Category: Online Poker

Post Black Friday Online Poker Deposits – Is it Safe?

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It has now been over a week since the DoJ seized the bank accounts and domain names of Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker and Cereus. Panic struck the online poker world, US players found themselves unable to play at their favorite rooms, unable to access their money and nobody knew what the future would bring. Since then the dust has settled a bit. Pokerstars and Full Tilt cooperated with the DoJ and got their domain names back. They also promised their US players they would get their money back. Cereus decided to put up a fight and still allows US players to play at their sites although they are unable to either deposit or withdraw.

Meanwhile former insignificant rooms and networks like Bodog, Merge and Cake Poker suddenly became major players in the US poker economy. In little over a week time Merge doubled its player base and both the Cake Network and Bodog gained 30%. Not really a surprise considering the huge amount of American players looking for new rooms where they can play their favorite game.

One question keeps rising and that is: is it safe to deposit? If the DoJ can take out the biggest sites on the internet, then for sure they can reach the smaller sites. Having money stuck on Pokerstars is bad enough, nobody is waiting for more money to be stuck on another room. Will the DoJ come after the other remaining US rooms?

Click Here for a List of US Accepted Online Poker Sites

The case built around the Big Three is based on the testimony  of one of their former processors. Australian citizen Daniel Tzvetkoff is a 27 year old entrepreneur who made millions processing deposits and withdrawals for the major US facing sites. This made him millions but it wasn’t enough for him, he started scamming his very own customers; the poker sites. The sites found out about this soon enough and sued Tzvetkoff and even ratted him out to the authorities when he was in Las Vegas for a conference in April 2010. Tzvetkoff was arrested and faced 75 years in jailtime. This convinced him to cooperate with the US government and his inside information on how Pokerstars, Full Tilt and Cereus handle their money proved invaluable to the DoJ and lead to the actions taken on April 16. Ironically, the people that ratted Tzvetkoff out are facing the same charges he did when he initially got arrested. Tzvetkoff is currently in witness protection and is said to reside in the New York area and is probably unable to ever return to his home country, Australia.

The lack of action taken against the remaining rooms that are open to US players tells us that Tzvetkoff didn’t have any dirt on them. If he did, the DoJ would have brought them down in the same run. Obviously it is impossible to know where the DoJ is up to but it appears that the smaller room have escaped their radar for now. They have nothing on them or they are going after the big fish first in case that can easily drag for years. With Lock Poker, Bodog  and Intertops offering Quicktender, and Usemywallet it is still very much possible for the US player to fund their online poker accounts. Sports Interaction Poker on the Cake Network still facilitates eCheck deposits. There are still plenty of options left to play the game played by millions other Americans within the borders of the United States.

But again, the golden rule in gambling counts: Only play with money that you can afford to lose. If in an unlikely event the DoJ freezes funds again, it might take a while before you get your money back.

US Online Poker Pros Moving Abroad

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The crackdown of Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and UB on Black Friday took the favorite pastime away from millions of American poker players. Other poker sites such as Lock Poker, Bodog and Cake Poker are working around the clock to provide all US players with a new home.  They are doing a great job, most of the  casual players are happy to play at those sites. Some things are different though, the choice in games offered is lower and the waiting time for some sit and go formats is a bit longer. Does this mean the DoJ actions didn’t have an impact on the US poker players? No, there is a group of players which found itself in serious trouble: the online poker pro.

When we think of poker pro’s we usually picture the high profile players who we see on tv shows like High Stakes Poker, Poker After Dark or the Big Game. These pro’s represent the big sites, live the good life and make millions in the process. There is however another complete different order of poker pro’s and they aren’t nearly as visible and high profile as the established pro’s like Doyle Brunson, Tom Dwan or Daniel Negreanu.

These online poker pro’s make their living playing or teaching online poker and they don’t make millions. Instead, they grind out the cash tables and sit and goes all day and most of them make only a modest salary. On top of that, grinding online poker can be a very stressful job. Playing poker is probably the only job in the world where you can end the day with less money then you started with. Variance is the one thing you can’t use when you are depending on your play to pay the rent. Variance is the enemy to the online pro and to limit it they play as many tables as they can, sometimes up to 24 tables.

Suddenly unable to play at the Big Three, they are in serious trouble now. Because they can no longer play the amount of games they used to, they don’t make enough money anymore to pay their rent. Some of these players played professionally for years and have considerable gaps in their resume’s, others decided to drop out of college to play poker full time. Their options are limited: Finding a job in the current economy is very hard, they can’t wait until the US regulates online poker and they also don’t have the time to wait until other sites and networks offer the games they need. On top of that their entire bankroll is currently frozen and they can’t touch it. This bankroll is not only money for them, they need it to make money, it is their livelihood.

