Business & Financial

Casino Hires Robert De Niro as Celebrity Flack

You talkin' to me?

A casino in South Korea hopes you'll be listening!

The Paradise Walker-Hill Casino in Seoul, South Korea, has announced that it has hired actor Robert De Niro to serve as a paid celebrity spokesman for the casino.

The casino, which is South Korea's oldest and is open to foreigners only--meaning no South Koreans are allowed in--is located in the Sheraton Walker-Hill Hotel, a luxury hotel in Seoul that is popular with tourists and foreign business people.

Submitted by Thomas Somach on, Mar/28/2012

Merge Gaming Expected to Take Over Number 7 Spot Next Week

Merge Gaming, which has been clinging onto the number 8 spot of most trafficked online poker rooms in the world for the past few months, is likely to become the 7th largest as early as next week.

Merge and Winamax.fr were essentially in a dead heat for the number 7 spot though Winamax’s 24 hour peak traffic was still greater than that of the Merge network, which hosts a handful of Gambling911.com sponsor card rooms including Lock Poker, Carbon Poker, PDC and Aced.com. 

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/28/2012

Alderney Gaming Control Commission Publishes External Review of Full Tilt Poker

The Alderney Gaming Control Commission (AGCC) has published an independent external review of its investigation leading up to the revocation of Full Tilt Poker’s license last summer.

Full Tilt Poker was named in a US-Government indictment April 15, 2011.  Executives from the beleaguered firm were charged with money laundering and bank fraud.  Accounts connected to FTP were frozen.  The company has not paid customers for nearly a year now. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/28/2012

Betfair to Introduce New Brand: Enters Fixed-Odds Market

The world’s largest betting exchange, Betfair, has announced its intention to enter the lucrative fixed-odds market. 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/28/2012

Sportingbet Enters Partnership With Foxwoods Resort Casino

Sportingbet is now in advanced discussions with land-based operator Foxwoods Resort Casino about providing it with an online platform for intrastate poker and casino games over the coming months, such as in Connecticut, as part of a joint venture, according to a report in This Is London.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/27/2012

888.com Reports Full Year Earnings Nearly Doubling

(Reuters) - British online gaming company 888 Holdings' full-year earnings  nearly doubled, helped by strong growth of its casino and poker offering, and the company named Brian Mattingley as chief executive.

The company, which operates 888 casino, poker, sport and bingo brands, said it planned to invest in several newly regulated markets across Europe and the United States.

More Britons prefer to stay at home, watching TV and gambling online, updates from consumer-facing companies showed, amid fears that the UK will slip back into recession.

Submitted by Guest on, Mar/27/2012

Second Man Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars Indictment

John Campos, the former vice-chairman of a Utah bank that processed payments for online poker firms Full Tilt.

Poker, UB.com and PokerStars has plead guilty to a single misdemeanor charge

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/27/2012

WMS Industries Latest to Apply for Nevada Internet Poker License

Casino game maker WMS Industries announced Tuesday it has applied for an Internet gambling license in the state of Nevada.  The Silver State became the first to legalize intrastate online poker for real money with the potential to expand beyond its borders should federal legislation be passed.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/27/2012

Sportingbet Looking to Re-enter US Market After Paying Fine to US Government

Reuters was reporting that Sportingbet, one of Europe’s biggest online gambling firms, has made a final payment of $6 million to the U.S. Justice Department, as per a settlement reached in 2010 over alleged illegal Internet gambling, and said that it was exploring opportunities to re-enter the market.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/27/2012

Sportingbet to Appeal Spanish Injunction

* Expects licence from Spanish gaming regulator by May 25

(Reuters) - British online gaming firm Sportingbet Plc said it would appeal an injunction against it sought by Spanish casino group Codere, aimed at restricting online betting and gaming in that country.

In December, the Spanish company had sought several injunctions against companies operating in the online betting and gaming industry citing unfair competition before licences under new laws were about to be issued.

