September U.S. Online Poker Offshore Payment Processing Report

Posted by :admin On : September 17, 2014

0

U.S. online poker offshore payouts slowed a bit in the past month. This may be attributed to the start of football season. Most U.S.-facing sites are primarily sportsbooks.The slight slowdown is not anything to be concerned about as most sites are still well within expected and advertised speeds.Last month’s report may be found here. Last month’s grades are in parenthesis.

	This Month	Last Month
	A	A+

Bovada

Bovada is the largest poker site that accepts U.S. players. It is also the fasting paying U.S.-facing offshore gaming company. The speeds slipped slightly for the second month in a row. This lowered its grade to an A, which is still the best in the industry.

Checks arrive in 4-8 days. The maximum check amount is $3,000. The first check each month is free. Additional check requests carry a $50 fee.

Bank wires arrive in 1-2 weeks and also have a $50 fee. Players may receive one free wire per month if a check was not requested during the same period. Intermediary and receiving banks may tack on additional charges. There is a Visa refund option that processes in 4-7 days.

Cash transfers are processed in 2-5 days. These are sent by Western Union, described as Money Transfer in Bovada’s cashier, and MoneyGram, which is described as Rapid Transfer. The fees are as follows:

Western Union	MoneyGram
$100 – $249 Fee: $50 $250 – $499 Fee: $75 $500 – $999 Fee: $100 $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150 $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200	$100 – $199 Fee: $20 $200 – $399 Fee: $30 $400 – $599 Fee: $45 $600 – $800 Fee: $60

	This Month	Last Month
	A	A

Winning Poker Network

The Winning Poker Network cashier processes payments for Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker. Winning Poker came within a sliver of being ranked higher than Bovada this month. A second month of these speeds might see the network take over the number one spot.

Checks arrive in 10-14 days. The maximum amount is $2,995. Once check is delivered free each month. Additional ones have a $65 fee.

Debit cards are processed in 1-2 days. The fee is $25 to initially receive the card, $2 to load it with each withdrawal request, and $5 per ATM transaction. The ATM owner’s charge is in addition to these fees.

Western Union payments are sent in 3-7 days. The fees and amounts are as follows:

• $100 – $299 Fee: $60
• $300 – $499 Fee: $70
• $500 – $749 Fee: $85
• $750 – $999 Fee: $95
• $1,000 – $1,500 Fee: $110

	This Month	Last Month
	A-	B+

Intertops

Intertops moves back up after adding capacity to its Western Union transfers. The Revolution Gaming skin does not offer a free withdrawal option to U.S. players, however, it does have some of the fastest and most consistent payout speeds in the industry.

Checks are processed in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $50. Bank wires are available in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is also $50. Cash transfers are processed in about two days. The fees are as follows:

• $150-$500 Fee: $70
• $501-$1,000 Fee: $85
• $1,001-$2,000 Fee: $180

	This Month	Last Month
	B+	B+

BetOnline

BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network. Checks are delivered in 5-15 days. These are sometimes sent as money orders. Bank wires are processed in about two weeks. Western Union and MoneyGram are used for cash transfers.

BetOnline does not offer a free withdrawal option. Cash transfers are available for $50 to active players. The other fees are:

Check/Money Order: $25
Bank Wire: $45-$75
Western Union: $34-$101

International players also pay a fee of $20 to withdraw from BetOnline.

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B

SealswithClubs

SealswithClubs is a Bitcoin-only site. No other deposit or withdrawal options are available to players in any country.

Players that hold Bitcoin will find the 12 hour max cashout speeds to be the best in the industry.

We only grade it lower than other U.S. poker sites because there are no other processing options.

	This Month	Last Month
	B-	B-

Juicy Stakes

Juicy Stakes is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network.

There have been no player reports of withdrawal speeds in the past month for Juicy Stakes. We have no reason to believe there are any issues with payouts. Previous speeds were 4-7 days for cash transfers and checks. The fee for both options is $100.

Active players receive half-priced withdrawals.

	This Month	Last Month
	C+	C+

Merge Gaming

Merge Gaming processes withdrawals for Carbon Poker, Sportsbook.ag, SuperBook and PlayersOnly.

Most U.S. players have just one way to withdraw from Merge Gaming. That is by check. The fee is 3% with no cap.

The maximum check amount is $2,500. These are delivered in 2-3 weeks.

	This Month	Last Month
	F-	F-

Lock Poker

Lock Poker is a deposit-only scam online poker room.

There have been no reports of processed withdrawals for over five months.

The latest update, compiled by Two Plus Two user IHasTehNutz, shows $978,000 in outstanding payments dating back nearly two years. Support continues to mislead players into believing that withdrawal speeds are in the 2 month range.

Do not fall for this scam.

