes are very big. They will be very competitive and they will compete for the tourist dollar in this part of the world."
Mr O'Neill said the gaming floor at Crown would expand but final approval for an expansion rests with the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation.
Mark Zirnsak, from the Interfaith Gambling Taskforce described the expansion as appalling. "This, coming at a time when there's a global financial crisis, it's going to push more Victorians into being in hardship and vulnerable," he said.
Dr Zirnsak said the deal pointed to the "very cosy relationship between the Government and Crown".
"There's been no consultation on this expansion, which we believe there should have been, and the timing is indeed appalling," he said.
He said Crown did not need an expansion to remain competitive. "They've got a monopoly [in Victoria] and most of their patrons aren't millionaires flying in from overseas. They are locals," he said.
But he said he supported the increase in pokies taxes.
The Opposition's gaming spokesman, Michael O'Brien, said Mr Robinson had waited until budget day to announce the deal in an attempt to bury a bad decision. "Labor is clearly embarrassed by this gambling boost and tax grab, as it should be." (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Ambassador of Poker Mike Sexton Renews His Association With Partypoker.Com Site Hosts Biggest Ever Rake Race Throughout May
GIBRALTAR, April 29 -- http://www.partypoker.com, is delighted to announce that it has renewed its association with poker legend Mike Sexton. Mike will act as a host, consultant, ambassador and player for the leading online poker room.
Sexton, who has acted as the host of PartyPoker.com in the past, is unarguably one of the most respected figures in the game. As the face and voice of the World Poker Tour and holder of a WSOP bracelet, Mike is truly one of the games pioneers. Sexton is in the top ten for the most cashes at the World Series of Poker(R) and is instantly recognizable to poker enthusiasts around the world. Regarded as 'The Ambassador of Poker,' for years Mike advocated corporate involvement with poker to take the game he loves into the mainstream. Notably, Sexton also won the first $10k buy-in NL hold'em championship event at Foxwoods World Poker Finals in 1992 and in 2000 was the first American to win the championship event at the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris, which at the time was the biggest event in Europe.
Through his role with the World Poker Tour Mike coined the legendary famous poker phrase "it takes five minutes to learn but a lifetime to master." In 2006 Sexton won the Tournament of Champions at the World Series of Poker(R), a concept he had originally created. He donated $500,000 of his winnings to charity and has since become a co-founder of http://www.pokergives.org, which encourages players to make charitable donations.
"PartyPoker.com has always had a place in my heart and is special to me. I am delighted to pen a new deal, it means so much to me," said Sexton. "I am looking forward to representing them in events around the world and meeting the online package winners at the WSOP. I also relish my role as a consultant advising on poker room matters."
"The site has changed a lot in recent times and I am very impressed by the new software and new VIP and loyalty schemes."
A spokesman for PartyGaming Plc, owners of PartyPoker.com said: "We are truly delighted to renew our association with Mike Sexton. Mike is the 'Ambassador of Poker' and we hope he gets the acknowledgement he deserves and is inducted into the WSOP(R) Hall of Fame this year. Poker wouldn't be as popular as it is today if it wasn't for Mike Sexton."
Sexton will be representing PartyPoker.com at the WSOP(R) and at events worldwide throughout 2009. PartyPoker.com will have a suite at the Rio around the World Series of Poker(R) Main Event, where Mike will act as a host. Mike will also be making contributions to the PartyPoker.com blog http://blog.partypoker.com and nurture new poker talent on behalf of the site.
May is going to be a big month at PartyPoker.com, with two highlights at the end of this week! The Million Dollar Race is PartyPoker.com's biggest ever rake race and gets underway on Friday 1 May and the fourth running of the Monthly Million is on Sunday 3 May.
The Million Dollar Race is an exciting leaderboard promotion where 3000 players will share over $1,000,000! Depending on rank, players will receive a cash amount AND a WSOP(R) prize (package or freeroll entry into an online qualifier). The leaderboard winner will receive $20,000 and an elite WSOP(R) package worth $20,000! All you have to do to get involved is play real money games at PartyPoker.com - if you are in the top 5000 it will be noted in your Party Account and it will be updated at least once an hour. If you finish in the top ten you are guaranteed cash and a trip to Vegas! Please note that throughout the duration of the promotion players earn Race Points as well as PartyPoints - only Race Points count for this promotion. The full mechanics of the promotion can be found at: http://www.partypoker.com/news/items/mdr.html
The fourth running of the PartyPoker.com Monthly Million takes place on Sunday 3 May at 12.45 EST (17.45 BST, 18.45 CEST). The buy-in to the $1,000,000 guaranteed championship blind structure event is $600+$40 but the diverse qualifying paths mean players can join the qualifiers from as little as $1. The wide range of qualifiers for the Main Event include $64+$4 daily satellites with 19 seats guaranteed - a Mega Friday $50+$5 satellite that guarantees 20 seats and Super Satellite Saturday qualifiers with a $32+$3 buy-in and 15 seats guaranteed. For more information see: http://www.partypoker.com/news/items/monthly_million.html
World Series of Poker"(R), "WSOP(R)" and "WSOPE"(R) are registered trade marks of Harrah's License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. PartyGaming is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah's License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker(R), in any way.
Low resolution image of Mike Sexton at the 2006 Tournament of Champions is courtesy of Image Masters, official World Series of Poker(R) photographers.
PartyPoker.com is a popular member of PartyGaming Plc's suite of online games that also includes PartyCasino.com, PartyBingo.com, PartyMarkets.com, PartyBets.com, PartyGammon.com, Gamebookers.com and EmpirePoker.com.
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GIBRALTAR, April 29 -- http://www.partypoker.com, is delighted to announce that it has renewed its association with poker legend Mike Sexton. Mike will act as a host, consultant, ambassador and player for the leading online poker room.
Sexton, who has acted as the host of PartyPoker.com in the past, is unarguably one of the most respected figures in the game. As the face and voice of the World Poker Tour and holder of a WSOP bracelet, Mike is truly one of the games pioneers. Sexton is in the top ten for the most cashes at the World Series of Poker(R) and is instantly recognizable to poker enthusiasts around the world. Regarded as 'The Ambassador of Poker,' for years Mike advocated corporate involvement with poker to take the game he loves into the mainstream. Notably, Sexton also won the first $10k buy-in NL hold'em championship event at Foxwoods World Poker Finals in 1992 and in 2000 was the first American to win the championship event at the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris, which at the time was the biggest event in Europe.
Through his role with the World Poker Tour Mike coined the legendary famous poker phrase "it takes five minutes to learn but a lifetime to master." In 2006 Sexton won the Tournament of Champions at the World Series of Poker(R), a concept he had originally created. He donated $500,000 of his winnings to charity and has since become a co-founder of http://www.pokergives.org, which encourages players to make charitable donations.
"PartyPoker.com has always had a place in my heart and is special to me. I am delighted to pen a new deal, it means so much to me," said Sexton. "I am looking forward to representing them in events around the world and meeting the online package winners at the WSOP. I also relish my role as a consultant advising on poker room matters."
"The site has changed a lot in recent times and I am very impressed by the new software and new VIP and loyalty schemes."
A spokesman for PartyGaming Plc, owners of PartyPoker.com said: "We are truly delighted to renew our association with Mike Sexton. Mike is the 'Ambassador of Poker' and we hope he gets the acknowledgement he deserves and is inducted into the WSOP(R) Hall of Fame this year. Poker wouldn't be as popular as it is today if it wasn't for Mike Sexton."
Sexton will be representing PartyPoker.com at the WSOP(R) and at events worldwide throughout 2009. PartyPoker.com will have a suite at the Rio around the World Series of Poker(R) Main Event, where Mike will act as a host. Mike will also be making contributions to the PartyPoker.com blog http://blog.partypoker.com and nurture new poker talent on behalf of the site.
May is going to be a big month at PartyPoker.com, with two highlights at the end of this week! The Million Dollar Race is PartyPoker.com's biggest ever rake race and gets underway on Friday 1 May and the fourth running of the Monthly Million is on Sunday 3 May.
The Million Dollar Race is an exciting leaderboard promotion where 3000 players will share over $1,000,000! Depending on rank, players will receive a cash amount AND a WSOP(R) prize (package or freeroll entry into an online qualifier). The leaderboard winner will receive $20,000 and an elite WSOP(R) package worth $20,000! All you have to do to get involved is play real money games at PartyPoker.com - if you are in the top 5000 it will be noted in your Party Account and it will be updated at least once an hour. If you finish in the top ten you are guaranteed cash and a trip to Vegas! Please note that throughout the duration of the promotion players earn Race Points as well as PartyPoints - only Race Points count for this promotion. The full mechanics of the promotion can be found at: http://www.partypoker.com/news/items/mdr.html
The fourth running of the PartyPoker.com Monthly Million takes place on Sunday 3 May at 12.45 EST (17.45 BST, 18.45 CEST). The buy-in to the $1,000,000 guaranteed championship blind structure event is $600+$40 but the diverse qualifying paths mean players can join the qualifiers from as little as $1. The wide range of qualifiers for the Main Event include $64+$4 daily satellites with 19 seats guaranteed - a Mega Friday $50+$5 satellite that guarantees 20 seats and Super Satellite Saturday qualifiers with a $32+$3 buy-in and 15 seats guaranteed. For more information see: http://www.partypoker.com/news/items/monthly_million.html
World Series of Poker"(R), "WSOP(R)" and "WSOPE"(R) are registered trade marks of Harrah's License Company LLC. No license, affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement is claimed, or should be inferred from the use of these trademarks here. PartyGaming is not licensed by or otherwise affiliated with Harrah's License Company LLC or the World Series of Poker(R), in any way.
Low resolution image of Mike Sexton at the 2006 Tournament of Champions is courtesy of Image Masters, official World Series of Poker(R) photographers.
PartyPoker.com is a popular member of PartyGaming Plc's suite of online games that also includes PartyCasino.com, PartyBingo.com, PartyMarkets.com, PartyBets.com, PartyGammon.com, Gamebookers.com and EmpirePoker.com.
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Casino win on gaming tables - ABC News - 12th May 2009
The Victorian Government has proposed a broad package of changes to Crown Casino's gaming licence conditions.
Under the proposal, Crown will be allowed to install another 150 game tables, including 50 poker tables.
However, the tax paid on gaming machines would rise from 22.25 per cent to 32.57 per cent in 2014-2015.
Originally Crown was given a lower tax rate than pubs and clubs so it could establish itself in the market.
Gaming Minister Tony Robinson said the changes reflect the fact that Crown has become very successful.
The Minister says with the extra poker tables, Crown will be able to hold and bid for world class international poker tournaments, competing with Las Vegas and Macau.
"Around the world, more and more people are interested in playing and watching poker," he said.
He says the tax hike will be a good deal for taxpayers.
"The forward estimates in the budget last week estimated that in the 4 year period ahead, we estimate around $60 million additional to taxpayers."
Cash grab
The Opposition's Gaming spokesman Michael O'Brien claims the changes are a simple cash-grab.
"In the context of the Government going to take in over $1.64 billion in gambling taxes this year, it shows the Government is just obsessed by gambling revenue, and doing nothing about problem gamblers," he said.
The anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello is appalled by the decision calling it an insidious cosy deal.
"Crown seem to be the first and prime citizen in the state who get cosy deals so there was no consultation, there were no responsible gambling measures, I deplore this decision," he said.
The Government has also promised not to make any other tax changes until the end of 2022.