Submitted by Guest on, Mar/27/2012

Chad Elie Pleads Guilty in Full Tilt Poker, Black Friday Case

 

(Bloomberg) - Chad Elie, a Las Vegas man who processed payments for online poker companies, pleaded guilty to a scheme to deceive banks into processing hundreds of millions of dollars in Internet gambling transactions.

Elie, 32, was one of one of 11 people charged last April by prosecutors in the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in a revised indictment against the founders of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.

Submitted by Guest on, Mar/26/2012

Oh The Irony: Rick Santorum Banner Ads Appearing on Poker Site

GOP Presidential candidate Rick Santorum is opposed to pornography, contraception, heavy metal music and most forms of gambling, especially the Web kind, yet shockingly his banners began appearing on the popular TwoPlusTwo.com poker forum in recent weeks, right along side a thread questioning why members of that forum should be asked to support someone who supports Internet poker prohibition (which is precisely what the tower banner we saw was asking the forum community to do)

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/26/2012

Laurent Tapie Relocates to Dublin to ‘Take Over Full Tilt Poker’

Laurent Tapie, the man behind the supposed deal to acquire shuttered Full Tilt Poker, has reportedly moved to that company’s Dublin base where he will reopen FTP for European players.  Tapie’s firm, Group Bernard Tapie, operates out of France. 

Full Tilt Poker is now going on one year owing customers millions of dollars after it had several bank accounts seized by US authorities.  An indictment was handed down against two company executives charging them with bank fraud and money laundering.  Full Tilt’s licensing arm eventually pulled the plug on the company last summer. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/26/2012

Illinois Lottery Tickets Now Sold Online: First State to do so

Illinois became the first state to begin selling lottery tickets online Sunday.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/25/2012

Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, UB.com Given Extension by US Attorney

The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York has given online poker sites Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars and UB.com an extension deadline of May 14, 2012 in which to respond to an amended civil complaint. 

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Submitted by Nagesh Rath on, Mar/23/2012

Everest Poker Sees Sharp Decline

Everest Poker, the world’s 19th largest network, and 7th if combining its French website, reported a sharp decline in revenue over the past year. 

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/23/2012

No Dash Poker From Merge

There is no Dash Poker coming to the Merge Gaming Network as previously reported on this website and elsewhere, Gambling911.com can now confirm.   

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/22/2012

Fred Wallin Becomes Sports Handicapper for Gambling911.com

Thomas Somach announces Gambling911.com’s new sports handicapping platform and the introduction of picks expert and sports commentator Fred Wallin to our team. 

You asked for it, and now you've got it!

Our readers have been asking us for a long time to provide them with sports handicapping selections from a top sports handicapper who is honest, successful and consistent, and now we've got them, just as March Madness is heating up!

Submitted by Thomas Somach on, Mar/22/2012

Daniel Negreanu Calls Full Tilt Poker CEO Ray Bitar a ‘Weasel’

Last week, we were told for the umpteenth time that a deal was about to be finalized (the next day, supposedly) for the purchase of “dead weight” Full Tilt Poker, a company that has not paid its US customers in almost a year. 

Days later, no announcement.

A French company, Groupe Tapie, was expected to acquire the firm (what’s left of it).  Some of the ASSets (no typo with the CAPS) include the very folks that ran Full Tilt Poker into the ground in the first place  - Raymond Bitar being one.  We say this because he is still said to be actively involved in the sale of FTP. 

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Mar/21/2012

Unibet to Introduce Fast Poker in Coming Month

Leading European online poker room Unibet is set to launch the new fast-paced poker platform aptly named Fast Poker within the next 30 days (April 2012). 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/21/2012

Australian Online Poker ‘Snitch’ Daniel Tzvetkoff to Come Out of Hiding for Trial

The man many believe is solely responsible for the takedown of online poker giants, Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars and UB.com in the United States is finally about to come out of hiding, according to reports in Australian media

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/21/2012

Relax Gaming, Fast Poker Receives 100th Alderney License: Not Hurt by Full Tilt Poker

The 100th Alderney eGaming license has been issued and it goes to Relax Gaming, developers of the fast-paced online poker platform, Fast Poker. 

