Full Tilt, Pokerstars, Ultimate Bet seized by gov't?

[mrmarket]

What about the Pro's who play on the sites they sponsor say like a Dwan and Negraneau who probably have hundreds of thousands in an account. If they dont withdraw back into their bank accounts after they play, wouldnt they stand to lose all their money as well?

And the next time they sponsor or promote a site would you trust them or does it even matter who promotes what in regards to your interest in a site?

Nobody really knows the balance the sponsored players carry in their accounts. If they are playing nosebleeds you would think that the range would be 1-3 BI's. For all we know they could have known about the hammer and put their balances in the bank a day or hours before the rest of us sheep knew that shit was going to hit the fan.

Also, I never saw a reason to join a site based on who it sponsored. I mainly based it on rake level/possible rakeback, player pool, tournaments with overlay etc.

[Scooter]

This is going to have a strong negative effect on the offshore sportsbooks, even if the US Government doesn't go after them at this time.

[FuzzyDunlop]

Also, if this was released an hour ago in case you're wondering who the government is working for this week.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/04/hustler-cainso-launches-free-online-gaming-site-after-fbi-internet-poker-crackdown.html

Hustler Casino launches free online gaming site after FBI Internet poker crackdown
(1) (9) (24)
April 15, 2011 | 5:18 pm
The empty space left behind by the FBI’s crackdown on three major online poker sites is already being filled –- by Hustler.

Hustler Casino launched its own online gaming site on the same day federal authorities indicted and began to shut down prominent poker hubs Absolute Poker, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.

“It’s just one of those phenomenal coincidences that happen very rarely in a marketer’s career where something so monumental occurs in the online gaming community as what happened today,” said Al Underwood, marketing director for Hustler Casino in Gardena. “It opens up a space for us, and people who enjoy this online activity at least have a place to go that is familiar, legal and safe.”

The difference, according to owner Flynt Management Group, is that Hustler Casino’s site is free to use and doesn’t require players to stake and win real money. Instead, games are based around a point system that goes toward eventual prizes.

The site, according to the company, has been in development for months.

The focus is on no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em. “Thousands upon thousands” of people could end up visiting, Underwood said.

-- Tiffany Hsu

[vyomguy]

Guys...everybody will get their money back....it will just take few months to sort out these things. Eventually it might be something like Neteller...where all accounts were paid out and Neteller got banned from US. Same thing will happen here.

Eventually US will start its own online poker and regulate it and also will highly tax it. Gone are the good old days.

[oiler]

seems they went at the poker sites not the sportsbooks.

[Greekster]

Guys...everybody will get their money back....it will just take few months to sort out these things. Eventually it might be something like Neteller...where all accounts were paid out and Neteller got banned from US. Same thing will happen here.

Eventually US will start its own online poker and regulate it and also will highly tax it. Gone are the good old days.

I agree with the first paragraph. The second one - "eventually" could be a long time.

[BeerDog99]

I am just so surprised that Americans are sitting down for this.

No matter what you think about the industry, players, companies, etc, I just can't believe the home of the brave and free, allow's their government to systematically take away their personal freedoms.

In my humble, external opinion, I think your country argues about the wrong things.

Whether you agree or disagree with poker/gambling, I am so surprised that anybody in the US supports taking away personal freedoms that have been fought so hard to gain/maintain over many years.

Just my opinion, good luck to us all and I hope this gets worked out fairly and quickly!

Cheers all.

[username474]

The Feds seizing their U.S. domain names was the big thing. I do not think the feds are going to be able freeze FT/ PS funds in Ireland/Isle of Man. The money laundering charges are going to get ripped apart in court, but will take 5+years to be resolved. The HUGE downside to this is that the PS/Wynn deal is now off.

[nikossf]

BULLSHIT CRAP!! Greedy gov't!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42613518/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Anyone get a chance to read this today?? Just bullshit...

These banks that are going after these sites are greedy scum of the earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



They are going to (and most likely will!) charge these online gambling sites and recover over 3 billion!!



So here's my questions....

1. Why over 3 billion???..

(Is this what their figures are for everything billed from each site?? This cant just be measly fees and bullshit the banks have to deal with,..So it has to be a total figure of what they estimate is being sent to these sites..Maybe in the last 2-3 years, who knows..

Leads me to my next question..
If this is the case and its just a total figure,..

2. Why are they entitled to receive ALL this money back?? It wasn't really the banks in the first place it was OUR MONEY!!

3. Do you suppose,.. WHEN the banks do collect this amount..(OVER 3 Billion dollars) They would be so kind as to return the money back to the original accounts?? Or does this money just get pocketed by a bunch of corporate assholes...


THIS IS ALL VERY MESSED UP AND VERY CRAZY!!
This online gambling shit needs to be addressed and ALLOWED in our country...We have the freedom to do WHATEVER we want with OUR OWN MONEY!!!




Where's a good gambling attorney when you need one...???????????

[daneblazer]

This isn't a banner day for players in other countries either. A huge pool of fish for you just went bye bye.

Stars is a huge advertiser for online poker in the states. They frequent the internet and television driving new players online. All of those advertising bucks are gone now.

[ballahollic2]

cashing out will be quite the issue on these sites now

[FuzzyDunlop]

This isn't a banner day for players in other countries either. A huge pool of fish for you just went bye bye.