The changes still need approval from the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation and would take effect in 2014. (Credit: ABC News)
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Crown Casino
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The Victorian Government has proposed a broad package of changes to Crown Casino's gaming licence conditions.
Under the proposal, Crown will be allowed to install another 150 game tables, including 50 poker tables.
However, the tax paid on gaming machines would rise from 22.25 per cent to 32.57 per cent in 2014-2015.
Originally Crown was given a lower tax rate than pubs and clubs so it could establish itself in the market.
Gaming Minister Tony Robinson said the changes reflect the fact that Crown has become very successful.
The Minister says with the extra poker tables, Crown will be able to hold and bid for world class international poker tournaments, competing with Las Vegas and Macau.
"Around the world, more and more people are interested in playing and watching poker," he said.
He says the tax hike will be a good deal for taxpayers.
"The forward estimates in the budget last week estimated that in the 4 year period ahead, we estimate around $60 million additional to taxpayers."
Cash grab
The Opposition's Gaming spokesman Michael O'Brien claims the changes are a simple cash-grab.
"In the context of the Government going to take in over $1.64 billion in gambling taxes this year, it shows the Government is just obsessed by gambling revenue, and doing nothing about problem gamblers," he said.
The anti-gambling campaigner Tim Costello is appalled by the decision calling it an insidious cosy deal.
"Crown seem to be the first and prime citizen in the state who get cosy deals so there was no consultation, there were no responsible gambling measures, I deplore this decision," he said.
The Government has also promised not to make any other tax changes until the end of 2022.
The changes still need approval from the Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation and would take effect in 2014. (Credit: ABC News)
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Crown Casino
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Mike Sexton Reviews the WPT Championship, by Mike Sexton - Poker News Daily - 9th May 2009
We just completed Season VII of the World Poker Tour (WPT) with the $25,000 buy-in Championship event at Bellagio. Due to the economic slowdown, the number of entries was down substantially from a year ago (545 to 347). However, most of the big names in the poker world were there and the event was incredible. What most players really liked was that they were given $100,000 in starting chips and only played five levels (90 minutes each) per day. You didn’t have to play those 12 to 14 hour days like you do at many big-time poker tournaments.
Kudos to Tournament Director Jack McClelland and the staff at Bellagio for the structure and hours they set up for play. I have yet to hear one player complain about this setup - starting at noon, playing five levels, and then stopping for the day at 8:30 pm (with no dinner break necessary). If there was a complaint, it was that we started the blinds too low ($50-$100). It’s not often you hear players wanting to kick up the blinds!
My co-commentator Vince Van Patten and I were not allowed to enter any WPT events during the first six seasons, but the WPT now encourages us to play some if we want to. So, I decided to play and unfortunately ended up contributing $25,000 to the WPT Championship prize pool. I lasted two and half days and went out around 100th place (which paid zip, as only the top 50 made the money). I must say that I really did enjoy playing even though I got knocked out. To compete against top players (old and the new) is challenging and fun. And like nearly all who get eliminated from any tournament, I’ll join them and say, “I just didn’t catch enough cards or have any luck.”
OK, OK. I know you’re dying to know how I went out. After two folds, Nick Binger (who was probably the chip leader at our table with about $550,000) was playing well and aggressive and made it $12,000 to go. I had an A-K offsuit and about $150,000 in front of me. I contemplated calling (because I hate A-K) and moving all-in, but I decided to re-raise it to $36,000 so I could still get away from this hand if someone behind me came over the top. Everyone folded and Nick took a long time before deciding to call. The flop came A-10-6, all diamonds. He checked. Now what would you do with nearly $85,000 in the pot? I moved all-in. He had the Q-J of diamonds, flopped a flush, and quickly called. Bye-bye Mike. Back to the booth. I don’t really fault my play here, but in hindsight, I wish I had moved all-in pre-flop with the A-K.
There’s always a lot of pain dished out during any tournament, but Jennifer Harman’s tale of woe, considering when it came, would be tough for anyone to take. She played for five days, got down to 11 players, picked up two Aces, re-raised with them, and then got all of her money (over $800,000) in pre-flop. He held the 10-2 of hearts (and no, she wasn’t up against Doyle Brunson). A deuce on the flop and a ten on the turn shattered Jennifer’s dream of taking this title.
When the smoke cleared, the final table (six players) was pretty incredible. It consisted of two WPT champions (Scotty Nguyen and Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier) and three others under the age of 24, including the two chip leaders, who were both 21: Yevgeniy Timoshenko and Christian Harder. In addition, Shannon Shorr had over $3 million in career earnings.
What can you say about Scotty Nguyen when it comes to performing, but “wow”? The guy has five World Series of Poker bracelets (including the Main Event in 1998 and the $50,000 HORSE tournament last year), a WPT title, and eight WPT final table appearances. “Elky” is the hottest guy on the circuit right now. He already has both WPT and EPT titles on his resume and if he would finish fourth or better in this tournament, he would attain the coveted “WPT Player of the Year” award. He did just that with his third place finish! Nice going, Elky!
Folks, now let me introduce you to the next superstar of the poker world: Yevgeniy Timoshenko. He’s 21 years, two months old (and looks like he’s 13). He’s originally from the Ukraine, but grew up in Washington. Let me tell you, the kid is amazing and fearless on the green felt. Prior to this event, he had already earned nearly $1 million in non-U.S. tournaments. He won the Asian Poker Tour championship event in Macau, won an event at the Irish Open, and made a final table at last year’s WSOP Europe. He came to this final table as the big chip leader and rolled over the competition, going wire to wire for the victory. Think about it, the guy just turned 21 and already has over $3 million in career earnings!
Besides his poker skills, here are some things that really impress me about the kid: He’s well-mannered, well-spoken, and has a lot of class. As soon as he made this final table, he went out and bought himself a suit and got a haircut. I hope others follow his example: You look good, you feel good, you play good. Congratulations, Yevgeniy!
Final Results of the WPT Championship:
1st place - Yevgeniy Timoshenko ($2,149,960)
2nd place - Ran Azor ($1,446,265)
3rd place - Betrand “Elky” Grospellier ($776,245)
4th place - Christian Harder ($571,965)
5th place - Shannon Shorr ($408,550)
6th place - Scotty Ngyuen ($285,985)(Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Mike Sexton
World Poker Tour
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Poker
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We just completed Season VII of the World Poker Tour (WPT) with the $25,000 buy-in Championship event at Bellagio. Due to the economic slowdown, the number of entries was down substantially from a year ago (545 to 347). However, most of the big names in the poker world were there and the event was incredible. What most players really liked was that they were given $100,000 in starting chips and only played five levels (90 minutes each) per day. You didn’t have to play those 12 to 14 hour days like you do at many big-time poker tournaments.
Kudos to Tournament Director Jack McClelland and the staff at Bellagio for the structure and hours they set up for play. I have yet to hear one player complain about this setup - starting at noon, playing five levels, and then stopping for the day at 8:30 pm (with no dinner break necessary). If there was a complaint, it was that we started the blinds too low ($50-$100). It’s not often you hear players wanting to kick up the blinds!
My co-commentator Vince Van Patten and I were not allowed to enter any WPT events during the first six seasons, but the WPT now encourages us to play some if we want to. So, I decided to play and unfortunately ended up contributing $25,000 to the WPT Championship prize pool. I lasted two and half days and went out around 100th place (which paid zip, as only the top 50 made the money). I must say that I really did enjoy playing even though I got knocked out. To compete against top players (old and the new) is challenging and fun. And like nearly all who get eliminated from any tournament, I’ll join them and say, “I just didn’t catch enough cards or have any luck.”
OK, OK. I know you’re dying to know how I went out. After two folds, Nick Binger (who was probably the chip leader at our table with about $550,000) was playing well and aggressive and made it $12,000 to go. I had an A-K offsuit and about $150,000 in front of me. I contemplated calling (because I hate A-K) and moving all-in, but I decided to re-raise it to $36,000 so I could still get away from this hand if someone behind me came over the top. Everyone folded and Nick took a long time before deciding to call. The flop came A-10-6, all diamonds. He checked. Now what would you do with nearly $85,000 in the pot? I moved all-in. He had the Q-J of diamonds, flopped a flush, and quickly called. Bye-bye Mike. Back to the booth. I don’t really fault my play here, but in hindsight, I wish I had moved all-in pre-flop with the A-K.
There’s always a lot of pain dished out during any tournament, but Jennifer Harman’s tale of woe, considering when it came, would be tough for anyone to take. She played for five days, got down to 11 players, picked up two Aces, re-raised with them, and then got all of her money (over $800,000) in pre-flop. He held the 10-2 of hearts (and no, she wasn’t up against Doyle Brunson). A deuce on the flop and a ten on the turn shattered Jennifer’s dream of taking this title.
When the smoke cleared, the final table (six players) was pretty incredible. It consisted of two WPT champions (Scotty Nguyen and Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier) and three others under the age of 24, including the two chip leaders, who were both 21: Yevgeniy Timoshenko and Christian Harder. In addition, Shannon Shorr had over $3 million in career earnings.
What can you say about Scotty Nguyen when it comes to performing, but “wow”? The guy has five World Series of Poker bracelets (including the Main Event in 1998 and the $50,000 HORSE tournament last year), a WPT title, and eight WPT final table appearances. “Elky” is the hottest guy on the circuit right now. He already has both WPT and EPT titles on his resume and if he would finish fourth or better in this tournament, he would attain the coveted “WPT Player of the Year” award. He did just that with his third place finish! Nice going, Elky!
Folks, now let me introduce you to the next superstar of the poker world: Yevgeniy Timoshenko. He’s 21 years, two months old (and looks like he’s 13). He’s originally from the Ukraine, but grew up in Washington. Let me tell you, the kid is amazing and fearless on the green felt. Prior to this event, he had already earned nearly $1 million in non-U.S. tournaments. He won the Asian Poker Tour championship event in Macau, won an event at the Irish Open, and made a final table at last year’s WSOP Europe. He came to this final table as the big chip leader and rolled over the competition, going wire to wire for the victory. Think about it, the guy just turned 21 and already has over $3 million in career earnings!
Besides his poker skills, here are some things that really impress me about the kid: He’s well-mannered, well-spoken, and has a lot of class. As soon as he made this final table, he went out and bought himself a suit and got a haircut. I hope others follow his example: You look good, you feel good, you play good. Congratulations, Yevgeniy!
Final Results of the WPT Championship:
1st place - Yevgeniy Timoshenko ($2,149,960)
2nd place - Ran Azor ($1,446,265)
3rd place - Betrand “Elky” Grospellier ($776,245)
4th place - Christian Harder ($571,965)
5th place - Shannon Shorr ($408,550)
6th place - Scotty Ngyuen ($285,985)(Credit: Poker News Daily)
Media Man Australia Profiles
Mike Sexton
World Poker Tour
World Series of Poker
Poker
Poker News
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Portugal to Host World Poker Congress
The fourth annual World Poker Congress (WPC) will take place in Porto, Portugal on the 24th and 25th of June 2009. Poker representatives like Jim Ryan and Steven Lipscomb will be attending.
Next month will see the gathering of the major players in both online and casino poker as they come together to discuss all things poker. From the latest online advancements to the current situation regarding online legislation, all will be up for debate and discussion.
The World Poker Congress is an opportunity for those who work in the poker industry to meet like-minded people, discuss possible deals, seek out new ventures and weigh up the competition over networking events, refreshment breaks and lunches.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Portugal
World Gaming Directory
World Casino Directory
Poker News
The fourth annual World Poker Congress (WPC) will take place in Porto, Portugal on the 24th and 25th of June 2009. Poker representatives like Jim Ryan and Steven Lipscomb will be attending.
