Spela Poker

January 27 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Senate to Hold Online Poker Hearing, WPT Returns to TV, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Chris Ferguson’s Bank Accounts, Hawaii Considers Gambling, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Tony G Helps Jungleman Find Action, Toby Lewis Wins TCOOP, and More

Related Tournaments

• Aussie Millions

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

Is Phil Ivey destined to win the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event? If so, you can be sure the Crown Casino will have the high-roller craps tables ready for him. While several members of the PokerNews team are in Melbourne covering the finale of that event, we’re here to bring you the other big stories of the day, including a poker bot competition, Washington, D.C.’s debate over online gambling, and more.

In Case You Missed It

Phil Ivey advanced to Day 5 of the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event on Friday, but he ended the day as the short stack. For details on the hand that got him there, check out our daily Aussie Millions recap.

How was the high-stakes action at the PokerStars tables this week? Read the Online Railbird Report to find out the week’s biggest winners and losers.

The World Series of Poker Circuit Caesars Main Event is under way in Las Vegas. PokerNews’ Chad Holloway previews the Main Event and breaks down the results from the preliminary events.

Miss anything this week? We’ve got you covered. Nicki Pickering gets you caught up on the latest news, views and gossip in the PokerNews Weekly.

Rise of the Machines

Students participating in an online poker course at MIT this semester will be competing in the MIT Pokerbots Competition next month. Teams of one to four students have been given one month to program a completely autonomous “pokerbot” to compete against other teams, with more than $30,000 in prizes up for grabs. Nearly 50 teams have already signed up for the computerized poker tournament, which is set for Monday, Feb. 6.

More than 200 students are taking the poker course, which is instructed by former online poker pro Will Ma (pictured above). The three-week seminar discusses mathematical strategies needed to be a long-term winner at no-limit hold’em tournaments. Students are evaluated by their performance in a PokerStars Home Game league (for play money, of course).

Ma is a former instructor at CardRunners, but he might be best known for his victory at the 2007 €10,000 Grand Prix De Paris Main Event for €422,560. He also has more than $1.7 million in online tournament earnings, much of which came under the name “CutiePi314″ at PokerStars.

More information about the Pokerbots Competition can be found at mitpokerbots.com.

Online Gambling on Hold in D.C.

The District of Columbia was the first U.S. jurisdiction to pass online gambling last April, but officials in the nation’s capital are still divided on whether the government should move forward with the venture.

Online gambling became legal in D.C. last year when a councilman inserted language into a budget bill that would allow poker and other games to be played on the Internet within the jurisdiction. A 30-day objection period ended without any obstruction from Congress, turning the bill into a law.

On Thursday, council member Jack Evans said at a public hearing that there is no rush to roll out an online gambling operation, even though D.C. lottery officials said they could potentially launch a website to offer a test run within 30 days. “Given where we are now, should we go back and revisit it or not? That’s what I’ll decide,” Evans said, according to an Associated Press report.

Nevada and D.C. remain the only jurisdictions to approve online gambling within their borders, but a repeal bill introduced last year by D.C. council member Tommy Wells could ultimately amend the law in the District. Other states, including Nevada, have hinted at the possibility of offering online gaming by the end of the year.

Read more at the Washington Post.

TCOOP Winding Down

The inaugural PokerStars Turbo Championship of Online Poker (TCOOP) is hitting the homestretch as 35 of the 50 events were completed through Thursday. That left only 15 events on the slate heading into the weekend, including the $2,100 buy-in High Roller and $700 Main Event on Sunday.

Here’s a look at the results from Thursday:

Event #32: No Limit Hold’em 3x Turbo w/ Rebuys ($100K Guaranteed)

The smallest buy-in of the TCOOP saw nearly 17,000 players combine for around 70,000 rebuys and add-ons, creating a prize pool of $429,065. Team PokerStars Pro Alex Kravchenko exited short of the final table in 19th place, and Romania’s “i.love.ri” won the title outright for $50,196.

Event #33: Razz ($50K Guaranteed)

More than 2,000 players took part in the $33 razz event, which took less than four hours to complete. “Wintyara” won the title and biggest payout of $9,518 after a three-way deal at the final table.

Event #34: No Limit Hold’em 2x Chance ($400K Guaranteed)

The richest tournament of the day attracted 2,459 players to generate a prize pool of nearly $700,000. Germany’s “WorDN” won the tournament and just over $100,000 after a heads-up deal with Mexico’s “OBVAMENTS.”

Event #35: Pot Limit Omaha 4-Max ($25K Guaranteed)

Alex Kravchenko made his second deep run of the day in this one but again fell short of his first TCOOP title, finishing 26th. Austria’s “Sisnleicht?” went on to win the event for $17,804.

For more details on each event, check out the PokerStars Blog.

Online Poker Traffic Report

PokerScout.com released its online poker traffic rankings earlier this week. The tracking site reported an overall drop of 2 percent as seven of the top 10 sites saw declines from the previous week.

The Merge Gaming Network took a 10 percent hit after its $1 million bad-beat jackpot hit last week. Still, Merge is dominating the rest of its competition in the U.S. market. PokerScout reports that since Bodog introduced anonymous tables last month, the site has lost 5 percent of its traffic. In that same time frame, the Merge Gaming Network has gained 14 percent and the Cake Poker Network is up 5 percent. Bodog also renamed its U.S.-facing business to Bovada late last month.

As for year-over-year numbers, PokerScout’s ACES indicator reports that online poker traffic (with the exception of Italy) decreased by 32 percent in the past year. Full Tilt Poker and the CEREUS Network can be blamed mostly for that number, but the Entraction Network (down 52 percent) and the International Poker Network (down 47 percent) have seen significant drops since last year. The biggest climbers since January 2011 are the Merge Network (up 82 percent), 888poker (up 69 percent) and Bodog (up 45 percent).

Read the full report at PokerScout.com.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-poker-bot-competition-d-c-split-on-interne-11900.htm

January 26 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: European Poker Awards, Van Der Sloot Sentenced to Prison, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Full Tilt Poker Deal, Sands CEO Talks Online Legislation, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Veldhuis and ElkY Fight Still On, Spain Nears Regulation, More

Related Players

• Bertrand Grospellier
• Chris Ferguson
• Pius Heinz
• Sam Trickett

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

Could Chris Ferguson prevent the pending deal between Full Tilt Poker and Groupe Bernard Tapie from happening? That’s what one report indicated on Wednesday. We’ll cover that story and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

What has Tom Dwan been up to lately? We caught up with the man known as “durrrr” at the Aussie Millions to discuss Full Tilt Poker, the Department of Justice, and more.

John Kim joined the Strategy with Kristy podcast this week. Kim talked about what it takes to be a poker player and a family man, and the mindset needed to be a long-term winner.

Erik Seidel was still on top of the Global Poker Index rankings this week. But how long will he stay at No. 1? PokerNews’ Mickey Doft explains how the 2012 Aussie Millions will affect next week’s rankings.

Phil Ivey was still among the chip leaders after Day 3 of the Aussie Millions Main Event. Get all the details from the day in our Aussie Millions recap.

The Poker Players Alliance is asking poker players to send questions to President Barack Obama about legalizing online poker. Matthew Kredell explains how this can help the cause.

Chris Ferguson’s Secret Bank Accounts

On Wednesday, Subject:Poker released information regarding secret bank accounts belonging Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, a key figure and shareholder of Full Tilt Poker. The report claims that Ferguson funneled approximately $60 million of his FTP payments into his own bank accounts beginning in at least 2007, and he withdrew or spent around $45 million of the funneled money.

