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Poker Player Tossed Out Of Borgata For Offensive Body Odor

As a reporter and analyst of online gambling, I’ve spent several years now studying the online poker industry. I could write paragraph after paragraph of the differences between online poker and land-based poker rooms, and the advantages presented by each. But today’s story out of Atlantic City beats all reasoning I’ve ever managed to come up with, as long-time poker player Michael Wax was thrown out of the Borgata Casino for offensive body odor.

He must have been on a roll that day, having played 17 hours straight at the poker room before 440-pound Michael Wax was approached by a casino manager when he entered the restroom. Wax was told that his body odor had become offensive to his fellow table-mates and several complaints had been received.

Dismissing the message, Wax attempted to return to his table, only to be notified again by casino managers of the situation, this time accompanied by a request to stop playing and leave the premises. Michael asked the manager if the casino would grant him a free hotel room, just long enough to freshen up. The casino refused, forcing Wax to leave immediately.

At 54 years of age, Wax claims to be a frequent poker player at the Borgata. The incident resulted in his immediate filing of a complaint against the casino with the Casino Control Commission for embarrassing him in front of the other poker players. The complaint is currently under review to decide whether any gambling laws or relative regulations had been broken.

Though he admits there definitely was an issue of personal body odor, Michael would at least like an apology from the casino for his public embarrassment. In the casino’s defense, there was an attempt made to inform Mr. Wax of the situation in a private manner (within the restroom). In the same token, Wax was not forced to leave until returning to his table, thereby creating an awkward situation for everyone.

Again, as an analyst of the gambling industry for many years now, I understand exactly how comps and benefits work at both land-based and online casinos. A frequent player, such as Wax claims to be, especially one who had spent the last 17 hours creating profits for the casino, should certainly have been offered the chance to wash-up and continue his poker game at no charge – at least in my opinion. If such a customer is not valuable enough to the casino to supply a little hot water and complimentary soap, perhaps Michael Wax would be better off playing elsewhere anyway.

Which brings me to my last obvious point: Online poker rooms have a lot of advantages, and the ability to avoid complaints – both to and from a player – of offensive body odor is the newest addition to a long and continuously expanding list.

Players in the Spotlight on ESPN’s WSOP Broadcast

Team Bodog player Grant Hinkle and pros David Williams and Justin Bonomo will be featured the next two weeks during ESPN’s final table coverage of the 2008 World Series of Poker*

From the moment the first cards were dealt at the 2008 World Series of Poker* to the final days of the Main Event, Team Bodog enjoyed a terrific run this summer in Las Vegas, and tonight poker fans will be able to see one of Bodog’s very own capture the ultimate prize, a WSOP* bracelet, when ESPN airs its coverage of Event No. 2 ($1,500 buy-in No Limit Holdem). The two-hour, final table coverage begins at 8:00pm ET.

During tonight’s ESPN broadcast, viewers will witness Team Bodog player Grant Hinkle, a 27-year-old marketing manager from Kansas City, Mo., best a talented final table featuring poker legend Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, young gun Theo Tran and tournament ace David Bach. Along with his impressive victory in an event that drew 3,929 players, the largest non-Main Event field in WSOP* history, Hinkle took home a life-changing $831,462.

Hinkle’s early bracelet win proved to be momentous for Team Bodog. Just a day later, the team was back in the spotlight with Bodog pros David Williams and Justin Bonomo seated side-by-side at the final table for Event No. 4 ($5,000 buy-in Mixed Holdem). With an all-pro final nine, including 2008 WSOP* Player of the Year Erick Lindgren, this will be one to watch when it airs on ESPN on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 8:00pm ET.

Like Williams and Bonomo, Team Bodog pros Jean-Robert Bellande and Evelyn Ng also found great success at the tables this summer. In the final tournament before the Main Event, Bellande racked up a second place finish to pocket $173,564, and Ng saw herself cashing in two events this summer including an impressive deep run in the Main Event. All together, Team Bodog pros and qualifiers walked away with a combined total of $1,888,629 in winnings from the World Series in Las Vegas.

“We are extremely proud of our Team Bodog pros and qualifiers for their successes at this year’s World Series,” said Morris Mohawk Gaming Group CEO Alwyn Morris. “The WSOP* has been very good to Bodog players for several years now, including a Main Event win in 2006 and a number of bracelet titles. We expect to see even more success at the WSOP Europe this September and across the globe at WPT, EPT and APT events throughout the year.”

Regardless of how they fared at the tables, no Team Bodog qualifer walked away empty-handed as everyone donning the black and red of Bodog was treated to an unparalleled VIP experience the moment they touched down in Las Vegas. From an exclusive party at The Palms Hardwood Fantasy Suite filled to the rim with Bodog Girls to private helicopter excursions to the Grand Canyon and an adrenaline-filled day at the racetrack driving high-performance Corvettes, Bodog’s WSOP qualifiers experienced Las Vegas like no one else – in total Bodog style.

The World Series in Las Vegas is just one of a number of tournaments held around the world that poker players can win seats to for as little as a dollar at Bodog every week. From the Asian Poker Tour in Macau this August to the WSOP Europe in London this September and WPT events across North America, Bodog’s Player’s Choice packages give winners the chance to compete for millions of dollars while experiencing some of the most exciting and exotic locations in the world as only Team Bodog members do.

