Poker News

PartyGaming signs with Danske Spil to provide online gaming in Denmark

More positive news for online poker in Europe: Denmark's state-operated Danske Spil has signed a five-year agreement with PartyGaming, which will use its expertise and know-how to offer online gaming to the Danish market.

Denmark's relationship with gaming, particularly online gaming, has been patchy through the years. While live poker tournaments were considered perfectly legal, online poker was frowned upon by the Danish Supreme Court until very recently. The Danish gaming system, Danske Spil, enjoyed a lengthy virtual monopoly while all foreign gaming companies were forbidden to enter the Danish market for most of this decade, which sparked a number of disagreements with the European Commission regarding free trade agreements within the European Union.

In 2009, Denmark finally relented and put forth a draft legislation to partially open the Danish poker and casino market, which is expected to pass as law in 2011. Denmark further showed its commitment by allowing Danish people access to Hollywood Poker's online gaming facilities. Now in early 2010, the state's former monopoly, Danske Spil, is partnering with one of the world's largest online gaming providers to prepare for the upcoming competition.

The partnership between Danske Spil and PartyGaming has everything needed to make it successful: while the Danske Spil group is one of the largest in Europe, with over 500,000 registered customers and a reported turnover of €1.47 billion (about $2.13 billion) in 2008, PartyGaming bills itself as " the world’s leading listed online gaming company" thanks to its very successful brands that include PartyPoker, PartyCasino, and PartyBets.

Jim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of PartyGaming, was understandably glad to announce this new partnership:

This is a landmark B2B deal for PartyGaming and validates our strategy to become a leading provider of B2B services to both corporates and governments around the world.  Danske Spil is widely recognised as one of Europe’s leading gambling businesses, one that is pre-eminent in the Danish market.  We are delighted that Danske Spil has recognised our expertise and high standards of business practice and we look forward to building a significant and profitable enterprise as soon as the newly regulated Danish online gaming market opens.

Ryan has every right to be delighted. Danske Spil researched the market for seven months to find a partner that met its exacting standards for security, ethics, and, of course, quality. Their choice of PartyGaming is an endorsement of the highest possible level of the company's expertise and capability.

H.C. Madsen, CEO of Danske Spil, said of this new partnership:

With some of the world’s leading products in online poker and casino as well as a large international customer base, PartyGaming is definitely a strong business partner for Danske Spil. Combining this with Danske Spil’s unique and strong position in the Danish market with more than 500,000 Danish online customers will guarantee that together we will deliver a highly attractive customer experience to players in Denmark.

One issue that remains to be clarified is how the notoriously strict Danish taxation system will treat new gaming providers as they enter the market. Taxes on poker winnings are remarkably high on Denmark. For example, 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion Peter Eastgate could only spend $2.5 million out of the $9.1 million he won with his bracelet, the rest going to the government's arks. Companies willing to offer online poker will have to jump through hoops to be on the government's exclusive no-tax list, meaning that players will not be taxed over their winnings on those sites. Hollywood Poker currently enjoys no-tax status and it is to be expected that Danske Spil's upcoming online poker venture will enjoy it too.

PartyGaming's shares (LSE: PRTY) last traded at 279.3 pence per share in London today.

Poker News in Brief: Jan. 4-10, 2010

The 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure drew a record 1,529 players to generate a $14.8 million prize pool – the seventh biggest in poker history.

Plus, there was some poker news that happened outside of the Bahamas and we’re breaking it down for you below in our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature.

This week we’ll look at a new poker film coming to DVD, Pennsylvania legalizing live poker and table games, Belgium moving to nationalize online poker and Bodog making a big brag.

Legal Poker for Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania legalized poker, blackjack and other table games at Casinos this week in an attempt to generate extra revenue for the State.

Previously, casinos in Pennsylvania had been restricted to slot machines only.

It will be six months before games start being dealt in Pennsylvania, but the State stands to make millions in licensing fees.

Several neighboring states are taking notice and Indiana is considering allowing riverboat gambling in Lake Michigan and the Ohio River. Back in November, Ohio voters passed a law that will see four casinos constructed in four cities.

The Pennsylvania law change could have a potentially negative effect on neighboring Atlantic City if Pennsylvania residents opt to gamble closer to home.