Moving abroad has become a viable option for them and a lot of grinders are looking into that option now. Canada is the favorite haven to play followed by Malta. The UK is also amongst the top destinations because online winnings aren’t taxed there. The short term goal for the movers is to regain access to their frozen funds. For the long term they can keep playing at their favorite sites abroad until the US has figured their legislation out. The DoJ’s actions of Black Friday really had an impact on these people that nobody ever anticipated.

Is this a bad thing for poker? Not really. With a lot of these mass tabling grinders out of the way the game becomes more fun again. No longer waiting for the guy who plays more tables then he can handle to finally act and less grinders in the sit and goes means the casual player will most certainly see his ROI improve. People wondered when the next poker boom would be after the Moneymaker boom in 2004. Well, this might be it.

PokerStars Questions Answered

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This is a compilation of information from PokerStars on the recent withdrawal from the United States market.

Statement from PokerStars on why USA players can no longer play for real money:

On 15 April 2011, PokerStars ceased providing real-money poker to residents of the United States and related territories. Real money play and deposits by US residents are strictly prohibited.

An agreement has been reached with the US Department of Justice to allow United States PokerStars customers to cashout their funds. PokerStars will work diligently to expedite those withdrawals. All PokerStars player deposits are completely safe.

Players from the United States can continue to play on our site for play money only. New players who wish to create an account will need to do so using our play-money-only software.

Why USA players could not access the web page or support email

The Justice department seized all the .com name including access to the .com support address. As part of a deal with the Department of Justice, USA players can now, again, access any of the .com sites including the support email address.

Can I get my Money?

PokerStars has reached an agreement with DoJ to refund players their money. Because the recent issue removed all of the old processing structure, at this time, the cashout option in the cashier is disabled.  It will be enabled when a new system is put in place. PokerStars says that getting funds to players is their top priority.

Cashouts that were requested before April 15, 2011 will be cancelled and returned to players accounts. Players can view the cashier, but US players cannot transfer to other players. Any tournaments tickets or T$ will be converted to cash, though PokerStars stresses that this will not happen immediately and asks for patience. At this time, PokerStars has yet to work out a fair plan for monetary consideration in exchange for FPPs.

All US Players who were registered in future tournaments have been unregistered and their buyins have been refunded to their accounts.

Trying to get around the restrictions

I am sure many of you are scheming or hoping there is a way to get around the new order of things. PokerStars has answered some of those common thoughts.

Players thinking they can just change their address to a new country need to know that just changing their address does not allow them to play for real money again. PokerStars needs copies of photo identification as well as a recent utility bill showing your new physical address.  If you can prove that you have left the USA, your account balance will be restored to you, including VIP status and your FPP balance.  You cannot play for real money by just taking a trip outside the country. Accounts are blocked until you show proof of new address.

If you cook up some IP rerouting scheme like a VPN, PokerStars says they will revoke your privileges for trying.

Foreigners traveling to the United States will not be allowed to play on PokerStars while in the US.

US players can buy into PokerStars live events using their real money account balances, providing they have the money already in their accounts. They cannot deposit the money and then use it to play the event.  PokerStars live events like European Poker Tour will proceed as planned. Players from the United States who have won packages to these events will still be allowed to play.

US players are welcome to play for play money if they so choose but will need to set up a new .net account.

Safe Online Poker Sites for US Players

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With the US closure of the biggest online poker sites we’ve been on the look out for who the next big poker sites will be and the list is not as long as some would think. In this New World Order there a few online poker sites that have begun to stand out from the rest. Given all the changes we’ve also decided to add a few new sites to our list of approved poker sites.

Our decisions have been made with safety first in mind. We know that poker players are looking for a safe poker site to play on. With that in mind the first thing we’ve looked into is financial strength. Another major factor in our decisions has been their processing. A poker site may have good funding and good software but if players can’t deposit and withdraw with relative ease then they are no good to anyone. We’ve used every means at our disposal to gather up this information and feel that the sites listed below are the cream of the crop.

In analyzing online poker traffic reports the Merge Poker Network, which includes such poker sties as, Carbon Poker, Lock Poker and Sportsbook Poker are growing the fastest. But if you look at just the US player base at prime time hours it’s Bodog Poker and sites on the Cake Poker Network which include Cake Poker and InterAction Poker that are doing the best. InterAction is the only site we have listed that is currently processing eChecks.

Like you, we do not know which poker site or sites will become the next Pokerstars or Full Tilt Poker. We’re guessing that all of the sites mentioned above will continue to see tremendous growth and that they will all be making adjustments in the coming months to better serve player needs and wants. Make sure to check Holdem Poker Chat for all the latest news and updates on the safest USA Poker Sites to play on.

