By David Richardson
09/30/2008

As the race for President goes into the final stretch both candidates are going all in and that includes commenting on each others gambling habits.  A recent statement made by Barack Obama has sparked interest in both candidates past affiliations with lobbyist at the tables.  It looks like regardless of who wins we’ll have a gambler in the white house but its unclear the affect it would have on online poker.

 

By Alexis Russell
09/30/2008

It was released recently that Ultimate Bet poker was involved in the largest cheating scandal to date.  An in depth investigation has been underway and is finally starting to reveal some answers.   It was hypothesized that the cheating ring went high on the totem pole of poker but no one was expecting it to involve a WSOP bracelet winner.

By Alexis Russell
09/26/2008

The old saying ‘you’ve got to spend money to make money’ is holding true for online poker, which isn’t even a legalized industry yet in the U.S.  It’s been well known that the Poker Player Alliance has been pouring tons of energy and resources into lobbying Washington in the name of online poker rooms.  However, it wasn’t until the last few days that it was made clear how much.

By Alexis Russell
09/26/2008

In the last few years poker has made its way to television but that doesn’t mean it’s earned a lasting spot just yet.  The channel that was one of the first to air the sport, GSN, is making some changes after decided not to buy the rights to televise the seventh season of the World Poker Tour.

By Zach Purgason
09/25/2008

Poker runs are usually a little out of the ordinary as groups of poker enthusiasts scramble from location to location gathering cards as they go.  These events usually take place in bar, river or lake front establishments, or in other words places where people might usually frequent.  However in Ohio they’ve taken the opportunity to use the popularity of poker to raise awareness about of all things Alpacas.

By Alexis Russell
09/25/2008

It seems there’s no end to the spectacular show they are putting on for the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe.  One head’s up stand-off is deterring player and spectator attention away from the fast approaching Main Event.  That’s because when two poker legends, one old and one new, go head to head everyone wants to know who will lose their crown.

By David Richardson
09/24/2008

The UK is much more lenient about online poker than the U.S.  However that doesn’t mean poker room operators have free reign in how they advertise.  PokerStars has learned that the hard way by having a recent ad banned by the UK Advertising Standards Authority.

By Alexis Russell
09/24/2008

Anyone trying to make a business in online poker in the U.S. has to be innovative.  Our government has a number of regulations, restrictions and laws in place to that make it extremely difficult to operate legal online poker rooms.  But one U.S. company put the famous American ingenuity to work and have formed a smart, legal way to play poker for real money online.

By Alexis Russell
09/23/2008

As other countries like Italy and Germany make progress in legalizing online poker the U.S. is still holding strong to the idea that poker is a game strictly of chance and therefore doesn’t merit legalization.  This idea is once again being played out in a court of law but this time at the state level in Kentucky.  This is nothing new, however, the Kentucky Governor’s proposal to take control of website domains is.

By David Richardson
09/23/2008

After more than 2 weeks of online tournament play and nearly $40 million in cash prizes the 2008 World Championship of Online Poker has come to an end.  The 33 events produced some competitive play, none more so than the Main Event which was won yesterday.  Let’s take a look at how the last of the 2008 WCOOP turned out.

By David Richardson
09/22/2008

No investment is a sure thing.  However, some investments are better than others especially those with a proven track record, for instance on the various poker tours.  That’s the thinking that some poker savvy traders in the London Stock Market have had and they are bringing their ideas to light.  With big money to be won and lost in poker is a poker pro a good investment?

By Alexis Russell
09/22/2008

Italy legalized online poker less than 2 weeks ago but things are moving quickly to make it a robust source for online gaming.  As poker rooms begin to build the software companies that make online poker possible have begun making partnerships.  At the moment it seems like Italy’s biggest software provider is going to be Playtech Ltd.

By Zach Purgason
09/19/2008

With Dave Cain already breaking poker records in the U.K. Betfair Poker decided to break a record of their own.  Their Poker in the Sky tournament is now officially the world’s first poker tournament ever played off the ground making it the highest altitude at which a tournament has ever been played. 

By Alexis Russell
09/19/2008

The GOP has been trying to find reasons against legalizing online poker but it seems the poker rooms have been doing it for them.  Yet another online poker cheating scheme has come to light this time involving UltimateBet Poker.  All this news comes as some players are still feeling the sting of the cheating scandal less than a year ago at Absolute Poker, UltimateBet’s sister company.

By Zach Purgason
09/18/2008

 

Sources at msnbc.com have uncovered a not-so-small piece of information regarding the software company that worked with UltimateBet.com to design the online poker sites game interface.  Apparently, the allegations that this Canadian software company rigged the system so that certain individuals could see other players’ cards has led to a possible $85 million claim against the perpetrators.

By Zach Purgason
09/18/2008

Traditionally poker has been a boy’s club with women only every now and then verging into the unfamiliar territory.  But not so any more, the internet has helped women break through the ranks of poker and make themselves a force to be reckoned with.  Women’s Poker Yak is continuing the snowball effect by giving ladies one more way to discuss the sport on their own terms and on their own playing field.

By Alexis Russell
09/18/2008

In poker it’s not how long you’ve been playing but how much you win that really matters.  Well, that’s not the case if you’re Dave Cain.  At this very moment he is working on a poker world record for "longest time an individual has continuously played poker".  The kicker is he’s already beaten the record.

By Zach Purgason
09/17/2008

 

SkyPoker.com – a Non-U.S. online poker room established in 2007 – held the first tournament of its UK Tour this weekend and the turnout was as large and high-profile as was expected for the burgeoning poker room’s first attempt at a live event.  The competition was held last Saturday at the Dusk Till Dawn card room in Nottingham, England and was laden with European poker pros including eventual champion Maria ‘Chili’ Demetriou.

By Alexis Russell
09/17/2008

Though the bulk of the Republican GOP has been fighting the legalization of online poker there have been a few champions who have refused to give up.  Luckily for U.S. players and the online poker rooms they’ve made a little headway in regulating online poker.  A new Act passed by the House Financial Services Committee could be the beginning of the end for the UIGEA.

By David Richardson
09/17/2008

The World Championship of Online Poker is well underway with 24 of its 33 events already decided.  Players from all over the world have come together online bringing the total of countries represented to 113, of which 77 have had players that cashed.  So far PokerStars has doled out $22,671,000 of the guaranteed $30 million in prize money.

By Zach Purgason
09/16/2008

 

On October 1^st, the popular Las Vegas hotel and casino Bellagio will host its sixth-annual Festa al Lago Classic with the intention of drawing the largest crowd in the event’s history.  As always, the “festival” will feature a competitive, $500 + $40 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament sponsored by SpadeClub.com and a series of other gambling-related events.

By Zach Purgason
09/16/2008

The World Poker Tour has been having a tough time this year filling their seats as well as they have in the past.  Though efforts were made to ensure the WPT Borgata Poker Open would have a robust player turnout it hasn’t been quite enough.

By Alexis Russell
09/16/2008

Online poker players in the U.S. are well aware of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that has inhibited them from playing for real money online.  The poker rooms themselves are also well aware of the stringent regulations that have crippled the industry and led to many rooms going under.  There have been many efforts to find a way to work around these regulations and DuplicatePoker.com may have actually found a way.

By Zach Purgason
09/15/2008

 

This past Saturday, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino introduced its brand new, 18-table Poker Lounge with a high profile grand opening that featured an all-night poker tournament and a laundry list of poker professionals.

By David Richardson
09/15/2008

Titan Poker’s 3^rd annual 2008 European Championship of Online Poker is set to begin November 24^th with more action than ever before.  Like PokerStars Online Championship tournament which is currently underway, the ECOOP has steadily seen success that has grown with each tournament.  This time around Titan Poker is hoping to draw in even more players with the largest prize pool yet.

By Alexis Russell
09/13/2008

On September 5-7^th Italians were able to play online poker legally for the first time, though the window of opportunity was a brief few hours from 2-5pm.  But in those few hours the two poker site operators that have received licenses, Gioco Digitale and Microgame, found what they’d been hoping for.  The experimental test weekend was a sure success that has both the Italian government and gaming operators ready to move forward.

 

By Alexis Russell
09/13/2008

For those who were wondering how they were going to find more time to play poker Apple has an answer.  The crazy popularity of Apple’s iPhone mimics that of poker today which led to the logical solution of putting the two together.  Poker players now have more reasons to pick up an iPhone.

By David Richardson
09/13/2008

The World Poker Tour continues on at the Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City this weekend.  It’s just one of 14 stops in this year’s tour but the Borgata had made sure it will stand out among the other tournaments.  Just how you ask?  By filling the seats of the live action tournament with satellite tournament winners.

By Zach Purgason
09/11/2008

 

Earlier this week, CardRunners and StoxPoker announced a plan to merge their astronomic quantity of training resources into what is referred to as the most extensive library of educational poker videos and information on the internet.  In addition, this resource will include continued instruction from a combined roster of top-level poker “professors” to provide a nearly limitless supply of lessons to viewers across the world. 

By Alexis Russell
09/11/2008

Last year’s inaugural World Series of Poker Europe was quite an event with the winner Annette Obrestad breaking a number of records.  This year’s tournament promises to be even bigger with more events, a better venue and greater hype as they ride the wave of the 2007 WSOPE success.

By Alexis Russell
09/11/2008

                The World Championship of Poker kicked off almost a week ago bringing together thousands of players from around the world.  The past six days have been packed with steady action and tons of prize money.  However, there’s still a lot more tournaments left to be settled over the next 10 days.  So to keep you up to speed here’s what been happening so far.

By Zach Purgason
09/10/2008

As a major feature to its laundry list of September promotions, DoylesRoom.com – founded by 10-time WSOP bracelet winner and poker strategy legend, Doyle Brunson – has announced an attractive opportunity for competitive online tournament players. This Saturday, September 13^th, for a $22+2 buy-in, a slew of competitors will vie for 50 available seats to the Super Saturday $250K tournament at the end of the month

By David Richardson
09/10/2008

Poker has seen a surge in popularity of late and in Asia that’s no exception.  In fact, the Asian Poker Tour has seen such positive turn outs this year they plan to increase the number of tournaments they sponsor next year.  To help them with the expansion the APT is enlisting the help of poker pros.

By Alexis Russell
09/10/2008

It was bound to happen.  Poker has already taken television by storm in the form of live tournaments, so why not a reality show pitting amateurs against each other as a pro poker player shows them the ropes?  In the UK where reality television is an obsession larger than even in the U.S. the series is set for success.

By Alexis Russell
09/09/2008

Back in July the public got strong indicators as to PartyGaming’s state of affairs and they weren’t too good.  It seems over the last few months things haven’t improved much and now PartyGaming is trimming the fat to keep their heads above water.  To keep players coming in they’re showing employees the door.

By Zach Purgason
09/09/2008

 

The San Francisco based, online poker company, PurePlay, reported this week that its player memberships now total over 1.5 million.  The site, PurePlay.com, which derives much of its popularity from its apparently legal-to-U.S.-players platform and payout system, also announced that it has given out over $4 million in prize money to its members since November of 2005.

By Zach Purgason
09/09/2008

Titan poker recently announced they are on the hunt for 12 players that will make up a new pro team for 2009.  Titan poker is no stranger to sponsoring players, with numerous pro poker players already supporting their brand.  But to get on this Titan Poker team you’re going to have to change your residence if you live in the U.S.

By Alexis Russell
09/08/2008

With the advent of online poker has come an influx of female poker players taking to the virtual tables.  The internet poker rooms have seen a huge boost in play because of this new field of players quickly catching on to the sport.  However, live action tournaments have yet to see the ladies pouring in.

By David Richardson
09/08/2008

By now we’ve all heard the buzz that started shortly after the 2008 Olympics when it became known athlete extraordinaire Michael Phelps had been turning his focus to online poker.  After winning a record breaking 8 gold medals at a single Olympics it’s only sensible that he should become a hot commodity for promotions.  The only questions had been which online poker rooms will the one to entice Phelps?

By David Richardson
09/06/2008

Atlantic City is a buzz this week with additional poker players who are taking part in the 6^th annual Borgata Poker Open which started Sept. 3^rd.  The highlight of the event that’s calling players like a flickering neon sign is the $5 million Main Event prize pool.