Professor Recommends Online Poker Be Legalized

After an extensive study, Professor June Cotte of the University of Ontario is recommending legalization of online poker. The results of the study revealed several key issues that Cotte believes could be stamped out through regulation of the online gambling industry in the US.

Working alongside fellow Professor Kathryn Latour of University of Nevada, the two spent a great deal of time studying the online poker industry and its effects on online gamblers. Throughout the study, 20 regular casino gamblers and 10 online gamblers were interviewed at length.

The staggering $12-$15 billion brought in by the online gambling industry came as a surprise to Cotte, knowing the risk US players undergo to gamble over the Internet in an unregulated market. “The horse is out of the barn,” Cotte expressed in a Times magazine interview. “There are a huge amount of people doing this already.”

A few key factors came to light during the study of online poker. Internet gamblers had a tendency to play much more frequently and aggressively, and when things weren’t going their way, often paid less attention to the amount of money they lost.

According to the study, online gambling operators were deemed problematic. Located offshore, some of these companies occupied a legal ‘gray area’, lacking proper regulation to guarantee players security and provide a responsible gambling environment.

Cotte believes that there are great benefits to legalizing online poker because it would grant players – who are already gambling online regardless of the risks – a regulated market. Through regulation, says Cotte, much of the harmful effects of online gambling could be controlled.

Cotte suggested a few elements of online poker regulation, including the addition of enforcing ‘cooling-off’ periods when a player suffers significant losses. Cotte suggested a pop-up window that would warn players how much time they have spent playing online poker in a single session. The availability of online counseling was also proposed.

In October of 2006, the US government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which re-enforced the prohibition of online gambling in the United States. Since that time, a number of studies have been executed and numerous public officials, mostly lead by Congressman Barney Frank (Mass), have fought to halt implementation of the UIEGA.

Thus far, all attempts have failed. Perhaps, (seemingly against all odds), Cotte’s study will enlighten a few more influential individuals enough to turn things around in the US, opting for legalization and regulation of the online poker industry.

Bodog Founder Under Secret Indictment In US?

Recently, $24 million was seized from Bodog-linked bank accounts and it is apparent that the online gambling company is under heavy investigation for allegedly facilitating illegal gambling in the United States. According to a report on Forbes.com, there is a lot of speculation as to a secret indictment somewhere in the US for Bodog’s founder, Calvin Ayre.

The Canadian tycoon has continuously claimed that he is not on the lam, yet no one seems to be able to find him. Reports indicate that Ayre is believed to be settled somewhere in the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, but multiple attempts to contact him – through his Calvin Ayre Foundation web site, Bodog web site and various other contacts – have proved fruitless. Is the one-time billionaire and media termed “playboy” really on the lam, or is he just avoiding contact with the press?

It is certain the Us government would love to get their hands on Calvin Ayre for his operations of Bodog, a popular online sports betting, poker and casino site that continues to cater to US gamblers, regardless of US laws put in place in 2006 that prohibit such activities. Industry experts are alluding to the investigation as a “witch-hunt”, suspecting Ayre would be prosecuted to the harshest extent of the law as an example, hoping to frighten other illegal online gambling operations into ceasing operations with the US.

Though Ayre consistently denies trepidation if US law enforcement, he licensed full control of Bodog to Morris Mohawk Gaming in the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory of Canada in September of 2007. It has even been reported by Ayre himself (on a web site) that he signed over full ownership of the Bodog company to Morris Mohawk, headed by chief Alwyn Morris, stating “It’s true; I’m packing it in.”

If you’ve kept up with recent Bodog news and press releases, you’ve probably noticed that all quotes regarding Bodog now come from Alwyn Morris himself, and no longer the former head, Calvin Ayre.

The US government has spent nearly two years now targeting online gambling operations, but more so online payment processors that facilitate monetary transfers between US players and online gambling operations. In January of 07, the co-founders of NETeller were arrested in Florida when attempting to switch planes to their next destination. Just this summer, Canadian online payment processor, ESI Entertainment Systems, found themselves the target of the same prosecutors, choosing to enter a “deferred prosecution agreement”. This basically means they admit to wrongdoing and agree to fork over $9.1 million after processing more than $2 billion worth of online gambling funds for US customers.

Calvin Ayre, now 47 years old, and his family have had troubles with law enforcement for years now, even before he founded Bodog. Though Ayre himself was never charged, close family members were convicted on drug trafficking charges. Later in 1996, Calvin was officially banned from interactions with the British Columbia securities industry for 20 years for offenses related to the stick market.

In early 2006, (before the US UIGEA gambling ban ever existed) Calvin Ayre found himself plastered on the front page of Forbes Magazine as world’s most prominent billionaire. Bodog was said to be handling $7.3 billion across the boards.

In his 2006 Forbes interview, Ayre stated, “One of the things that drives me is the excitement that I could fail. What better buzz can you get?”

When the UIGEA came to pass later that year, Bodog’s profits plummeted and Ayre was no longer a staple on the Forbes list.

