Issue N45, 2007
November 22, 2007
Will Online Poker be Legal in the US by 2009?
Industry leaders are cautiously optimistic that the online gambling industry is heading in the right direction, thanks in part to billion-dollar sanctions that the United States faces in the wake of a recent World Trade Organization ruling. Speaking at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas this week, the head of the Poker Player’s Association, ex-Senator Alfonse D’Amato, said that he was certain that the online poker industry could be legalized as early as 2009 if the United States finally saw that there was no other way to go about solving the problem.
There is growing pressure from outside, as well as inside groups, to finally legalize the gambling industry in the United States and do away with unfair monopolies. Many countries have already issued the US with compensation demands reaching into the billions of dollars. Experts predict that once these sanctions impact local US industries – not necessarily gambling-related industries – there will be even greater pressure on the US government to legalize online gambling in a regulated manner. D’Amato feels that the poker industry will be the first to be regulated due to its definition as a ‘skill-based pastime’, with less dependency on the luck factor.
Backgammon Masters Offers Live Support
The ever-popular online casino, Backgammon Masters, has announced that it is introducing live customer support for the benefit of its many players. This new feature will be available directly from the Backgammon Masters lobby, which is the central spot from which to access all the games on the site. The online casino currently offers players the opportunity to gamble at the South American dice game, Perudo, Blackjack, Poker and – of course – Backgammon.
The new live chat feature will be available in English initially, although the site plans to expand this service into other languages eventually. Software at this site is available in twelve different languages. Customers who find that they have any problems or queries about the games, rules, software or payment methods are welcome to click on the live chat help button from the game’s lobby, and they will be immediately connected to a Backgammon Masters representative. The new service was introduced due to a significant increase in traffic on the site, thanks in part to the new 21 Blackjack game that has taken the industry by storm.
New Poker Head for Betfair
Gambling industry online casino leader, Betfair, has announced the appointment of a new head for its poker division. Brice Stubbs, who joined the company four years ago at the beginning of its entry into the market, will become Head of Poker, with his appointment effective immediately. The managing director of Betfair, Mr. Niall Wass, was all praises for Brice Stubbs in a statement his week. “Bruce has an impressive pedigree in the space and has already proven that he can deliver results. We look forward to feeling his impact on the development of our poker strategy,” he said.
Brice Stubbs has been responsible for many of Betfair’s successes in previous years, including his role in coordinating the very popular World Series of Poker event on behalf of the company. Stubbs was also full of complements for the Malta-licensed company this week, and said that he held the company’s values and operation ethics in high esteem. He was optimistic about Betfair’s continuous impact on the poker and casino markets. “I think that they [brand values] put Betfair in a unique position to become a major player in the online poker sector,” said Brice Stubbs. The new head replaces Ben Friend who has remained on at Betfair as Head of Poker for Great Britain and Ireland.
iPoker Implements Zero-Tolerance on Poker Room Violations
One of the industry’s biggest poker networks on the internet, and certainly the biggest European-based poker network, iPoker has taken the rare decision to remove one of its member sites, after discovering rakeback agreements and other serious violations. Maestro online poker room’s removal from the network shows that iPoker is starting to implement its zero-tolerance policy against sites that violate the network’s policy.
The Playtech-powered iPoker network recently said that it would start heavily fining member poker rooms that were found to have offered rakeback deals to affiliates and players. After Maestro Poker continued with its rakebacks and other violations, iPoker had no choice but to remove the offending site from the network. IPoker needs to maintain a solid and reputable name for itself in the online poker industry. The Isle-of-Man based Playtech is one of the foremost companies in the gambling industry and will take all the necessary step to protect its name. The network includes some of the top poker rooms in the world, including Paddy Power and Titan Poker. An iPoker spokesman said in a statement: “iPoker is making major efforts to fight rakeback on all its forms”.