Fast Poker will allow for fast play and quick transfer of a pool of player to another table upon folding their cards.   Fast Poker is set to be implemented with a handful of European Internet cardrooms in the coming days including iGame, Betsson and Unbibet. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/20/2012

‘No Collusion’ Says Bodog Poker: Hole Cards to be Revealed

In response to concerns over possibility of collusion at Bodog Poker, the company has announced that players will now be able to request hand histories revealing hole cards.

Americas-Cardroom-Square-022412.jpg

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/19/2012

Zoom Poker Making Waves in Online Poker Sector

Zoom Poker, PokerStars fast-paced ring game format, has been introduced in beta format this past week and it is the talk of the Internet poker world.

Americas-Cardroom-Square-022412.jpg

Not since Full Tilt Poker’s now defunct Rush Poker has a similar format been introduced.

PokerStars explains the Zoom Poker format and why it’s such a hit with players: 

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/18/2012

Managers with 40 Plus Years Experience Sacked at Star Casino

Seven mid-level managers, some with more than 40 years experience, have been sacked by Australia’s Star Casino for a breach in email policies.  One of the managers reportedly forwarded an internal email revealing how the casino had apparently permitted international high rollers to gamble 24 hours straight.

Americas-Cardroom-Square-022412.jpg

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/18/2012

Epic Fail: Poker League “Mountain of Debt” Claims Clarified by Execs

Responding to claims reported by CardPlayer.com that the Epic Poker League had left behind a “mountain of debt” as it seeks to reorganize under a Chapter 11 filing, the league’s CEO David Goldberg and Jeffrey Pollack attempted to clarify the situation in an interview with PokerNews.com. 

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/16/2012

Fast Poker vs. Zoom Poker: Two New Fast-Paced Platforms Debut

Just as PokerStars.com has unveiled its new fast-paced online poker game, Zoom Poker, a new game modeled after the now defunct Full Tilt Poker brand, Rush Poker, is set to debut on a number of European skins.

Cake-Square-010712.jpg

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/16/2012

PayPal Cracks Down on March Madness Betting

PayPal has restricted some accounts for their apparent participation in March Madness betting, according to a report appearing in Bloomberg News Thursday. 

Emails were sent to those suspected of using PayPal’s service for violation of the gambling policy.

The emails read: 

“It has been determined that you are in violation of PayPal’s Acceptable Use Policy regarding your sales/offer of March Madness sports pool,” according to the report.

Targeted customers are required to sign an acceptable use affidavit prior to their account being reactivated. 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Mar/15/2012

Fool’s Gold: Jamie Gold Poker Room at Tropicana No More After One Month

In a blink of the eye, the much ballyhooed Jamie Gold Poker Room at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is no more after only one month. 

The poker room is still open.  It’s just not called the “Jamie Gold Poker Room” and any association with the WSOP champ seems to have been erased. 

Gold is the biggest winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event ever, having won in 2006.  Ultimately he had to split the funds with a promoter as part of a settled lawsuit.

Gold promotional posters have since been replaced with March Madness promos.

Submitted by Ace King on, Mar/15/2012

Full Tilt Poker Deal Could Happen This Week

Reports have surfaced that the Groupe Bernard Tapie (GBT) is fully prepared to acquire the Full Tilt Poker website as early as this week.  While we have heard the same song and dance for months now, there is renewed optimism as a result of the specific time frame being announced.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Mar/15/2012

Breaking News

Say No to Sportsbook Blacklist

Since Gambling911.com revealed that seven sportsbooks had gotten together to share player information, everybody in the industry is talking.

Online Slots With The Highest Payout Rates

If you are into online casino slots, don’t just play any games you stumble across after you open the lobby. Also, choosing an online slot by design or theme is not a good idea. If you want to not only have fun playing but also hit some wins, make sure you choose the right games.

How to Withdraw Funds From Online Casinos?

Navigating the world of online gambling, especially when it comes to withdrawing your winnings, can seem daunting at first. However, with the right knowledge and understanding, the process can be smooth and secure.