August 2014 U.S. Online Poker Payment Processing Report

Posted by :admin On : August 21, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News

U.S. offshore withdrawal speeds maintained respectable levels at all legitimate sites in the past month, although payouts did slow a bit. Players continue to enjoy cashout speeds as fast as just one day at the top sites through certain methods. There were a few changes during August. View last month’s report here.

	This Month	Last Month
	A+	A+

Bovada

Bovada payments slowed slightly over the past month. This was not enough to drop it from the top spot. Cash transfer withdrawals increased from 1-2 days to 4-6 days over the past month.

The fees are as follows:

Western Union	MoneyGram
$100 – $249 Fee: $50 $250 – $499 Fee: $75 $500 – $999 Fee: $100 $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150 $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200	$100 – $199 Fee: $20 $200 – $399 Fee: $30 $400 – $599 Fee: $45 $600 – $800 Fee: $60

Bovada checks arrive in 3-6 days. The maximum check is $3,000. One is processed for free each month. Additional checks have a $50 fee.

Bank wires are processed in about two weeks. One wire each month is free if a check has not also been requested, however, there are fees charged by the receiving bank and any intermediary bank.

There may also be a currency exchange fee. Some players have a Visa debit card option.

The only player report for Bovada debit card withdrawals during the past month was six days. These are not available to all players.

	This Month	Last Month
	A	A

Winning Poker Network

The Winning Poker Network cashier services Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker. The Winning Poker Network continues to process payments at exceptional speeds. Checks are delivered in 2-3 weeks in amounts up to $2,995. One free check is processed each month. Additional checks have a $65 fee.

The Winning Poker Network offers a debit card that may be used at ATMs and retailers. The card takes 2-3 weeks to arrive after being requested. Once in hand, transfers take just 1-2 days. There are fees for receiving the card, receiving a transfer and using the card at an ATM.

Western Union withdrawals are also processed in 1-2 days. The fees are:

• $100 – $299 Fee: $60
• $300 – $499 Fee: $70
• $500 – $749 Fee: $85
• $750 – $999 Fee: $95
• $1,000 – $1,500 Fee: $110

	This Month	Last Month
	B+	A-

Intertops

Intertops, a member of the Revolution Gaming Network, has dropped from its consistent A- grade for the first time in over a year and a half.

There are two reasons for this. The number of reported cashouts has dropped to about zero. Another reason is that it switched to a different cash transfer service where the max cashout is now $850.

It already got a lower grade than its speeds would indicate due to the lack of a free method. We still feel that Intertops is completely safe. It is just not in the top tier any longer for withdrawal options, speeds, and fees.

Checks are available in amounts up to $3,000. The fee is $50 and the check arrives in about one week.

Bank wires are delivered in about two weeks. The max wire is $2,500. The fee is also $50, however, the receiving bank will also charge a fee for this transfer. Cash transfers arrive in about one day and have a $35 fee.

	This Month	Last Month
	B+	B+

BetOnline

BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network. It continues to process payments quickly as its network grows.

Checks, sometimes processed as money orders, are delivered in 1-2 weeks. Bank wires are also processed in 1-2 weeks. Western Union and MoneyGram are processed in about two business days.

The fees are as follows:

Check/Money Order $25
Bank Wire: $45-$75
Western Union: $34-$101

Players outside the U.S. also have withdrawal fees. Players that withdraw by Skrill and Neteller will pay $20 per withdrawal.

There are no free withdrawal options for players. This is the reason that BetOnline does not break into the A grade territory. A discounted fee of $50 is offered for cash transfers once per month.

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B

SealswithClubs

If you are comfortable using Bitcoin, SealswithClubs is the poker site for you.

It processes payouts in about 12 hours.

We give it a lower grade because it does not offer any traditional withdrawal options as it is a Bitcoin-only site.

	This Month	Last Month
	B-	B-

Juicy Stakes

Juicy Stakes is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network that shares liquidity with Intertops.

Players can receive a withdrawal of up to $1,000 per week by either check or cash transfer. The fee is $100 for each and the delivery time is 4-7 days.

Players that give consistent action to Juicy Stakes receive withdrawals for $50, which is half of the normal charge.

	This Month	Last Month
	C+	B

Merge Gaming

The Merge Gaming cashier services Carbon Poker, Sportsbook.ag, Super Book and PlayersOnly.

It changed its withdrawal policy. Players may only get one check per year, NOT per month, for free. Additional checks have a 3% fee with no cap.

The maximum check withdrawal is $2,500. Most players have no other withdrawal options available

	This Month	Last Month
	F-	F-

Lock Poker

Lock Poker is a standalone site that is a deposit-only poker room.

This means that it does not pay cashout requests.

Two Plus Two user IHasTehNutz compiled a list of players owed over $970,000 as of August 5, 2014. Nearly 400 players are waiting for their withdrawals.

The last recorded cashout was over four months ago.

Author’s Note – Poker Host is not as active as it was when it was on Merge Gaming. We have been unable to locate any withdrawal reports in three months.