Online Poker Extraordinaire Alex “AJKHoosier” Kamberis; King of MTTs

Over the last two years, Alex “AJKHoosier” Kamberis has worked his way through various online poker tournament tables, earning a massive amount of cash and a special place in the hearts of all online poker players who seen him in action – at least those who were not at the receiving end of his extraordinary poker skills.

Amazingly, at only 22 years of age, Kamberis has gone from online poker newbie to legendary winner of more than $1 million in just two short years. From Bloomingburg, Indiana, Alex Kamberis has earned in excess of $1 million at PokerStars alone, another $500,000+ at Full Tilt Poker, along with significant cashes at Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, as well.

Though his most common username at online poker sites (PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and UltimateBet) is the most well known, “AJKHoosier”, Kamberis can also be found at Absolute Poker using the nickname “aayomagic”.
Kamberis’ most recent cash, and largest to date, came just this month. Alex took down the Full Tilt Poker $1,000,000 Guaranteed, whittling his way through a field of nearly 3,000 to take the top prize of $134,895. Just a week later, Kamberis impressed the online poker world again by earning 1st position in Absolute Poker’s $150k GTD, worth $27,500 for the win.

Despite his largest cash coming from Full Tilt Poker only a few weeks ago, Alex maintains his favorite place to play online poker is PokerStars. It comes as no surprise really, seeing as the young poker pro has earned more than $1 million from PokerStars alone.

Alex “AJKHoosier” Kamberis’s current online poker tournament earnings are broken down below:

PokerStars (AJKHoosier): $1,039,223.54
Largest Cash: $57,475

Full Tilt Poker (AJKHoosier): $572,672.03
Largest Cash: $134,894.80

Absolute Poker (aayomagic): $127,483.88
Largest Cash: $37,500

UltimateBet (AJKHoosier): $181,350.05
Largest Cash: $20,250

Alex Kamberis has gotten more and more involved with live poker tournaments as well, revealing increasing success in the offline poker circuit. Kamberis has pocketed more than $120,000 in live tournaments, his largest cash coming in the WPT Doyle Brunson Classic in December of 2007. He earned $57,815 for finishing in 30th place. Kamberis earned a single cash in the 2008 WSOP as well, finishing 34th in a $5,000 NL Hold’em event for $16,147.

Kamberis took a two year break from his college studies to play poker professionally, but has gained the invariable respect of the professional poker community by declaring his intention to return to the University of Indiana to complete his education – a rare instance among most professional poker players.

PA Fire Department ‘Illegal Gambling’ Allegations: Update

Originally reported yesterday, new information has come to the surface regarding the Attorney General’s accusations of illegal gambling against the Westmoreland County, PA Fire Department.

The fire department held a series of Texas Hold’em tournaments in an effort to raise funds for the organization. These tournaments were organized by attorney Larry Burns of Greensburg, who faces misdemeanor gambling charges.

State police intervened, staging a raid on the Texas Hold’em tournaments that resulted in the seizure of $9,000. Another $31,000 had been deposited into the departments account in Johnstown. A petition has now been filed in Cambria County seeking to recover the remaining profits for a grand total of $40,814.

The fire department’s attorney Jeff Monzo declined to comment, while Kevin Harley, spokesman for Attorney General Tom Corbett, stated, “We just have lawyers fill out the paperwork for the forfeiture. We’ll let the state police speak for themselves.”

Cpl. Linette Quinn of the Harrisburg state police expressed that forfeiture of profits from illegal enterprise is routine operation, especially in drug related instances.

Pennsylvania state law prohibits profiting from illegal gambling, for both individuals and organizations, regardless of the fundraising aspect. According the legislation, Texas Hold’em is still considered a game chance, not skill, therefore is deemed illegal.

Unless “self-sponsored”, playing poker for real money is banned from any club, fire hall or business that holds a liquor license. Restaurants can hold such tournaments provided they are self-sponsored and do not involve any third-party, aside from charity organizations. Private clubs are prohibited from real money poker games outright, under the laws of the Local Options for Small Games of Chance.

Enhanced Online Poker Rewards; Full Tilt Poker Promo Renovated

Through generous promotions and a lucrative tournament schedule, Full Tilt Poker has earned its position as the second largest online poker room in the world. Awhile back, Full Tilt Poker presented an ‘Iron Man Challenge’ promotion that awarded top players who collected a significant amount of poker points. Now, the online poker room is raising the bar by renovating the ‘Iron Man’ promotion to offer many more rewards.

Originally, Full Tilt Poker’s ‘Iron Man’ promotion awarded loyal player who participated in the most hands with free cash, beneficial bonuses and entries to Freerolls worth up to $100,000. Just recently, however, Full Tilt Poker announced an impressive expansion of the promotion to include ‘Iron Man Plus’, a mid-year bonus and new Freerolls.

While the original Iron Man promotion awarded players by their loyalty status, the new Iron Man Plus is designed to further reward players whose time spent at the online poker room goes above and beyond that of the top Iron Man tier. By collecting 500+ points in a single day, these devoted online poker players earn extra rewards for use in Full Tilt’s exclusive ‘Iron Man Store’.

The new Iron Man mid-year bonus will grant extra bonuses, up to $100 per month, to players who maintain Iron Man status throughout that month. The higher a player’s Iron Man status, the more bonus cash he/she can earn for a given month.

The latest Freerolls added to the Iron Man Challenge are monthly $2k Freerolls that any online poker fan with just a little dedication can earn a seat in. All players who earn just 1 point per day, each day of the calendar at Full Tilt Poker, are invited to participate in the Freeroll. Players who choose not to participate may trade their entry for 15 bonus Iron Man medals, for use at Full Tilt Poker’s Iron Man Store.

Pennsylvania Fire Department Accused Of Illegal Gambling To Raise Funds

According to reports from WJAC news in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the Westmoreland County, PA Fire Department has been accused of illegal gambling by the Attorney General’s office.

In an attempt to raise fund for the Seward Volunteer Company, a series of Texas Hold’em Poker tournaments were held. The Attorney General’s office is now seeking in excess of $40,000 from the company, reportedly the amount earned from the poker tournament’s fund raising events.

An official with the Attorney General’s office stated that it is unlawful to gain a profit from playing poker, resulting in the games being deemed illegal gambling.

4Flush is in the process of obtaining a statement from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office regarding this matter.

Tiffany ‘Hot Chips’ Michelle Joins Team UltimateBet

Online poker room Ultimate Bet announced today the signing of Tiffany ‘Hot Chips’ Michelle as its newest member of the Ultimate Star Players Team. The singer/songwriter turned professional poker player joins the ranks of such skilled players as Cliff ‘JohnnyBax’ Josephy and James ‘POKERPRO33’ Campbell.

24 year-old Tiffany Michelle gained recent poker stardom at the 2008 World Series of Poker by defeating the largest field of any other female in the history of the WSOP Main Event. Michelle skillfully whittled her way through a field of 6,844 participants to finish in the 17th position, earning $334,534. Highlighted by the rolling cameras, Tiffany Michelle, donning the UltimateBet “UB Army” logo, became the last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP.

UltimateBet consultant Annie Duke offered her comments on the signing of the newest Team UltimateBet member, “From Hollywood to Vegas, Tiffany Michelle is a rising star in so many extraordinary ways. We’re thrilled to be able to bring such a talented force on board.”

Tiffany Michelle, who can be found playing online poker at UltimateBet under the username “Tiffany M”, has appeared in variety of films and television series, including appearances on Nip/Tuck and E.R. As a way to supplement income between her acting and songwriting career, Michelle began playing online poker at UltimateBet.

Discovering she was more than lucky, but quite talented at the game of poker, she began playing in land-based tournaments as well. It wasn’t long before Michelle’s dexterity gained the respect of professional poker players around the world.

On a more sour note, Michelle found herself under scrutiny and possible penalization by the courts as PokerNews.com, whom Michelle has been reporting poker news with for quite some time, was not too pleased to find the poker pro sporting UltimateBet advertisements at the 2008 WSOP while contracted with the online poker media company. The outcome of these actions has not yet been determined, but 4Flush is keeping a close eye on the story.

Super Satellites To Africa’s $Million Poker Tournament At Titan Poker

Titan Poker, the pride and joy of the iPoker Network, is currently hosting Satellites and Super Satellites to the largest poker tournament in Africa – the Sun City Million Dollar Poker Tournament. South Africa’s sumptuous Super Bowl casino in the heart of beautiful Sun City will set the scene for the region’s premier poker event this September, guaranteeing a minimum prize pool of $1,500,000.

Players at Titan Poker are not just competing for a chance to play in the Million Dollar Poker Tournament, but an awesome draping of benefits as well. Winners will receive a prize package worth $10,500; $3,000 going to the buy-in, $1,600 to cover one optional re-buy/add-on, $2,500 for travel and spending cash, plus a 7-night stay at the luxurious Palace of the Lost City Hotel, complete with free entry to the relaxing spa, a free round on miles of golfing green, tickets to the “Let There Be Rock” concert, and who pass up a free hot air balloon ride?

When it comes right down to it, it’s as if Titan Poker is actually rewarding a week’s vacation in South African paradise, with the added benefit of one really valuable poker tournament.

I’ll give you a moment to get your head out of the clouds (and mine as well.) Let’s get down to the real business at hand – how to win this amazing African adventure at Titan Poker. The online poker room is hosting daily Qualifier Satellites, leading up the Super Satellites every Saturday until August 23rd.

There are Stage 1 and Stage 2 Satellites. Stage 2 Satellites are the cheapest, ranging from buy-ins of $1.50+$.10 to $6+$.60. Stage 2 Satellites award a seat in a Stage 1 Satellite. Stage 1 Satellite buy-ins range from $10+$1 (Turbos held Monday-Friday) to $32+$3 and $64+$4 (Ongoing Sit’n’Gos). Winning a Stage 1 Satellites thrusts the player into the real action at the Super Satellite tables held each Saturday.

The Sun City $Million Super Satellites are the final step in winning the prize package. Take down this tournament and you’ll be on your way to Africa September 1st. If you don’t mind paying the higher buy-in, direct entry is $300+$20.

The Sun City $Million Poker Tournament will take place September 1st – 8th, 2008 at the Super Bowl casino in Sun City. For more information and a chance to play in Satellites and/or Super Satellites, awarding a seat in Africa’s premier poker event worth $1.5 million guaranteed, visit Titan Poker.

Love At First Slot: Online Gambling Couple Married

Online gambling is not just a pastime anymore – “Swede” and “Cynthial” met on an online gambling forum just over a year ago and last week, their relationship hit the universal landmark of matrimony. Crossing international waters, love slowly blossomed and thus the happy couple have joined together as one.

“Swede”, hailing from Sweden (as you may have guessed), crossed paths with “Cynthial” of the US in June of 2007, and what began as innocent conversation soon intensified to daily emails, continuous instant messaging and intercontinental telephone conversations. Even with thousands of miles between them, destiny is not so easily thwarted. The two eventually met in London, choosing a neutral half-way point for a one-week getaway.

In that week’s time, the couple decided they were inseparably compatible, sharing the same interests, including their love for online gambling. Swede went about the process of closing down his antiques auctioneering business and made the monumental move to join Cynthial in the United States, where she runs a construction products business.

Arriving on US soil in April, Swede and Cynthial were married just last week. They have a new life plan now, intending to open a restaurant along Albuquerque, New Mexico’s famous Route 66.

On a personal note, I would like to wish Swede and Cynthial all the happiness the world has to offer. I myself met my husband online and we have been together for nearly 6 blissful years, with one gorgeous 2 year old daughter to show for it.

It just goes to show that while ‘online dating’ and ‘online gambling’ have both seen their fair share of scrutiny, wonderful things, well beyond our imagining at the time, can quickly blossom.

PokerStars “2X Promo” Strikes Again: $1M Sunday Warm-Up

As the month of July is coming to a close, PokerStars amazing “2X Promo” is also reaching its end. Members of the online poker room have experienced some amazing benefits throughout the month of July, and yesterday’s Sunday Warm-Up revealed yet another, doubling the usual $500k GP to a massive $1 million. It was as if PokerStars held two Sunday Million tournaments in a single day!

As many of you may remember, just a few weeks ago, PokerStars kicked off its 2X Promo in July, hosting 2X Sunday Million on the 13th that resulted in a $2 million guaranteed tournament and record attendance of more than 14,000 players. Those incredible numbers further increased the overall prize pool to nearly $3 million ($2,836,200), as “TimDawg888” came away with the 1st place prize just shy of $300k.

To end the month’s extremely rewarding promotion, the PokerStars 2X Promo struck once more during the lucrative Sunday tournament line-up, doubling the $500k GP Sunday Warm-Up to $1,000,000. A field of 4,050 players boosted the purse even further to $1,123,400.

In the end, it was “richlizard” who came away with the 1st place prize of $144,919 – the highest top prize ever produced from the PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up. “ShowM4n” was defeated in final table, heads-up action to earn the 2nd place prize of $101,106, while “LION8HART” came away with $67,404 for 3rd.

Had PokerStars announced the 2X Sunday Warm-Up a few days earlier, those numbers would likely have doubled to parallel the entries of the yesterday’s Sunday Million, which topped 8,000. But such is the nature of the 2X Promo, to surprise their members with near-sudden (and substantial) generosity.

With only 3 days left in July, it is likely PokerStars has something else amazing up its sleeve to reward members of the online poker room before the 2X Promo expires. All we can do now is wait to see what PokerStars has in store for us next…

PayPal Opening Online Gambling Payment Records To IRS

PayPal, once the most popular online payment method in North America, has announced it will be revealing the payment records of its members to the Internal Revenue Service. Apparently, the US government has demanded these records in reference to offshore transfers, and without the slightest bit of argument, PayPal obliged.

This action has caused an enormous upset from the online gambling community, resulting in a unanimous outcry of “sell-out”. For many online poker and casino players, PayPal was the only option left for funding and withdrawals from such accounts. In lieu of the request from the IRS, PayPal will now be opening its clients account books to the US government for scrutinizing – accounts that were at one time thought to be secure and confidential.

The online gambling industry is not exactly the intended target of the investigation. The US government is attempting to ‘crack down’ on individuals making use of ‘tax havens’ and hoping to unearthing ‘unclaimed income’. The online gambling industry would fall into the unclaimed income category, therefore making it a specific target, as well.

PayPal was one of the largest suppliers of Internet-based fund transfers between online gambling operations and US citizens, but a hefty fine imposed by the Attorney General in 2002 put a stop to that, for the most part. PayPal has made a great effort to steer clear of the industry ever since, though there are still a few online gambling operations who offer PayPal as a viable way to transfer funds.

Because of the secure and confidential policies PayPal was supposed to uphold regarding member information, it is likely we will see a slew of civil lawsuits against PayPal in the near future. Even the summoning of such records from the IRS does not validate such a breach of contract.

Online gambling analyst Gordon Price offered his opinion on what is being termed the ‘PayPal Sell-Out’, “Even if they had kept themselves away, there was no reason for them to sell out the many people who gave them money and trusted them with private information.”

Cryptologic Integrates Poker Site Into Betsafe eWallet

July 22, 2008 (Dublin, IRELAND) – CryptoLogic Limited, a leading software developer to the global Internet gaming market, today announced the complete integration of its poker site into Betsafe’s online eWallet payment system. Betsafe, one of the world’s leading suppliers of online gaming and sportsbook products, joined CryptoLogic’s poker network in January 2007.

The addition means that Betsafe players can now enjoy the convenience of having one single account for all of their gaming needs. Prior to the integration, Betsafe’s poker site was not connected to its sportsbook product. This combination means a seamless and enhanced Internet experience for Betsafe customers and improved opportunities for cross-selling from the sportsbook to the poker product.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates CryptoLogic’s commitment to enhancing the player experience with flexible, customer and player-centric solutions,” said Brian Hadfield, CryptoLogic’s President and CEO. “Our focus is to strengthen relationships by working closely with our licensees to find out what their players want – and then delivering superior products that meet their unique needs.”

It is expected that the integration into Betsafe’s eWallet will lead to a significant increase in the player conversion of sportsbook customers to CryptoLogic’s online poker product. As part of today’s agreement, Betsafe will also increase its marketing initiatives for its online poker segment, which should lead to an even larger increase in player conversion.

Betsafe’s players have access to one of the world’s largest shared poker networks that excludes the US market, enabling them to find a game at the level and stake they want, in the currency they want, when they want. Players can also take advantage of some of the Internet’s most popular online poker games, including Hold’Em BlackjackTM – an exclusive game which combines the intensity of poker with the simplicity of blackjack – and the Headhunter Challenge, an innovative multi-table poker concept in which players can earn cash for every ‘head’ they eliminate.

“The launch of our single wallet is much awaited and we believe that this integration will have a strong positive effect on all our products, said Henrik Persson, Betsafe’s CEO.

With more than 70,000 customers from more than 100 different countries, Betsafe is one of the leading suppliers of online gaming products on the Scandinavian market. Since the official launch of Betsafe in 2006, Betsafe has established themselves as one of the most trusted and reliable gaming companies in the industry, offering its customers a wide selection of innovative products, such as poker, sportsbetting and casino games. Betsafe was also awarded top position in TIPS Magazine’s bookmaker test in 2007.

“CryptoLogic continues to increase player loyalty and deliver success for our licensees with its customized solutions,” added Justin Thouin, CryptoLogic’s Vice President, Product Management and Business Development.

Kahnawake’s Official Statement On Cheating at UltimateBet & Absolute Poker

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) oversees many online poker sites using thier online services that are based in Canada. They have released an official statement now in regards to the situation that is happening on Ultimate Bet Poker.

This new statement comes several months after the KGC’s earlier involvement in the resolution of a similar incident at Absolute Poker.

In the statement the KGC says that a decision regarding UltimateBet will be forthcoming. It also says that thier major concern is to make secure full player refunds. They also want to implement corrective measures to prevent any further abuse from taking place.

The statement issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission is below:

Kahnawake Gaming Commission (the “KGC”) has been continuously regulating online gaming for over 9 years – longer than most, if not all, other jurisdictions. During that period of time, the KGC has proven to be a world leader with regulations and methodologies that have established a regulatory environment in which online gaming can be conducted fairly and securely. The KGC’s success as a regulator is evidenced by the fact that a significant percentage of the online gaming industry has chosen to locate and operate within Kahnawáke. Given the length of time that it has regulated this new industry and the significant number of licensees under its control, the KGC’s record has been exemplary.

As commentators have correctly noted, even the most well regulated industries are not immune from abuse. Examples can be found in the banking, securities and land-based gaming industries. The fact that the online gaming industry is new and is technologically driven creates additional regulatory challenges. Throughout its history, the KGC has met these challenges and its regulations have been emulated in a number of other jurisdictions around the world.

Over the past several months, it was discovered that individuals within two of the KGC’s licensees – Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet – had created and carried out a scheme to cheat players. In both cases, the improper conduct of these individuals was brought to the attention of the licensees, and the KGC, by affected players. The KGC acknowledges the diligence and sophistication displayed by these players and the role they played in bringing these matters to light.

The first case involved Absolute Poker. After a thorough investigation carried out by the KGC and its agents, Gaming Associates, the KGC rendered its decision in this matter on January 11, 2008. This decision concluded that the cheating that took place was not initiated, nor did it benefit, Absolute Poker as a corporate entity, or its directors or principal ownership. The decision imposed a number of sanctions and conditions on Absolute Poker, including twenty-four specific directions for changes to its management and systems. The KGC was provided evidence that all players affected by the cheating that took place were fully reimbursed for their losses.

Shortly after its decision was rendered in the Absolute Poker matter, the KGC first became aware of similar allegations of cheating involving individuals within Absolute Poker’s sister company: Ultimate Bet.

Over the past several months, the KGC has been closely involved in an in-depth investigation of the Ultimate Bet cheating allegations. Significant efforts have been expended to identify and correct the flaws in Ultimate Bet’s system that permitted the cheating to take place; to identify the individuals that were responsible for the cheating and to ensure that all affected players were fully reimbursed. Unfortunately, the KGC’s actions were not well communicated to the poker industry or public at large, creating an incorrect perception that the KGC was ‘doing nothing’.

The KGC’s investigation into the Ultimate Bet matter has yielded a number of key findings which, within the next several days, will enable the KGC to issue its decision on the appropriate steps to be taken.

It should be stressed that the KGC’s primary concern throughout both matters was to ensure that affected players were fully reimbursed and that corrective measures were implemented to prevent against any further incidents of cheating. Both of these objectives have been accomplished – as evidenced by the fact that the recent concerns that have been raised about the Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet matters are not being driven by affected players.

