Merge Poker Blocking Four States Plus District of Columbia

Merge Poker, which runs the popular Lock Poker website, has stopped accepting new cash customers from the following US states effective immediately: 

New York

Maryland

Louisiana

District of Columbia

Missouri

In recent years, these states have aggressively launched attacks against the online gambling sector.

There are conflicting reports that Washington State may also be included on the list.  It is the only state that makes it a Class C felony for individuals to gamble online.  Whenever possible, Gambling911.com discourages its Washington State readers from accessing such websites. 

Merge also announced that its BlackChip Poker brand will not longer allow cash players from France.

Furthermore the company announced that its generous 35 percent rakeback will no longer be available effective June 1 (Gambling911.com readers can still take advantage until that time at Lock Poker here)

Merge’s decision comes one day after a Maryland probe resulted in the seizure of several domain names belonging to the companies Bookmaker.com and BetED.com.

Bookmaker experienced little interruption as a result of the seized domains as it had backup .ag domains ready to go.  BetED.com remains shut down for the time being. 

- Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher