Welcome to the new home of one of my favorite columns to write each week, The Inside Scoop!
With PAL and PAS being so closely knit these days, it only made sense to move the column over to PAL. So keep an eye on this area every Wednesday for the latest juicy gossip and commentary from the online gambling industry. We have a lot to cover this week, so let’s dive right in!
PAL March Madness Bracket Contest – $500 Added
It’s that time again, one of the best months of the year; March.
Not only is spring right around the corner, but so is one of the largest betting periods of the year in the US. It’s March Madness folks, and with that comes great opportunities for affiliates to capitalize on all the betting action taking place surrounding this tournament.
As expected, this year PAL is once again hosting an NCAA Bracket Contest that is FREE to enter. We have added $500 cash to the prize pool courtesy of our good friends at Chipsplit.com and CarbonSports.ag.
The payouts will be 70/20/10, and as always this bracket is interesting because we give underdog points for those games you win where you don’t pick the favorite. You can visit the official 2014 PAL NCAA Bracket Contest thread for all the information, and to talk a little smack with fellow PAL members.
Full Tilt Remission Process Paid Out Over $80 Million
For past Full Tilt players, March proved to be a great month. Finally after years of waiting, several players have been reimbursed their players funds from the Full Tilt cashier.
With over 27,000 players being reimbursed, Chris Grove over at Online Poker Report published an interesting article showing that U.S. facing poker sites saw growth of around 5% in the week immediately following remission payments. Read more here
And for the love of God, I really hope none of this growth was at Lock Poker, you know, the U.S. facing poker site still in business that owes players over $900,000. Speaking of Lock Poker, one of my most speechless moments was when I read that Lock actually just launched a new skin. Read more and feel free to share your thoughts in this PAL thread.
New Jersey February Numbers & Is California Next To Regulate?
Earlier this afternoon, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) released the official February revenue numbers for the states land based and online gambling operations.
With an 8.9% monthly increase, February online gambling in the Garden State generated revenues of $10.3 million. It should also come as no surprise that Party / Borgata still lead in market share, primarily fueled by their strong casino revenues. OPR’s post today displays the numbers in easy to digest graphs.
New Jersey is still seen as test market for the rest of the country. Obstacles such as geolocation issues, as well as payment processing continue to plague online gambling in the Garden State.
Overall, what is most impressive to me is the continued month over month growth, especially from the casino side of the business.
California?
For months now, many of us following the regulated markets in the U.S. have been speculating on which state would be the next to follow Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware to become the 4th state in the country to regulate online gambling. While it’s impossible to have a crystal ball and say for sure, many analysts are predicting it will be California. It already has two bills proposed in the state legislature.
And what a market this would be! With a population of over 38 million people, compared to New Jersey’s 9 million residents, California would be an entirely new animal.
Unlike other states, California would have zero issues with liquidity, and would more than likely become on of the largest online poker markets in the world. The question now becomes, who will the casinos and operators be in the California online poker market?
That remains to be seen. One thing is certain though, all eyes will be on California for the remainder of 2014.
Interested in writing a guest column or post for PAL? Now’s your chance to become a contributor in one of the industries largest poker affiliate communities. We’re looking for writers to share their industry experiences or knowledge. To be considered, send Jeremy an email or PM in the forums.