According to the article, Ferguson allowed for about $14.3 million of the funds to be used for the company’s post-Black Friday expenses. Subject:Poker reports that Ferguson and his lawyer, Ian Imrich, have threatened to take steps that might obstruct the pending deal with Groupe Bernard Tapie and the Department of Justice if that money is not recovered.

Ferguson was brought into the spotlight last September when the Department of Justice amended its original civil complaint, alleging that Full Tilt Poker and board members Ferguson, Ray Bitar, Howard Lederer and Rafe Furst defrauded players. PokerNews learned this week that the four men, along with Black Friday payment processor Chad Elie, have been given another extension to respond to the amended civil complaint. It is the third extension granted by Preet Bahara since Sept. 20, 2011; the four will have until March 19, 2012, to respond.

Read more at Subject:Poker.

Hawaii Introduces Gambling Bill

As of now, Hawaii is one of only two U.S. states without any form of gambling. However, a new bill co-sponsored by three state lawmakers could allow a newly introduced Hawaii internet lottery to run an online gambling operation that would include poker.

The bill, HB2422, reads: “To protect Hawaii residents who gamble on the internet, and to capture revenues generated from internet gambling in Hawaii, it is in the best interest of the State and its citizens to regulate this existing activity by authorizing and implementing a secure, responsible, and legal system for internet gambling. The State’s interests are best met by doing so through an internet-only lottery and gaming corporation, which shall be a public instrumentality, operating for the sole benefit of the State, and accountable to the legislature and to the public through a system of audits and reports.”

The Department of Justice’s flip-flop on the Wire Act of 1961 has prompted several states to look into the possibility of online poker. With the Wire Act now only applying to sports betting, the line of states showing interest in an online gambling platform seems to be growing by the week.

For more on the new bill in Hawaii, visit capitol.hawaii.gov.

Trickett Earns Top Honor At European Poker Awards

The 11th Annual European Poker Awards returned to famous Aviation Club de Paris Wednesday evening. The event honored the best players in Europe for their performances during 2011. Among the players up for awards were Sam Trickett, Pius Heinz, Liv Boeree, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Eugene Katchalov and Jake Cody.

Trickett was given the most coveted honor of the evening. Although he wasn’t on hand for the event, Trickett was named the 2011 “Player of the Year” for earning nearly $4.5 million on the tournament circuit in 2011. Other winners announced Wednesday were Grospellier (Poker Personality of 2011), Heinz (Best Tournament Performance), Andrey Pateychuk (Rookie of the Year), Ilari Sahamies (Online Player of the Year), Natalia Nikitina (Europe’s Leading Lady), Warren Lush (Staff Person of the Year), and WSOP Cannes (Event of the Year).

Get all the details, along with interviews and footage from the event at PokerNews.com.

The Scoop on the TCOOP

Four champions were crowned at the PokerStars Turbo Championship of Online Poker Wednesday. Nearly $800,000 was awarded across the four tournaments, increasing the total TCOOP prize pool to $10,497,098 through 31 events.

Here’s a look at the results from Wednesday:

Event #28: No Limit Hold’em 2x Chance ($150K Guaranteed)

A large turnout for Event #28 resulted in a prize pool of $321,450, more than double the guarantee. A deal at the final table allowed three players to walk away with more than $34,000 each. Canada’s “andthe” collected $45,675 for winning the event.

Event #29: No Limit Hold’em 10-Max Shootout ($75K Guaranteed)

A familiar face landed in the winner’s circle of the $109 10-Max Shootout. Hungary’s Peter “twirlpro” Turmezey added another big win to his impressive online poker resume, earning $18,250 after outlasting a field of 1,000 players.

Event #30: Pot Limit Omaha Six-Max 3x Turbo ($100K Guaranteed)

Nearly 4,500 players combined for 24,589 rebuys in what turned out to be a massive event. After a five-way chop at the final table, online tournament specialist “Rounder63″ took down the tournament for $30,459.

Event #31: Stud Hi/Lo ($25K Guaranteed)

Team PokerStars Pro Andre Akkari made an impressive run in Event #31 but fell short of the final table in 17th place. Germany’s “barrako” went on to win the tournament and the $9,395 top prize.

For more details on each event, check out the PokerStars Blog.

Happy Australia Day!

In celebration of Australia Day, PokerNews’ Nicki Pickering tested some players on their knowledge of Aussie slang words at the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-chris-ferguson-s-bank-accounts-hawaii-cons-11891.htm

January 25 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: World Poker Tour Southern Poker Championship Final Table, PokerStars Adds Big Blind Cap Tables, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Royal Flush Girls Photo Shoot, Playtech Eyes U.S. Market, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Tony G Helps Jungleman Find Action, Toby Lewis Wins TCOOP, and More

Related Tournaments

• World Poker Tour
• Aussie Millions

Related Players

• Annette Obrestad

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

While all eyes are on Phil Ivey at the Aussie Millions Main Event, the Nightly Turbo is here to bring you some of the other big stories in the world of poker. In this edition, we’ll cover the upcoming online poker hearing being held on Capitol Hill, the announcement of the World Poker Tour television schedule, and more.

In Case You Missed It

Phil Ivey was second in chips after Day 2 of the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event. Find out who he’s trailing in our daily Aussie Millions recap.

Is Pennsylvania overtaking New Jersey as the East Coast’s gaming leader? Inside Gaming has the latest on why the country’s second and third largest gaming markets could switch places this year.

What does it feel like to make the final table of your first Aussie Millions Main Event? Randy Dorfman explains his experience in the latest edition of My First.

Senate to Revisit Online Poker Next Month

A recent decision by the Department of Justice to reverse its position on the Wire Act of 1961 will be one of the topics discussed during a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Feb. 9, 2012.

The hearing will be the second of its kind in less than three months. On Nov. 17, a Senate hearing titled, “The Future of Internet Gaming: What’s at Stake for Tribes?” focused on testimony from representatives of various tribes and tribal groups. Poker Players Alliance Chairman Al D’Amato was one of the witnesses that testified before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.

In regards to the hearing next month, Poker Players Alliance VP of Player Relations Rich Muny made the following statement in an e-mail sent to PPA members on Tuesday: “These continued hearings are hard evidence of the great work the poker community has been doing to ensure our elected representatives hear from us. I thank everyone for taking the steps necessary to ensure our elected representatives understand that we poker enthusiasts will not back down and will not simply go away!”

A list of witnesses for the upcoming hearing has not yet been announced. PokerNews will provide that information to our readers as soon as it is released.

Information on next month’s hearing can be found at indian.senate.gov.

Thor Hansen Diagnosed with Cancer

On Tuesday, the poker world was devastated to learn that Norwegian poker legend Thor Hansen has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Hansen, 64, was told by doctors at a Los Angeles hospital that the cancer is untreatable and he likely has less than two years to live.

Poker player Andreas Høivold broke the news on Twitter Tuesday evening:

AndreasHoivold Andreas Høivold It is a very sad day for Norwegian poker. The world’s best Thor Hansen has terminal cancer. He is now in a hospital recovering from surgery. January 24 2012

Hansen, nicknamed “The Godfather” in Norway, is one of the most respected poker players in the world. He has amassed more than $3 million in live tournament earnings to go along with two World Series of Poker bracelets, one coming from a seven-card stud event in 1998, and the other in deuce-to-seven lowball in 2002. He was named the Norwegian Poker Player of the Year in 2005.

