Marketing Code for PokerStars

Lawyers for Full Tilt have responded to accusations by the U.S. Department of Justice that they have been running a “global Ponzi scheme.” Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, unleashed a verbal salvo at the ailing site, claiming they “were not a legitimate poker company.”

His comments followed an amendment to the DoJ’s original civil complaint against Full Tilt, adding in accusations that they had swindled $300 million away from their customers. Unlike PokerStars, Full Tilt did not have separate funds ring-fenced in order to pay back their customers. When the FBI froze the company’s operating assets, Full Tilt had no reserves of cash to refund player deposits. Turning many of their players away from cards and towards online video poker.

This is now agreed to have been bad business practice, but the more chilling claim is that, over the past few years, Full Tilt’s directors have used player deposits to pay themselves more than $444 million. Among those named are us friendly poker sites veterans Chris Ferguson and Howard Lederer, who have now been added to the official court filing.

Iam Imrich, a lawyer for Full Tilt, argues that the company have been… READ MORE

A month after April’s Black Friday, it became clear that Full Tilt Poker weren’t going to refund their customers. Since then, it’s been hard to get a statement from the formerly buoyant online poker company. Missives that emerged were little more than reassurances and empty promises. Now, finally, the site has unveiled an announcement with a little more meat.

Sadly, it’s not to herald the arrival of new investors or to confirm that repayments are en route. Instead, Full Tilt offer to explain why they haven’t had the funds to pay back trapped money owed to their players.

“As is obvious from the events that have transpired since April 15th, Full Tilt Poker was not prepared for the far-reaching, US government enforcement effort of Black Friday. Full Tilt Poker never anticipated that the DOJ would proceed as it did by seizing our global domain name and shutting down the site worldwide.”

First in line for blame is the U.S. government. Fingered for not only the $115 million seized from us poker sites during Black Friday, but another unspecified sum taken from payment processors in late 2010. Full Tilt covered this lost cash with their own supplies, shielding the players… READ MORE

On June 29th, The Alderney Gambling Control Commission elected to suspend the gambling license of Full Tilt Poker. Following the events surrounding Black Friday, the small island decided that FT could not be trusted to operate safely and securely. Since then, nobody has been able to play online poker at Full Tilt, while competitors like the PokerStars Download establish themselves as big players in the rest of the world.

During a hearing convened a month later, it was revealed that Full Tilt owed the AGCC some £250,000 in unpaid licensing fees. The company’s lawyers protested that their masters did not pay because they knew the license would no longer be in effect. Beyond that, the hearing was conducted in private and the press were only ushered back in at the end of the day to be told that proceedings had been adjourned until a date no later than September 15th.

Full Tilt Poker have now paid the missing £250k, setting themselves up for a renewal of the suspended license. Although this is only a minor stumbling block, there was no chance of them having their operating agreement ratified without the AGCC taking the cash on board. Both players and… READ MORE

If you are a fan of online poker rooms, chances are you know of the ongoing licensing problems of Full Tilt Poker. This past Friday the Kahnawake Gaming Commission gave the site a renewal of their Secondary Client Provider Authorization for a term of two years.

Many poker players were confused upon hearing that Full Tilt Poker was licensed at all by Kahnawake. Kahnawake is the same commission that licenses Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker, the home of several scandals. These sites were once a couple of the best Mac poker sites available, but they were hit hard by the loss of American business since Black Friday. This is, of course, something they have in common with Full Tilt.

It should be noted that while Full Tilt’s secondary license is valid, they must attend a hearing with the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) in order to get their primary license reinstated. Paraphrasing the Alderney Commission’s website, they are looking for their hearing with Full Tilt to occur as soon as possible and no later than September 15th.

Full Tilt was able to renew their secondary license despite their primary license suspension because their primary license is still technically… READ MORE

April 15th is known to online poker players as Black Friday because everyone in the USA lost their ability to play on the three major poker sites. It wasn’t long before PokerStars allowed their American players to access their real money accounts, however. They could no longer earn PokerStars rakeback, but at least their money could be withdrawn.

Unfortunately, the outcome with Full Tilt Poker was quite the opposite. Americans have not had access to their real money accounts since April 15th. And now even players outside of America have their funds locked up in Full Tilt.

On June 29th, the Alderney Gaming Control Commission (AGCC) took away Full Tilt Poker’s license. As a consequence Full Tilt, one of the best Mac poker sites online, has been closed to everyone, not just those in the US. Part of the reason they lost their license was that they had not paid American players back yet.

