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The fledgling Epic Poker League is reportedly in talks with Pinnacle Entertainment regarding a potential purchase of the league, sources close to WickedChopsPoker.com reported on Wednesday. The deal could occur within the next 60 days.
A previously scheduled event has been pushed back to a yet-to-be-determined April/May date. While the league claims this move was a result of player feedback, others have speculated Epic may be undergoing financial difficulties.
The potential acquisition is a curious fit, but one with understandable roots. Pinnacle management consists of a number of ex-Harrah’s executive staff. Ginny Shanks (pictured right), who currently heads Marketing for Pinnacle, helped run the World Series of Poker when Jeffrey Pollack first arrived and appointed himself commissioner. Shanks was responsible for conceiving and executing the $2M Tournament of Chapions freeroll in 2004, won by current Epic commissioner Annie Duke.
According to a casino gaming source who tipped us off on the deal, Pollack has maintained a close relationship with Shanks and other ex-Harrah’s employees now with Pinnacle, who still live in Las Vegas where the corporate office is located.
More Poker News Headlines for the Early Morning Hours of Thursday January 12, 2012
Internet Poker Coming to Ohio? - Ohio has become the latest state looking to possibly embrace Internet poker in the wake of a Department of Justice opinion that the Wire Act will no longer be applied to poker. This decision has provided individual states with the green light to begin regulating online poker.
“We’re exploring this topic,” said Dennis Berg, interim director of the Ohio Lottery Commission. “We want to be in the forefront of being able to generate revenue for the lottery commission. But it’s a policy decision that we will not make on our own.”
Berg said any foray into Internet gaming would be made in consultation with the (Governor) Kasich administration. He offered no timeline for when a decision would be made. [Cincinnati Business Courier]
Portugal Targeting Bwin.party, Others – Portugal has ordered that sporting events will no longer be permitted to feature advertisements from online gambling firms.
A representative from bwin.party told PocketFives.com, "The Portuguese monopoly for online games is not in line with the recent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Portuguese monopoly cannot aggressively advertise on the one hand and block out foreign competition on the other. The other aspects of Bwin’s business in Portugal will continue as normal." [Pocket Fives]
Americas Cardroom has Banner Month With 20 Days Still Left - Popular US-friendly online poker site Americas Cardroom logged record numbers at the start of 2012, and management is crediting the doubling of all guarantees for the surge in traffic. The promo drew approximately 12,000 players to the guaranteed tournaments, and that number does not include those playing in cash games, satellites and non-guaranteed tourneys. [Gambling911.com]
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