Stars is a huge advertiser for online poker in the states. They frequent the internet and television driving new players online. All of those advertising bucks are gone now.

I would think foreign players would be more concerned about the reports that these three sites will be down permanently in the next 48 hours more than there won't be fish on them anymore.

[username474]

This is going to have a strong negative effect on the offshore sportsbooks, even if the US Government doesn't go after them at this time.

This is the first time that I recall the Feds seizing gambling domain names outside of Kentucky and it seems somewhat effective. As far as sportsbooks are concerned outside of the domain name thing, as long as they do not get to big or launch massive advertising campaigns the will be OK in the long term.

[vincanity15]

You should have withdrawn from UB years ago.

[robert_wrath]

There's a couple reasons why:
1. Government wants to Tax funds from host site & users.
2. Funds Outgoing & In Coming are too large to track thus ruining the Currency Exchange and Fed Tax Rate.

[daneblazer]

I would think foreign players would be more concerned about the reports that these three sites will be down permanently in the next 48 hours more than there won't be fish on them anymore.

Stars was quick to flip the doom switch on their site. I haven't really read much on the issue for a few hours, but it sounds like they're done. Tilt has always waved their finger at the US government. It's business as usual there tonight and it wouldn't surprise me if they find a way to survive.

[FuzzyDunlop]

I am just so surprised that Americans are sitting down for this.

No matter what you think about the industry, players, companies, etc, I just can't believe the home of the brave and free, allow's their government to systematically take away their personal freedoms.

In my humble, external opinion, I think your country argues about the wrong things.

Whether you agree or disagree with poker/gambling, I am so surprised that anybody in the US supports taking away personal freedoms that have been fought so hard to gain/maintain over many years.

Just my opinion, good luck to us all and I hope this gets worked out fairly and quickly!

Cheers all.

I agree, which is why consumer technology is moved so fast here and made so available. Why worry about the now 43% extra gamma rays we're exposing people to get on a plane to stop terrorists, when you can literally stream 75,000 movies anytime over your cell phone?

[SportsMushroom]

well it serves them right, those idiots werent content with the billions they were making from the rest of the world? they had to have the united states too?

anyway, yeah the banks are gonna take your money! you think they havent done it before?

they did it when they were lending YOUR money to people who couldnt afford to pay it back!!! and when those people defaulted they did it again when the government gave them YOUR tax money to bail out the banks!!! and then, they did it again by putting that bailout money into their pockets and started putting surcharges to YOUR account to cover the cost of the defaults

[nikossf]

Does nobody even care about this?? ******* RIDICULOUS!!

[darys]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/...lears-congress

they want to shut them down so they can make us-based poker sites so the govt. can make money off them

also,

A good point here hehe.

[nikossf]

well it serves them right, those idiots werent content with the billions they were making from the rest of the world? they had to have the united states too?

anyway, yeah the banks are gonna take your money! you think they havent done it before?

they did it when they were lending YOUR money to people who couldnt afford to pay it back!!! and when those people defaulted they did it again when the government gave them YOUR tax money to bail out the banks!!! and then, they did it again by putting that bailout money into their pockets and started putting surcharges to YOUR account to cover the cost of the defaults

Yes,.and they will continue to do this until we the people put an end to this..
Remember,..LIFE, LIBERTY, and FREEDOM!! What happen?

[Smoke]

For those of us of a certain age who remember the comic strip Pogo...

"We have met the enemy...and he is us."

Doc

[Smoke]

AGREE.........where do we move?

Fisher your the sharpest of the sharp.. ..Whats the next move?

[Smoke]

Vancouver here I come

Say hi to canuckG for me...

Tell him.... go red wings too

[SportsMushroom]

Yes,.and they will continue to do this until we the people put an end to this..
Remember,..LIFE, LIBERTY, and FREEDOM!! What happen?

people as a protest should start saving their money in a wall in their house

or stuffing it inside a matress or something

let those fkin banks go bust

[BeerDog99]

This isn't a banner day for players in other countries either. A huge pool of fish for you just went bye bye.

Stars is a huge advertiser for online poker in the states. They frequent the internet and television driving new players online. All of those advertising bucks are gone now.

100% agree.

[Footballtime]

LV, beat it man! Cops should be checking the police scanners not posting on gambling sites!

[trixtrix]

boy, i bet Matchbook packing up and leaving doesn't look as bad a choice now..

[jeremythegreat]

Bodog will be next and then the rest!

its coming

[rm18]

the internetz is outta control moving to Vegas soon

[donkdown]

We all laugh now Bookmaker is next I promise u this!! Then down the line!!

[daneblazer]

I don't think anyone can accurately predict what will happen at this point. Dwan posted on his blog that he estimates that money on UB is worth 40 cents on the dollar right now. If you can get it out and move to a new site, it wouldn't hurt you.

[jwbama23]

dont they have anything else on their plate right now? I hate how the government gets so involved in small stupid shit but cant step on the bigger issues. How about gasonline prices killing people? Is the government there to stop that?

[trixtrix]

funny, i read fbi had nothing to do w/ this, it was d.a from ny

[frizzelli]

Urgent!!! Pokerstars bankrolls

Ship your funds to Frizzelli (Canada) and I will pay you out at %15 fee, if you don't you will most likely receive nothing, I am trust worthy I pay my fukkin points so what is 15k ship it bitches. I am Canadian so you can trust me.