The news hit the poker community hard on Tuesday. Fellow Norwegian poker player Annette Obrestad said the following in a thread at TwoPlusTwo: “I seriously cried when I read [about] this. I don’t know anyone like him. He truly is one of a kind. All the best Thor, ur an inspiration for us all.”

Check out the full thread at TwoPlusTwo.

Watch the World Poker Tour on FSN

Season X of the World Poker Tour is still going strong in the U.S. and across Europe, but the action is already set to hit television screens beginning next month. On Wednesday, the WPT announced that all-new episodes will air on Fox Sports Net beginning on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time.

Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten will be back in the booth for the tenth year providing commentary for all 37 episodes of Season X. They will be joined by WPT anchor Kimberly Lansing, Raw Deal analyst Tony Dunst, and the Royal Flush Girls from the sidelines.

“WPT Season IX redefined poker programming and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Season X will see more new elements that we expect the audience will love and will further enhance the timeless appeal of our show,” said WPT CEO Steve Heller. “World Poker Tour’s sustainability is not only a testament to continual innovation, but also to co-hosts Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten, who have been the best in the business for an incredible ten years.”

Read more at PokerNews.com.

More TCOOP Winners

The inaugural PokerStars Turbo Championship of Online Poker passed the halfway point on Tuesday as winners were determined in events 24 through 27. Only 23 tournaments remained going into Wednesday, which featured four more events on the slate.

Here’s a look at the results from Tuesday:

Event #24: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi/Lo($50K Guaranteed)

A large turnout for Event #24 resulted in a prize pool that almost tripled its guarantee. The UK’s “Mongy,” who won TCOOP Event #4 last week, reached another final table on Tuesday. However, the cards did not fall in the Brit’s favor as he hit the rail in eighth place. Switzerland’s “Sir_Don_John,” who final tabled TCOOP Event #14, went on to win this one for $22,127.

Event #25: No Limit Hold’em ($500K Guaranteed)

One of the largest events on the TCOOP schedule attracted more than 3,500 players, leaving $717,800 in prize money up for grabs. A four-way deal at the final table saw all four players walk away with at least $63,600. Mexico’s “wcsquad3″ claimed victory and the top prize of $85,653.

Event #26: Stud ($25K Guaranteed)

Thayer “THAY3R” Rasmussen weaved his way through a field of more than 3,000 players, but the online poker legend fell short of his first TCOOP title, finishing sixth. Canada’s “Poker Own U” claimed victory and a prize of $10,327.

Event #27: No Limit Hold’em 2x Turbo w/ Rebuys ($300K Guaranteed)

Nearly 8,000 players combined to generate a prize pool of $542,780 after the rebuys and add-ons were settled. Brazil’s “Mcolombo” cruised through the final table to collect $82,562 and the commemorative 24k gold-played card protector.

For more details on each event, check out the PokerStars Blog.

A Gift From Tony G.

We reported last week that Shane Warne was having problems with cyclists on the road in Melbourne. As a solution, Tony G. presented a special gift to the legendary cricketer during the Aussie Millions Main Event on Wednesday.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-senate-holding-online-poker-hearing-wpt-re-11880.htm

January 24 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Tony G Helps Jungleman Find Action, Toby Lewis Wins TCOOP, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Tony G Wins Business Award, Zynga Eyes Real-Money Gaming, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: WSOP November Nine Taxes, Sam Trickett is King, More

Related Tournaments

• World Poker Tour

Related Players

• Tony G

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

If you’re looking for the list of 2012 Academy Awards nominees, you’ve come to the wrong place. However, the Nightly Turbo does have Tuesday’s biggest poker stories, including three major announcements from Playtech, a photo shoot featuring the Royal Flush Girls, and more.

In Case You Missed It

The World Series of Poker Circuit Choctaw Durant Main Event came to a close on Monday. Abraham Araya emerged as the champion, collecting more than $270,000.

Phil Ivey made huge waves during Day 1c of the Aussie Millions Main Event. Check out our daily recap for the all the details from Melbourne.

Dan “KingDan23” Smith won the $100,000 Challenge at the Aussie Millions this week. Smith’s big win was among the topics discussed in Rich Ryan’s latest Five Thoughts piece.

_{*Photo courtesy of the World Poker Tour Blog.}

Models in Bikinis

The World Poker Tour is on a short hiatus before it touches down in Venice next month, but the guys behind the scenes have given us plenty of reason to pay attention in the meantime.

On Monday, the WPT released a sneak preview of a bikini photo shoot featuring the Royal Flush Girls. The shoot took place during the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic at Bellagio. Have a look:

The WPT Blog has more.

Playtech Prepares for New Markets

Playtech’s new global strategy took a major step on Tuesday as the company announced three transactions that will help position the company for regulated online gambling markets. Playtech acquired U.K. sportsbook and lottery software firm Geneity for £11 million, and entered into joint venture partnerships with German gaming company Gauselmann and South Africa-based casino and resort operator Peermont.

Playtech CEO Mor Weizer said in a statement that the company is preparing itself for all new markets, including the United States. He discussed that opportunity with Reuters on Tuesday, saying, “We have lots of potential customers (in the U.S.) that approached us or that we approached that would like to have us as their suppliers of online gaming products when the market opens up.”

Read the full story at PokerNews.com.

Facebook’s Value with Online Gambling?

According to a recent article over at Business Insider, a source close to Facebook predicts that the social gaming giant would generate $100 billion in revenue when online gambling is legalized in the U.S.

Yes, that’s right. One hundred billion dollars.

That number seems like a stretch considering Facebook did about $4 billion in revenue last year through advertising and gaming credits purchased through companies like Zynga. However, with a number of states now considering the legalization of online gambling in the U.S., Facebook’s immensely popular social network platform would undoubtedly be a popular spot for online gamblers.

Last November, Facebook announced it was developing plans to offer real-money gambling in the United Kingdom as early as 2012. That could likely serve as a test run for Facebook to expand into other markets where online gambling is legal.

Read more at Business Insider.

Get Your TCOOP Results Here

The inaugural Turbo Championship of Online Poker at PokerStars is nearing the midway point as champions were crowned in 23 of the 50 events through Monday. Four players took down titles on Monday, each winning massive cash prizes and a 24k gold-played card protector to commemorate their accomplishment. Here’s a quick look at the results:

Event #20: Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Max 1R1A ($100K Guaranteed)

Nearly 1,500 players took part in the $55 Pot-Limit Omaha Six-Max event. After 936 rebuys and 241 add-ons, a prize pool of $133,100 was up for grabs. Less than four hours after it began, a three-handed deal was struck and the U.K.’s “TLD2008″ went on to win the title for $19,439.

Event #21: No Limit Hold’em 4-Max ($150K Guaranteed)

Amazingly, the $44 4-Max event took four hours and 44 minutes to complete. “Biggielaw” from Hong Kong collected the top prize of $22,689 and the title after agreeing to a heads-up deal with “Alekhinebcn” from Spain.

Event #22: Limit Omaha Hi/Lo ($50K Guaranteed)

Team PokerStars Pro Lex Veldhuis fell just short of the final table in this one, finishing in 12th place for $773. He missed out on a wild finish as the final table took only 16 minutes to complete. Fellow Team PokerStars Pro Nuno Coelho from Portugal finished third for $7,731, and Norway’s “thomber” claimed the title and the top prize of $14,225.

