Business & Financial
Full Tilt Poker’s Raymond Bitar Challenges US Justice Department
It seems a little late but Full Tilt Poker founder Raymond Bitar has now filed a claim against forfeiture allegations by the US Justice Department. Bitar and another executive of the company were both charged with money laundering and bank fraud on April 15. Bank accounts and homes belonging to Bitar were seized by US Feds.
From PokerWorks.com:
Full Tilt Poker Acquisition Right Now Just a Prelude Stresses Attorney
An attorney for the embattled online poker company Full Tilt Poker stressed to the New York Times Friday afternoon that a potential sale of the company was still in the initial stages.
It was “merely a prelude to a formal acquisition, pending resolution of the civil suit”. Players waiting since April 15 to see their funds will likely still have to endure a long wait and there are no guarantees this deal will not ultimately fall through.
Still, affected customers have more to grasp onto than they did yesterday.
French Business Tycoon Bernard Tapie Agrees to Buy Full Tilt Poker on Condition
French business tycoon Bernard Tapie has agreed to buy Full Tilt Poker on condition that it settles legal concerns in the US. Executives of what was once the world’s second largest online poker room were indicted on April 15, charged with money laundering and bank fraud.
Full Tilt has also said there is a plan in place to repay deposits of players worldwide, which suggests that any winnings will not be paid.
Chili Poker Moves Into US Market
Chili Poker is the latest European-based online poker site to delve into the US market.
No, they won’t be offering real cash poker. Chili will be opening a free to play social networking online poker venture.
Players will be able to utilize a virtual currency system.
Obviously, Chili Poker is positioning itself to gain a solid foothold in the US market should the activity become legal at the federal level as it applies to real cash play.
Alderney Revokes Full Tilt Poker License
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission as expected as revoked the license for Full Tilt Poker.
The AGCC had yanked the license on June 29 after Full Tilt Poker failed to pay its US customers following indictments against two executives by the US Justice Department. They were charged with money laundering and bank fraud.
Since that time Full Tilt Poker has failed to pay players across the world including Europe.
San Francisco Chronicle: Full Tilt Poker a Game Changer…We Say Not Really
The San Francisco Chronicle featured an interesting piece on the current crisis surrounding Full Tilt Poker and its impact on the Internet gambling sector as a whole.
Last week, US Feds accused Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Rafael Furst of defrauding thousands of poker players out of more than $300 million.
Betclic Poker Joins The Everest Poker Network
The Boss Media/IPN Poker Network has yet another defection as Betclic Poker announced it has moved to the Everest Poker Network.
Tarquin Henderson ,head of poker and casino at the group said, “We are thrilled that BetClic Poker joins the Everest Poker network. The growing Everest Poker Network is a popular and trusted place to learn and experience the fun of playing poker online.
“BetClic Poker will bring poker knowledge, passion and liquidity to our network and this will ensure the best experience for all players involved.”
Full Tilt Poker French Investors Look to be Out $800M Should They Go All In
News that mysterious (or not so mysterious) “French investors” are looking to acquire Full Tilt Poker had the folks from WickedChopsPoker.com doing the math, mostly subtraction…and folks, it doesn’t look good by any stretch of the imagination, even using Mickey Mouse calculations.
• As of March 31st, Tilt owed players around the world approximately $390M…but only had approximately $60M in bank accounts, leaving a short-fall of about $330M.
Gambling911.com to Visit BetOnline, Lock Poker
Gambling911.com has announced its October 2011 schedule, which includes visits to Panama City, Panama (home of BetOnline.com) and a meeting with Lock Poker executives and poker pros in London next week.
“We are very excited to be visiting with two of the industry’s fastest growing brands,” noted Payton O’Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website.
PokerStars Tough Time Gaining Ground
The world’s largest online poker room is still the world’s largest online poker room but a substantial margin, but the company has lost a significant amount of its customer base since exiting the US market on April 15 even after a slight summer surge.
Two Stars executives were indicted in mid-April for alleged money laundering and bank fraud.
