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Over the past several months, there has been a newcomer to the online poker scene. Pitbull Poker has sought to attract customers by giving any new player $10 just for opening up an account with them. Perhaps the most desirable aspect of the site, is the fact that it is a Flash based web gaming system which means that in order to players are not required to download any software. This means players can play anywhere they can obtain an internet connection. Just open the link, log in and you can begin playing.
However, very recently, the company has found itself in the midst of some very alarming allegations. Some players are suspecting the presence of superusers which can see the hole cards of all the other players at the table. Other players are alleging the use of programmed bots sitting at the tables. Both of these damaging charges spell certain doom for the site, as either of them are what all online poker players fear.
Adding to the hysteria surrounding the site, is an unwillingness or perhaps an inability of the site to provide detailed hand histories upon request, a standard practice afforded to players of all the other major sites. This prompted one angry customer to do some research into the company which created the software and he found a very checkered history. Among the facts uncovered:
- In 2000, Federico Schiavio, a high level IT employee of Binions, registered the domain wsop.com and began developing custom poker software to launch a poker site on this domain March 23, 2004 Harrahs takes legal action against Mr. Schiavio over the wsop.com domain April 19, 2004 Dimensus Ltd, the parent company of Pitbull Poker is formed. WSOP.com under Mr. Shiavio announces an arrangement with pitbull poker and launches the software. A scam artist named Kevin Baronowsky gets involved. He is the registrant of the following domains: o pherx.com a pherehormone selling site o pitbullpokr.com(no typo) which redirects to pitbullpoker.com o xardplayer.com(no typo) also redirects to pitbullpoker.com o All of these sites are found on the same servers. dsscanuck is a screen name it appears he used on a forum that discusses illegally accessing satellite television. In a discussion on that forum it seems that he was busted by a government agency for selling illegal equipment and turned informant against his customers. dsscanuck.com is now a blank website that holds banners for pherx.com and eczemaderm.com. eczemaderm.com is a site that sells a steroid cream product and happens to be hosted on the pherx.com servers.
So from the get go, the background of Pitbull Poker is founded by some questionable individuals. Now, Pitbull has been accused of several questionable practices which include:
- The aforementioned suspicion of the presence of superusers. Players requests for Pitbull hand histories have been repeatedly refused. As of July 24, 2009, players can no longer access any hand histories online. Dimensus Ltd the parent company of pitbull poker was dissolved March 10, 2009, leaving no apparent owner. Dimensus has never held a gaming license, but claims to be located in Costa Rica where one is not necessary. Pitbull has presented itself as a UK company making this an illegal gambling business. The UK gaming commission has already been informed.
In responding to the initial posts, other posters have come forward with tales of being seated at tables with players of the same name and questionable plays being made.
Should any of the allegations being made be found to be true, Pitbull's days would appear to be numbered.
Source: www.aintluck.com