Event #23: No-Limit Hold’em Six-Max Hyper-Turbo ($200K Guaranteed)

The richest TCOOP event of the day attracted nearly 3,000 players to generate a prize pool of $449,250. A deal at the final table resulted in three players taking home at least $49,000, and Canada’s “andy123460″ went on to win the event and $58,754.

For more details on each event, check out the PokerStars Blog.

On Your Bike, Melanie!

How quickly could you learn to ride a unicycle? Poker pro Melanie Weisner attempted to find out this week after Tony G offered her a chance to freeroll into the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event!

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-royal-flush-girls-bikini-shoot-playtech-us-11872.htm

January 23 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Tony G Wins Business Award, Zynga Eyes Real-Money Gaming, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Jungleman Challenge Cancelled, PokerStars Guinness Record, More
• The Nightly Turbo: Funds Confiscated in Bahamas, Ladbrokes Makes Big Purchase, and More

Related Tournaments

• Aussie Millions

Related Players

• Toby Lewis
• Tony G

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

The first Jungleman Challenge flopped worse than “Green Lantern” at the box office in 2011. But Dan Cates is still looking for an opponent and might just find one at the Aussie Millions this month. We’ll cover that story and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

On Monday, Dan Smith bested one of the toughest fields in poker to win the Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge. Get all the details from that event and more in the daily Aussie Millions recap.

Aussie Brendon Rubie won the Opening Event of the 2012 Aussie Millions Championship last week. The young gun discussed the highs and the lows during his poker career in Part 2 of the latest Seat Open series.

The buyer of Peter Eastgate’s 2008 World Series of Poker bracelet says he’s willing to give it back to the WSOP. Chad Holloway and Remko Rinkema caught up with the big spender to find out more.

A familiar face took down the PokerStars Sunday Million this week. Find out who won that event and the rest of the PokerStars Sunday majors in the Sunday Briefing.

Only 30 players advanced to Day 3 of the World Series of Poker Circuit Choctaw Main Event. We break down all the action in our daily recap.

Jungleman Still Looking for Action

Dan “Jungleman” Cates didn’t find any takers for his €100,000 challenge in Prague last month. His challenge to the world is still open, though, and he’s getting some help from Tony G. to find an opponent while at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship this month.

Cates issued the original challenge last October. A contender would have faced Cates in a heads-up match at stakes of €200/€400 with a minimum buy-in of €100,000 at the Prague Poker Festival on Dec. 6. However, because nobody stepped up to the plate, the challenge is still in limbo.

Cates and Tony G. spoke with Nicki Pickering about the challenge and who Cates would most like to play heads-up:

Toby Lewis Wins PokerStars TCOOP Event

Fifteen players won tournaments during the inaugural PokerStars Turbo Championship of Online Poker (TCOOP) over the weekend. The series, which kicked off on Jan. 18, had crowned 19 winners through Sunday, with four more winners set to be determined on Monday.

Highly regarded U.K. pro Toby “810ofcubs” Lewis was among the weekend’s TCOOP champions. On the same day that fellow Brit James Akenhead won the PokerStars Sunday Million, Lewis bested a massive field of 12,270 players to win the $55 No-Limit Hold’em Knockout event for $68,676.

The biggest winner during the weekend was Brazil’s “alterbo ka,” who earned $90,728 by winning Event #19, a $215 No-Limit Hold’em Hyper Turbo. The event took less than two hours to complete, meaning the Brazilian player earned over $762 per minute during the tournament.

For details on each of the TCOOP events, check out the PokerStars Blog.

Four-betting Sarah Marshall

Apparently, Drew Barrymore didn’t take lessons from poker pros like Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren and Sam Farha while shooting Lucky You in 2007. The actress told Vegas Magazine last week that Kristen Bell, Barrymore’s co-star in the upcoming film Big Miracle, destroyed her at the poker table when they played on set.

“Kristen and (co-star) John Krasinski would have poker nights at their hotel rooms all the time while we were filming in Alaska,” Barrymore told Vegas. “She definitely whooped my ass!”

For Kristen’s sake, we hope Bradley Ruderman wasn’t invited to this celebrity game.

Read the full story at Vegas Magazine (starts at page 80).

Bet24 Enhances Roster of Pros

On Monday, online poker room Bet24.com announced that seven new players have joined Team Bet24. Poker pros Stefan Mattsson, Tapio Vihakas, Ida Lundholm, Arvin Golrang, Matias Knaapinen and David Wintersberger will represent Bet24 on the site and during live tournaments. Sara Shalabi, a former contestant on the Swedish version of the hit series Survivor, has also been added to the team.

“We are very happy and excited to have signed up some of Europe’s most high qualified players” said Bet24 poker manager Lars Kollind. “It is amazing to have seven new poker profiles in our team and to be able to participate in their development as poker players and also build and strengthen Bet24 as a brand.”

Mattsson is the biggest name to join the team. The Swedish pro is mainly known for his cash-game exploits, but he has also won nearly $1.3 million in live tournaments around the world. He joins Danish pro Jesper Hougaard as the most accomplished players on the Bet24 roster.

Learn more about Team Bet24 at Bet24.com.

Poker and a Stripper

Got your attention? Thought so. A Vegas “dancer” who regularly blogs at Las Vegas Weekly recently wrote about her trip to the Bahamas during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. She was there with her boyfriend, whom she claims is a professional poker player, while he was playing tournaments.

“I like poker,” she writes. “Like stripping, it’s part luck and all balls. I get nervous watching him play, though. I mean, I’m a pretty nervous person anyway, but money makes me extra anxious. He’s such a calm person most of the time, so watching him get upset over bad hands is bizarre. It makes my stomach hurt.”

Unfortunately, “Justice” doesn’t tell us who she’s dating. But seeing as he apparently goes on tilt after losing a pot, you can probably scratch the unflappable Dan Harrington off the list. Let the guessing game begin.

You can find Justice’s blog at lasvegasweekly.com.

Nicki Shows You Around Melbourne….

…and introduces you to her friends.

Watch the video below for a tour of Nicki Pickering’s favorite jaunts around Melbourne.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-tony-g-helps-jungleman-find-action-lewis-11867.htm

January 22 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Tony G Wins Business Award, Zynga Eyes Real-Money Gaming, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: UB Responds to Data Leak Concerns, Google TV Adds Zynga, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Funds Seized from Swiss Bank, Hellmuth Picks Mercier, and More

Related Players

• Vanessa Rousso

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

Miss any of the top poker news stories this week? We’re here to get you caught up on everything from Zynga’s sudden interest in real-money online gambling to Black Friday payment processor Ira Rubin’s plea agreement, and much more.

Poker Business

Zynga’s Flip-Flop

Is Zynga reversing its position on real-money online gambling? Well, that’s what one company spokesperson told All Things D on Friday.

It appears Zynga has a sudden interest in the real-money space and is speaking with several potential partners about a shift into the market if legislation is passed in the U.S.

“We build games and experiences that our players want and love. Zynga Poker is the world’s largest online poker game with more than 7 million people playing every day and over 30 million each month,” the spokesperson said.

“We know from listening to our players that there’s an interest in the real money gambling market. We’re in active conversations with potential partners to better understand and explore this new opportunity.”

Read more at PokerNews.com.

Ira Rubin Makes Plea Bargain

Black Friday payment processor Ira Rubin is set to face 18 to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy on Tuesday in court in Manhattan, N.Y.

Rubin, 53, had been charged with nine counts in assisting PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker with deceiving banks by disguising payments as transactions with phony Internet merchants. Rubin has been jailed since last April when he was arrested in Guatemala while supposedly attempting to flee to Thailand.