Online Poker Rooms Merge Onto CEREUS Network

Two major online poker rooms, Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, have united to form the CEREUS Network. CEREUS is not expected to launch until August, but the integration of players and platforms from both online poker rooms will instantly create the third largest online poker network in the industry.

Absolute Poker and UltimateBet are owned by the same parent company, therefore it comes as no surprise that the two online poker rooms would merge into one uniform network. The overall designs will be unique, but the blueprint behind Absolute Poker and UltimateBet will be modeled the same.

As of a few months ago, UltimateBet Pro Annie Duke took on the task of redesigning the UltimateBet tournament schedule and structure. As part of the CEREUS Network, both sites will be restricted to use of the same tournament line-up. It’s unclear at this time whether Duke’s revisions will remain intact, or if an entirely new schedule will be devised.

Chief Operations Officer for both UltimateBet and Absolute Poker, Paul Leggett, relayed his enthusiasm over the network merge, “I am so excited to announce the launch of our new poker network CEREUS. This is a huge landmark for our company and online poker. I’m confident that Absolute Poker and UltimateBet customers will be thrilled by the new platform and we look forward to welcoming many new players from around the world.”

Leggett went on to say, “Our company’s goal is to provide poker players with the ultimate online experience. The launch of CEREUS is a major step for us in achieving our goal and we look forward to making many more exciting announcements very soon.”

Absolute Poker and UltimateBet have spent nearly the last year headlining the online poker news industry, but not for the best of reasons. Both online poker rooms have undergone ferocious battering from the media and even the Poker Player’s Alliance (PPA) due to uncovered cheating scandals. Just when Absolute Poker seemed to be recovering from the eruption, UltimateBet found itself in nearly the same awkward position. (For more information, see Absolute Poker/UltimateBet Cheating Scandal.)

The merging of Absolute Poker and UltimateBet is a palpable attempt to regroup and breathe new life into the two online poker rooms. The tribulations of the past could not have caused too much damage to player loyalty if uniting Absolute Poker and UltimateBet into a single network has the power to generate the world’s 3rd largest online poker network.

Top Asian Poker Pros Look Forward to APT Macau

David Saab finishes in the money at the WSOP – Macau is next!

July 24, 2008 (MANILA, PHILIPPINES) – The list of renowned poker pros participating in the Macau leg of this year’s Asian Poker Tour (APT) has just gotten longer.

With 2008 APT Philippines champion David Saab already placing 46th at the World Series of Poker and confirming his participation in the main event of APT Macau, four big-name poker pros of Asian lineage have been added to the list of players looking for a chance to win big at the upcoming tournament in late August. They are J.C. Tran, Nam Le, Quinn Do, and Steve Sung – the latter three pros returning for another shot after coming up short in the APT Philippines main event.

Of the four, J.C. Tran may be the most prominent poker player at present. A Vietnamese-American living in Sacramento, J.C. is currently the top-ranked player on the Bluff Magazine/ESPN power rankings. After starting out by playing in local card rooms, he has become well-respected in the poker world. He has topped various poker tournaments and has total winnings of more than $6.7 million to date. His most recent victory was at Event #49 of the 39th World Series of Poker 2008, where he won $631,170 for placing first. He’ll be looking to leave Macau with yet another title under his belt.

At only 25, Vietnamese-American Nam Le is already considered by many to be a major threat at live tournaments. He will be out for redemption after his early exit at the APT Philippines main event. Nam already has a couple of first place finishes under his belt – the 2006 Bay 101 Shooting Star WPT Championship and the 2006 Scotty Nguyen Poker Challenge II, as well top place finishes in several WSOP and WPT events. His most recent finish was at 4th at the 2008 LA Poker Classic WPT Championship where he earned $411,770.00. Le’s total winnings to date exceed $4.3 million.

Quinn Do, on the other hand, fared much better at APT Philippines. He finished 20th overall and won $7,500 in prize money. He will be looking to top that accomplishment by grabbing first place at APT Macau. Quinn decided to play poker full time in 2004 after his time at the University of Washington and after dabbling in the restaurant business. Since turning pro, Do has been a regular at major live poker events and has won a WSOP Gold Bracelet at the 2005 WSOP Limit Hold’em Event. Other notable finishes by the Vietnam-born Do includes a 2nd place finish at the Bellagio Challenge Cup Championship in 2005 and most recently, a 2nd place finish at the 2008 LA Poker Classic WPT Championship where he went home with $909,400.00. Quinn Do’s total poker winnings to date are close to $2 million.

Like Nam Le, Korean-born Steve Sung will be looking to do better than his early finish at APT Philippines. While still lacking a major tournament title, he has been a top placer in several World Poker Tour (WPT) and World Series Of Poker (WSOP) events, his best finish being second place in the recent 2008 Bay 101 Shooting Star WPT Championship. Before playing at live tournaments, Sung has been an avid online poker player under the moniker ‘MuGGyLiCiOuS”. To date, his total poker winnings amount to over $1.4 million.