For this reason, we have removed it from the report. If there should be interest in the future, we will add it back to our monthly update.

We have no reason to believe there are any withdrawal issues at Poker Host. This decision is based solely on a lack of information.

July 2014 U.S. Online Poker Payment Processing Report

Posted by :admin On : July 17, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News

Payment times were well within acceptable time frames again this month. The speeds are some of the best we have seen in our years of doing the survey. One reason for this could be the slow time of the year. Not only does online poker traffic drop, but this is by far the slowest time of the year for sports betting. Most U.S.-facing offshore poker sites are primarily sports books.The June U.S. online poker payment processing report may be found here.

	This Month	Last Month
	A+	A+

Bovada

Bovada is by far the largest U.S.-facing online poker site.

It continues to process withdrawals as fast as possible. Checks arrive in 2-7 days.

We even saw a report of a check delivered in one business day in the past month. The maximum check is $3,000. One free check withdrawal is available each month. Additional Bovada check requests carry a $50 fee.

Bovada offers bank wires. These have a cap of $9,500. There have been no reports of bank wire speeds in the past month.

The fastest way to get withdrawals from Bovada is by Western Union and MoneyGram. These arrive in 1-2 days. The amounts and fees are as follows:

Money Transfer/WU	Rapid Transfer/MG
$100 – $249 Fee: $50 $250 – $499 Fee: $75 $500 – $999 Fee: $100 $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150 $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200	$100 – $199 Fee: $20 $200 – $399 Fee: $30 $400 – $599 Fee: $45 $600 – $800 Fee: $60

	This Month	Last Month
	A	A-

Winning Poker Network

The Winning Poker Network cashier consists of Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker and True Poker.

Check speeds improved to 10-14 days this month. One free check is cut each month in amounts up to $2,995. Each additional check has a $65 fee.

Debit card withdrawals are processed in 1-3 days if the player has the card in hand. New debit cards take about three weeks to arrive.

Cash transfers also take 1-3 days and have the following fees:

• $100 – $299 Fee: $60
• $300 – $499 Fee: $70
• $500 – $749 Fee: $85
• $750 – $999 Fee: $95
• $1,000 – $1,500 Fee: $110

	This Month	Last Month
	A-	A-

Intertops

Intertops is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network.

It no longer accepts new U.S. players but has many that signed up before the restriction.

Intertops has the same speeds as last month. The payouts arrive fast, however, there is no option to receive a free one each month.

Intertops checks arrive in about one week. The fee is $50 and the maximum amount is $3,000.

Bank wires are available in amounts up to $2,500 and arrive in 2-3 weeks. The fee there is also $50. Bank wires will incur additional fees from the receiving bank and sometimes intermediary ones, too.

The fastest way to receive a withdrawal from Intertops is by Western Union. These arrive in just a day or two. The fees and amounts are:

• $150-$500 Fee: $70
• $501-$1,000 Fee: $85
• $1,001-$2,000 Fee: $180

	This Month	Last Month
	B+	B+

BetOnline

BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network.

Checks, sometimes processed as money orders, are guaranteed to be processed within 15 days but may arrive in a little as 5 days.

Bank wires are processed in about two weeks. Western Union and MoneyGram are processed in 24-36 hours.

There are no free withdrawal options for players but a discounted fee of $50 is offered for cash transfers once per month.

The fees are as follows:

Check/Money Order: $25
Bank Wire: $45-$75
Western Union: $34-$101

Players outside the U.S. also have withdrawal fees. Players that withdraw by Skrill and Neteller will pay a fee of $20 per withdrawal.

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B

SealswithClubs

SealswithClubs is a Bitcoin-only site that processes withdrawals in 12 hours or less.

For players comfortable with this, the payouts are the fastest in the industry.

Bitcoin investment requires additional risk. This is why it receives a lower grade than it would if it processed other payments this fast.

	This Month	Last Month
	B-	B-

Juicy Stakes

Juicy Stakes is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network.

Players may receive cashouts by either check or Western Union. Both arrive in about one week.

The fees for both are $100 and the max is $1,000.

This excessive fee is the reason the grade is lower than other sites with comparable withdrawal speeds.

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B-

Merge Gaming

The Merge Gaming cashier services Sportsbook.ag, PlayersOnly, SuperBook and Carbon Poker.

It handled banking for Aced up until July 1. That is when Aced moved its entire player pool to Carbon Poker and ceased operations.

Players can request a check in amounts up to $2,500. Players may now have one check per month free of any fees.

Processing times are 10-21 days. Some players also have cash transfer and bank wires available.

	This Month	Last Month
	NR	NR

PokerHost

There have been no reports of cashouts at Poker Host in more than two months.

The site left Merge Gaming and became a skin on Equity Poker. It then started banning winning players.

We have no reason to believe withdrawal speeds are slow. It seems more likely that interest in the site has dropped since it left Merge Gaming.