Poker Film “Shark City” to See DVD Release

Indie poker flick Shark City is scheduled to be released on DVD on Feb. 16 though Morningstar Entertainment and Stardust Pictures.

The film stars Vivica A. Fox, Carlo Rota, Jefferson Brown and David J. Phillips and it centers around around the story of two friends who get mixed up with the daughter of a gangster. The two attempt to con a group of gangsters through a poker game and the plan goes awry.

High stakes poker, both live and online, is central to the theme of the film.

Shark City won the John Muir award at the Yosemite Film Festival.

To learn more go to the film’s website.

Belgium Attempts to “Nationalize” Online Poker

Belgium appears to be the latest country that is trying to restrict its citizens to only playing on local online poker rooms.

A recent story in Belgian newspaper Da Standaard claims the government has plans to demand Internet Service Providers block any foreign online poker sites.

This could potentially have huge ramifications for sites like PokerStars, Full Tilt or PartyPoker as they would have to set up regional offices in the country to continue operations.

The changes are scheduled to become law before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is reportedly not pleased with Belgium’s decision claiming it goes against the free trade agreement made by members of the European Union.

Despite the European Commission’s objections, Italy currently restricts its online poker market to rooms that have a presence in the country.

Study Shows Bodog Best Brand

Bodog may not have the most players, but according to a recent independent study it carries the strongest brand recognition.

The report was conducted by gaming consultant Josh Apiafi using Google to understand the brand strength of the top 10 online poker websites including PokerStars, William Hill, 888.com, Bet365, Betfair, bwin, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, PartyPoker and Bodog.

“We had a hunch since I first rolled out the Bodog brand and business model that we are considered interesting,” said Bodog founder Calvin Ayre. “But that’s only part of the story – we also stand for having fun and that’s what all people want, especially ones that like to gamble."

The survey was conducted by looking at the number of Google alerts generated daily during December. Apiafi recorded every time a document was published that contained a mention of the brands listed above.

In the end, Bodog narrowly edged PokerStars by a score of 510 to 493.

Huge Growth for HeadsUp Entertainment

HeadsUp Entertainment, a poker media company out of Canada, posted its most recent quarterly statement this week and the company showed massive expansion in 2009.

The company sanctioned 362 events under its Canadian Poker Tour (CPT) brand this year, up from the 71 since it acquired the tour in 2008. HeadsUp Entertainment is aiming to host more than 560 events in 2010.

Also in 2009, HeadsUp Entertainment helped produce the CPT Finals in the Dominican Republic and Canadian Open Poker Championships in Calgary for television.  The Canadian Open Poker Championship drew big-name poker players like Gavin Smith, Jennifer Tilly and Huck Seed.

HeadsUp Entertainment also currently runs www.canadianpokertour.tv and Canadian Poker Magazine.

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Estonia Legalizes Online Gaming

Estonia, a small European country bordering with Russia, has recently legalized online gaming as a way to increase its tax income. The decision seems to have been aided by the success of the Baltic Poker Festival hosted by PokerStars.

For now, Estonian citizens will only be allowed to play on Estonian-based platforms such as Playtech's collaboration with the Olympic Casino Group, before opening up to international operators in 2011. This leaves the Playtech group in a very favorable position at the moment as the main provider of legal online gaming in the land. Playtech's Executive Manager, Mor Weizer, commented on this development: "We are truly glad of this opportunity to start our partnership with Olympic as the leading casino entertainment provider in Central and Eastern Europe."

Estonia is one of the smallest European Union (E.U.) countries, with only 1.33 million citizens. It borders north and west with the Gulf of Finland and Baltic Sea, respectively, as well as Latvia on the south and the Russian Federation on the east. Because of its bridging position between Europe and Russia, Estonia was invaded by the Soviet Union and Germany before regaining independence in 1991. At this point, Estonia started an aggressive and effective reform and growth program, which saw it become one of world's fastest-growing economies for several years. It joined the EU in May 2004 and was hoping to adopt the Euro as its currency by 2013. This is where online gambling comes in.

Estonia seemed a shoo-in for the Euro currency until the 2008-2009 economic crisis, which left it with the second most damaged economy of the EU, down by about 36%. A country must meet strict criteria to join the Eurozone and Estonia is taking pains to bounce back from the depression in time to join. The Estonian government hopes that taxing gaming operators will help revive its economy with the added income and influx of new jobs.