Next month will see the gathering of the major players in both online and casino poker as they come together to discuss all things poker. From the latest online advancements to the current situation regarding online legislation, all will be up for debate and discussion.
The World Poker Congress is an opportunity for those who work in the poker industry to meet like-minded people, discuss possible deals, seek out new ventures and weigh up the competition over networking events, refreshment breaks and lunches.
Media Man Australia Profiles
Portugal
World Gaming Directory
World Casino Directory
Poker News
Friday, May 08, 2009
Jim McDermott Introduces Internet Gambling Tax Act, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 7th May 2009
Shortly after Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced comprehensive internet gambling legislation on Wednesday, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act, HR 2268.
The companion legislation to Frank’s bill will allow the United States Government to extract tax revenue from the internet gambling industry. The bill’s text notes, “Each licensee… shall be required to pay an internet gambling license fee by the end of each calendar month in an amount equal to two percent of all funds deposited by customers during the preceding month.” In terms of how the costs can be passed onto the end consumer, HR 2268 states that the 2% fee “may not be deducted from the amounts available as deposits by the person placing a bet.” Individuals are expected to pay income tax on any internet gambling winnings.
Unauthorized bets or wagers are taxed at a hefty 50% and all money is sent to the United States Treasury. Full disclosure of the names and addresses of licensees, the gross wins and losses by each person wagering, the total of “net internet gambling winnings,” the amount of tax paid, and account balances are required once per year. In terms of bookkeeping under McDermott’s proposed bill, “Each person liable for fees… shall keep a daily record showing deposits… in addition to all other records required.”
In a press statement released on Wednesday, McDermott explained his rationale for once again championing internet gambling tax legislation: “We are losing billions of dollars in federal and state taxes every year because a prior Administration and its supporters drove legitimate U.S. online gambling off-shore by passing an ill-conceived late-night amendment in Congress that has done nothing except make Americans more vulnerable to scams when they wager online and cost us billions in lost revenue.” During the last Congress, McDermott’s legislation came in the form of HR 2607, which also prescribed that 2% of deposits would be taxed.
McDermott added, “These are merely the rightful collection of taxes where applicable. The billions of revenue that will be collected by the U.S. Treasury under my bill can be dedicated to pay for critically un-funded social safety net programs in America that could improve the lives of vulnerable children and others who deserve our help.” Also introduced during the last Congressional session by McDermott was HR 6501, which would have used revenue derived from internet gambling to fund programs for those currently or formerly in foster care as well as workers in declining industries. Although controversial in nature, HR 6501 was one of the first attempts to demonstrate what internet gambling tax revenue could potentially be used for.
HR 6501 was introduced last July and dubbed the Investing in our Human Resources Act. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) spoke out sharply against the bill. The author of the Internet Gambling Study Act called it “a classic case of putting the cart before the horse.” Fellow Nevada Congressman Jon Porter, who was not re-elected in 2008, called HR 6501 “a frivolous attack on the gaming community to pay for services that local governments, states, and the federal government should already be providing.” In the end, neither HR 2607 nor HR 6501 was acted upon during the 110th Congress.
A study by U.S.-based PricewaterhouseCoopers that was released this year revealed up to $52 billion could be derived from internet gambling over a 10 year period. The report used a bill similar to McDermott’s HR 2268 as well as Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. However, the potential revenue was largely based on professional sports leagues allowing online wagering on their games. At the time of writing, the number of co-sponsors for HR 2266, HR 2267, and HR 2268 were not available on the Library of Congress website. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Shortly after Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced comprehensive internet gambling legislation on Wednesday, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act, HR 2268.
The companion legislation to Frank’s bill will allow the United States Government to extract tax revenue from the internet gambling industry. The bill’s text notes, “Each licensee… shall be required to pay an internet gambling license fee by the end of each calendar month in an amount equal to two percent of all funds deposited by customers during the preceding month.” In terms of how the costs can be passed onto the end consumer, HR 2268 states that the 2% fee “may not be deducted from the amounts available as deposits by the person placing a bet.” Individuals are expected to pay income tax on any internet gambling winnings.
Unauthorized bets or wagers are taxed at a hefty 50% and all money is sent to the United States Treasury. Full disclosure of the names and addresses of licensees, the gross wins and losses by each person wagering, the total of “net internet gambling winnings,” the amount of tax paid, and account balances are required once per year. In terms of bookkeeping under McDermott’s proposed bill, “Each person liable for fees… shall keep a daily record showing deposits… in addition to all other records required.”
In a press statement released on Wednesday, McDermott explained his rationale for once again championing internet gambling tax legislation: “We are losing billions of dollars in federal and state taxes every year because a prior Administration and its supporters drove legitimate U.S. online gambling off-shore by passing an ill-conceived late-night amendment in Congress that has done nothing except make Americans more vulnerable to scams when they wager online and cost us billions in lost revenue.” During the last Congress, McDermott’s legislation came in the form of HR 2607, which also prescribed that 2% of deposits would be taxed.
McDermott added, “These are merely the rightful collection of taxes where applicable. The billions of revenue that will be collected by the U.S. Treasury under my bill can be dedicated to pay for critically un-funded social safety net programs in America that could improve the lives of vulnerable children and others who deserve our help.” Also introduced during the last Congressional session by McDermott was HR 6501, which would have used revenue derived from internet gambling to fund programs for those currently or formerly in foster care as well as workers in declining industries. Although controversial in nature, HR 6501 was one of the first attempts to demonstrate what internet gambling tax revenue could potentially be used for.
HR 6501 was introduced last July and dubbed the Investing in our Human Resources Act. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) spoke out sharply against the bill. The author of the Internet Gambling Study Act called it “a classic case of putting the cart before the horse.” Fellow Nevada Congressman Jon Porter, who was not re-elected in 2008, called HR 6501 “a frivolous attack on the gaming community to pay for services that local governments, states, and the federal government should already be providing.” In the end, neither HR 2607 nor HR 6501 was acted upon during the 110th Congress.
A study by U.S.-based PricewaterhouseCoopers that was released this year revealed up to $52 billion could be derived from internet gambling over a 10 year period. The report used a bill similar to McDermott’s HR 2268 as well as Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. However, the potential revenue was largely based on professional sports leagues allowing online wagering on their games. At the time of writing, the number of co-sponsors for HR 2266, HR 2267, and HR 2268 were not available on the Library of Congress website. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Spencer Bachus Responds To Frank Bill, by Earl Burton - Poker News Daily - 7th May 2009
After the announcement on Wednesday of Massachusetts’ Democratic Representative Barney Frank’s bill to curb the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, reaction has been quick. The ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee - of which Frank is the Chairman – has issued a negative response that should come as no surprise as he was one of the key players in the creation of the UIGEA.
Republican Representative Spencer Bachus of Alabama issued a statement after Rep. Frank’s announcement yesterday that insinuates that he will fight any legislation that Frank attempts to put into law. Rep. Bachus’ website trumpets proudly that he, “…is an author of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, which banned the use of credit cards and other financial instruments from being used for illegal on-line gambling.”
Rep. Bachus’ statement touches on many of the reasons that the Republican-led Congress used in 2006 for pushing the UIGEA through. “Illegal off-shore Internet gambling sites are a criminal enterprise and allowing them to operate unfettered in the United States would present a clear danger to our youth, who are subject to becoming addicted to gambling at an early age”, he states. He also offers that the passage of the UIGEA in 2006 was, “…commonsense, bipartisan legislation aimed at combating criminals from preying upon American’s youth. That legislation was supported by a broad coalition that included college presidents, the American Bankers Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and major sports organizations.”
Rep. Bachus does not comment, however, on how the UIGEA was tacked on to a piece of legislation that was viewed as a “must pass” portion of national security, the Port Act. He also fails to address that there was no debate over the UIGEA, either in committee or on either floor of Congress; in an important difference, Rep. Frank’s bill is being put to committee for discussion on its own merits and freely debated in the halls of Congress.
The bill that Rep. Frank is proposing is the H.R. 2267 - the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 - and it would be a significant change to current views of Washington regarding the regulation of online gaming and poker. Language of the bill states, “Internet gambling in the United States should be controlled by a strict Federal licensing and regulatory framework to protect underage and otherwise vulnerable individuals, to ensure the games are fair, to address the concerns of law enforcement, and to enforce any limitations on the activity established by the States and Indian tribes.”
The federal government – and in particular the Secretary of the Treasury – would be in charge of licensing and regulating the online gaming industry under the Frank proposal. Companies that pursue licensing would have to provide in-depth detail as to their personal backgrounds and the solidity of their companies. It also includes a proviso that ensures the potential licensee would vigorously work against, “fraud, money laundering, and terrorist finance.” The licenses would last for a five year period and would not allow the holder of the license to partake of any actions that are covered by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which explicitly prohibits sports betting.
With Rep. Frank finally proposing his bill to curb the UIGEA, the debate can now begin. It is thought, with a Democratic-controlled Congress as well as the current Obama Administration in the White House, that the possibilities for change regarding the online gaming and poker industry can be achieved. Poker News Daily will continue to monitor the situation in Washington and report on any new developments. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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After the announcement on Wednesday of Massachusetts’ Democratic Representative Barney Frank’s bill to curb the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, reaction has been quick. The ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee - of which Frank is the Chairman – has issued a negative response that should come as no surprise as he was one of the key players in the creation of the UIGEA.
Republican Representative Spencer Bachus of Alabama issued a statement after Rep. Frank’s announcement yesterday that insinuates that he will fight any legislation that Frank attempts to put into law. Rep. Bachus’ website trumpets proudly that he, “…is an author of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, which banned the use of credit cards and other financial instruments from being used for illegal on-line gambling.”
Rep. Bachus’ statement touches on many of the reasons that the Republican-led Congress used in 2006 for pushing the UIGEA through. “Illegal off-shore Internet gambling sites are a criminal enterprise and allowing them to operate unfettered in the United States would present a clear danger to our youth, who are subject to becoming addicted to gambling at an early age”, he states. He also offers that the passage of the UIGEA in 2006 was, “…commonsense, bipartisan legislation aimed at combating criminals from preying upon American’s youth. That legislation was supported by a broad coalition that included college presidents, the American Bankers Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and major sports organizations.”
Rep. Bachus does not comment, however, on how the UIGEA was tacked on to a piece of legislation that was viewed as a “must pass” portion of national security, the Port Act. He also fails to address that there was no debate over the UIGEA, either in committee or on either floor of Congress; in an important difference, Rep. Frank’s bill is being put to committee for discussion on its own merits and freely debated in the halls of Congress.
The bill that Rep. Frank is proposing is the H.R. 2267 - the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009 - and it would be a significant change to current views of Washington regarding the regulation of online gaming and poker. Language of the bill states, “Internet gambling in the United States should be controlled by a strict Federal licensing and regulatory framework to protect underage and otherwise vulnerable individuals, to ensure the games are fair, to address the concerns of law enforcement, and to enforce any limitations on the activity established by the States and Indian tribes.”
The federal government – and in particular the Secretary of the Treasury – would be in charge of licensing and regulating the online gaming industry under the Frank proposal. Companies that pursue licensing would have to provide in-depth detail as to their personal backgrounds and the solidity of their companies. It also includes a proviso that ensures the potential licensee would vigorously work against, “fraud, money laundering, and terrorist finance.” The licenses would last for a five year period and would not allow the holder of the license to partake of any actions that are covered by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which explicitly prohibits sports betting.