Affected players then looked forward to June 26th because it was the date of Full Tilt’s hearing with the AGCC. For weeks there were rumors bubbling of investors vying for Full Tilt Poker which would alleviate their cash flow issues. This would be a… READ MORE

The future of Full Tilt is hanging by a thread. The strength of that cord is set to be tested by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, who have called a public hearing to discuss the matter in two weeks time. Last month the AGCC suspended Full Tilt’s operating license, essentially shutting down the entire site.

Full Tilt have been based on the island for a number of years, but in the words of the AGCC, failed “to satisfy the AGCC that its activities inside and outside the US were in order.”

Following raids and accusations by the U.S. Department of Justice, Full Tilt have been under intense international scrutiny. Unlike their long time rivals, the PokerStars Download, they are yet to pay back customers with cash stuck in online accounts. A number of their executives have been arrested and high profile pros with a stake in the business are keeping a low profile.

Alderney is part of the Channel Islands, located of the coast of the Great Britain and a British Crown Dependency. A lot of online poker best sites are located in similar locations. The AGCC have chosen to hold their hearing in London on July 27.… READ MORE

Following the Black Friday indictments, most of the world’s ire has been directed at PokerStars, Full Tilt, Absolute Poker, and UB. The latter three, in particular, have come under attack for continuing to block U.S. withdrawals, despite reaching an agreement with the U.S. government. All in all it’s been a bad time for the former top texas holdem sites.

However, other ancillary groups have also caught some flack. The Poker Players Alliance claim to have worked tirelessly for years to promote the case of online poker on Capitol Hill, yet their efforts did nothing to prevent the problems of recent weeks or seriously advance any bills that would legalize online poker.

Despite this, the PPA continue to lobby Washington and are still seen as a positive force by many onlookers. What might have called their impartiality into question was the presence of two Full Tilt founders on the PPA board. Both Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson were part of the decision making team, but have now resigned from these positions.

Although the details of Full Tilt’s origins are shrouded in mystery, Lederer is widely regarded as one of the instigators. It is reported that Ferguson was instrumental in developing… READ MORE

When you download Full Tilt Poker, you receive the chance to win your way into the WSOP Main Event by playing one of many satellite tournaments. Today we will describe this year’s WSOP with Full Tilt and the nitty gritty regarding their incentives.

The best way to win your seat to the Main Event on the Full Tilt Poker download is by playing Steps Tournaments. For as little as $3.30, you can win your way up to a $12k WSOP package! This package includes your $10,000 seat to the Main Event and $2,000 for expenses. It also includes a dinner with the Full Tilt Poker pros and Full Tilt Poker merchandise.

You receive extra benefits if you are willing to sign a Promotional Agreement and wear Full Tilt clothing throughout the event. First off, you can save the $2,000 cash for food and travel expenses because you will receive five nights accommodation at the Rio. Full Tilt will then keep tabs on all their players so that they can take care of additional days at the Rio in the event that they go deep.

The most exciting benefit of all, though, is an extra $10 million for going… READ MORE

A few years back, Gus Hansen was the all-conquering three time WPT champion at the zenith of the game, but a few quiet years have pushed the Great Dane out of the spotlight. In 2011, Gus seems determined to re-establish himself as one of the best in the world. He has been lighting up the nosebleed games on the Full Tilt Poker Download, winning more than any other player so far this year.

Earlier in the week his assault on the ring games had faltered a little. Playing 2-7 Triple Draw against O Fortuna PLS, he shipped $500,000 to his opponent. So it was with trepidation that fans of the Danish wonder watched as he hit the tables again a few days later.

Railbirds need not have feared, however. Gus started by crushing Arabiannight in the $500/$1000 PLO game. He took his victim for $150,000 in just 250 hands. As if that weren’t enough, he then moved on to battle Full Tilt Pro Andreas Torbergson. The player known as skjervoy online is a PLO specialist at the best online poker sites, but all those skills couldn’t prevent him from shipping $172,000 in Gus’s direction.

That haul meant the… READ MORE

With so many live PokerStars sponsored series out there, there is no doubt that the Full Tilt Poker download has been hunting down a chance to host some of their own live tournaments. The site recently received the chance they have been looking for with the introduction of the Onyx Cup Series. It is safe to say that the introduction of this series has caused a ripple of excitement in the poker community!

The Onyx Cup Series showcases six tourneys hosted on three different continents. You have never seen tourneys quite like this, though. You will need a big bankroll since they start at $100,000 buy-ins, and they give points for the Onyx Cup Series Leaderboard. You must earn Leaderboard points in the first five events of the series to get into the $250,000 Grand Finale tourney at the end of 2011.

You will sit at 8-handed tables and be subjected to a “shot clock” when you play in the Onyx Cup. The best US poker sites all restrict the amount of time a player may take when it is their turn to play, and the Onyx Cup’s shot clock does the same thing. If players do not… READ MORE