Rubin’s plea bargain could potentially shave decades off his maximum prison sentence because he pleaded guilty to only three of the nine charges.

Read more at PokerNews.com.

Poker Pros vs. UB

Poker pros Brad Booth, Tom Koral and Dustin “neverwin” Woolf were among eight plaintiffs to file a RICO complaint against Excapsa Software, the former owners of Ultimate Bet. The players claim that the online poker site stole $20 million from players in a hole-card scam perpetrated by former employees.

The defendants in the complaint are 6356095 Canada Inc. (Excapsa Software), and 10 John Does. The players are seeking an injunction and damages for RICO conspiracy, conversion, interference with prospective economic advantage, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unfair business practices, and fraud and negligence, according to the complaint.

Booth has been very vocal about how the UB cheating scandal ruined his life. The Canadian pro told DonkDown Radio last February that he had about $2 million stolen from him during the super-user incident and lost even more money that he borrowed from his peers.

You can find the full complaint against Excapsa at PokerNews.com.

Taylor Caby Enjoying New Venture

Taylor Caby is arguably one of the most influential figures in the growth of online poker. However, after the Department of Justice killed “40 percent” of his business at CardRunners and Hold’em Manager on Black Friday, Caby has branched out to exercise his business expertise in a new venture: fantasy sports.

In September 2011, Caby launched DraftDay.com, a daily fantasy sports site that awards prizes similar to the payouts you’d find in an online poker tournament. Users can find daily games across each of the major sports in the U.S. with buy-ins ranging from freerolls all the way up to $500.

Caby told Mashable.com that while he wishes the online poker crackdown had never happened, it allowed the chance for his newest venture to succeed. The site has already attracted more than 10,000 users, and 2,500 of them play the games regularly.

Read the full story about Caby at Mashable.com.

Ladbrokes Purchases Las Vegas Casino Software Provider

U.K. bookmaker Ladbrokes has taken its first large step across the Atlantic. On Thursday, the company announced it had agreed to acquire a major stake in Las Vegas-based Stadium Technology Group, a software supplier for race- and sports-book operators in Nevada and Delaware.

The $3 million purchase give Ladbrokes a 65 percent stake in the company, with a retained option to buy the remaining 35 percent of the business over the next five years on a performance-related basis. It gives Ladbrokes access to technology for customers such as the Treasure Island, Golden Nugget and Hard Rock casinos.

“The size of the U.S. market and potential for positive regulatory change in the coming years make it a sensible place to establish a presence,” said Ladbrokes CEO Richard Glynn. “Stadium Technology is already one of the key software suppliers to casinos in Nevada and Delaware and it has the potential to expand.”

Read more at PokerNews.com.

PartyGaming Named in MegaUpload Indictment

The fight to protect intellectual property continued Thursday when online file sharing site MegaUpload.com and sister site MegaVideo.com were shut down by federal authorities.

The federal indictment showed that the site’s owner, Kim Dotcom (yes, that’s his name), made $42 million last year by hosting illegal copies of popular films and television shows. The indictment also shows that some of that money came from PartyGaming, the parent company of online poker site PartyPoker.

Financial Times reports that PartyGaming was a major advertiser for the site, paying more than $3 million for online ads that users had to view before watching a video. MegaUpload also had ad contracts with companies such as Goodle AdSense and adBrite.

The indictment can be found at sribd.com.

Online Poker

Melanie Weisner Lock’d Up

Former Full Tilt Poker Red Pro Melanie Weisner found a new home last weekend. Weisner was announced as the newest sponsored pro at Lock Poker, joining pros like Chris Moorman, Matt Stout and Leo Margets on the LockPro ELITE team.

Weisner, 25, has more than $1 million in online tournament earnings to go along with nearly $400,000 in live tournament earnings, placing her 74th in the Global Poker Index rankings as of Jan. 9, 2012. Her biggest live score came at the 2010 EPT Prague Main Event, where she took 12th place for $43,000. She also scooped a win at the 2010 EPT Monte Carlo Ladies Event for nearly $33,000.

“I am thrilled to join a team of world-class players and talented peers such as Chris Moorman, Matt Stout and Leo Margets,” Weisner said. “I feel very honored to be a part of this exciting and growing brand, and look forward to representing Lock around the world.”

Read the full release at 24-7pressrelease.com.

DJ Lady Maverick

As if she hasn’t spent enough time in the classroom already, Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Rousso is hitting the books once again. Rousso, who studied economics at Duke University before attending law school at the University of Miami, is taking classes at BerkleeMusic.com, the online extension school of Berklee College of Music, where she is pursuing a master certificate in Electronic Music Production.

Rousso recently appeared in a video endorsing Berklee, where she has been taking up to five classes at a time while balancing her poker career and other endeavors. Rousso says taking the classes online enables her to continue traveling the world as a professional poker player.

“If I were to think about where I would ideally like to end up with music, it would probably be where I’m traveling around the world playing tournaments, and in addition to tournaments I’m doing DJ gigs and performing songs that I’ve written recently,” she says. “If that was my life, I think I’d be as happy as possible.”

View the full video at berkleemusic.com.

Ch-ch-Changes

Phil Galfond’s departure from Blue Fire Poker last month has prompted the high-stakes legend to launch his own blog at philgalfond.com. Galfond has already been busy; along with a video outlining his plans for the new site, he posted a blog this week that has captured the attention of the poker community.

Titled Let’s Make Some Changes, Galfond makes several suggestions regarding the future of online poker. Galfond says he believes the following goals need to be considered to improve the online games:

1. Make playing poker an easy and fun experience for both pros and recreational players;
2. Close loopholes that allow unethical players to gain an advantage over those who choose to be more honest; and
3. Promote the play of more hands. Galfond then dove into each of the ideas with his own thoughts on how to improve the game.

The blog has been all over Twitter and even got a response from PokerStars:

PokerStars PokerStars @PhilGalfond Some really great points in that post Phil, thanks for sharing it with us all. Certainly plenty to consider January 15 2012

You can find the blog in its entirety at philgalfond.com.

Poker Legislation

Iowa Lawmaker Pushing for Online Poker Legalization

On Tuesday, Iowa Sen. Jeff Danielson said he intends to draft a bill soon to legalize online poker in the state. Iowa has been one of many states to show support for online poker since the Department of Justice changed its position on the Wire Act of 1961 last month. Iowa lawmakers also commissioned a study last year to determine the practicality and potential income Internet poker could generate for the state.

Danielson added that the DOJ’s decision could also allow states like Iowa to join jurisdictions that have already approved the activity. Nevada approved regulations for in intrastate online poker last month, and states like New Jersey and California are likely to follow.

“We believe that because of the Department of Justice ruling, we can now have a multi-state compact,” said Danielson.

Read more at the PokerNews.com.

Northern Ireland Still Without Live Poker

The U.S. isn’t the only country preventing poker players from hitting the felts. Despite allowing games of chance like bingo, slots and sports betting to be played for real money, Northern Ireland’s ban on live poker is still in effect after more than five years.

Many residents hope that ban will soon be overturned. On Thursday, members of the Legalize Poker in Northern Ireland group appealed to the Social Development Committee to allow regulated poker clubs and tournaments.

Spokesperson Glenn McCabe explained to the committee that because many poker clubs had been closed down in Northern Ireland around 2006, many games had gone “underground.” The Legalize Poker in Northern Ireland group added that poker could create up to 150 jobs in Northern Ireland

The BBC reported that the response from the committee was mixed, but it was still a step forward for the movement. Following the meeting, the committee agreed to write to the Department of Social Development to ask whether it is considering changing the gambling legislation.

