Don't worry, are fucked government is working hard to restrict this too. Scandalous bastards that they are.
The FBI Seizes Major Online Poker Websites
- Thread starter Joshk
- Start date
Don't worry, are fucked government is working hard to restrict this too. Scandalous bastards that they are.
I don't vote nor have I ever voted.
Wow, but you have an opinion on the government.
anyone know if people are getting paid? FTC asking for 2.5 bill and people pulling out all their money... I wonder if people will even be paid what was in their accounts.
First, the FTC has nothing to do with this.
Second, and I say again, these are two of the biggest online gaming companies in the world with VAST resources. They have huge operations all around the world and are very much legit almost everywhere else but the fucked up US. Their operations continue as we speak minus the US players and the rest of the world is a big place with lots of poker players.
Just because the US gov't wants 2.5 billion doesn't mean they've already got it and the only company accounts shut down so far that we know of are ones in the US used for processing US player's deposits.
These aren't some shady Caribbean sportsbooks, they have legit offices in legit jurisdictions and employ a lot of people. Stars had reported revenues of $1.4 billion in 2010 with $500 million in profits. I'm sure Full Tilt is right up there too.
These companies aren't going anywhere and player's money is safe. How they're going to get it needs answering, but since it's only been barely 24 hours, on a weekend, it's too soon to speculate.
Here's a nice article for y'all to read from a year ago, full of industry history and also foreshadowing of these recent events...
Are the Feds Cracking Down On Online Poker? - Forbes.com
Are the Feds Cracking Down On Online Poker? - Forbes.com
+1
lol... America the free. LOL!!!!! what a fucking joke this country is...
american dream: dream about becoming rich and pay taxes to the corrupt government and corporations FOREVER.
Here's a great article by Nelson Rose that puts all this in perspective. There are some real gems in here...
I. Nelson Rose – Federal Poker Indictments: Revisiting Prohibition
I. Nelson Rose – Federal Poker Indictments: Revisiting Prohibition
JJ has his work cut out for him...
JJ has his work cut out for him...
St. George bank leader caught in huge online poker sting | The Salt Lake Tribune
JJ has his work cut out for him...
St. George bank leader caught in huge online poker sting | The Salt Lake Tribune
Another article on Daniel Tzvetkoff. Gotta love the title...
In Another Era, Daniel Tzvetkoff Would Have Been Whacked, Shot or Garroted | Gambling911.com
Some more news tidbits here as well...
http://calvinayre.com/2011/04/19/legal/black-friday-blue-monday-online-poker-indictment-updates/
My favorite quote full of bad poker puns...
Speaking out re Black Friday for the first time, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told The Hill that “protecting the public from the scourge of inside straights” was “an incredible waste of resources.” Calling the UIGEA “a bad law,” Frank urged the US Department of Justice to refocus its energies on the execs behind the 2008 global economic crisis. “Go after the people responsible for empty houses, not full houses …
In Another Era, Daniel Tzvetkoff Would Have Been Whacked, Shot or Garroted | Gambling911.com
Some more news tidbits here as well...
http://calvinayre.com/2011/04/19/legal/black-friday-blue-monday-online-poker-indictment-updates/
My favorite quote full of bad poker puns...
Speaking out re Black Friday for the first time, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) told The Hill that “protecting the public from the scourge of inside straights” was “an incredible waste of resources.” Calling the UIGEA “a bad law,” Frank urged the US Department of Justice to refocus its energies on the execs behind the 2008 global economic crisis. “Go after the people responsible for empty houses, not full houses …
Well, guess my $200 reload to play a month ago is gone. *sigh* Why must it be one way or the other with legalization? Poker is a game of skill, not gambling in the purest sense.
Here I was, hoping this was a joke topic. :crap:
Here I was, hoping this was a joke topic. :crap:
The problem with this country is people only see anything as anti-freedom if it directly effects them because they believe we live in a democracy (rather than a constitutional republic.) If more people would realize that every attack on freedom is an attack on them it would be far less of a problem.
Yes, they just seized the .com, and only the one. fulltiltpoker.com was taken but fulltilt.com still works and redirects to their .co.uk. As was said, .net is for play money only as is the norm for most companies.
All the other country specific TLDs are in effect, and there are many, and Stars and Tilt both moved to their .eu domains as their official homes. Letters were sent out to both customers and affiliates affirming this, reassuring them their money is safe, and that it's business as usual for those not in the US. Affiliates were instructed to point all their links to the .eu.
All the poker trackers are showing around a 50% cut in player numbers for both Stars and Tilt but they are still the top two rooms online with more than twice as many players as their nearest competitors.
More news tidbits and editorial commentary...
Black Friday Poker Indictments Updates | Online Gambling News
Notable quote of the day...
"Andy Fixmer appeared on Bloomberg Asia today to voice the opinion that, while US poker players are highly unlikely to face any prosecution themselves, they do face the likelihood that all moneys on deposit with the indicted poker companies may be gone for good. If so, millions of Americans just got robbed by their own government to teach them a lesson, the DoJ equivalent of rubbing your cat’s nose in its own piss to get it to stop messing up your rug. This could go down as the largest unauthorized money grab from average taxpaying US citizens by elected government officials in US history."
I don't necessarily agree with this, but it could pan out that way. I think US players will be able to get their money at some point but how and when is the question as there's just a wee bit of a logistical problem at the moment.
gaming industry: Department of Justice faces Facebook backlash over poker kill
Mitch Garber, PartyGaming and Sportingbet Killed US Poker | Online Gambling News
Online Poker Indictments
Huge news...
Online poker players to be reunited with cash | Chicago Breaking Business
Online poker players in the United States will be able to withdraw money from accounts associated with two Internet poker companies recently indicted for bank fraud and money laundering, federal authorities said Wednesday.
The U.S. government has agreed to allow PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, two of the three largest Internet poker companies, to resume use of domain names that had been shut down last week.
Under the “domain name use agreements“ the companies will be able to reactivate pokerstars.com and fulltiltpoker.com to “facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. players’ funds held in account with the companies.“
The agreement also allows for players outside of the United States to resume playing for “real money.“
Prosecutors said the same agreement is open to Absolute Poker, the third company indicted last week, if it chooses to accept.
Online poker players to be reunited with cash | Chicago Breaking Business
Online poker players in the United States will be able to withdraw money from accounts associated with two Internet poker companies recently indicted for bank fraud and money laundering, federal authorities said Wednesday.
The U.S. government has agreed to allow PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, two of the three largest Internet poker companies, to resume use of domain names that had been shut down last week.
Under the “domain name use agreements“ the companies will be able to reactivate pokerstars.com and fulltiltpoker.com to “facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. players’ funds held in account with the companies.“
The agreement also allows for players outside of the United States to resume playing for “real money.“
Prosecutors said the same agreement is open to Absolute Poker, the third company indicted last week, if it chooses to accept.