Business & Financial

MGM, Boyd Join Forces With Bwin, PartyPoker to Offer Online Poker

Yet another major casino company has announced a partnership with an already existing online poker group.

Casino operators MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming Corp. have teamed up with Bwin.party to prepare to offer Internet gambling.  Bwin.party is the largest Web betting firm worldwide, comprising of PartyPoker, the 2nd biggest Internet card room, and Bwin, the largest Web sportsbook.  The combined company’s net revenue last year was 814 million euros.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/31/2011

Billionaires Bet on Internet Gambling: Say it Will be a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Forbes.com featured a piece Monday on how billionaires are looking to back the likelihood of Internet gambling getting regulated in the United States.

The likes of Steven Roth, chairman of Vornado Realty Trust, and shopping mall magnate Herbert Simon, the owner of the Indiana Pacers, have invested in a firm that provides software and advertising services to potential online gambling licensees in the US, including the Vegas casinos. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/31/2011

Zynga Poker Takes Over Advertising Sports for PokerStars, Full Tilt on ESPN

The fine folks from WickedChopsPoker.com were among the first to discover that Zynga Poker, the free online poker room with over 29 million monthly users (8 million daily), has just begun advertising on ESPN.com. 

What is the significance of this?

Two things.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/31/2011

Cereus, Absolute Poker, UB.com Plan to Liquidate Assets to Pay Back Players

Blanca Games, the company that owns the Cereus Poker Network and its brands, Absolute Poker and UB.com, have submitted a plan to the US Justice Department that would result in the repayment of players.  Part of that plan would include the liquidation of assets.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/28/2011

Merge Poker Traffic Soars 21 Percent

After opening back up to the US market, Merge Gaming has seen its traffic shoot up 21 percent over the past two weeks.  Merge is home to such big name online poker brands as Lock Poker, Carbon Poker and Sportsbook.com’s Internet poker arm. 

Following an eight week absence from the top 10 trafficked global online poker rooms, Merge returned and sits in the number 10 spot this week.

Overall Web poker traffic declined 1.2 percent over the past week. 

Submitted by Ace King on, Oct/26/2011

Fertitta Interactive Positioning Itself for Legalized Internet Poker

Fertitta Interactive, owned by brothers Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta, announced the purchase of California online gambling company CyberArts Licensing LLC Wednesday. 

The brothers, who also own Stations Casinos and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), are hoping to get a jump start should the US legalize online gambling, specifically Internet poker. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/26/2011

Clive Archer Has Left The Building

BetOnline, the fastest growing sportsbook in the US, today announced the departure of Clive Archer.  During his tenure within the organization, Clive held various roles including Director of Business Development and Chief Executive Officer.  The parting was by mutual agreement.        

“Clive very successfully helped us re-position the organization for growth and brought many in the industry to the BetOnline table,” said a BetOnline spokesperson. “We wish him only the best with all future endeavors.” 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/26/2011

In 2012 Online Poker Networks Will Focus on the Fish

Submitted by Ace King on, Oct/25/2011

Tel A-Heave Ho: Fish Feeder, Rabbi, Hairdresser on Books at William Hill Tel Aviv Office

The turmoil continues at William Hill following a mass exodus of employees in its Affiliates United Tel Aviv-based online support centre last week.  The company revealed on Monday that it had canned three of its managers based out of Israel. 

The support centre is 79 percent owned by Hill and 21 percent owned by its software provider, Playtech. 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/24/2011

Kahnawake: Positive Outcome Coming Regarding Absolute Poker?

The Kahnawake Gambling Commission, which licenses troubled online poker firm UB.com and its sister site Absolute Poker, has been in correspondence with affected players recently, suggesting a positive outcome is coming soon.

While Absolute Poker and UB.com have continued to pay players outside the US in small increments, those living in the States have been waiting for payment since April.  That is when two executives of the company were indicted.  Charges included money laundering and bank fraud.  Absolute Poker/UB.com were forced to flee the US market as a result.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/24/2011

Full Tilt Poker Lays Off Remaining Staff

Disgraced online poker firm Full Tilt Poker has laid off its remaining staff of 180 employees in Dublin, Ireland.  The company had its license officially revoked last month following a series of US indictments.

A handful of poker pros/shareholders in the company, including Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson, are accused by the US Government of perpetrating an elaborate ponzi scheme.

US Customers of Full Tilt Poker have yet to be paid since April 15 while those worldwide have not received payouts since late June. 

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Oct/24/2011

Nevada Will Have Real Cash Online Poker Come January

Intrastate online poker for real money is anticipated this coming January in the state of Nevada.  Should legislation pass at the federal level, Nevada would then permit those across state lines to play.  They, the licensed casinos in Nevada, would become the hub for interstate online poker at that point.

A source close to the situation noted that there is some confusion related to Nevada’s passage of a measure that permits real cash online poker and that Gambling911.com is not exactly helping in this regard.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/23/2011

William Hill Execs Locked Out of Their Own Office: Implosion Within, Shares Fall

The riff between William Hill and its Tel Aviv-based online support and affiliate center, Affiliates United, continued through the weekend following a mass employee walkout last Sunday.  Fewer than 20 employees reported back to work. 

The Affiliates United employees were told by a former manager of the support center that they would be relocating to William Hill’s Gibraltar base.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/23/2011

Lock Poker CEO Jennifer Larson Applauds Lock Pro Chris Moorman WSOPE Finish

It is the year of the number two making headlines with World Series of Poker bracelet record holder Phil Hellmuth finishing second in three of this year’s events.  Now comes another big number two finish, Lock Poker pro Chris Moorman.