According to the Estonian Free Press, large international online gaming operators are currently showering Estonia with attention in the form of large advertising campaigns about upcoming services and there are rumors about millionaire investments planned for the country, which is seen as a gateway to the whole Baltic region's market.

Although online gambling remains a sore topic in the European Commission, where nations such as Germany and France block all online gaming in order to favor their state monopoly operators, more and more countries are opening up to its legalization and taxation. Estonia joins the likes of Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden in creating legislation that allows online gambling, ensures it is taxed appropriately, and ensures its citizens are safeguarded against negative side effects like fraud, money laundering and underage gambling.

European Commission Rejects Belgium’s Online Gaming Nationalization Plan

After receiving the proposed legislation of online gaming that the nation of Belgium planned to enact, the European Commission yesterday rejected their plan due to language in the proposed laws that appears to be a nationalization plan rather than acceptable regulation and legislation.

According to the European Gaming and Betting Association (EBGA), the European Commission was correct in their decision to prohibit Belgium from putting the new laws into effect. The Belgian plan, which was sent to the EC as well as the other Member Nations – which comprise much of the European continent – on March 27th, looked to put into place laws which restricted the online gaming and betting market to operators solely established in Belgium. This is a violation of the European Union treaty that allows for free trade practices between its Member Nations.

Several areas of the proposed Belgian laws were pointed out by the European Commission to be in violation. They included such language as required the operators of online gaming and poker sites to be based in Belgium, limitation of available licenses, criminal prosecution of customers that would play on non-sanctioned sites and restriction of services from outside nations. Belgium was also looking to use ISP blocking software to prohibit its citizens from playing on other licensed European Union sites, something that the EC was strongly against.

The Director for Regulatory Affairs of the EGBA, Maarten Haijer, was in agreement with the European Commission’s decision to disallow the drafted legislation. “The requirement for operators to be established in Belgium is one of the clearest violations of EC Treaty provisions”, Haijer stated during the EGBA’s announcement of the decision. “It wrongly denies that many online gaming operators are effectively regulated, licensed and controlled elsewhere in the EU. As several jurisdictions in the EU already prove, it is possible to guarantee a high level of consumer protection and have a well regulated and competitive online gaming and betting market at the same time.”

The ruling by the European Commission prevents Belgium from enacting their plan and offers them an opportunity to present an acceptable plan by July 30th. If Belgium proceeds forward and implements the legislation, the EC has stated that they will also proceed with infringement proceedings of the European Union treaty, which could result in trade restrictions within the EU.

The recent refusal to accept Belgium’s plan for regulation of the online gaming and poker industry is in step with previous rulings from the European Commission regarding the subject. On June 8th, the EC rejected a similar proposal from France, whose proposed legislation had many of the same components as the Belgian plan. The French have until August to present an acceptable proposal.

Although the European Commission has been rejecting these proposals from Belgium and France, there is still a great deal of conflict over the issue throughout Europe. Back in March, the European Union was unable to come to any concrete agreement that would allow for the legislation of online gaming and poker and would provide for freedom of trade between its Member Nations. Without such comprehensive legislation, many nations have attempted to nationalize their online gaming industries, which is against the EU Treaty. Until the EU is able to have its Member Nations agree to a comprehensive plan, the conflict over internet gaming and poker will continue to provide problems.

European Commission Concludes US in Violation of Trade Agreements

On June 10th, the European Commission released a report finding that U.S. online gaming laws and their enforcement...

European Commission: US in Violation of WTO over Internet Gambling

As a result of a complaint filed by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA), the European Commission has found the United States to be in violation of its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations due to its stance on internet gambling.

According to a statement posted on the European Commission’s website, “The report concludes that the U.S. measures constitute an obstacle to trade that is inconsistent with WTO rules. As a result, WTO proceedings would be justified.” However, the Commission may elect to forge an agreement with the Obama Administration rather than pursue WTO action. The RGA represents a bevy of European internet gambling companies, many of which are traded on major stock exchanges in London and Vienna. Its member roster includes Party Gaming, 888, Ladbrokes, Sportingbet, and Playtech, which owns and operates the popular iPoker Network.