	This Month	Last Month
	F-	F-

Lock Poker

Lock Poker is a deposit-only site. It does not pay withdrawal requests.

Two Plus Two user IHasTehNutz compiles a list of players waiting for Lock Poker withdrawals.

The latest reported amount is $978,000. There are 392 players on the list. Many of these players have been waiting more than one year.

So far in 2014, only 11 players have reported getting paid. The last ones were in April.

June 2014 US Offshore Payment Processing Report

Posted by :admin On : June 20, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News, News Feed

Cashout speeds have remained strong for most U.S.-facing offshore sites. There is a lull in activity this time of year as players head to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker or go on other vacations.This has made it difficult for us to obtain information for two sites this month. For those, we maintained the previous month’s grade and noted the lack of information.

	This Month	Last Month
	A+	A+

Bovada

Bovada kept the number one spot. The largest U.S.-facing online site continues to process withdrawals at the fastest speeds possible.

Visa debit cards are available to some players. These are processed in less than one week. Checks arrive at the door of winners in 2-7 days. Most fall in the 4-5 day range, depending on if the request was made before a weekend.

Players may receive one free check per month. Additional check withdrawals incur a $50 fee. The maximum check withdrawal is $3,000.

Western Union and MoneyGram transactions are processed in 3-6 days. The fees are as follows:

Money Transfer/WU	Rapid Transfer/MG
$100 – $249 Fee: $50 $250 – $499 Fee: $75 $500 – $999 Fee: $100 $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150 $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200	$100 – $199 Fee: $20 $200 – $399 Fee: $30 $400 – $599 Fee: $45 $600 – $800 Fee: $60

	This Month	Last Month
	A-	A-

Winning Poker Network

The Winning Poker Network’s cashier processes payments for Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker, and True Poker.

The track record for this group is excellent and that continued this month.

Checks are a bit slower than the average over the past year. These are delivered in 2-3 weeks. The maximum amount is $2,995. One free check is processed per month. Additional checks have a $65 fee. These $65 checks arrive much faster than average.

Debit card transactions are processed in 2-4 days. These are processed onto cards that are delivered to players upon request. The fee is $25 for the initial request. There are small fees every time the card is loaded and funds are removed. There is also a monthly maintenance fee.

Western Union cash transfers typically arrive in 1-3 days. We have not seen any reports lately of these transactions. The debit card has become more popular and affordable. The fees and amounts for Western Union withdrawals are:

• $100 – $299 Fee: $60
• $300 – $499 Fee: $70
• $500 – $749 Fee: $85
• $750 – $999 Fee: $95
• $1,000 – $1,500 Fee: $110

	This Month	Last Month
	A-	A-

Intertops

Intertops is a skin on the Revolution Gaming Network.

The cashout speeds at stayed consistent, just as it has for years. The one drawback of Intertops is the lack of a free withdrawal option.

Players may receive a check or bank wire for a $50 fee. The maximum check amount is $3,000 and it arrives in about one week. Bank wires arrive in 2-3 weeks. The maximum wire is $2,500.

Intertops also offers Western Union withdrawals. These arrive in 1-3 days. The fees and amounts are:

• $150-$500 Fee: $70
• $501-$1,000 Fee: $85
• $1,001-$2,000 Fee: $180

	This Month	Last Month
	B+	B+

BetOnline

BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network. Checks, sometimes processed as money orders, are processed in 7-15 days. Bank wires are processed in about two weeks. Western Union and MoneyGram are processed in 24-36 hours. There are no free withdrawal options for players. The fees are as follows:

Check/Money Order: $25
Bank Wire: $45-$75
Western Union: $34-$101

Players outside the U.S. also have withdrawal fees. Players that withdraw by Skrill and Neteller will pay a fee of $20 per withdrawal.

– See more at: http://www.pokeraffiliatelistings.com/home-page-news/us-offshore-online-poker-payment-processing-may-2014-now-with-betonline/#sthash.ArOxwrFq.dpuf

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B

SealswithClubs

SealswithClubs is an independent site that operates solely on Bitcoin.

Payouts are processed in 12 hours or less. We have it ranked lower than other sites due to its unusual processing.

Players that are comfortable with Bitcoin should consider the site as it would get an A+ with this processing speed via other methods.

	This Month	Last Month
	B-	B

Juicy Stakes

Juicy Stakes is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network.

The maximum cashout remains $1,000 by either check or cash transfer. The fee is $50 for active players and $100 for those that do not give qualifying action. These are processed in 7-10 days.

While the speeds are reasonable, the excessive fees hold the grade down.

	This Month	Last Month
	B–	B-

Merge Gaming

The Merge Gaming cashier services players from Aced, Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly, Sportsbook.ag and Superbook.

Checks are processed in 10-21 days, a slight improvement over last month. Checks are available in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is $40.