With Rep. Frank finally proposing his bill to curb the UIGEA, the debate can now begin. It is thought, with a Democratic-controlled Congress as well as the current Obama Administration in the White House, that the possibilities for change regarding the online gaming and poker industry can be achieved. Poker News Daily will continue to monitor the situation in Washington and report on any new developments. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Party Poker Releases Dates for Sports Stars Challenge IV, by Brett Collson - Poker News Daily - 7th May 2009
Party Poker has released the dates for its PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge IV, one of the most popular televised poker tournaments in Europe. The event will run from May 29-June 1 and will feature some of the world’s biggest sports stars, both past and present, taking their seats at the table in hopes of becoming a poker champion.
The Sports Stars Challenge IV will include some of the world’s best in motorsports, golf, boxing, rugby and darts. There will also be an online qualifier added to the field for the first time ever. The number of heats will increase from six to seven, with the winner of each of the seven heats advancing to the final table to battle it out until one of them walks away with the title. The overall winner receives £20,000 with second getting £10,000 and third receiving £5,000.
The motorsport table will feature Italian F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, while the golf heat will include both 2008 European Ryder Cup team member Graeme McDowell and Jean Van Der Velde. European football’s list of legends includes former Holland captain Frank De Boer, French World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf, Germany’s European Championship winner Thomas Helmer, Romania’s Florin Radiciou and Denmark and Liverpool legend Jan Molby.
Germany’s former unbeaten World Champion Sven Ottke will headline the boxing heat. He will be joined by Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth heavyweight and Prizefighter champion Martin Rogan and Poland’s female boxing champ Agnieska Rylik. The rugby heat will feature union’s former France and Wasps captain Raphael Ibanez and Australian league star Brad Drew, while the darts heat will pit legend Phil Taylor against Russia’s ladies champ Anastasia Dobromyslova.
PartyPoker.com players also had the chance to win a seat through a freeroll in the sports heat of their choice. The sports are European football (two heats), rugby (union and league combined), motorsport, boxing, darts and golf. Two online qualifiers will join each heat.
“We offered freerolls to win a seat in the event on the site”, a spokesperson for Party Poker said, “but the places were snapped up so quickly that we were loath to promote it too much to save the disappointment of players. This is a once in a lifetime experience for a select group to take to the felt with their sporting heroes. The overall lineup is the most diverse and international in the event’s history and more star participant names will be released in the near future.”
For the fourth consecutive year the event will be run by Matchroom Sport, a promotions company founded by English entrepreneur Barry Hearn. Matchroom Sport is typically involved in snooker and boxing events for the most part, but Hearn is thrilled to be involved in the Sports Stars challenge again.
“This is the poker event that the sporting world looks forward to and we have some great international names and great poker players competing for the trophy, big prize money and the ultimate bragging rights”, Hearn said. “We’re particularly excited to introduce the online element and the motorsport and golf heats this year.”
Past winners of Sports Stars Challenge are rugby union star Austin Healey, Irish snooker champion Ken Doherty, and television presenter Kara Scott, who won £20,000 last year after defeating Manchester United football legend Norman Whiteside heads-up. There is no presenter heat in the new format this year.
Coverage of the event will be aired in the UK later this year on Sky Sports and then distributed internationally. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Party Poker has released the dates for its PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge IV, one of the most popular televised poker tournaments in Europe. The event will run from May 29-June 1 and will feature some of the world’s biggest sports stars, both past and present, taking their seats at the table in hopes of becoming a poker champion.
The Sports Stars Challenge IV will include some of the world’s best in motorsports, golf, boxing, rugby and darts. There will also be an online qualifier added to the field for the first time ever. The number of heats will increase from six to seven, with the winner of each of the seven heats advancing to the final table to battle it out until one of them walks away with the title. The overall winner receives £20,000 with second getting £10,000 and third receiving £5,000.
The motorsport table will feature Italian F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, while the golf heat will include both 2008 European Ryder Cup team member Graeme McDowell and Jean Van Der Velde. European football’s list of legends includes former Holland captain Frank De Boer, French World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf, Germany’s European Championship winner Thomas Helmer, Romania’s Florin Radiciou and Denmark and Liverpool legend Jan Molby.
Germany’s former unbeaten World Champion Sven Ottke will headline the boxing heat. He will be joined by Northern Ireland’s Commonwealth heavyweight and Prizefighter champion Martin Rogan and Poland’s female boxing champ Agnieska Rylik. The rugby heat will feature union’s former France and Wasps captain Raphael Ibanez and Australian league star Brad Drew, while the darts heat will pit legend Phil Taylor against Russia’s ladies champ Anastasia Dobromyslova.
PartyPoker.com players also had the chance to win a seat through a freeroll in the sports heat of their choice. The sports are European football (two heats), rugby (union and league combined), motorsport, boxing, darts and golf. Two online qualifiers will join each heat.
“We offered freerolls to win a seat in the event on the site”, a spokesperson for Party Poker said, “but the places were snapped up so quickly that we were loath to promote it too much to save the disappointment of players. This is a once in a lifetime experience for a select group to take to the felt with their sporting heroes. The overall lineup is the most diverse and international in the event’s history and more star participant names will be released in the near future.”
For the fourth consecutive year the event will be run by Matchroom Sport, a promotions company founded by English entrepreneur Barry Hearn. Matchroom Sport is typically involved in snooker and boxing events for the most part, but Hearn is thrilled to be involved in the Sports Stars challenge again.
“This is the poker event that the sporting world looks forward to and we have some great international names and great poker players competing for the trophy, big prize money and the ultimate bragging rights”, Hearn said. “We’re particularly excited to introduce the online element and the motorsport and golf heats this year.”
Past winners of Sports Stars Challenge are rugby union star Austin Healey, Irish snooker champion Ken Doherty, and television presenter Kara Scott, who won £20,000 last year after defeating Manchester United football legend Norman Whiteside heads-up. There is no presenter heat in the new format this year.
Coverage of the event will be aired in the UK later this year on Sky Sports and then distributed internationally. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Thursday, May 07, 2009
Online gaming gains Harrah's as supporter, by Arnold Knightly - Las Vegas Review-Journal - 6th May 2009
Casino giant Harrah's Entertainment has thrown its support behind legislation introduced today that would allow Internet gambling by individuals in the United States, something that could open a whole new market for the owner of the World Series of Poker brand.
The proposed Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009, which was introduced today by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from inside the United States.
The legislation provides safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identity theft.
"We really believe this industry already exists," said Jan Jones, Harrah's Entertainment's senior vice president of communications and government relations. "It just exists in a wild west setting. If you say you care about protecting children and fraud and money laundering, then the only way you can put those protections in place is to put in a strong regulatory frame."
The casino company spent $405,087 in the first quarter and registered as a lobbyist to try to build support for the new proposal.
Harrah's Entertainment has also hired Tony Podesta, a long-time Democratic fundraiser who has lobbied for Wal-Mart and Sallie Mae, and his brother John Podesta, an adviser to President Obama.
Jones said Americans are already spending $6 billion annually gambling in an unregulated online environment.
The bill would establish regulations that would be enforced by the U.S. Treasury Department. The federal department would also issue licenses to Internet gambling operators.
Frank's bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Shelley Berkley, D.-Nev., whose district includes Clark County.
It would repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which made it a crime for banks or other institutions to process financial transactions used to place illegal bets online.
The Bush administration implemented regulations, which are set to go into effect on Dec. 1, to enforce the banking ban.
Separate legislation introduced by Frank today would delay those regulations from taking effect.
"What we have now is an unworkable law passed by those opposed to all gaming, whether it's done by adults in Las Vegas or on the Internet," Berkley said in a statement. "So there is no question we must act to correct the problems caused by this failed crusade to ban Internet gaming."
Similar legislation failed in the last Congress. MGM Mirage today expressed support for the idea of legalizing, regulating and taxing Internet gambling, but cautioned that company executives have not read Frank's new bill to know if it is the right bill to support.
Alan Feldman, MGM Mirage's senior vice president of public affairs, called the 2006 law bad legislation, which was passed without any hearings.
"The original ban was absolutely ridiculous, just absurd," Feldman said.
Youbet.com and the Poker Players Alliance, which is headed by former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, are also lobbying for the legalization of online gambling.
Not every supporter of online gaming expressed blanket support for the new bill.
David G. Schwartz, director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Gaming Research Center, expressed concern about having the federal government oversee the industry. He said the new proposal would basically set up what he described as a federal Gaming Control Board.
"It would have the federal government regulating gambling, which goes against 220 years of how we've interpreted the Constitution, which is that states have the right to regulate gaming," Schwartz said. "This seems to hoist an overly complicated bureaucracy on the gaming industry."
Jones said Harrah's supports a federal oversight role because regulating online gambling at the state level would be nearly impossible.
"The whole nature of Internet gaming is that people can be on all over the world," Jones said. "It makes much more sense to have a federal regulatory oversight, with an opt out by the states, which this bill provides."
Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Bloomberg News Service contributed to this report. (Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Casino giant Harrah's Entertainment has thrown its support behind legislation introduced today that would allow Internet gambling by individuals in the United States, something that could open a whole new market for the owner of the World Series of Poker brand.
The proposed Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2009, which was introduced today by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., would establish a framework to permit licensed gambling operators to accept wagers from inside the United States.
The legislation provides safeguards against compulsive and underage gambling, money laundering, fraud and identity theft.
"We really believe this industry already exists," said Jan Jones, Harrah's Entertainment's senior vice president of communications and government relations. "It just exists in a wild west setting. If you say you care about protecting children and fraud and money laundering, then the only way you can put those protections in place is to put in a strong regulatory frame."
The casino company spent $405,087 in the first quarter and registered as a lobbyist to try to build support for the new proposal.
Harrah's Entertainment has also hired Tony Podesta, a long-time Democratic fundraiser who has lobbied for Wal-Mart and Sallie Mae, and his brother John Podesta, an adviser to President Obama.
Jones said Americans are already spending $6 billion annually gambling in an unregulated online environment.
The bill would establish regulations that would be enforced by the U.S. Treasury Department. The federal department would also issue licenses to Internet gambling operators.
Frank's bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Shelley Berkley, D.-Nev., whose district includes Clark County.
It would repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which made it a crime for banks or other institutions to process financial transactions used to place illegal bets online.
The Bush administration implemented regulations, which are set to go into effect on Dec. 1, to enforce the banking ban.
Separate legislation introduced by Frank today would delay those regulations from taking effect.
"What we have now is an unworkable law passed by those opposed to all gaming, whether it's done by adults in Las Vegas or on the Internet," Berkley said in a statement. "So there is no question we must act to correct the problems caused by this failed crusade to ban Internet gaming."
Similar legislation failed in the last Congress. MGM Mirage today expressed support for the idea of legalizing, regulating and taxing Internet gambling, but cautioned that company executives have not read Frank's new bill to know if it is the right bill to support.
Alan Feldman, MGM Mirage's senior vice president of public affairs, called the 2006 law bad legislation, which was passed without any hearings.
"The original ban was absolutely ridiculous, just absurd," Feldman said.
Youbet.com and the Poker Players Alliance, which is headed by former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, are also lobbying for the legalization of online gambling.
Not every supporter of online gaming expressed blanket support for the new bill.
David G. Schwartz, director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Gaming Research Center, expressed concern about having the federal government oversee the industry. He said the new proposal would basically set up what he described as a federal Gaming Control Board.