The 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) drove publicly traded internet gambling sites out of the U.S. market in deference to shareholder interests. However, U.S.-based sites that permit online wagering on horse racing were allowed to flourish. In addition, sites like PokerStars and Bodog, which are not publicly traded, continued to solicit customers from the North American nation. The Commission’s final report assessed, “There are serious adverse effects for the E.U. They include revenue and stock market value lost by affected companies as a result of their absence from the U.S. market and also the threat of serious sanctions hanging over them that affect their normal operation outside of the U.S.”

The European Commission’s investigation was launched in March of 2008. In the end, its report outlines many of the ambiguities and shortcomings of the UIGEA, including the lack of a definition of “unlawful internet gambling” and the propensity of credit card companies and other payment processing companies to “overblock.” The latter has taken center stage in North Dakota and New Hampshire, where legal online lottery purchases have been stunted by UIGEA regulations. Moreover, the report dives into the specifics of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which allows sports betting in several U.S. states, including Delaware and Nevada. In total, the European Commission report spends countless pages assessing convoluted U.S. gambling laws.

As a result of withdrawing from the U.S. market, the stock price of publicly traded internet gambling companies took a nosedive. Party Gaming, 888, and Sportingbet lost 75% of their value for a sum of ?5.7 billion between January of 2006 and October of 2006. In addition, bwin, which is traded in Vienna, lost €120 million as a result of exiting the U.S. market. In December of 2008, Party Gaming Co-Founder Anurag Dikshit admitted to violating the Wire Act of 1961 in a New York courtroom. On the same day as Dikshit’s agreement was struck, shares of Party Gaming shot up 27%. According to the Commission, the increase is evidence of how “uncertainty created by the [Department of Justice] investigations is affecting the business prospects of E.U. remote gambling and betting companies.”

Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative spokesperson Michael Waxman told Poker News Daily, “We hope that members of Congress are paying attention to all of these very compelling arguments about why regulation is needed. We hope that, following Congressman Barney Frank’s leadership, members of Congress will start paying attention and move in support of regulation.” Frank’s Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act (HR 2267) outlines a comprehensive regulatory environment for the internet gambling industry in the United States. It was introduced on May 6th and is up to 30 co-sponsors.

On the future of the European Commission’s activities, a recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “The E.U. said Wednesday it would hold off on filing a formal complaint in hopes of negotiating some sort of solution with the Obama Administration.”

France, European Commission Attempt Negotiations in Online Gambling Tug-of-War

While the two sides appear nearer to a an agreement on workable regulations, the standoff over online gambling between the government of France...

Battle Brewing Over Dutch Treatment Of Betfair

The continuing battle over the online gaming and poker world isn’t limited to the United States alone. While at the same time being progressive in the regulation and taxation of the industry is accepted by some countries in Europe, other nations still are attempting to prohibit their citizens from participating in online poker and casino games. A recent article in the London Telegraph highlights this issue once again.

In a story from the Telegraph from earlier this week, Charlie McCreevy – the European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, which has vehemently monitored the online gaming industry across European borders – has threatened the Netherlands government for their tactics regarding the online gaming company Betfair. McCreevy believes that the Dutch nation is unfairly preventing Betfair from accepting action from the country for what he calls “protectionist” reasons. He has threatened to take his legal action all the way to the European Court of Justice, which is the judicial arm of the European Union.

The Telegraph article quotes Commissioner McCreevy as stating, “We believe the Dutch are in direct contravention of the rules of the internal markets and will be investigating the matter. The state has adopted a very protectionist approach to all forms of gambling.”

Betfair has been taking their own approach to affecting the laws of the Dutch government. Last week, the company filed a lawsuit against the Dutch Ministry of Justice that accused the Netherlands of blocking Betfair action in a “desperate move” to protect the position of De Lotto, the state gaming monopoly. Betfair claims it is allowed to accept bets from citizens of the Netherlands because it is a licensed operator in Europe and because Dutch residents are allowed to bet online with the governmentally operated lottery.

The Dutch, on the other hand, have claimed that it is illegal for the country’s banks to accept such betting action because Dutch laws do not allow for the licensing or operation of Internet gambling companies.

Commissioner McCreevy has been one of the people at the forefront of pushing for cohesive Internet gaming rights across the European continent. In the Telegraph article, he is quoted as saying, “We announced last year that at least ten of our member states were in contravention of internal market rules on gambling. While many members have engaged, the Dutch has completely failed to. There has been no progress at all.”