Absolute Poker and UB Not Backing Down

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The owners of Absolute Poker and UB are not following the lead of Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker. All four online poker sites had their bank accounts seizured along with their domains by the United States Department of Justice. Absolute Poker and UB have decided not to agree with any offer from the U.S. Department of Justice including the return of player’s money because they are insisting that this seizure on their domain name and bank accounts is illegal.

Poker Sites Still Accepting Players from the USA

A spokesperson for Absolute Poker has stated that management is reviewing the offers made by the US government and has retained Blank Rome LLP as United States counsel to provide legal advice. They also have the backing of the Antigua Government if they choose to fight the charges brought against them. The Antigua Government has suggested that Absolute Poker and UB should not concede to the US Government so quickly and wait for the World Trade Organization to intervene.

Pokerstars and Full Tilt Poker have signed an agreement with the US DOJ which includes the use of their domain name for returning players the funds that may be in their player accounts. The US DOJ is monitoring the sites so that no new players are registered or deposits taken. Absolute Poker and UB have so far refused to work with the DOJ and are looking for alternative solutions.

Online Poker Sites for US Players

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The online poker industry may have been turned upside down, but there are still many options for USA players to get on the table action that only a game of online poker can provide. There are many alternatives to the poker rooms which were seized by the US government, and this is only a piece of the online poker action. Players are understandably unsure about placing their trust and money into yet another site, in case something may happen in the future. It seems like Black Friday isn’t going to have an effect on other online poker rooms, not the smaller fish anyway.

The Poker Networks and Poker Sites listed below have been slowly increasing their poker tournament guarantees. Over the last week they have experienced up to 400% growth in traffic. It’s only a matter of time before one or two of them become the preferred online poker sites in the U.S..

Click Here for a List of Online Poker Sites Accepting Players from the USA

Bodog Poker is one of the oldest and most respected names in online gaming. Their sportsbook business insures a steady flow of loose players at the poker tables. Bodog offers some of the highest GTD tournaments available to players from the US. The initial deposit bonus of 110% up to $1,100 is as good as it gets for online poker sites. No bonus code is needed to get this great bonus.

Merge Gaming Network, the network behind poker rooms like Lock Poker, Players Only Poker and Carbon Poker, are still ready and willing to give USA players all the action they crave in an online poker setting. The tournaments, the features and the excitement are comparable to the others that were seized, without the big brand name. There are many reasons players should choose Merge for their new online poker playing needs, and there are many ongoing promotions to welcome new players, so everybody wins. The traffic to these rooms are building up, understandably so, and soon there will be even more players that will add to the entertainment value that only online poker can bring.

Other networks like Cake Poker, Everleaf and other smaller platforms are also bringing players unique and generous promotions, tournaments, ring-games and impressive prize pools. They are currently open to new USA registrations, and players coming from other poker rooms will be treated like VIPs.

Players should remember, just because the government cracked down on these poker rooms and seized domains, does that in anyway mean that it’s illegal to play poker online, even from the United States. The UIGEA isn’t there to punish players for playing a few hands of Holdem; the law is in place and only is enforced against online gaming operators and processors. In fact, not one arrest has ever been made for a player playing online poker. This is just a misconception and players should not let it hinder their game play, until there is an actual law in place.

Hopefully in the near future, we as players will not have to worry about the Department of Justice breathing down our necks every time we want to go all in. That is just the way it is right now, and we all hope that it’s only temporary. While they do have control over domain seizures and indictments, they have no control over our decisions, and if you enjoy the game of online poker and you live in the USA, it’s imperative for players to know they still have options.

Absolute Poker Issues Statement Regarding Indictement

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Absolute Poker, including UB (formerly Ultimate Bet) brand, hereafter “Absolute Poker,” issued the following statement today:

“Absolute Poker has retained Blank Rome LLP as United States counsel to provide legal advice in relation to civil and criminal matters filed in federal court in Manhattan and made public on April 15, 2011. Absolute Poker is aware that on April 19, 2011, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York entered into separate agreements with FullTilt Poker and PokerStars. These agreements concern the use of the respective www.fulltiltpoker.com and www.pokerstars.com domain names. The US Attorney, in a press release dated April 20, 2011, stated that the government is willing to enter the same agreement with Absolute Poker and UB.

“At this time, Absolute Poker’s top priority is, and must be, the refund of balances to its and UB’s US players. However, given the far-reaching consequences of the US Attorney’s actions for Absolute Poker and for the entire poker community, Absolute Poker believes that the responsible course of action is to review with its attorneys the relevant court filings before taking any action.

“Absolute Poker believes that the US Attorney shares the view that refunds to US players are an immediate and pressing concern, and Absolute Poker wishes to make clear that it wants to work cooperatively with the US Attorney to safely and efficiently return its players’ funds. To that end, Absolute Poker’s counsel has initiated communications with the US Attorney’s office and plans to continue proactively advancing those discussions.

“Further information and timely updates will be provided to Absolute Poker/UB’s players as we move forward.”