"It would have the federal government regulating gambling, which goes against 220 years of how we've interpreted the Constitution, which is that states have the right to regulate gaming," Schwartz said. "This seems to hoist an overly complicated bureaucracy on the gaming industry."
Jones said Harrah's supports a federal oversight role because regulating online gambling at the state level would be nearly impossible.
"The whole nature of Internet gaming is that people can be on all over the world," Jones said. "It makes much more sense to have a federal regulatory oversight, with an opt out by the states, which this bill provides."
Contact reporter Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Bloomberg News Service contributed to this report. (Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Barney Frank Introduces Comprehensive Internet Gambling Legislation, by Dan Cypra - Poker News Daily - 6th May 2009
On Wednesday morning, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) unveiled the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act, which establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for the industry in the United States. Legislation to delay the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year was also introduced.
Although the bill has not yet been formally assigned a number, Frank’s licensing measure focuses squarely on protecting consumers when they gamble online. The bill states, “Internet gambling in the United States should be controlled by a strict Federal licensing and regulatory framework to protect underage and otherwise vulnerable individuals, to ensure the games are fair, to address the concerns of law enforcement, and to enforce any limitations on the activity established by the States and Indian tribes.” Operators must be in good legal and financial standing, utilize proper safeguards to thwart underage and problem gambling, and have systems in place to prevent money laundering. These concerns have been brought up repeatedly in markup hearings of past internet gambling bills introduced by Frank.
The Secretary of the United States Treasury is charged with overseeing the industry and licensing the companies that would be allowed to accept U.S. customers. Applicants may be asked to provide criminal records, credit histories, comprehensive financial statements, an outline of the corporation’s structure, and their methodologies to combat underage, compulsive, and problem gambling. Licensees must also protect against “fraud, money laundering, and terrorist finance.” Licenses last for five years each and may be renewed at the end of that time period. The bill also calls for the establishment of a “program to alert the public to the existence, consequences, and availability of the self-exclusion list, and shall prepare and promulgate written materials to be used in such a program.”
Sports betting or any wager that would be considered a violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is not allowed under Frank’s legislation. However, fantasy sports and other “simulation games” are exempted. The bill does not overturn the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006. Instead, it exempts licensees from the three year-old law.
The bill appears to require a companion measure to provide for taxation of the industry. During the last Congress, that piece of the puzzle came in the form of HR 2607, which prescribed that 2% of the funds deposited online be taxed. PricewaterhouseCoopers released a study utilizing a similar bill along with Frank’s HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, to reveal that up to $52 billion could be raised over a 10 year period by taxing and regulating the industry. However, that figure relied heavily on the involvement of professional sports leagues.
A separate bill introduced by Frank on Wednesday, dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, called for the regulations of the UIGEA to be enacted on December 1st, 2010, one year after the scheduled date. The House Financial Services Committee website explains, “The legislation will stop Federal regulators from enforcing the UIGEA until Congress has had a chance to decide national policy.” In essence, lawmakers on Capitol Hill will have an extra year under Frank’s second bill in order to pass legislation concerning internet gambling. The regulations of the UIGEA were approved in November as midnight rules and implemented on January 19th, one day prior to U.S. President Barack Obama taking office. As it currently stands, the financial services industry must come into full compliance by December 1st, 2009.
Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Chairman and former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato commented in a press release, “Online poker is a legal, thriving industry and poker players deserve the consumer protections and the freedom to play that are provided for in this legislation. We are grateful for Chairman Frank’s leadership and will be activating our grassroots army made up of over one million members to help him drive legislation.” In an article published by the Associated Press last month, it was revealed that the PPA is planning to sink $3 million into lobbying efforts during the current Congressional session. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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On Wednesday morning, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) unveiled the Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act, which establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for the industry in the United States. Legislation to delay the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year was also introduced.
Although the bill has not yet been formally assigned a number, Frank’s licensing measure focuses squarely on protecting consumers when they gamble online. The bill states, “Internet gambling in the United States should be controlled by a strict Federal licensing and regulatory framework to protect underage and otherwise vulnerable individuals, to ensure the games are fair, to address the concerns of law enforcement, and to enforce any limitations on the activity established by the States and Indian tribes.” Operators must be in good legal and financial standing, utilize proper safeguards to thwart underage and problem gambling, and have systems in place to prevent money laundering. These concerns have been brought up repeatedly in markup hearings of past internet gambling bills introduced by Frank.
The Secretary of the United States Treasury is charged with overseeing the industry and licensing the companies that would be allowed to accept U.S. customers. Applicants may be asked to provide criminal records, credit histories, comprehensive financial statements, an outline of the corporation’s structure, and their methodologies to combat underage, compulsive, and problem gambling. Licensees must also protect against “fraud, money laundering, and terrorist finance.” Licenses last for five years each and may be renewed at the end of that time period. The bill also calls for the establishment of a “program to alert the public to the existence, consequences, and availability of the self-exclusion list, and shall prepare and promulgate written materials to be used in such a program.”
Sports betting or any wager that would be considered a violation of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is not allowed under Frank’s legislation. However, fantasy sports and other “simulation games” are exempted. The bill does not overturn the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006. Instead, it exempts licensees from the three year-old law.
The bill appears to require a companion measure to provide for taxation of the industry. During the last Congress, that piece of the puzzle came in the form of HR 2607, which prescribed that 2% of the funds deposited online be taxed. PricewaterhouseCoopers released a study utilizing a similar bill along with Frank’s HR 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, to reveal that up to $52 billion could be raised over a 10 year period by taxing and regulating the industry. However, that figure relied heavily on the involvement of professional sports leagues.
A separate bill introduced by Frank on Wednesday, dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, called for the regulations of the UIGEA to be enacted on December 1st, 2010, one year after the scheduled date. The House Financial Services Committee website explains, “The legislation will stop Federal regulators from enforcing the UIGEA until Congress has had a chance to decide national policy.” In essence, lawmakers on Capitol Hill will have an extra year under Frank’s second bill in order to pass legislation concerning internet gambling. The regulations of the UIGEA were approved in November as midnight rules and implemented on January 19th, one day prior to U.S. President Barack Obama taking office. As it currently stands, the financial services industry must come into full compliance by December 1st, 2009.
Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Chairman and former three-term Senator from New York Alfonse D’Amato commented in a press release, “Online poker is a legal, thriving industry and poker players deserve the consumer protections and the freedom to play that are provided for in this legislation. We are grateful for Chairman Frank’s leadership and will be activating our grassroots army made up of over one million members to help him drive legislation.” In an article published by the Associated Press last month, it was revealed that the PPA is planning to sink $3 million into lobbying efforts during the current Congressional session. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Russian tycoon loses yacht in poker - 6th May 2009
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has lost one of the yachts in his sizeable personal fleet in a game of poker, a Russian newspaper reported.
The popular daily Moskovsky Komsomelets said the oligarch lost the $US500,000 ($A674,627) yacht while playing poker in Barcelona, which he was visiting to watch the London football team he owns, Chelsea, in action.
Abramovich's yacht collection, thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, has been dubbed The Roman Navy by Britain's press.
The Russian newspaper said his poker habit had become a sore point between him and girlfriend Daria Zhukova and that the billionaire, who made his fortune in Russia's sell-off of state assets in the 1990s, had instead turned to gambling online.
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Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has lost one of the yachts in his sizeable personal fleet in a game of poker, a Russian newspaper reported.
The popular daily Moskovsky Komsomelets said the oligarch lost the $US500,000 ($A674,627) yacht while playing poker in Barcelona, which he was visiting to watch the London football team he owns, Chelsea, in action.
Abramovich's yacht collection, thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, has been dubbed The Roman Navy by Britain's press.
The Russian newspaper said his poker habit had become a sore point between him and girlfriend Daria Zhukova and that the billionaire, who made his fortune in Russia's sell-off of state assets in the 1990s, had instead turned to gambling online.
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Online poker: Five card clicks, by Rob Sharp - The Independent - 6th May 2009
Virtual casinos bring the game right to your laptop. As The Independent launches its own poker league, Rob Sharp discovers why online gambling is becoming an even bigger deal
In a dusty room that has never seen the light of day, a concerned-looking man sits nervously behind a computer screen. He takes a moment to assess another man, who sits at a terminal nearby. They are locked into an anxious battle of wills. The first man looks his opponent slowly up and down, before quietly clicking on the computer mouse beside him.The two men are showcasing Virgin Poker, Virgin’s online poker gaming website, at Aspers, a casino in central Newcastle.
There are few things that would tempt out journalists on such a drab day in the North East, but online poker is big business. One million people gamble using the controversial card game in the UK each year, part of a global industry worth over £1bn. By logging on to virgingames.com or PokerStars.com competitors can emulate their poker-playing heroes from the comfort of their bedrooms. An increase in the tax on poker profits from 15 to 50 per cent, announced in last month’s Budget, will clip the wings of traditional poker operators. But many online poker companies, including Virgin Poker, are based offshore and are thus exempt.
While encouraging people to gamble responsibly, today The Independent, in a joint venture with Virgin Poker, launches its own poker league via independent.co.uk. “Nowadays there are over half a million regular online poker players logging on and playing,” says Joe Legge, poker product manager at Virgin Games. “For some, it’s their profession but for most it’s a form of entertainment that is mentally stimulating and doesn’t have to involve risking a lot of money. The Independent’s poker league is a great extension of our commitment to the social side of poker playing. ”Steph Boyd, from Darvel near Glasgow, known simply by the gaming moniker of “mole man”, is one of the people who relies on poker playing online for his entire income, not just for entertainment.
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In 2006, his first year of professional play, he claims to have made £1.5m. “It’s a great lifestyle, it’s a great job,” he says, sat at a traditional poker table close to the online gamers in Newcastle. “To be honest, there are not a lot of other jobs I could do. Before I turned professional I worked as a fitness instructor, but then I made a serious amount of money in a very short space of time.” Three years ago, he created a bank account and deposited into it £1,000 to fund his poker. Soon he was able to regularly withdraw a monthly salary of £200. Before long he gave up his job to turn to poker full-time. Needless to say, for every poker tale of rags to riches there is another ending in ruin.
Former mayor Jayne Yeomans was jailed last month for stealing almost £65,000 to fund her online poker addiction. In an effort to cover her tracks, the 49-year-old forged her husband’s signature and remortgaged their house to raise £25,000 to pay some of it back. Kara Scott, who hosts the television coverage online of the PokerStars European Poker tour, plays at least three hours of online poker a day. She thinks cases such as Yeomans’ are not representative and give a misleading impression of the world of online poker players. “I think there are people out there with really addictive personalities who get addicted to anything,” she says. “Some people are always going to take it too far.
Thankfully, there are organisations out there [such as GamCare.org.uk] you can get in touch with. And with most online poker sites you can select the option to deny yourself. You effectively tell the site about your problem and they will block you for six months or a year so that you can’t get back on.” As a condition of handing out poker licenses, the British government’s Gambling Commission insists poker companies encourage socially responsible gambling. Operators must verify people’s ages before allowing them to play (in the UK players must be 18 or over) and provide as much information about socially responsible gambling on their websites as possible.
Players are encouraged to contact a charity such as GamCare if they feel they have an unhealthy interest in online gambling (or are using it to escape from their problems, become restless when they are not playing, or continually try to stop but can’t). Virgin Games is licenced and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Channel Islands’ own regulatory body for poker. Boyd is confident that for him, gambling is only a positive thing, and that he has found a way of making his online habit work for him. “My priorities are my wife and three kids. I have luckily been able to buy a new house and that is a great thing to have at my stage in life. My online poker playing is a wee bit of fun.