A look back at the tumultuous nature of online gaming and poker reveals that there is a tremendous uphill battle at stake for the online gaming and poker industry throughout the world. Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank is attempting to push legislation through the halls of Congress that would introduce regulation and taxation into the American landscape and halt the UIGEA, which was passed in 2006. Europe, however, is still wrestling with the issue.

While regulation has been accepted in some countries such as England, other countries have attempted to nationalize the operations for the benefit of their own countries and prevent the freedom of trade in online gaming. Nations such as France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and Spain have been the major players in this nationalization effort, but some of those countries have changed their minds in the face of potential penalties or restrictions by the European Union through the Treaty of Commerce that all member nations have signed. In March, however, the EU admitted that they were unable to come to a comprehensive agreement regarding the streamlining of access to internet gaming across the continent.

Barney Frank Internet Gambling Bill Delayed Until Week of May 4th

According to an article released by Reuters on Tuesday, legislation to alter the landscape of the internet gambling industry in the United States will not be introduced by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) until next week.

Frank had originally stated that a bill favorable to the industry would be introduced in March. Then, an interview with The Hill revealed that it would not be seen until after Congress’ Easter recess. Now, legislation to overturn or clarify the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) will likely become a reality during the week of May 4th. A source close to Poker News Daily explained that pressure from “the guys writing checks” to release a bill may be taking precedence. In order to see time on the floor of the House of Representatives, past bills have undergone mark-ups and received amendments. Therefore, the bill Frank ultimately introduces may not be the final legislation enacted.

Frank told Reuters, "We'll be introducing it next week and I plan to move on it.” His previous attempt at creating a full licensing and regulatory framework for the industry came in the form of the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, which was introduced in 2007 and numbered HR 2046. The bill, along with a companion tax bill that was introduced by Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), would have generated up to $52 billion in revenue over a 10 year period for the U.S. Government, according to a study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers. On the reason for the two month delay, Reuters explained, “Frank said his Committee has been busy with other measures addressing the credit crisis and proposals to reform financial regulation.”

Frank made two attempts to clarify the UIGEA during the 110th Congress. Together with former Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul (R-TX), Frank sponsored HR 5767, the first version of the Payments System Protection Act. However, amid pushback from Congressman Spencher Bachus (R-AL) as well as the failure of an amendment by Congressman Peter King (R-NY), HR 5767 failed to make it out of the House Financial Services Committee. In a June vote, King’s amendment was trumped by virtue of a 32-32 tie vote. An oral vote on HR 5767 saw the “Nays” outnumber the “Yays.”

In September, Frank introduced HR 6870, the second installment of the Payments System Protection Act. The bill passed out of Committee by a 30-19 vote, but then fell by the wayside as the global economy sputtered shortly thereafter. HR 6870 called for the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve to collaborate with the Attorney General’s office in order to determine what is legal and illegal under the UIGEA. The bill would have also suspended the UIGEA except for its directives related to online sports betting.

Despite being allowed to opt out of HR 6870, professional sports leagues such as the NFL came out against it. In March, the New York City-based NFL hired Jeff Miller to be its first full-time in-house lobbyist. His is charged with monitoring events on Capitol Hill and has pledged to support enforcement of the UIGEA. Miller told the Associated Press last month, “We want to maintain the integrity of the game, and gambling threatens that." The NFL completed its annual Draft over the weekend, with University of Georgia standout Matthew Stafford being chosen first overall by the Detroit Lions. Stafford received a six-year contract with over $40 million guaranteed.

Although a final copy of the proposed legislation has not been publicly released, Reuters claimed it “would overturn a law imposed during the Bush administration that has hurt U.S. trade ties with the European Union. Frank said the bill was being drafted this week.” Late last month, investigators from the European Commission found the United States to be in violation of its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations due to the country’s stance on internet gambling. The Commission’s findings came as a result of a complaint filed by the Remote Gambling Association.

A call placed to Frank’s press secretary was not returned as of press time. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest news from Capitol Hill.

888 Operating Income Grows 21% in 2008

In its 2008 end of year results released this week, 888, the parent company of Pacific Poker, revealed that its operating income grew by 21% last year to $262.5 million. In 2007, it reported operating income of $216.9 million.