	This Month	Last Month
	NA	B-

PokerHost

There have been no recorded withdrawal request speeds in the past 45 days. There were reports from players that some players were banned for being winners.

Due to the lack of information, and winners being kicked off the site, we are unable to place a grade on the site’s processing speed.

	This Month	Last Month
	F-	F-

Lock Poker

Lock Poker has become a play money site that accepts cash deposits. There have been no player reports of withdrawals in two months.

The amount owed, according to Two Plus Two poster IHasTehNutz, is nearing $1 million. This is just the amount reported by players that post at Two Plus two. It does not include the amount on deposit at the site or players that are not familiar with the popular poker forum.

The latest Lock Poker cashout report may be found here.

Amaya to Acquire PokerStars and Full Tilt for $4.9 Billion

Posted by :admin On : June 15, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News, News Feed

In the late hours on Thursday June 12, Rational and Amaya Gaming Group publicly announced that they would agree to terms to buy-out 100% of Oldford Group (including issued and outstanding shares) for $4.9 billion.

In other words, Amaya is going to acquire PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker for nearly $5 billion.

The structure of global poker as we know it will surely be altered thanks to this major acquisition.

Major Details about the Acquisition

Some of the acquisition details include:

· Amaya will become world’s largest publicly traded online gaming company, according to Press (Amaya + Oldford pro forma revenue of $1.3 billion combined

in 2013)

· Amaya and Rational will combine as complimentary businesses

· Rational Group will keep all executive management pieces the same, but all shareholders (Rational and Oldford Groups) must relinquish all shares to Amaya

Reaction

Amaya CEO David Baazov, clearly excited about the acquisition, had kind words for Oldford Group CEO and Founder Mark Scheinberg: “[He] pioneered the online
gaming industry, building a remarkable business and earning the trust of millions of poker players by delivering the industry’s best game experiences…”

Scheinberg responded to these comments by reminiscing on the success his company brought: “I am incredibly proud of the business… creating the world’s
biggest poker company and a leader in the iGaming space.”

Scheinberg also expressed his best wishes to the company as well as saying that the company is in good hands with a CEO like Baazov at the helm.

Additionally, Executive Director of the Poker Player’s Alliance John Pappas called the acquisition encouraging news for American iGamer’s who have been
eagerly anticipating the return of PokerStars to the US Market. He also believes the move will unite many parties of the industry together (tribes,
casinos, card rooms, etc.).

New Jersey Online Poker

The impact of the move will surely create a wide-open opportunity for New Jersey Online Poker to make strides in the iGaming industry. Complications with
DGE requirements hindered the growth for the Oldford Group’s PokerStars. With new ownership, the ocean is wide with opportunity for PokerStars in New
Jersey.

More Info to Come

Amaya Gaming is soon to come out with more details as they finished a conference call early in the morning on June 13.

Also, NJPokerOnline will be providing breaking news and updates on the situation daily for the next couple weeks.

Amaya Gaming’s Reverse Acquisition of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker

Posted by :admin On : June 13, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News, News Feed

Tags:amaya, California, New jersey, pokerstars, Regulated Online Gambling, Regulated U.S. Gambling

The rumors proved true. Amaya Gaming and PokerStars announced the deal via a press release late in the evening of June 12.

Amaya will acquire Oldford Group, parent company of Rational Group, which owns and operates PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. The agreement is worth $4.9 billion.

The deal includes all issued and outstanding shares of Oldford, and all of the assets associated with the company. PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker alone have more than 85 million registered players on the online poker sites, with PokerStars by-and-large the biggest Internet poker entity in the world.

Figures included in the press release show that the pro forma combined revenue for Amaya and Oldford in 2013 was $1.3 billion, and the EBITDA was $474.8 million. Adjusted EBITDA, before interest, financing costs, taxes, and other costs, was $473.8 million, and that estimated adjusted EBITDA for 2014 (back-dating to January 1, 2014 for the buyout) is $600 million to $640 million.

Some estimated the worth of PokerStars to be more alone than the $4.9 billion sale price of Oldford, but the exclusion from the United States market dented that worth and may have reduced the price to one that worked for both parties.

Amaya didn’t have $5 billion cash on hand for the transaction, but a $50 million deposit started the deal. The Blackstone Group will assist in financing some of the debt, as has an unnamed investment manager. A combination of cash, new debt, subscription receipts, common shares, and preferred shares will be used to complete the sale.

Business as Usual, Mostly

Despite the size and scope of the deal, not to mention its possible impact on the global and United States gaming markets, business at PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Amaya Gaming is said to be moving forward as usual. Players on the gaming sites will not see any change in their day-to-day activities.

PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker will continue to offer the same games to the same markets, for the time being.

Tours like the European Poker Tour, Latin American Poker Tour, and UK & Ireland Poker Tour (just to name a few) will operate with PokerStars as their sponsor without any changes to their respective live event schedules.