So far, it has been very good to me. It just seems to be common sense for me to keep going. My wife went to university three years ago and hopes to start a new job in finance. All in all, she has been very supportive.” Playing at home also has advantages for Scott. “I can see how coming to somewhere like Newcastle to compete in a traditional poker tournament with lots of burly men might be intimidating to some women,” she says. “That fear is definitely circumnavigated by playing online. And you do get a few men who do some really inappropriate things. Yesterday there was a drunk man among the crowd of people asking for my autograph. He asked me to autograph his penis. I said no. What I should have said is, ‘Do you want me to initial it?’”
Poker people: Winners and losers
* Chris Moneymaker, an American accountant, won a seat at the 2003 World Series of Poker after playing a satellite tournament in the PokerStars online poker room. It cost him $39 to enter the first game; he ended up netting the $2.5m first prize at the global tournament. “It's a contentious issue whether poker is actually gambling,” he says.
* Zachary Gruneberg, a 19-year-old player from Pennsylvania, dropped out of university last month to pursue a career as a professional poker player. In January he won $250,000 at Australia’s 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championship. He’s too young to gamble legally in the US, so instead, he spends his time playing online. “There'd be days where I'd play 10-plus hours of poker online at school,” he says. “While you're playing, you can do so much other stuff. You can watch a TV show, talk to your friends, be on Facebook. It's all about multi-tasking.”
* Roy ‘the Boy’ Brindley, born in Dorking, Surrey, left a career training greyhounds to win £1m in online poker over an eight-year period. In his autobiography, ‘Life’s a Gamble’, he admits that gambling addiction has rendered him homeless at points in his life. Nevertheless: “To me, it’s massively satisfying. I was never good at sports and was 30 when I discovered a game that I could win at,” he says.
* Christopher Proudfoot, a finance controller, siphoned £1m of his employer’s money into his bank account between December 2004 and January 2008 to fund his habit. The 28-year-old fraudster, who now lives with his parents in Inverness, pleaded guilty in February to embezzling the cash. “The problem with some of these sites is when you win big they have their own way of getting it back,” he says. “When you’ve won a fair amount of money you can’t easily get it back. They don’t let you withdraw without letting everyone you are playing with no, so you carry on competing.” (Credit: The Independent)
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Virtual casinos bring the game right to your laptop. As The Independent launches its own poker league, Rob Sharp discovers why online gambling is becoming an even bigger deal
In a dusty room that has never seen the light of day, a concerned-looking man sits nervously behind a computer screen. He takes a moment to assess another man, who sits at a terminal nearby. They are locked into an anxious battle of wills. The first man looks his opponent slowly up and down, before quietly clicking on the computer mouse beside him.The two men are showcasing Virgin Poker, Virgin’s online poker gaming website, at Aspers, a casino in central Newcastle.
There are few things that would tempt out journalists on such a drab day in the North East, but online poker is big business. One million people gamble using the controversial card game in the UK each year, part of a global industry worth over £1bn. By logging on to virgingames.com or PokerStars.com competitors can emulate their poker-playing heroes from the comfort of their bedrooms. An increase in the tax on poker profits from 15 to 50 per cent, announced in last month’s Budget, will clip the wings of traditional poker operators. But many online poker companies, including Virgin Poker, are based offshore and are thus exempt.
While encouraging people to gamble responsibly, today The Independent, in a joint venture with Virgin Poker, launches its own poker league via independent.co.uk. “Nowadays there are over half a million regular online poker players logging on and playing,” says Joe Legge, poker product manager at Virgin Games. “For some, it’s their profession but for most it’s a form of entertainment that is mentally stimulating and doesn’t have to involve risking a lot of money. The Independent’s poker league is a great extension of our commitment to the social side of poker playing. ”Steph Boyd, from Darvel near Glasgow, known simply by the gaming moniker of “mole man”, is one of the people who relies on poker playing online for his entire income, not just for entertainment.
Related articles
In 2006, his first year of professional play, he claims to have made £1.5m. “It’s a great lifestyle, it’s a great job,” he says, sat at a traditional poker table close to the online gamers in Newcastle. “To be honest, there are not a lot of other jobs I could do. Before I turned professional I worked as a fitness instructor, but then I made a serious amount of money in a very short space of time.” Three years ago, he created a bank account and deposited into it £1,000 to fund his poker. Soon he was able to regularly withdraw a monthly salary of £200. Before long he gave up his job to turn to poker full-time. Needless to say, for every poker tale of rags to riches there is another ending in ruin.
Former mayor Jayne Yeomans was jailed last month for stealing almost £65,000 to fund her online poker addiction. In an effort to cover her tracks, the 49-year-old forged her husband’s signature and remortgaged their house to raise £25,000 to pay some of it back. Kara Scott, who hosts the television coverage online of the PokerStars European Poker tour, plays at least three hours of online poker a day. She thinks cases such as Yeomans’ are not representative and give a misleading impression of the world of online poker players. “I think there are people out there with really addictive personalities who get addicted to anything,” she says. “Some people are always going to take it too far.
Thankfully, there are organisations out there [such as GamCare.org.uk] you can get in touch with. And with most online poker sites you can select the option to deny yourself. You effectively tell the site about your problem and they will block you for six months or a year so that you can’t get back on.” As a condition of handing out poker licenses, the British government’s Gambling Commission insists poker companies encourage socially responsible gambling. Operators must verify people’s ages before allowing them to play (in the UK players must be 18 or over) and provide as much information about socially responsible gambling on their websites as possible.
Players are encouraged to contact a charity such as GamCare if they feel they have an unhealthy interest in online gambling (or are using it to escape from their problems, become restless when they are not playing, or continually try to stop but can’t). Virgin Games is licenced and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Channel Islands’ own regulatory body for poker. Boyd is confident that for him, gambling is only a positive thing, and that he has found a way of making his online habit work for him. “My priorities are my wife and three kids. I have luckily been able to buy a new house and that is a great thing to have at my stage in life. My online poker playing is a wee bit of fun.
So far, it has been very good to me. It just seems to be common sense for me to keep going. My wife went to university three years ago and hopes to start a new job in finance. All in all, she has been very supportive.” Playing at home also has advantages for Scott. “I can see how coming to somewhere like Newcastle to compete in a traditional poker tournament with lots of burly men might be intimidating to some women,” she says. “That fear is definitely circumnavigated by playing online. And you do get a few men who do some really inappropriate things. Yesterday there was a drunk man among the crowd of people asking for my autograph. He asked me to autograph his penis. I said no. What I should have said is, ‘Do you want me to initial it?’”
Poker people: Winners and losers
* Chris Moneymaker, an American accountant, won a seat at the 2003 World Series of Poker after playing a satellite tournament in the PokerStars online poker room. It cost him $39 to enter the first game; he ended up netting the $2.5m first prize at the global tournament. “It's a contentious issue whether poker is actually gambling,” he says.
* Zachary Gruneberg, a 19-year-old player from Pennsylvania, dropped out of university last month to pursue a career as a professional poker player. In January he won $250,000 at Australia’s 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championship. He’s too young to gamble legally in the US, so instead, he spends his time playing online. “There'd be days where I'd play 10-plus hours of poker online at school,” he says. “While you're playing, you can do so much other stuff. You can watch a TV show, talk to your friends, be on Facebook. It's all about multi-tasking.”
* Roy ‘the Boy’ Brindley, born in Dorking, Surrey, left a career training greyhounds to win £1m in online poker over an eight-year period. In his autobiography, ‘Life’s a Gamble’, he admits that gambling addiction has rendered him homeless at points in his life. Nevertheless: “To me, it’s massively satisfying. I was never good at sports and was 30 when I discovered a game that I could win at,” he says.
* Christopher Proudfoot, a finance controller, siphoned £1m of his employer’s money into his bank account between December 2004 and January 2008 to fund his habit. The 28-year-old fraudster, who now lives with his parents in Inverness, pleaded guilty in February to embezzling the cash. “The problem with some of these sites is when you win big they have their own way of getting it back,” he says. “When you’ve won a fair amount of money you can’t easily get it back. They don’t let you withdraw without letting everyone you are playing with no, so you carry on competing.” (Credit: The Independent)
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State plays its hand in targeting online gambling websites, by Paul Walsh - Star Tribune - 1st May 2009
Users may be finding ways around Minnesota's attempt to cut off access to the 200 Internet game sites.
The state of Minnesota on Friday released the names of 200 online gambling websites it is trying to prevent Minnesotans from using, warning that Internet wagering is illegal.
The specific sites being targeted will be of interest to Minnesotans who use them and are concerned that any balances they have with those operations could be lost if the state succeeds in blocking access.
Fulltime online poker player and instructor Chris Wallace of St. Paul scoffed at the list built by the state, however.
"I'm certain they didn't do a whole lot of research," Wallace said. "The largest poker site in the world [Poker Stars] is not listed."
Wallace also said he's confident that he won't lose any money because of the state's block. "I do have money in many of these sites," he said. "The worst is that I will drive over to Wisconsin and request a cashout."
He said he has already shifted his computer to a server in the Cayman Islands and was back on his favorite site within 20 minutes at no expense, thereby getting around any block that Minnesota wants put in place.
On Wednesday, a division of the state Department of Public Safety that enforces gambling and alcohol laws said it has instructed 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access by all Minnesota-based computers to the websites on the list.
Minnesota says all online gambling within its borders is illegal, even if the games are hosted outside the United States.
Operators of these types of sites are spread around the world, most commonly in the United Kingdom and the Caribbean, as some of their names suggest: Casino Euro, English Harbour and Virgin Games, among others.
Written notices from the division were served Monday to AT&T Internet Services, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Embarq and Sprint/Nextel, Frontier Communications, Qwest, Verizon Wireless and Wildblue Communications. (Credit: Star Tribune)
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Users may be finding ways around Minnesota's attempt to cut off access to the 200 Internet game sites.
The state of Minnesota on Friday released the names of 200 online gambling websites it is trying to prevent Minnesotans from using, warning that Internet wagering is illegal.
The specific sites being targeted will be of interest to Minnesotans who use them and are concerned that any balances they have with those operations could be lost if the state succeeds in blocking access.
Fulltime online poker player and instructor Chris Wallace of St. Paul scoffed at the list built by the state, however.
"I'm certain they didn't do a whole lot of research," Wallace said. "The largest poker site in the world [Poker Stars] is not listed."
Wallace also said he's confident that he won't lose any money because of the state's block. "I do have money in many of these sites," he said. "The worst is that I will drive over to Wisconsin and request a cashout."
He said he has already shifted his computer to a server in the Cayman Islands and was back on his favorite site within 20 minutes at no expense, thereby getting around any block that Minnesota wants put in place.
On Wednesday, a division of the state Department of Public Safety that enforces gambling and alcohol laws said it has instructed 11 national and regional telephone and Internet service providers (ISPs) to block access by all Minnesota-based computers to the websites on the list.
Minnesota says all online gambling within its borders is illegal, even if the games are hosted outside the United States.
Operators of these types of sites are spread around the world, most commonly in the United Kingdom and the Caribbean, as some of their names suggest: Casino Euro, English Harbour and Virgin Games, among others.