Black Friday Online Poker Traffic Report

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As you know on April 15, 2011 “Black Friday” Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and UB were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice and therefore left the U.S. market. The traffic stats below show the affect this has had on online poker sites throughout the world.

The big winners so far seem to be the sites that operate on the Merge Poker Network and Bodog Poker which are up 36% in online traffic and Party Poker whose seeing it’s European traffic up 10%. European sites seeing increased traffic is no shocker. Would you feel safe having your money on a poker site that has been accused of bank fraud, money laundering and tax evasion?

Click this link for Online Poker Sites Still Accepting US Players

Full Tilt Poker, UB and Absolute Poker are the big losers here with both being down near 50%.

Black Friday traffic stats (left US):
PokerStars -6885 (down 24%)
Full Tilt Poker -8528 (down 48%)
Cereus Network -1076 (down 53%)

Black Friday traffic stats (European):
PartyPoker +361 (up 10%)
iPoker Network +190 (up 5%)
Ongame Network -19 (down 1%)
888Poker +99 (up 7%)

Black Friday traffic stats (still in US):
Merge Network +331 (up 36%)
Bodog +213 (up 36%)
Cake Network +170 (up 31%)

PokerStars processing US Withdrawals

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From statements just released by PokerStars, it appears that they will start immediately processing US withdrawal requests. “Returning US players’ funds is a top priority for PokerStars and the company can now start the process of returning money to its former US customers.”  Holdem Poker Chat cautions that the sheer volume of requests may slow the process and players should probably expect a lengthier process than they are accustomed to.  I am sure this is great news for all with substantial portions of their bankrolls on PokerStars.

Click Here for Poker Sites that are Still Accepting Players from the US

PokerStars gives a little more info in their comments regarding the recent developments.  Right up front they state their innocence and desire for their day in court:

“The company categorically denies the allegations brought by the US Department of Justice on 15th April 2011 and is taking all steps necessary to robustly defend itself, and the two named individuals. Meanwhile, the company has stopped offering real money poker services in the United States.”

They continue by stating that player funds are always kept separate from operating funds.

“All PokerStars player deposits are completely safe. The Isle of Man’s strict licensing laws (similar to other jurisdictions where PokerStars holds licenses) require all funds to be held in accounts that are segregated from company assets. PokerStars has always complied with this requirement and continues to do so. This money is readily available to meet withdrawal demands, indeed the company continues to comply with withdrawal requests from players based outside the US as normal. Outside the U.S., PokerStars continues to operate business as usual.”

Good news for everyone.  However, remember that because your government went after a reliable, stand up company like PokerStars, players now no longer get to do business with a company with integrity and class.

Answers to Pokerstars Questions

UPDATE: Shortly after making this announcement Pokerstars put a stop on all withdrawals. Those who managed to process a withdrawal later had the funds returned to their accounts along with an email stating that Pokerstars was still working on the logistics of cashouts to US players and that players would be notified when they were ready.

 

 

Full Tilt Poker Statement on Withdrawals

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Full Tilt Poker released a statement in reaction to their agreement with the Justice Department.  It mostly says that they are pleased that they can give players their money back but the DoJ won’t give them the money that was seized.  That money represented a significant portion of player funds, and they are working to find some system to get money to players as their whole structure for payouts has been destroyed.  The bottom line for players is you still must wait.  Also, any pressure on DoJ in the form of comments on their Facebook page or to local law makers should be continued.  The negative press and anger from consumers is the only reason that we can see for the swift press release from Justice.  Continued pressure is the best way for players to facilitate the return of their funds.

Click Here for a List of Poker Sites that Accept US Players

Full Tilt Poker Statement:

Full Tilt Poker™ is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to regain the use of its worldwide domain name, www.fulltiltpoker.com.

Although players in the United States will not be permitted to engage in real-money play, the agreement expressly allows for real-money play outside of the United States.

In addition, the agreement represents an important first step towards returning funds to U.S. players because it allows Full Tilt Poker to utilize its domain to facilitate the withdrawal of player funds. But, unfortunately, there remain significant practical and legal impediments to returning funds to players in the immediate future. As a result of the recent enforcement action, there exists no authorized U.S. payment channel through which to make refunds; Full Tilt Poker has no accounting of the millions of dollars of player funds that were seized by the government; and the government has not agreed to permit any of the seized player funds to be returned to the players.

Finally, there are numerous legal and jurisdictional issues that must be considered before poker winnings can be paid out to players throughout the United States. While Full Tilt Poker continues to believe that online poker is not illegal under federal law or in 49 states, the indictment and civil forfeiture action filed last Friday require Full Tilt Poker to proceed with caution in this area.

Notwithstanding these issues, Full Tilt Poker is ready to work diligently with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York to try and resolve these issues and to get players their money back as soon as possible.