Written by :
Published on :
If you are not already following Gambling911.com on Twitter, now is the best time to start.
We have all the late breaking news around-the-clock related to Friday’s indictment of three online poker rooms and nearly a dozen individuals associated with these companies.
“The news is fast breaking and requires updates in a faster format than what can be provided from articles that require a longer timeframe to publish,” noted Payton O’Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website.
The two largest online poker rooms in the world were shut down in the US by law enforcement Friday, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.
“We believe that affiliates relying solely on either Full Tilt Poker or PokerStars for income will be wiped out and incapable of maintaining their websites,” O’Brien said. “Furthermore, we see that even some of the biggest ventures will be adversely affected by the shutdowns, including ESPN, which receives substantial ad revenue from both Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars.”
Both companies announced plans to pull out of the US market entirely, effective immediately, until this matter is resolved.
It should also be noted that both online poker firms provided substantial financial resources to the Poker Players Alliance and lobbied heavily in Washington. Politicians are likely to steer clear of both companies based on one of the more telling counts featured in the indictment, specifically that the two companies are alleged to have disguised transactions while “bribing” a Utah-based bank. All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty, but this doesn’t mean that the politicians will be embracing these two sites (or any other that accept US players) for the time being.
“We could see European-based sites step up to the plate and begin to fund lobbying efforts,” O’Brien suggested. “888.com, PartyPoker and Sportingbet have already formed alliances and settled with the US authorities to some degree.”
Follow breaking headlines around the clock at Gambling911.com Twitter Here
