Online Poker: PIC Club Merge Purge
PIC Club has dissolved its relationship with the Merge Poker Network over the past several days according to numerous reports across the Net. Merge is best known for its "pot-friendly" online poker site, Reefer Poker. PIC Club has filled in a void left by NETeller as a payment processor that helps facilitate online poker transactions.
In a recent e-mail to members, PIC Club stated that its business arrangement with the Merge Gaming Network would be terminated. The Network is made up of over 40 poker rooms, including Carbon Poker, Poker Nordica, and ACED, and is currently the 17th most populated worldwide according to PokerScout.com. According to PIC Club, "Transactions to or from the rooms on the Merge Network will cease at 11:59PM (Eastern Time) on October 18th, 2009."
The e-mail, signed by PIC Club Chief Executive Officer Chuck Kidd, addresses several issues that may face players who remove their money from Merge Gaming Network rooms: "If you choose to withdraw funds from any Merge Room back to PICClub, they will remain in a pending status, subject to review and approval by Merge management and if approved will only be released from the pending status when we receive the funds from the Merge Gaming Network to cover your withdrawal."
While no reason was given for the sudden severing of ties, rumors have begun to spread across the Net and Merge has since fired back, making it obvious this was no happy parting of the ways.
Also from Poker News Daily:
(A statement issued by) Merge Gaming CEO Anthony Taylor, read, "It has been brought to my attention, via comments in a public forum, that there is some confusion regarding a relationship we have with a payments provider. To be clear, it was Merge Gaming, who served notice on our agreement with Pic Club." An e-mail sent by PIC Club members to players on October 15th noted that the two sides "mutually agreed to end their business relationship." October 18th, three days after the e-mail was sent to players, marked the final day of transactions between the two entities.
Speculation on the motivation for either side ending its agreement with the other has run rampant throughout the major online poker forums, leading to Taylor's statement. He attempted to shed some light on the point of contention by remarking, "The reasoning behind this is a matter of private record. Merge Gaming attempted to resolve the issue brought on by PIC Club, one of its principals, and one of its members, and without resolution, felt it was in the best interest of our customers to end this relationship immediately."
The Merge Gaming CEO crisply ended his e-mail by claiming, "It is regrettable that I have to respond to the statements of the past week, but our hand has been forced. We've cancelled our agreement to protect our players, our network partners, and our reputation going forward."
As can be expected, Gambling911.com will continue to follow this story closely as further information develops.
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