By Alexis Russell
09/06/2008

Poker players in Colorado have a number of options for playing the game in licensed establishments unlike unlucky players in some other states.  But Larry Lee Wittman seemed to feel it needed another card room.  It’s just too bad the Colorado Bureau of Investigations didn’t feel the same way about his illegal gambling operation.

By Zach Purgason
09/05/2008

DuplicatePoker.com, home to thousands of online members in the U.S. who compete in both free poker and real-money poker games, surveyed 1,639 U.S. poker players between September 2^nd and 4^th gauging their political inclinations in the upcoming election.  The result was 1,043 to 596 in favor of Illinois Senator, Barack Obama nearly a 2:1 ratio and an overwhelming indication of support for the democrats in this demographic.

By Alexis Russell
09/05/2008

The Bicycle Casino which just got done hosting the World Poker Tour’s Legends of Poker tournament is now playing host to the World Series of Poker.  For two days starting on September 6^th poker players can take a trip to the L.A. area casino and learn a thing or two about the sport from the pros themselves.

By David Richardson
09/05/2008

PokerStars is a giant of the online poker world and there’s no better way to show that off than with a tournament to end all other online poker tournaments.  The 2008 World Championship of Online Poker begins Friday September 5^th with thousands of players set to compete for millions in prizes.  And don’t expect the same old thing as last year, this year has even more events.

By Zach Purgason
09/04/2008

California has often been a forward thinking state that leads the country in moving toward the future by bringing new issues into our law and government.  Online poker is no exception to this.  California could possibly be the first state to legalize online poker, but we’ll now have to wait until 2009 to see if it happens.

By David Richardson
09/04/2008

Poker has taken hold of Europe over the last few years and the media is drawing attention to it.  Magazines like Bluff Europe and Poker Pro Europe are stretching their influence farther by imbedding themselves in cities where poker is already abundant as well as introducing poker to new countries and people.  So where are they going and where are they setting down roots?

By Zach Purgason
09/03/2008

 

Poker Nordica and Doyles Room announced recently their upcoming list of special September promotions.  The sites are currently among the fastest growing and most secure poker sites on the internet that allow U.S. players on their virtual tables.

By David Richardson
09/03/2008

Previously an establishment offering a poker tournament wasn’t required to withhold anything from a player’s winnings which players liked just fine.  However, now the IRS has dug up a 1976 ruling from Congress and interpreted it loosely to make sure they get their share of the earnings.  The one question on everyone’s minds is, why wasn’t the public made aware and allowed to speak out against the ruling?

By Alexis Russell
09/03/2008

The numbers are in and it seems online poker rooms are doing just fine as other industries slump from a weakened economy.  Another trend that has come to light upon examining player traffic numbers for numerous online poker networks, is that the U.S. players make a real difference.  So which poker rooms are enjoying the surge in players?

By Alexis Russell
09/02/2008

As the rest of the world moves forward with the acceptance of poker the U.S. seems content to be left behind.  The sport of poker has had a checkered past here in the states with staunch supporters and opposition.  There has been headway in the legalization of poker, however when it moved into the online world poker has been stopped dead in its tracks.

By Zach Purgason
09/02/2008

The western world, where poker got its start and has presently flourished, isn’t the only place that the sport has escalated in popularity.  Asia is quickly catching on to the game of poker where it is their skill that’s tested against opponents, not blind luck that comes with casino games.  But does poker have a future in Asia?

By Alexis Russell
09/01/2008

In 2006 the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act wreaked havoc in the online poker world.  Poker rooms failed and shut down, threats of legal action abounded and the U.S. online poker players’ freedom to play was, and still is, in question.

Non-U.S. online poker rooms have felt most of the brunt enforcements that the Republican GOP dealt out.  Losing their U.S. base of real money players is still proving to be a burden to the international companies like PartyGaming.

By David Richardson
09/01/2008

Poker is no longer contained within smoky poker rooms in Las Vegas.  The city that launched the game into the mainstream has been followed by televised poker tournaments and online poker games that have sky rocketed poker into new popularity.  But it’s in Las Vegas where poker is being played in a new medium, a live stage show.