Written notices from the division were served Monday to AT&T Internet Services, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network, Embarq and Sprint/Nextel, Frontier Communications, Qwest, Verizon Wireless and Wildblue Communications. (Credit: Star Tribune)
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Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Crown decked by cards shuffle, by Jason Dowling - The Age - 5th May 2009
At least one croupier at Crown Casino is not a big Kenny Rogers fan; or if he is, he doesn't listen. He missed the bit about "know when to fold 'em".
Crown has been fined $7500 after a dealer continued to deal a game of poker knowing the deck was incomplete.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation found "play continued despite the constant display of the red light on the automatic shuffle machine" and after the dealer counted the cards twice and found 51 cards. The commission said "it took the attendance of three supervisors before the game was stopped".
Details of the over-zealous dealer have only been released recently by the commission — the incident occurred in January last year.
It is not the first time Crown has been fined for conducting games with less than 52 cards in the deck. Since 2007 it has been detected using less than 52 cards on at least six occasions. (Credit: The Age)
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At least one croupier at Crown Casino is not a big Kenny Rogers fan; or if he is, he doesn't listen. He missed the bit about "know when to fold 'em".
Crown has been fined $7500 after a dealer continued to deal a game of poker knowing the deck was incomplete.
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation found "play continued despite the constant display of the red light on the automatic shuffle machine" and after the dealer counted the cards twice and found 51 cards. The commission said "it took the attendance of three supervisors before the game was stopped".
Details of the over-zealous dealer have only been released recently by the commission — the incident occurred in January last year.
It is not the first time Crown has been fined for conducting games with less than 52 cards in the deck. Since 2007 it has been detected using less than 52 cards on at least six occasions. (Credit: The Age)
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Wrestlers and Arnold Schwarzenegger Gambling, Poker Connection - Gambling911 - 4th May 2009
Ric Flair recently signed a deal to be a spokesperson for the lottery in the Carolinas... The Shelby, NC Star ran a story noting that Ric, David, and Reid Flair are scheduled to appear on Saturday at the Rec Center for a charity show to raise for the Shelby City Parks and Police Department. If he attends this would be Reid's first public appearance since his arrest last weekend.
"This is of course totally the opposite direction to Jesse Ventura's stance on gambling, at least publicly," notes Media Man, Greg Tingle.
Tingle made reference to Ventura's support of an online gambling enterprise, BetUS.com, where he was a paid spokesperson for more than two years. Interestingly enough, the state of Minnesota for which Ventura served as Governor, announced last week it will try to block access to online gambling websites from citizens of that state.
Then there is California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a one time friend of both men, who reportedly would support an initiative in his state to legalize online poker.
In November 2004, an advertisement began airing in California featuring Ventura. In it, Ventura voices his opposition to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's policies regarding Native American casinos, the very casinos that stand in the way of the proposed poker legislation. Schwarzenegger and Ventura have not spoken in years, according to reports.
In September 2005, Ventura announced on The Mike Malloy Show that he was leaving the U.S. and planned to "have an adventure". In late October 2005, he went on the The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch and reiterated that he was leaving the U.S. due to, among other things, censorship. He has since moved to Baja California, Mexico. (Credit: Gambling911).
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Ric Flair recently signed a deal to be a spokesperson for the lottery in the Carolinas... The Shelby, NC Star ran a story noting that Ric, David, and Reid Flair are scheduled to appear on Saturday at the Rec Center for a charity show to raise for the Shelby City Parks and Police Department. If he attends this would be Reid's first public appearance since his arrest last weekend.
"This is of course totally the opposite direction to Jesse Ventura's stance on gambling, at least publicly," notes Media Man, Greg Tingle.
Tingle made reference to Ventura's support of an online gambling enterprise, BetUS.com, where he was a paid spokesperson for more than two years. Interestingly enough, the state of Minnesota for which Ventura served as Governor, announced last week it will try to block access to online gambling websites from citizens of that state.
Then there is California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, a one time friend of both men, who reportedly would support an initiative in his state to legalize online poker.
In November 2004, an advertisement began airing in California featuring Ventura. In it, Ventura voices his opposition to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's policies regarding Native American casinos, the very casinos that stand in the way of the proposed poker legislation. Schwarzenegger and Ventura have not spoken in years, according to reports.
In September 2005, Ventura announced on The Mike Malloy Show that he was leaving the U.S. and planned to "have an adventure". In late October 2005, he went on the The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch and reiterated that he was leaving the U.S. due to, among other things, censorship. He has since moved to Baja California, Mexico. (Credit: Gambling911).
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Monday, May 04, 2009
Poker in the Park III Announced for August 13th & 14th
Europe's largest poker festival returns to London's Leicester Square this summer
April 8, 2009 (London, UK) -- Europe's largest free poker festival, Poker in the Park, will return to the middle of Leicester Square Park this summer. The third incarnation of consumer poker fair will take place on Thursday & Friday, August 13th and 14th.
This year promises to be even bigger and better than last year, with plenty of free live poker tournaments on offer, as well as live lectures and autograph signings from big name pros, plus all manner of discounted poker merchandise on sale.
Last year 10,000 people swarmed into the marquees in Leicester Square to play poker for free and listen to talks from the pros, including Devilfish, Neil Channing, Ian Frazer, Marc Goodwin, Paul Jackson and Nik Persaud. This year promises more big name players and exhibitions from some of the most exciting brands in the poker industry.
Bluff Europe's Editor-in-Chief Michael Caselli said, "Poker in the Park is about bringing poker enthusiasts from all over the UK together to meet their poker heroes, improve their play and play poker absolutely free with other lovers of the game from all around the nation."
###
Companies interested in sponsoring the event should contact:
Ed Whittington
Lyceum Publishing
Ed.whittngton@lyceumpublishing.com
+44 (0) 207 828 6988
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Europe's largest poker festival returns to London's Leicester Square this summer
April 8, 2009 (London, UK) -- Europe's largest free poker festival, Poker in the Park, will return to the middle of Leicester Square Park this summer. The third incarnation of consumer poker fair will take place on Thursday & Friday, August 13th and 14th.
This year promises to be even bigger and better than last year, with plenty of free live poker tournaments on offer, as well as live lectures and autograph signings from big name pros, plus all manner of discounted poker merchandise on sale.
Last year 10,000 people swarmed into the marquees in Leicester Square to play poker for free and listen to talks from the pros, including Devilfish, Neil Channing, Ian Frazer, Marc Goodwin, Paul Jackson and Nik Persaud. This year promises more big name players and exhibitions from some of the most exciting brands in the poker industry.
Bluff Europe's Editor-in-Chief Michael Caselli said, "Poker in the Park is about bringing poker enthusiasts from all over the UK together to meet their poker heroes, improve their play and play poker absolutely free with other lovers of the game from all around the nation."
###
Companies interested in sponsoring the event should contact:
Ed Whittington
Lyceum Publishing
Ed.whittngton@lyceumpublishing.com
+44 (0) 207 828 6988
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Paren Arzoomanian Wins ANZPT Sydney, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 3rd May 2009
The first ever Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT), sponsored by PokerStars, just wrapped up its AUD $2,200 buy-in Main Event from the Star City Casino in Sydney. A 25 year-old local student, Paren “Puzz” Arzoomanian, won the high-stakes tournament.
A field of 493 players turned out for the inaugural ANZPT Sydney festivities, seven short of its official maximum capacity. As a result, Arzoomanian banked AUD $246,000 for his efforts. The cancer survivor battled against Gold Coast mortgage broker Lisa Walsh heads-up, with the latter earning the largest payday ever by a woman in an Australian poker tournament. On the final hand, she shoved low on chips with K-9 and was called by Arzoomanian, who flipped over A-5. The flop came J-8-8, leaving Walsh needing a king, nine, or running cards to make a straight. A five on the turn preserved Arzoomanian’s lead in the hand and an ace on the river sealed the victory for the youngster with aces up.
Here were the top nine finishers in Sydney along with their payouts. All figures given are in Australian Dollars:
1st Place: Paren Arzoomanian - $246,500
2nd Place: Lisa Walsh - $162,690
3rd Place: John Caridid - $93,670
4th Place: Chris Kittos - $69,020
5th Place: Majed Haddad - $55,709
6th Place: Vasilios Argyros - $44,370
7th Place: Joel Dodds - $34,510
8th Place: James Newhan - $24,650
9th Place: Xin Zhao - $16,762
Kittos fell by the wayside in fourth place after coming out on the losing end of a race holding A-K against Walsh’s pocket threes. The flop came 2-4-5, adding a straight draw for Walsh and counterfeiting three of Kittos’ outs. The turn came another five and the river was a jack, sending Kittos home AUD $69,020 richer for his wear. Caridid was also sent packing by Walsh, who held A-K against Caridid’s A-8. The board fell 10-2-3-7-J, sending the final PokerStars qualifier standing out of the tournament in third place. Arzoomanian held a 5.6 million to 4.1 million chip lead entering heads-up play.
Two members of Team PokerStars Australia also finished in the money. Tony Hachem grabbed 17th place for AUD $8,874, while Eric Assadourian took 28th place and saw his bank account grow by AUD $4,930. Hachem now sits atop the overall ANZPT Season 1 leader board with 84.8 points, besting fellow Aussie Karl Krautsschneider by 4.8. At the end of Season 1 of the ANZPT, the overall leader board champion takes home prize packages to every Main Event on the PokerStars-sponsored Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) during Season 4 as well as the 2010 Aussie Millions Main Event. The player will officially be sponsored by PokerStars, which will front airfare, tournament buy-ins, and hotel accommodations as part of the AUD $60,000 prize package. The runner up takes home sponsorship for every event on the second season of the ANZPT (valued at AUD $25,000), while the third place finisher will grab AUD $10,500 in buy-ins and expenses to tournaments in the region sponsored by PokerStars.
Here’s a look at the top ten of the current leader board after the Sydney event:
1. Tony Hachem- 84.8
2. Karl Krautsschneider – 80.0
3. Daniel Noja - 69.2
4. Bill Argyros – 69.0
5. Joel Dodds - 67.6
6. Paren Arzoomanian - 67.4
6. Lisa Walsh - 67.4
6. John Caridad - 67.4
9. Mike Stecker - 65.6
10. Tony Dunst – 64.0
After a three week hiatus, the ANZPT will return on May 25th in Melbourne at the Crown Casino. The AUD $2,700 buy-in Main Event plays down to a winner on May 27th and the tournament is capped at 450 entrants. From July 21st through 25th, the tournament series heads to Queenstown’s SkyCity Casino for an AUD $2,500 buy-in contest. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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The first ever Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT), sponsored by PokerStars, just wrapped up its AUD $2,200 buy-in Main Event from the Star City Casino in Sydney. A 25 year-old local student, Paren “Puzz” Arzoomanian, won the high-stakes tournament.
A field of 493 players turned out for the inaugural ANZPT Sydney festivities, seven short of its official maximum capacity. As a result, Arzoomanian banked AUD $246,000 for his efforts. The cancer survivor battled against Gold Coast mortgage broker Lisa Walsh heads-up, with the latter earning the largest payday ever by a woman in an Australian poker tournament. On the final hand, she shoved low on chips with K-9 and was called by Arzoomanian, who flipped over A-5. The flop came J-8-8, leaving Walsh needing a king, nine, or running cards to make a straight. A five on the turn preserved Arzoomanian’s lead in the hand and an ace on the river sealed the victory for the youngster with aces up.