The full story can be found at BBC.com. If you’d like sign a petition to support poker in Northern Ireland, visit gopetition.com.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/weekly-turbo-zynga-considers-online-gambling-ira-rubin-plea-11854.htm

January 20 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Iowa Senator Supports Online Poker, Galfond Calls for Change, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Veldhuis and ElkY Fight Still On, Spain Nears Regulation, More
• The Nightly Turbo: Spain Delays Regulated Market, Duthie Leaves PokerStars, and More

Related Players

• Tony G

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

The race for a real-money online gaming space in the U.S. heated up Friday as Zynga stated it is talking with potential partners about a future venture into Internet gambling. Why the sudden flip-flop, you ask? We’ll bring you that story and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

How was the high-stakes action at the PokerStars tables this week? Read the Online Railbird Report to find out the week’s biggest winners and losers.

Sen. Harry Reid has been one of the leaders tied to the push for federal online poker in the U.S. But where has he been lately? Matthew Kredell takes a look.

British poker pro Tom Middleton captured a title at the Aussie Millions Poker Championship on Friday. For all the details from Day 9, check out our daily recap from Melbourne.

The weekend is almost here and that means football. Check out our picks for the NFL’s Championship Weekend in the latest Pigskin Diaries.

Miss anything this week? We’ve got you covered. Nicki Pickering and Lynn Gilmartin get you caught up on the latest news, views and gossip in the PokerNews Weekly.

Tony G: International Man of Business

Our very own Tony G crushed the competition this month by winning the Lithuanian Business Lighthouse Award, presented by ekonomika.lt. Tony was one of 44 successful entrepreneurs and businessmen from Lithuania qualified for the award, which was voted on by 8,442 readers.

“I have been involved in a lot of different projects in Lithuania to help create jobs, including TonyResort.lt and TonyBet.com,” Tony told PokerNews. “I am humbled and honored to have won the Lithuanian Business Lighthouse Award and I am hoping to be even more involved in my home country in the coming years.”

He earned 24 percent of the vote; his closest competitor, Kaunas University of Technology Gymnasium Director Bronislava Burg, received 19 percent of the vote.

Read the full story at ekonomika.lt.

Zynga’s Flip-Flop

Is Zynga reversing its position on real-money online gambling? Yes, one company spokesperson told All Things D on Friday.

It appears Zynga has a sudden interest in the real-money space and is speaking with several potential partners about a shift into the market if legislation is passed in the U.S.

“We build games and experiences that our players want and love. Zynga Poker is the world’s largest online poker game with more than 7 million people playing every day and over 30 million each month,” the spokesperson said.

“We know from listening to our players that there’s an interest in the real money gambling market. We’re in active conversations with potential partners to better understand and explore this new opportunity.”

Read more at PokerNews.com.

PartyGaming Named in MegaUpload Indictment

The fight to protect intellectual property continued Thursday when online file-sharing site MegaUpload.com and sister site MegaVideo.com were shut down by federal authorities.

The federal indictment showed that the site’s owner, Kim Dotcom (yes, that’s his name), made $42 million last year by hosting illegal copies of popular films and television shows. The indictment also shows that some of that money came from PartyGaming, the parent company of online poker site PartyPoker.

Financial Times reports that PartyGaming was a major advertiser for the site, paying more than $3 million for online ads which users had to view before watching a video. MegaUpload also had ad contracts with companies such as Google AdSense and adBrite.

The indictment can be found at sribd.com.

PokerStars TCOOP Under Way

The inaugural PokerStars Turbo Championship of Online Poker (TCOOP) kicked off Thursday with four events on Day 1. The site shattered each of its guarantees, handing out more than $2 million across the four fast-paced tournaments. Here’s a quick look at the results:

Event #1: No Limit Hold’em Six-Max ($200K Guaranteed)

The first event on the schedule attracted an astounding 44,787 players, generating a prize pool of nearly $900,000. Brandon “oncommand” Meyers headlined the final table, but the poker pro fell short of the title in fifth place. The remaining four players agreed on a deal, and Canada’s “88Xin88″ went on to become the first champion in TCOOP history, collecting $67,903.

Event #2: No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo ($50K Guaranteed)

The first non-hold’em event on the slate drew 4,337 players, more than doubling the guaranteed prize pool. Larry “BBOY3110″ Sharp made a deep run, finishing in seventh, and Russia’s “gazon7″ claimed the title for $15,618 after a three-way chop.

Event #3: No Limit Hold’em Knockout ($250K Guaranteed)

Uraguay’s Fabrizio “SixthSense19″ Gonzalez claimed victory in the richest tournament of Day 1. The $134 knockout event attracted a field of 5,561 players, creating a prize pool of $556,100 and a bounty pool of $139,025. Andrew “RunThisTable” Lichtenberger was ousted from the final table in ninth place, and Gonzalez went on to win the tournament for $86,994.

Event #4: No Limit Hold’em ($100K Guaranteed)

The last tourney on Thursday was the $33 no-limit hold’em freezeout. It took only five hours to crown the U.K.’s “Mongy” as the champion. He collected $23,134 after a six-way deal at the final table.

For more details on each event, check out the PokerStars Blog.

The SportMoose Round-up

On Thursday, the sports world was sad to learn that action sports star Sarah Burke passed away from injuries incurred during a skiing accident on Jan. 10, 2012. Burke was a pioneer in the sport and won gold medals at the Winter X-Games in four of the past five years.

SportMoose.com reports that Burke, 29, crashed during a training run in Park City, Utah. Tests revealed she suffered “irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest.”

For more on Burke and other big news stories in the sports world, check out SportMoose.com. The site also has the latest odds on up to 20 sports and reviews for a number of online sports books.

Randy Couture’s Charity Poker Tournament

Mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture hosted the fourth annual Operation All In charity poker tournament last Saturday. The event drew several of the top MMA fighters in the world and raised money for the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation for injured troops.

MMA30 was at the Golden Nugget to speak with Couture and others in attendance:

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/nightly-turbo-tony-g-wins-business-award-zynga-real-money-11853.htm

January 19 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Duhamel’s Ex Denied Bail, Portugal Blocks Bwin.Party Ads, and More
• PokerNews Weekly: January 13, 2012
• Five Thoughts: Holy Macau

Related Tournaments

• Aussie Millions

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

How would it feel to have more than $26,000 taken from you by U.S. Customs? Two poker players found out the hard way this week. We’re bringing you that story and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

Erik Seidel moved past Jason Mercier for the top spot in the latest Global Poker Index rankings. Jonathan Duhamel also made a huge climb after a remarkable run at the 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

Aaron Lim won Event #4 of the Aussie Millions Poker Championship on Thursday. Get the details from the final table in our daily Aussie Millions recap.

The Australian Poker Hall of Fame inducted two new members this week. Chad Holloway took a look at the history of the APHF and spoke with one of the new inductees.

Ryan D’Angelo joined the Strategy with Kristy podcast this week. The two discussed D’Angelo’s recent experience at the PCA, as well as the concepts “way ahead or way behind” and “slightly ahead or way behind.”

When we’re getting ready for a big tournament the $60 nightly at our local casino, we listen to some jams to get pumped up. We’re sure you do too, so we’re offering up some of our favorites in our latest PokerNews Top 10.

Caught in the Act

Let this be a lesson to traveling poker players: declare your money accurately when re-entering the U.S.