PartyPoker Takes Over Number Two Spot
PartyPoker has recaptured the number two spot for the world’s largest online poker rooms after iPoker’s reign for the past few weeks.
Both networks have been engaging in a tug-of-war for that coveted ranking since Full Tilt Poker went offline the end of June.
The reality is that both sites have essentially the same average number of real cash players over the past week with Party trending upwards only slightly more than iPoker.
Gambling911.com Debuts New Subsection: Full Tilt Poker BS
Mysterious European investors, bizarre posting forum identity theft, and denials that any ponzi scheme ever took place at Full Tilt Poker, Gambling911.com frankly is getting a little tired of all these other media outlets getting hoodwinked by what was once the world’s second largest online poker room.
We’ve decided to devote an entire section here at Gambling911.com to Full Tilt Poker and we are aptly calling it “Full Tilt Poker BS”.
PokerScout Says it is Unaffected by Bodog Poker Software Update
Last week Gambling911.com broke the news that Bodog Poker had implemented new software that is supposed to prevent data mining. The public objective was to protect recreational players.
“Currently there is a wealth (quite literally) of data available on individual players and websites that only benefit professional players to the detriment of recreational player and, equally therefore, to the detriment of the poker industry itself,” a statement from the company read on Wednesday.
Some Poker Players Benefit from Full Tilt Poker Ponzi Scheme
A handful of folks claim to have benefited from the Full Tilt Poker ponzi scheme that was revealed by the US Attorney in the Southern District of New York last week. Adam Levy, a 26-year-old from New York is one of them.
He told the Wall Street Journal this weekend that, upon trying to transfer funds to what was once the world’s second largest Internet poker room, he quickly turned $150 into $9000 before the money was even verified in his account. Turns out, that money was never verified in his account.
America’s Card Room Provides New Online Poker Site for US Players
Customers Will Sadly Get Little in Any Full Tilt Poker Deal
Whether an acquisition or a U.S. Government deal, Full Tilt Poker customers stand a very slight chance at this point of receiving their entire funds from the beleaguered online poker company, assuming history is a parameter.
While it is true that customers of the online gambling payment firm Neteller ultimately received all their monies months after its owners were arrested in 2007, the same did not hold true for customers of BetOnSports.
Laurent Tapie Said to be Part of Rumored Investors Looking to Buy Full Tilt Poker
Bodog Poker: PokerScout Data Mining Numbers Just Estimates
Bodog Poker informed Gambling911.com on Thursday that numbers appearing on the PokerScout.com website revealing player traffic for their online poker room were “estimates” and not actual numbers.
Bodog announced on Wednesday it had implemented software that will prevent data mining and will no longer allow traffic monitoring websites like PokerScout.com to provide readers with accurate player numbers.
Jeff Ifrah’s Last Stand: “I Plead With All of You To United” Regarding Full Tilt Poker, AGCC
Bodog Poker to Prevent Data Mining
Bodog Poker was in the process of implementing software that will prevent data sites such as PokerScout.com from accessing accurate information on player numbers.
“Currently there is a wealth (quite literally) of data available on individual players and websites that only benefit professional players to the detriment of recreational player and, equally therefore, to the detriment of the poker industry itself,” a statement from the company read on Wednesday.
Full Tilt Poker Ship Sinking Faster Than The Titanic: Who’s Next?
Chocolate Poker Joins Euro Cake Network
The Euro Cake Network is pleased to announce that long standing European operator, Chocolate Poker is joining their network.
Oh to be a Fly on the Wall at AGCC Full Tilt Poker Hearing Wednesday
Thread Related to Full Tilt Poker, Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson Gets 122K Views in 4 Hours
Read The US Government Amended Complaint re: Full Tilt Poker, Howard Lederer et. al
Case 1:11-cv-02564-LBS Document 50 Filed 09/20/11 Page 1 of 7
Full Tilt Poker, Alderney Gambling Control Commission Meetings Continue
PokerStars to Develop its Own Version of Full Tilt Poker’s Rush Poker
Cyber Criminals Targeting BitCoin
The web currency Bitcoin has come under increasing attacks from cyber thieves.