Here were the top nine finishers in Sydney along with their payouts. All figures given are in Australian Dollars:
1st Place: Paren Arzoomanian - $246,500
2nd Place: Lisa Walsh - $162,690
3rd Place: John Caridid - $93,670
4th Place: Chris Kittos - $69,020
5th Place: Majed Haddad - $55,709
6th Place: Vasilios Argyros - $44,370
7th Place: Joel Dodds - $34,510
8th Place: James Newhan - $24,650
9th Place: Xin Zhao - $16,762
Kittos fell by the wayside in fourth place after coming out on the losing end of a race holding A-K against Walsh’s pocket threes. The flop came 2-4-5, adding a straight draw for Walsh and counterfeiting three of Kittos’ outs. The turn came another five and the river was a jack, sending Kittos home AUD $69,020 richer for his wear. Caridid was also sent packing by Walsh, who held A-K against Caridid’s A-8. The board fell 10-2-3-7-J, sending the final PokerStars qualifier standing out of the tournament in third place. Arzoomanian held a 5.6 million to 4.1 million chip lead entering heads-up play.
Two members of Team PokerStars Australia also finished in the money. Tony Hachem grabbed 17th place for AUD $8,874, while Eric Assadourian took 28th place and saw his bank account grow by AUD $4,930. Hachem now sits atop the overall ANZPT Season 1 leader board with 84.8 points, besting fellow Aussie Karl Krautsschneider by 4.8. At the end of Season 1 of the ANZPT, the overall leader board champion takes home prize packages to every Main Event on the PokerStars-sponsored Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) during Season 4 as well as the 2010 Aussie Millions Main Event. The player will officially be sponsored by PokerStars, which will front airfare, tournament buy-ins, and hotel accommodations as part of the AUD $60,000 prize package. The runner up takes home sponsorship for every event on the second season of the ANZPT (valued at AUD $25,000), while the third place finisher will grab AUD $10,500 in buy-ins and expenses to tournaments in the region sponsored by PokerStars.
Here’s a look at the top ten of the current leader board after the Sydney event:
1. Tony Hachem- 84.8
2. Karl Krautsschneider – 80.0
3. Daniel Noja - 69.2
4. Bill Argyros – 69.0
5. Joel Dodds - 67.6
6. Paren Arzoomanian - 67.4
6. Lisa Walsh - 67.4
6. John Caridad - 67.4
9. Mike Stecker - 65.6
10. Tony Dunst – 64.0
After a three week hiatus, the ANZPT will return on May 25th in Melbourne at the Crown Casino. The AUD $2,700 buy-in Main Event plays down to a winner on May 27th and the tournament is capped at 450 entrants. From July 21st through 25th, the tournament series heads to Queenstown’s SkyCity Casino for an AUD $2,500 buy-in contest. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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Friday, May 01, 2009
Poker fan Pete indulges in horseplay - The Shields Gazette - 30th April 2009
A Boldon man turned up to a North East poker festival dressed as a Grand National runner.
Pete Turner, 32, from East Boldon, made up in laughs what he lacked in poker luck – going out in the fifth level.
It was the second time the Virgin Poker festival has came to Newcastle, and saw both amateur and professional players competing for a slice of the £30,000 prize pot.
One group of players from South Shields turned up in full Newcastle United football strips, hoping their luck would change after the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.
However it was Ross Jarvis, 24, from London, who entered the last table with the most chips, and maintained his lead throughout the final leg, winning the Virgin Poker festival title and the top prize of £7,000.
Joe Legge, Poker Manager for Virgin Poker, said: "It was great to return to Aspers Casino for a second time and bring the fun of the Virgin Games experience to the people of North East England."
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A Boldon man turned up to a North East poker festival dressed as a Grand National runner.
Pete Turner, 32, from East Boldon, made up in laughs what he lacked in poker luck – going out in the fifth level.
It was the second time the Virgin Poker festival has came to Newcastle, and saw both amateur and professional players competing for a slice of the £30,000 prize pot.
One group of players from South Shields turned up in full Newcastle United football strips, hoping their luck would change after the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.
However it was Ross Jarvis, 24, from London, who entered the last table with the most chips, and maintained his lead throughout the final leg, winning the Virgin Poker festival title and the top prize of £7,000.
Joe Legge, Poker Manager for Virgin Poker, said: "It was great to return to Aspers Casino for a second time and bring the fun of the Virgin Games experience to the people of North East England."
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Thursday, April 30, 2009
PartyPoker Announces Million Dollar Rake Race, by Tom Jenkins - Poker News Daily - 29th April 2009
In May, players on PartyPoker will have a chance to race their way to a share of $1 million. This week, the site announced one of the richest rake races ever held online. The announcement comes just a few days before the third running of the PartyPoker Monthly Million.
First place in the PartyPoker $1 Million Rake Race will take home $20,000 in cash plus a $20,000 prize package to the upcoming World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. Players will have the entire month of May to generate as many Race Points as possible. These are fundamentally different than PartyPoints and depend on the rake taken in a real money cash game hand. Race Points are calculated by taking the total rake per user per hour and dividing it by the total number of hands played over the same time period. That figure is then multiplied by the number of raked hands played. A special multiplier is also used and is determined by a player’s rake divided by the total number of hands played.
It’s not as complicated as it sounds. Let’s say a player generated $5 in rake in an hour over a total of 100 hands. If only 80 of them were real money hands, then the number of rake points equals (5/100) x 80 x Multiplier. The multiplier in this case is three and can be derived by checking out the $1 Million Rake Race landing page on PartyPoker. The leader board will be updated at least once an hour so players can see where they stand. The runner up at the end of May will take home $18,000 plus a $20,000 WSOP package, third place pockets $15,000 and a WSOP package, fourth place earns $10,000, and the top 3,000 players will finish in the money.
The fourth through tenth place finishers plus the players who land in 50th, 100th, 300th, 500th, 750th, and 1,000th will win a $5,500 WSOP Experience prize package. These consist of one $1,500 buy-in to a side event of a player’s choosing, seven nights’ hotel accommodations, and travel for two. In addition, winners of the package have the ability to experience one diversion during their stay, including trips to nearby attractions such as the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Red Rock Canyon. Alternately, players can cruise the famed Las Vegas Strip in a helicopter or rove the desert in a dune buggy.
PartyPoker.com spokesman Warren Lush told Poker News Daily, “The Million Dollar Race is the biggest rake race for cash game players that we have ever offered on PartyPoker. The rewards are great, with the top ten winning WSOP packages and cash, but it has been structured to offer significant rewards all the way down to 3,000th place. This is just one of many great promotions that we have in the pipeline in the coming months.”
The PartyPoker WSOP qualifier takes place on Fridays at 18:10 ET and Saturdays at 14:15 ET. It awards a $12,000 Main Event package for every 20 players who enter and comes with a buy-in of $640. Several entries to it are up for grabs as part of the Million Dollar Rake Race, as the 1,250th, 1,500th, 1,750th, 2,000th, and 2,500th players will win their way in. Daily Satellite and Daily Final entries will also be given away.
This weekend marks the third running of the PartyPoker Monthly Million. The $1 million guaranteed prize pool tournament occurs on the first Sunday of every month and boasts a buy-in of $640. Players start with 20,000 chips and blind levels last 20 minutes each. The price of poker begins at 25-50 and then grows to 50-100 and 100-200. A five minute break takes place after every three levels and antes kick in starting at Level 6. A Mega Friday Satellite is one of the last chances players have to win their way into the high-stakes monthly tournament on PartyPoker. The $55 buy-in contest kicks off at 17:00 ET and guarantees at least 20 seats into the Monthly Million. Players can satellite in for free by participating in country specific freerolls and PartyPoints qualifiers.
According to traffic ranking site PokerScout.com PartyPoker is the fourth largest worldwide with a seven day running average of 4,450 cash game players. It is the second largest that does not accept U.S. players, trailing only the iPoker Network, which includes rooms such as Boyle Poker, CD Poker, Chili Poker, Mansion Poker, Paddy Power, Titan Poker, Tony G Poker, and William Hill. PartyPoker is owned by Party Gaming, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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In May, players on PartyPoker will have a chance to race their way to a share of $1 million. This week, the site announced one of the richest rake races ever held online. The announcement comes just a few days before the third running of the PartyPoker Monthly Million.
First place in the PartyPoker $1 Million Rake Race will take home $20,000 in cash plus a $20,000 prize package to the upcoming World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas. Players will have the entire month of May to generate as many Race Points as possible. These are fundamentally different than PartyPoints and depend on the rake taken in a real money cash game hand. Race Points are calculated by taking the total rake per user per hour and dividing it by the total number of hands played over the same time period. That figure is then multiplied by the number of raked hands played. A special multiplier is also used and is determined by a player’s rake divided by the total number of hands played.
It’s not as complicated as it sounds. Let’s say a player generated $5 in rake in an hour over a total of 100 hands. If only 80 of them were real money hands, then the number of rake points equals (5/100) x 80 x Multiplier. The multiplier in this case is three and can be derived by checking out the $1 Million Rake Race landing page on PartyPoker. The leader board will be updated at least once an hour so players can see where they stand. The runner up at the end of May will take home $18,000 plus a $20,000 WSOP package, third place pockets $15,000 and a WSOP package, fourth place earns $10,000, and the top 3,000 players will finish in the money.
The fourth through tenth place finishers plus the players who land in 50th, 100th, 300th, 500th, 750th, and 1,000th will win a $5,500 WSOP Experience prize package. These consist of one $1,500 buy-in to a side event of a player’s choosing, seven nights’ hotel accommodations, and travel for two. In addition, winners of the package have the ability to experience one diversion during their stay, including trips to nearby attractions such as the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and Red Rock Canyon. Alternately, players can cruise the famed Las Vegas Strip in a helicopter or rove the desert in a dune buggy.
PartyPoker.com spokesman Warren Lush told Poker News Daily, “The Million Dollar Race is the biggest rake race for cash game players that we have ever offered on PartyPoker. The rewards are great, with the top ten winning WSOP packages and cash, but it has been structured to offer significant rewards all the way down to 3,000th place. This is just one of many great promotions that we have in the pipeline in the coming months.”
The PartyPoker WSOP qualifier takes place on Fridays at 18:10 ET and Saturdays at 14:15 ET. It awards a $12,000 Main Event package for every 20 players who enter and comes with a buy-in of $640. Several entries to it are up for grabs as part of the Million Dollar Rake Race, as the 1,250th, 1,500th, 1,750th, 2,000th, and 2,500th players will win their way in. Daily Satellite and Daily Final entries will also be given away.
This weekend marks the third running of the PartyPoker Monthly Million. The $1 million guaranteed prize pool tournament occurs on the first Sunday of every month and boasts a buy-in of $640. Players start with 20,000 chips and blind levels last 20 minutes each. The price of poker begins at 25-50 and then grows to 50-100 and 100-200. A five minute break takes place after every three levels and antes kick in starting at Level 6. A Mega Friday Satellite is one of the last chances players have to win their way into the high-stakes monthly tournament on PartyPoker. The $55 buy-in contest kicks off at 17:00 ET and guarantees at least 20 seats into the Monthly Million. Players can satellite in for free by participating in country specific freerolls and PartyPoints qualifiers.
According to traffic ranking site PokerScout.com PartyPoker is the fourth largest worldwide with a seven day running average of 4,450 cash game players. It is the second largest that does not accept U.S. players, trailing only the iPoker Network, which includes rooms such as Boyle Poker, CD Poker, Chili Poker, Mansion Poker, Paddy Power, Titan Poker, Tony G Poker, and William Hill. PartyPoker is owned by Party Gaming, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange. (Credit: Poker News Daily)
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