The Rational Group will continue working from its Isle of Man offices, as well as current sub-offices, and Amaya will stay in its Montreal headquarters.

Amaya and PokerStars Management Shuffle

There are a few people involved in Rational Group that will see a change. In fact, that change is an integral part of the agreement and one that will likely give Amaya a better chance to offer online gaming services to more states in America.

Oldford Group founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Scheinberg will sell all of his company shares to a subsidiary of Amaya, as will other Oldford shareholders. Scheinberg and several other executives will resign from their positions and leave the company altogether.

The exit of Mark and Isai Scheinberg is a key component for PokerStars to gain entry into New Jersey. Though Amaya has a fully executed and valid license, its new agreement with PokerStars will need to be reexamined.

Since PokerStars’ license application was on hold due to the pending US Department of Justice indictment against Isai Scheinberg, this move may signal a new chapter for Amaya, PokerStars, and New Jersey Internet gaming.

Speaking of Regulated Markets

The press release specifically addressed the entry of PokerStars and Full Tilt to regulated markets and named the United States as the most pertinent.

“Amaya believes the transaction will expedite the entry of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker into regulated markets in which Amaya already holds a footprint.”

Quite a few states have bad actor clauses in place or prepared for upcoming legislative opportunities, but many in the online gaming industry hope that the Amaya deal will shine a new light on “bad actors.”

The Poker Players Alliance was quick to praise the buyout with respect to the positive effect it may have on PokerStars and the regulated US market. “Amaya’s acquisition should remove any perceived impediment for this popular brand to once again be available to players in regulated US jurisdictions,” said PPA Executive Director John Pappas.

He went further to explain his hope that the news “will bring the gaming industry together – tribes, commercial casinos, card rooms, lotteries, and others – to push as a united front for state and federal legislation that licenses and regulated Internet poker.”

Affiliate Marketing Details Released by New Jersey Regulator

Posted by :admin On : June 12, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News, News Feed

Tags:DGE, New jersey, Regulated Online Gambling, Regulated U.S. Gambling

The online gaming affiliate industry was a thriving market in the United States before the UIGEA and Black Friday, and it has yet to gain much ground at all since the regulation of online gaming in New Jersey.

The primary reason is that affiliate marketing had yet to be thoroughly addressed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. Affiliates had been awaiting further instruction for months before an official document was released on June 9, 2014.

Licensing of Internet Marketing Companies Overview

The Director’s Advisory Bulletin was issued from the State of New Jersey and signed by DGE Director David Rebuck. It aimed to address the licensing of Internet marketing companies, better known in the industry as affiliates.

Two licenses are available for the entities – vendor registration or ancillary casino service industry enterprises. Compensation dictates the type of license required.

For instance, if affiliates are paid a flat fee for directing traffic to an online gaming site, they require a vendor license. An ancillary license is for companies who are paid based on player activity on those sites.

Vendors

The vendor registration license is for companies paid a certain fee when a user clicks on a banner or link for a New Jersey gaming site, based on how many people view a particular advertisement, or for an official partnership.

This type of license also applies to affiliates taking a flat fee for sign-ups, deposits, site downloads, or a particular number of bets or amount wagered.

Ancillaries

Affiliates must request an ancillary casino service industry enterprises (CSIE) license if pay is dependent upon gaming action. For instance, if an affiliate is paid a percentage of every deposit or a fee based on the amount of money a player wins or loses on the Internet gaming site, the ancillary license is required.

Revenue share revenue is also a determinant for an ancillary license, meaning the affiliate is paid a percentage of the net gaming for a user.

Sub-Affiliates

The document from the DGE goes on to discuss sub-affiliates, which are entities that are paid by the primary affiliate for referring players to a particular online gaming company. The bases for sub-affiliate licenses are the same as indicated above for vendors versus ancillaries.

Sub-affiliates must submit their contracts with primary affiliates to the DGE for the proper license. Should a sub-affiliate fail to obtain the proper license and file the necessary paperwork, the DGE can take regulatory action against that company as well as the master affiliate. Licenses could be revoked for failing to comply with all of the requirements.

Allowances

The DGE also details some of the allowances for affiliates in New Jersey. One of those is the ability to use a “refer a friend” application for which an affiliate takes a flat fee. Should an affiliate receive less than $2,500 per calendar year for this service, no license is required for that operation.

Affiliates are also allowed to switch compensation models as long as they remain in the same licensing class. While those changes require the DGE’s approval, they may be implemented without preapproval.

Requirements

All affiliates, no matter the license held, must submit a monthly report for the DGE’s Service Industry Licensing Bureau and Intake Unit. The documents must include details of all monies changing hands for any type of activities. License holders and platform providers must comply.

Lastly, all affiliate activity must take place in and be conducted with customers in the state of New Jersey. Any violations can result in the revocation of a license or other regulatory action deemed appropriate. The exact rules are given to the affiliate upon the completion of the licensing process.