According to the Bahamas Tribune, two players returning home from the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure had more than $26,000 confiscated by authorities for falsely declaring the amount of money in their possession while going through pre-clearance at the airport.

Brothers Michael Ruane, 23, and Sean Ruane, 18, pleaded guilty to the charge and were arraigned before Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell this week.

Sean Ruane admitted to authorities that the money had come from a tournament at the PCA in which he and Michael had “invested in some of their friends.” One of the players won the tournament, giving them both a percentage of the winnings.

The brothers then attempted to carry $9,400 each onto the plane after signing a waiver stating they weren’t carrying more than $10,000. However, as Bethell later pointed out, the U.S. law pertaining to the $10,000 declaration refers to family and not individuals. Authorities became suspicious of a “nervous” and “sweating” Sean Ruane and performed a secondary search of the brothers, resulting in their being detained.

Thomas Freeman Jr., a cousin of the Ruanes, was traveling with the pair and confessed to carrying the remainder of the money. He told U.S. Customs that he was involved in the incident and pleaded guilty to abetting the brothers in their actions. All of the money was confiscated, but Bethell did not sentence the three because they had no prior arrests.

Read more at the Bahamas Tribune.

Ladbrokes Purchases Las Vegas Casino Software Provider

U.K. bookmaker Ladbrokes has taken its first large step across the Atlantic. On Thursday, the company announced it had agreed to acquire a major stake in Las Vegas-based Stadium Technology Group, a software supplier for race- and sports-book operators in Nevada and Delaware.

The $3 million purchase give Ladbrokes a 65 percent stake in the company, with a retained option to buy the remaining 35 percent of the business over the next five years on a performance-related basis. It gives Ladbrokes access to technology for customers such as the Treasure Island, Golden Nugget and Hard Rock casinos.

“The size of the U.S. market and potential for positive regulatory change in the coming years make it a sensible place to establish a presence,” said Ladbrokes CEO Richard Glynn. “Stadium Technology is already one of the key software suppliers to casinos in Nevada and Delaware and it has the potential to expand.”

Read more at PokerNews.com.

Northern Ireland Still Without Live Poker

The U.S. isn’t the only country preventing poker players from hitting the felts. Despite allowing games of chance like bingo, slots and sports betting to be played for real money, Northern Ireland’s ban on live poker is still in effect after more than five years.

Many residents hope that ban will soon be overturned. On Thursday, members of the Legalize Poker in Northern Ireland group appealed to the Social Development Committee to allow regulated poker clubs and tournaments.

Spokesperson Glenn McCabe explained to the committee that because many poker clubs had been closed down in Northern Ireland around 2006, many games had gone “underground.” The Legalize Poker in Northern Ireland group added that poker could create up to 150 jobs in Northern Ireland

The BBC reported that the response from the committee was mixed, but it was still a step forward for the movement. Following the meeting, the committee agreed to write to the Department of Social Development to ask whether it is considering changing the gambling legislation.

The full story can be found at BBC.com. If you’d like sign a petition to support poker in Northern Ireland, visit gopetition.com.

Rutter Expands His Horizons

Sky Poker TV added another member to its team of talented analysts on Thursday. U.K. poker pro Stuart Rutter made his Sky Poker debut during Thursday night’s £15,000 Sky Sports Bounty Hunter. He joined fellow pros and recent Sky Poker recruits Ryan Spittles and Julian Thew in the booth.

Before turning to television, Rutter amassed nearly $700,000 in live tournament earnings, including a $68,000 score at the 2010 £1,000 GUKPT Coventry event. He also has a pair of World Series of Poker final tables on his resume.

“Stuart is just one of a handful of successful British poker players who will now appear on your screens to bring you top poker tips and advice,” said Claire Cook, Head of Channel at Sky Poker TV. “He’s one of the most charismatic players on the circuit and I am sure viewers will enjoy Stuart’s regular appearances on the Sky Poker TV channel.”

Read the press release at MarketWatch.com.

Touring the Aussie Millions

In case you’ve never been to the Crown Casino during the Aussie Millions Poker Championship, you can check out Nicki Pickering’s tour around the poker room. You’ll feel like you’re there — sort of.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/nightly-turbo-funds-confiscated-bahamas-ladbrokes-purchase-11845.htm

January 18 2012, Brett Collson

Related Articles

• The Nightly Turbo: Bodog Leaves U.S. Market, Andy Bloch Wins Epic Pro/Am, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: Galfond Leaves BlueFire, French Gambler Sues Government, and More
• The Nightly Turbo: UB Responds to Data Leak Concerns, Google TV Adds Zynga, and More

Related Players

• Phil Galfond
• Tony G

Share It

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google +1

Tags

Print

The #StopSOPA protests were in full effect on Wednesday, but PokerNews is still here to bring you the day’s biggest headlines. In this edition of the Nightly Turbo, we bring you an Iowa Senator planning to draft an online poker bill, Phil Galfond’s suggestions to improve online poker, and more.

In Case You Missed It

Lee Nelson won the 2006 Aussie Millions Main Event, but he’s been MIA for much of the past six years. We caught up with Nelson to find out what he’s been up to for the latest edition of Where Are They Now.

This week, International Game Technology made a huge bet on the future of online gambling by purchasing Double Down Interactive for $500 million. Inside Gaming has the details on the acquisition of the social gaming giant.

Iowa Lawmaker Pushing for Online Poker Legalization

On Tuesday, Iowa Sen. Jeff Danielson said he intends to draft a bill soon to legalize online poker in the state. Iowa has been one of many states to show support for online poker since the Department of Justice changed its position on the Wire Act of 1961 last month. Iowa lawmakers also commissioned a study last year to determine the practicality and potential income Internet poker could generate for the state.

Danielson added that the DOJ’s decision could also allow states like Iowa to join jurisdictions that have already approved the activity. Nevada approved regulations for in intrastate online poker last month, and states like New Jersey and California are likely to follow.

“We believe that because of the Department of Justice ruling, we can now have a multi-state compact,” said Danielson.

Read more at the PokerNews.com.

Ch-ch-Changes

Phil Galfond’s departure from Blue Fire Poker last month has prompted the high-stakes legend to launch his own blog at philgalfond.com. Galfond has already been busy; along with a video outlining his plans for the new site, he posted a blog this week that has captured the attention of the poker community.

Titled Let’s Make Some Changes, Galfond makes several suggestions regarding the future of online poker. To improve the online games, Galfond says he believes the following goals need to be considered:

1. Make playing poker an easy and fun experience for both pros and recreational players;
2. Close loopholes that allow unethical players to gain an advantage over those who choose to be more honest; and
3. Promote the play of more hands. Galfond then dove into each of the ideas with his own thoughts on how to improve the game.

The blog has been all over Twitter and even got a response from PokerStars:

PokerStars PokerStars @PhilGalfond Some really great points in that post Phil, thanks for sharing it with us all. Certainly plenty to consider January 15 2012

You can find the blog in its entirety at philgalfond.com.

The Scoop on the TCOOP

In case it slipped your mind, we wanted to remind you that the inaugural Turbo Championship of Online Poker (TCOOP) will hit PokerStars on Thursday, Jan. 19. The series features 50 events, all in a fast-paced turbo structure, with $10 million in guarantees up for grabs.

Players can find buy-ins ranging from $5 all the way up to the $2,000 High Roller. The series begins Thursday at 1200 EST (1700 GMT) with a $22 Six Max NL Hold’em event, and culminates with a $700 Main Event on Sunday, Jan. 29. The flagship event features a $1.5 million guaranteed prize pool with more than $200,000 going to the winner.