APT Macau, the second leg of the 2008 Asian Poker Tour, will be held at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Asia’s gambling mecca from August 27 to 31, 2008. The APT is home to Asia’s largest guaranteed prize pool with $1,500,000 in cash. The winner of APT Macau is guaranteed at least $500,000, which is sure to attract the top poker players from all over the world.

The buy-in for the Macau leg of this year’s APT is set at $5300 ($5000+$300). Players can also win seats to the event by qualifying through various online satellites being held all over the world on top poker rooms such as DafaPoker, Titan Poker, PartyPoker, and PKR.

After the Macau leg, the Tour moves on to South Korea and Singapore where even more poker action awaits. Further details about APT Macau and subsequent legs will be available on the official website at www.asianpt.com.

QFX KeyScrambler Security Upgrade At Online Poker Rooms

A number of today’s most respected online poker rooms have just received a significant security upgrade that has resulted in elite confidentiality capabilities across the board. The upgrade comes from the integration of QFX Software’s new KeyScrambler, developed by a Floridian based security and financial software group.

The KeyScrambler was developed to prevent outside sources from keylogging, a known practice that records computer keystrokes to abduct logins and their respective passwords. KeyScrambler encrypts a user’s keystrokes at the keyboard driver level, decrypting them only once they’ve reached the secure application. As a result, keylogging programs are bypassed, receiving only the encrypted data that is completely undecipherable.

Being one of the most lucrative and fastest growing industries in the world, online poker rooms and their members are frequently subject to fraudulent keylogging programs. Therefore, it is only appropriate that this week’s release of the security shield by QFX should be implemented at such sites.

Major online poker rooms that have integrated the new QFX Software KeyScrambler include PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, Party Poker, Bodog Poker, PokerRoom, Doyels Rooms, UltimateBet Poker, Titan Poker, Players Only Poker, 24h Poker, Carbon Poker, Hollywood Poker, CD Poker, VC Poker and the entire Microgaming Network.

QFX is also providing KeyScrambler Personal, a free version of the software that users can download to protect all browser entries against keyloggers. The free edition encrypts anything a user types, from logins, passwords and pop-up text, right down to email messages and search terms. The QFX KeyScrambler Personal is currently compatible with Internet Explorer (IE), FireFox and Flock browsers.

Sticks & Stones…. Might Make Me $500,000 – Foxwoods Casino Sued for Bilingual Insults.

According to news reports a group of women from Long Island New York sat down to gamble at a roulette table inside of Connecticut’s Foxwoods Casino, and were insulted by two men that thought the girls could not understand that words they were saying.

According to one of the women, they arrived at the roulette table in a great mood, set out to enjoy themselves, gamble a bit and have a good time. However Michele Marigliano from Seaford understood every word. The two young men continuously insulted the group of women, calling them names in the Spanish language, Michele Marigliano however as a former bilingual education teacher, was quite aware, likely insulted, and reportedly humiliated.

The start off with the insults, one of the gentlemen dealers remarked to the others that the girls were dumb, and didn’t know how to play the game of Roulette.

“We were all in a great mood, but as I heard this, I became more and more upset and flustered,” Marigliano said.

The women involved are suing Rafael and Efrain Lnu, the men they say insulted them in Spanish during their visit to Foxwoods Casino. Also named in the lawsuit are the Mashantucket Pequot Indians and Foxwoods Casino. The total amount the women are asking for is $500,000 … per plaintiff. The lawsuit has been filed in the State Supreme Court in Mineola.

There is a catch however, Foxwoods casino is operated by Native American Indians, the Mashantucket Pequot Indian tribe, the casino is also standing physically on tribal land, therefore, the according to the tribe cannot be sued in the convention United States court system.

Leaders of the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Tribe have voiced said that the case should be tried in tribal court. Arnold Kriss of Manhatten lawyer for the humiliated women says he will fight to keep the case outside of tribal courts.

No Poopy Patties Produced for Burlington, NC’s Cow Patty Bingo

A scheduled game of Cow Patty Bingo was postponed Saturday after a lack of patties produced by the cows (Candice and Lew). The bingo game has been rescheduled for August 16th.

If you are not familiar with Cow Patty Bingo, it is an American Red Cross fund raiser. Cow Patty Bingo tickets were sold for $10 per person (all proceeds going to the Piedmont Carolina Chapter of the Red Cross) with the chance of winning $1,000! There is a bingo grid laid out behind the third base bleachers in the Burlington Royals Stadium. They bring in two cows(as you may know, cows have 4 stomachs), this year Candice and Lew were the lucky cows, to walk around and leave patties behind. But to everyone’s surprise and disappointment, no patties were left.

People that enter choose a square and if one of the cows completely poops or the majority of the poop is in their square they win $1,000! Unfortunately Lew and Candice seemed to be having some constipation problems. They both roamed the bingo grid for more than two hours without producing any patties.

The general opinion was that the problem may have been that the cows are too familiar with humans, they are both cared for by Megan Mann. Mann admits that she often rides Lew like a horse and that she is kind of her baby. So the solution that the Red Cross has come up with is to find different cows for the rescheduled Cow Patty Bingo game on an August 16th.

If you are in the Burlington, North Carolina area and have never heard of or been a part of a fun game of Cow Patty Bingo, you are guaranteed to witness a very original version of bingo, and it goes to help those in need. How much more fun could it get?

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