PartyPoker.com Offers New Promo with $1 Million Guaranteed

Posted by :admin On : June 4, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News, News Feed

The WPT500 is a new live WPT event put on by PartyPoker that is more accessible than any promo in the past. With only a $500+65 buy-in as well as an option of up to 6x total for Day 1 entries per player (one entry allowed per day; only allowed to take biggest stack of the 6 days to round 2), this event ensures higher chances of winning for all who enter.

The main prize package for the event includes accommodation at Aria Resort and Casino. The $1,700 WPT package includes $500+65 buy-in for the WPT 500, $500 spending money, and 4 nights at a hotel in Vegas.

If you’ll be in Vegas anyway, there’s another package offered to simply play for your seat. The event will feature 5 day ones, with re-entry allowed once per day, as well as a special $500+65 last-chance turbo heat on July 6. Full details for this event can be found at the WPT Website.

For a clearly-labeled qualifying structure and all packages offered, visit the PartyPoker Website.

Step-by-Step Guide to Entry

1. Select the 1-Click Lobby

2. Go to ‘Tournaments’ Tab

3. Look for ‘WPT500’ tiles. Click to Register

Online Qualifier Info

What Can You Win?

Package to the WPT500 held from July 4-9, 2014
$1 Million guaranteed prize pool; $200,000 1^st place prize

How?

Daily Freerolls and Satellite Qualifiers

When?

Daily Qualifiers run from April 22-June 15

The WPT500 Promo is a prime example of why PartyPoker.com is known as a top-notch website for online gaming around the country.

What Petitioners Should Expect

Petitioners expecting to be included in this round of remissions may see a zero-dollar transaction on their bank account statements, which is a test by Garden City Group before the issuance of the actual payments. Some banks show this zero-dollar matter to their customers, and others may not.

Anyone who has a debt that is registered with the Treasury Offset Program by the government may see their balance reduced by a part of entirety of that amount in order to satisfy the debt. If that is the case, the petitioners will receive a notice prior to the payment, and it must be completed and submitted to receive any portion of the Full Tilt Poker balance.

Pertinent updates will be posted on the Full Tilt Poker Claims website.

Where the Claims Process Stands

The process of repaying former Full Tilt Poker players from the United States has been a long and daunting one for players. However, the Garden City Group seems to be on somewhat of a roll with processing the petitions at this point.

The first round of payments was completed on February 28 and included approximately $76 million for 27,500 people. The second round (still considered part of the first wave of payments) happened on April 1 for those who originally submitted incorrect banking information with their petitions. There were about 2,200 people paid nearly $5 million at that time.

This round of payments takes care of most of the original petitioners who did not have disputed balances, and it is the first time that affiliates will be paid.

Months of debate preceded the decision to pay affiliates, though their balances were required to include deductions of all payments to those accounts that were labeled as affiliate payments, meaning only their deposits and winnings from Full Tilt Poker will be paid. Rakeback will also be included in their payments.

Garden City Group has yet to reveal who may be in the next distribution wave. Players who represented Full Tilt Poker as Red Pros have yet to be paid, and there are numerous people with disputed balances and other errors in reporting that must be settled.

U.S. Offshore Online Poker Payment Processing Report May 2014

Posted by :admin On : May 22, 2014

0

Category: Home Page News, News Feed

Payment processing times for offshore sites have improved over last month. This is likely due to the backlog that has been reduced since the Super Bowl.Last month’s report may be found here. Note that this report will now be featured at Poker Affiliates Listings.

	This Month	Last Month
	A+	A

Bovada

Bovada continues to show that it knows how to process payments to U.S. players, despite the challenging environment. Its times slipped slightly due to the massive processing related to major sporting events in the winter. Even then, it still continued to hold our number one spot.

Bovada now offers Visa debit cards as a withdrawal option. These transactions are processed in about one week. Checks are delivered at the fastest speed possible. Players report check deliveries in 4-5 days. One check per month is processed for free. Additional checks incur a $50 fee. The maximum check amount is $3,000.

Western Union and Moneygram transfers are processed in 5-7 days. The amounts and fees are as follows:

Money Transfer/WU	Rapid Transfer/MG
$100 – $249 Fee: $50 $250 – $499 Fee: $75 $500 – $999 Fee: $100 $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150 $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200	$100 – $199 Fee: $20 $200 – $399 Fee: $30 $400 – $599 Fee: $45 $600 – $800 Fee: $60

	This Month	Last Month
	A-	A

Winning Poker Network

The Winning Poker Network cashier consists of Americas Cardroom, Black Chip and True Poker. Checks slowed a bit this month. One free check is offered each month. Additional checks carry a $65 fee. The maximum check amount is $2,995 and it arrives in 2-4 weeks.