His second place finish at this past week’s World Series of Poker Europe earned him $1.1 million and some change.  It was his second consecutive number two finish having walked away with $716,282 at the WSOP No Limit Hold’em Six Handed Championship over the summer.

Submitted by Ace King on, Oct/23/2011

Tim Trushel Abruptly Resigns from his Own Website Sports Memo

Tim Trushel, the president and owner of the Sports Memo group announced his resignation on Tuesday in a shocking development in the sports advisory business.  (see blog post here)

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Oct/20/2011

Donald Trump to Enter Online Poker Fray

Real estate, entertainment and casino mogul Donald Trump has teamed up with hedge funds manager Marc Lasry in an effort to get a piece of the online poker industry pie once the activity becomes licensed and regulated in the United States.

From Bloomberg News:

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/20/2011

House Committee Hearing on Internet Poker Next Week has Many Excited

The House Energy and Commerce Manufacturing subpanel will hold a hearing Tuesday on Internet gambling.

“I am pleased that Chairman Bono-Mack is holding a hearing on the important issue of Internet gaming," said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas in an interview with The Hill.  The Congressman introduced a bill that would legalize online poker in the United States. 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/20/2011

The Class Action Lawsuits Against Full Tilt Poker Keep Coming

Yet another class action lawsuit has been filed against defunct online poker company Full Tilt Poker. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/20/2011

The Merge Surge

PocketFives.com reports that Merge Gaming has enjoyed quite an uplift after opening to the North American market this past week.

Traffic grew by 15 percent, P5s noted.

PokerScout.com, the traffic monitoring website for online poker reported the following

Submitted by Ace King on, Oct/19/2011

William Hill Promises Its Affiliates United Branch Staff Six Months Notice of Termination

The United Kingdom’s largest online bookmaker, William Hill, has promised its Tel Aviv-based online affiliate staff, Affiliates United (AffUtd), one month's extra pay and six months notice in the event their jobs are set to be terminated.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Oct/19/2011

WSOPE Main Event 2011 Final Table: Lock Poker Pro Chris Moorman Makes the Cut

Lock Poker pros Chris Moorman made the WSOPE Main Event 2011 final table as did online poker phenom Patrik Antonius. 

“We are all rooting for Chris,” Lock Poker CEO Jennifer Larson told Gambling911.com late Wednesday. 

His appearance among the top 9 finalists is certainly great exposure for one of the fastest growing online poker rooms.  Another Lock pro, Michael Drummond, also enjoyed a strong finish at number 16.

Submitted by Ace King on, Oct/19/2011

William Hill Share Price in Tizzy Following Tel Aviv Uprising

William Hill’s share price was -4.1p at 224.7p Wednesday as executives from the company tried desperately to quash an uprising in its Tel Aviv Internet support centre.

The company issued a statement on Tuesday that several higher-ups at that office would receive disciplinary action for suggesting to employees they were either being relocated to the company’s Gibraltar office or that their jobs might ultimately be disposed of altogether.  More than 200 of the Tel Aviv employees abandoned their jobs as a result of this news.

Submitted by Jagajeet Chiba on, Oct/19/2011

William Hill Takes Action Against Tel Aviv Execs

England’s biggest bookmaker says it is taking actions against executives in charge of its Tel Aviv online gambling support center for wrongly telling employees they were being relocated to Gibraltar. 

Headlines were made this week when more than 200 employees walked out after reports surfaced that the Tel Aviv office would be shut down.  William Hill dispatched a team of senior executives to help quell concerns.

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/18/2011

PartyPoker Working Hard to Enter US Market: Redlines PokerStars, Full Tilt

Forbes.com reported on Tuesday afternoon how PartyPoker co-chief Jim Ryan has been meeting with investors in the US to highlight how his company will benefit from the latest exits of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker from American soil.

His chart, according to Forbes, listed Stars and Tilt with red lines drawn through their names.

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/18/2011

Mass William Hill Walkout Could Have Effect on Internet Business

The resignation of Eyal Sanoff, the chief marketing officer, from William Hill has prompted a mass walkout of over 200 staff members from the company’s Tel Aviv online support centre, the Sun reports.  That office handles nearly all of William Hill’s Internet marketing. 

The Israeli-based staff is worried over rumors that Hill’s CEO Ralph Topping is preparing to dump them and move all operations back to the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. 

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/18/2011

BetOnSports Founder Gary Kaplan Out of Prison

The founder of BetOnSports.com, Gary Kaplan, has completed his prison sentence in connection with running what was considered the biggest North American facing sports betting business of its kind during its heyday.  Numerous sources have confirmed to Gambling911.com that Kaplan is out of jail, whereabouts unknown.

BetOnSports and nearly a dozen of its executives were indicted in July of 2006 just prior to the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in October of that same year.  Charges included racketeering, money laundering and mail fraud. 

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/18/2011

Free Online Poker Las Vegas Casino South Point Joins the G911 Family

Gambling911.com is thrilled to announce that South Point Poker, the first online poker website run by a Las Vegas casino operator, has joined our family of fine partners.  

Submitted by C Costigan on, Oct/16/2011

Sportingbet Has Sold Its Turkish Business to GVC Sports

Following news this week that takeover talks involving Ladbrokes had fallen through, Sportingbet has sold its Turkish sports betting business to GVC Sports for €142.5m.  Gambling restrictions in that nation forced the sale.

Andy McIver, Sportingbet’s chief executive, offered the following statement:

“Given our other big markets, Spain and Greece, have recently regulated their gambling markets, Turkey was the one which stood out [and] that has often been cited as an overhang on our equity,” he said. “So it was a question of when, not if.”

Submitted by Aaron Goldstein on, Oct/14/2011

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