The PokerStars Blog’s Brad Willis discussed the upcoming series with Team PokerStars Pros Jason Mercier, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, David Williams, Ivan Demidov and Ana Marquez while at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure this month. The story can be found at PokerStarsBlog.com.

For the full TCOOP schedule, visit PokerNews.com.

Is it Time, Zynga?

Since it first introduced an online poker platform in 2007, Zynga has maintained that it has no interest in going after a real-money space. Zynga Poker manager Lo Toney told PokerNews recently that the company has had its “head down focusing on our existing business model,” which is a free-to-play site catering to more than 30 million active users per month.

However, now that the Department of Justice has changed its stance regarding the Wire Act, we have to wonder whether Zynga will perform a flip-flop of its own. According to an article in Forbes, the online gambling market could be worth more than $40 billion by 2014, which could present a major opportunity for Zynga to generate billions of dollars in revenue from its casino games.

Zynga went public last month and has yet to see its stock price climb above its $10 initial public offering price. Could an interest in the real-money online poker market give the stock a significant boost?

Forbes has more.

On Your Bike, Shane Warne!

We’re well aware of Tony G’s obsession with bikes. So when cricket legend Shane Warne told Nicki Pickering about a run-in he had with a cyclist this week, Tony had an explanation.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on Twitter — @brettcollson

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-iowa-senator-supports-online-poker-galfond-11833.htm

January 17 2012, Brett Collson

Tuesday was chock-full of poker headlines as alleged Black Friday payment processor Ira Rubin pleaded guilty to conspiracy, and eight poker pros filed a RICO complaint against the former owners of Ultimate Bet. We’ll bring you those stories and more in this edition of the Nightly Turbo.

In Case You Missed It

Jonathan Duhamel had a stormy finish to 2011. However, as Rich Ryan explains, things have taken a turn for the better for Duhamel in 2012.

In January 2011, David Gorr deafeated a stacked final table to become the 2011 Aussie Millions Main Event champions. Chad Holloway recently caught up with Gorr to see what he’s been up to since his big win.

Ira Rubin Makes Plea Bargain

Black Friday payment processor Ira Rubin is set to face 18 to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy on Tuesday in court in Manhattan, N.Y.

Rubin, 53, had been charged with nine counts in assisting PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker with deceiving banks by disguising payments as transactions with phony Internet merchants. Rubin has been jailed since last April when he was arrested in Guatemala while supposedly attempting to flee to Thailand.

Rubin’s plea bargain could potentially shave decades off his maximum prison sentence because he pleaded guilty to only three of the nine charges.

Read more at PokerNews.com.

Taylor Caby Enjoying New Venture

Taylor Caby is arguably one of the most influential figures in the growth of online poker. However, after the Department of Justice killed “40 percent” of his business at CardRunners and Hold’em Manager on Black Friday, Caby has branched out to exercise his business expertise in a new venture: fantasy sports.

In September 2011, Caby launched DraftDay.com, a daily fantasy sports site that awards prizes similar to the payouts you’d find in an online poker tournament. Users can find daily games across each of the major sports in the U.S. with buy-ins ranging from freerolls all the way up to $500.

Caby told Mashable.com that while he wishes the online poker crackdown had never happened, it allowed the chance for his newest venture to succeed. The site has already attracted more than 10,000 users, and 2,500 of them play the games regularly.

Read the full story about Caby at Mashable.com.

Poker Pros vs. UB

Poker pros Brad Booth, Tom Koral and Dustin “neverwin” Woolf were among eight plaintiffs to file a RICO complaint against Excapsa Software, the former owners of Ultimate Bet. The players claim that the online poker site stole $20 million from players in a hole-card scam perpetrated by former employees.

The defendants in the complaint are 6356095 Canada Inc. (Excapsa Software), and 10 John Does. The players are seeking an injunction and damages for RICO conspiracy, conversion, interference with prospective economic advantage, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unfair business practices, and fraud and negligence, according to the complaint.

Booth has been very vocal about how the UB cheating scandal ruined his life. The Canadian pro told DonkDown Radio last February that he had about $2 million stolen from him during the super-user incident and lost even more money that he borrowed from his peers.

You can find the full complaint against Excapsa at PokerNews.com.

L.A. Poker Classic Under Way

The L.A. Poker Classic kicked off Tuesday with the first of 50 events on the 2012 schedule. The 45-day poker festival began with a $100 casino-employees event, and culminates on Feb. 29 when a champion is crowned at the $10,000 World Poker Tour LA Poker Classic Main Event.

The series includes a variety of buy-ins across several games, including no-limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, deuce-to-seven triple draw, H.O.R.S.E, and seven card stud. The schedule features re-entry tournaments, knockout bounties, turbos, rebuy events, and even an “All-in or Fold” event in which players only have two options: move all-in or fold.

Last year’s L.A. Poker Classic Main Event drew 681 players to generate a prize pool of more than $6.5 million. Greg Brooks bested a tough final table of pros that included Carlos Mortensen, Vivek Rajkumar, Steve Gross, Amir Lehavot and Daryll Fish to collect $1,654,120 and his first WPT title.

For the full list of tournaments, visit the L.A. Poker Classic website.

The Price of Addictive Behavior

Do you or someone you know have an addiction to gambling? PokerWorks’ Linda Geenen has offered several tips to get help in her latest column titled, The Price of Addictive Behavior.

While most online gambling sites offer a “self-exclusion” option to their customers, Geenen notes that the same doesn’t apply to most brick-and-mortar casinos.

“Remember that you are another face in the crowd when you walk through the door and unless you use a slot card when you play, no one will know you are in jeopardy of losing your money and most importantly, your self-control,” she says.

Geenen suggests that addictive gamblers check with land-based casinos to see whether they offer a self-exclusion program. She also recommends joining Gambler’s Anonymous and speaking with family, friends or a church group for advice on how to limit addictive tendencies.

Check out the full column at PokerWorks.com.

Online Poker Traffic Report

On Monday, PokerScout.com released its online poker traffic rankings for the previous week. The tracking site reported an overall drop of 0.1 percent, but four of the top five sites saw an upsurge.

PokerStars was the only site among the top five to see a traffic decline. The world’s leading online poker room is still miles ahead of its competitors in terms of overall traffic, but traffic has now dropped in each of the first two weeks of 2012. Sister sites PokerStars.it and PokerStars.fr also saw declines from the previous week.

The Merge Gaming Network gained 3 percent because of a climbing bad-beat jackpot that exceeded $1 million last week. The jackpot was hit on Sunday afternoon, and we can only assume the network’s traffic numbers will take a sizable hit this week.

As for year-over-year numbers, PokerScout’s ACES indicator reports that online poker traffic (with the exception of Italy) decreased by 32 percent in the past year. Full Tilt Poker and the CEREUS Network can be blamed mostly for that number, but the Entraction Network (down 53 percent) and the International Poker Network (down 43 percent) have seen significant drops since last year. The biggest climbers since January 2011 are the Merge Network (up 94 percent), 888poker (up 69 percent) and Bodog (up 50 percent).

Read the full report at PokerScout.com.

Can I Get a Do-over?

Everyone loves bloopers, right? Well, our very own Kristy Arnett and Sarah Grant provided us with some funny moments during the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure this month.

Follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.

Follow Brett Collson on Twitter — @brettcollson

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

Article source: http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/01/the-nightly-turbo-ira-rubin-pleads-guilty-caby-finds-success-11825.htm