The debit card option continues to be the fastest option. It works just like an ATM card. It must be requested in the cashier and arrive in 2-4 weeks. There is an initial $25 fee for card processing. Once in hand, debit card withdrawals are processed in about two days. The issuing bank charges fees for withdrawing from ATMs, as well as a monthly maintenance fee.

Western Union cash transfers are processed in 1-3 days. The fees and limits are as follows:

$100 – $299 Fee: $60
$300 – $499 Fee: $70
$500 – $749 Fee: $85
$750 – $999 Fee: $95
$1,000 – $1,500 Fee: $110

	This Month	Last Month
	A-	A-

Intertops

Intertops is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network. It offers checks with a $3,000 maximum and a fee of $50. These arrive in about one week. Bank wires are processed in about two weeks and also have a $50 fee. The receiving and intermediary banks may also post fees on the transaction. The fastest way to receive Intertops withdrawals is by Western Union. These are processed in 1-3 days. The fees and limits are:

$150-$500 Fee: $70
$501-$1,000 Fee: $85
$1,001-$2,000 Fee: $180

	This Month	Last Month
	B+	NA

BetOnline

BetOnline is the flagship of the Chico Poker Network. Checks, sometimes processed as money orders, are processed in 7-15 days. Bank wires are processed in about two weeks. Western Union and MoneyGram are processed in 24-36 hours. There are no free withdrawal options for players. The fees are as follows:

Check/Money Order: $25
Bank Wire: $45-$75
Western Union: $34-$185

Players outside the U.S. also have withdrawal fees. Players that withdraw by Skrill and Neteller will pay a fee of $20 per withdrawal.

This is the first month that we have included BetOnline. We will investigate the reported times and the grade may be adjusted next month based on more player reports. Please leave a comment at the end of this article if you have any experience with BetOnline withdrawals. We would like to get feedback from more players.

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B

SealswithClubs

SealswithClubs is a Bitcoin-only poker site. It processes payments in about 12 hours. Bitcoin prices have stabilized over the past month, creating less fluctuation in the value of deposited funds at SealswithClubs.

	This Month	Last Month
	B	B-

Juicy Stakes

Juicy Stakes is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network. Members may withdraw via check or cash transfer. Each method has a speed of 1-2 weeks. There is a $100 fee that is dropped to $50 for active players. The absence of a free withdrawal option keeps Juicy Stakes from having a higher grade.

	This Month	Last Month
	B–	C+

Merge Gaming

The Merge Gaming cashier banks Aced, Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly, Sportsbook and SuperBook. Players may request checks in amounts up to $2,500. There is a $40 fee and the checks are processed in 2-3 weeks. Like Poker Host, there have been some player reports of banned accounts by players that appear to have won too much. The network has also limited some players to 1, 2, or 4 tables. This move occurred after the players with the sports books were integrated into the Aced/Carbon Poker pool after Poker Host left the network.

	This Month	Last Month
	B-	B

PokerHost

Poker Host moved to the Equity Poker Network about six weeks ago. This move was not without controversy. Many winning players were told that their business was no longer welcome. In my opinion, this hurts the grade of the site. If players that win are going to be banned, then the payment speeds are not as important as sites that do not discriminate. The few players that reported withdrawals last month all quoted delivery times of less than one week.

	This Month	Last Month
	F-	F-

Lock Poker

There is no news on Lock Poker payments. Two Plus Two member IHasTehNutz reports that players with cashouts of two months or older are owed at least $962,000. No reason payments have been made to players. The oldest pending Lock Poker withdrawal is approaching 18 months. Lock Poker chips are trading at around $.07 on the dollar, reflecting a player perception that the network has a 14-1 chance of ever paying players in full.

A skin known as Superwins joined the Lock Poker platform. There have been no reports of cashouts or deposits on this skin.

Archives for : Home Page News

Bovada

Winning Poker Network

Intertops

BetOnline

SealswithClubs

Juicy Stakes

Merge Gaming

Lock Poker

Bovada

Winning Poker Network

Intertops

BetOnline

SealswithClubs

Juicy Stakes

Merge Gaming

Lock Poker

Bovada

Winning Poker Network

Intertops

BetOnline

SealswithClubs

Juicy Stakes

Merge Gaming

PokerHost

Lock Poker

Bovada

Winning Poker Network

Intertops

BetOnline

SealswithClubs

Juicy Stakes

Merge Gaming

PokerHost

Lock Poker

Major Details about the Acquisition

Reaction

New Jersey Online Poker

More Info to Come

Business as Usual, Mostly

Amaya and PokerStars Management Shuffle

Speaking of Regulated Markets

Licensing of Internet Marketing Companies Overview

Vendors

Ancillaries

Sub-Affiliates

Allowances

Requirements

What Petitioners Should Expect

Where the Claims Process Stands

Bovada

Winning Poker Network

Intertops

BetOnline

SealswithClubs

Juicy Stakes

Merge Gaming

PokerHost

Lock Poker

Stay up to date…!

Stay Connected!

Twitter