888's casino arm saw its revenue balloon by 14% to $135.1 million in 2008, up from $118.1 in 2007. However, Pacific Poker's revenues dropped by 4% from $80.8 million in 2007 to $77.2 million last year. All told, 888 posted a profit before tax of $48.6 million during the 2008 calendar year, up 6% from 2007. This resulted in a final dividend of 2.9 cents per share.

Operational highlights for the brand in 2008 included 14 new business customers, including an arrangement with Sportech PLC, which was forged back in June. The addition of two new Bingo customers brought its total stable to nine and, on the same day as its earnings were released, 888 announced a partnership with the Racing Post, which it describes as “the pre-eminent horse-racing industry publication.” Also during 2008, the company launched 888sport.com and 888ladies.com.

888's Chief Executive Officer, Gigi Levy, commented in the company's earnings release, “We believe that this successful model, offering both B2B and B2C businesses, is key to growth in the online gaming market in the coming years. Despite the difficult economic circumstances during the last few months of 2008, our underlying business remained strong.” The company warned that its first quarter revenues in 2009 will likely be lower than its fourth quarter revenues in 2008, reflecting the downswing in the global economy.

In 2008, Pacific Poker became available in 11 languages: Russian, Polish, Czech, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, Greek, and Japanese. The report by 888 also revealed that Pacific Poker may receive a makeover in 2009: “The Pacific Poker site will be given a new look and feel, with additional products and poker side bets enhancing the customer experience of the poker room.” Pacific Poker, like other online poker sites owned by publicly traded companies, does not accept customers from the United States. The decision came after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006.

The number of active customers on Pacific Poker sank from 170,988 during the first quarter of 2008 to just 158,557 during the fourth quarter. Consequently, its average revenue per customer fell from $128 to $107. On its lackluster close to the 2008 calendar year, 888 officials explained, “Due to the prolonged and deepening economic downturn, unprecedented challenging trading conditions were experienced following the end of the summer holiday season. Active customers played slightly less and volatile adverse foreign exchange movements exacerbated the effect on US$ denominated revenues.”

Nearly a quarter of a million new players deposited for the first time on 888's poker or casino platforms last year. It inked poker agreements with Poker Dome, Littlewoods, and Lucky Ace in 2008, further growing its presence in the marketplace. Similar to other internet gambling sites that do not accept U.S. players, 888 is keeping close tabs on the developments between the European Commission and World Trade Organization. Last week, the Commission's preliminary findings revealed the U.S. is in violation of its trade obligations due to its stance on internet gambling. A final report is due this month.

According to traffic ranking site PokerScout.com, Pacific Poker boasts the 13th busiest network worldwide in terms of cash game volume with a seven day running average of 1,100 players. Its 24 hour peak is nearly double that number, 2,174. At the time of writing, which is late afternoon throughout Europe, nearly 1,400 ring game players are seated at its virtual felts.

PokerListings.com News Wrap-Up: March 22-29

As part of a weekly series we've compiled a list of stories that didn't quite make it into the main news roster but were worth mentioning.

This week saw a certain Norwegian poker player get a deal from the world's largest poker room, while yet another study found poker to be a game of skill.

Johnny Lodden signs with Team PokerStars Pro

Team PokerStars Pro was already home to a number of well-known pros in Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem and Greg Raymer but surprisingly it didn't have a lot of Scandinavian content.

That seems to be changing as Norwegian pro Johnny Lodden was signed by the team this week. Lodden is an accomplished live and online player who used to wreak havoc back in the day as "bad_ip."

Lodden will join fellow European players William Thorson (Swedish) and Noah Boeken (Dutch) on the team.

http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/team_pokerstars_pro/2009/team-pokerstars-pro-signs-johnny-lodden-037861.html

Bodog sets the line on Nguyen's $4 million promise

Bodog is now taking bets on Scotty Nguyen's promise to PokerListings.com that he will retire if he makes less than $4 million at the 2009 World Series of Poker.

The outlandish promise, which Nguyen made in an interview with PokerListings TV, started a wave of forum chatter, with a multitude of players claiming they are willing to take the Prince of Poker's action.

As result, Bodog oddsmakers have stepped up and set the line at +2500 that Nguyen will reach the magic $4 million mark.

"Bodog's annual WSOP prop bets are a staple leading up to the main event," Bodog Sportsbook Manager Richard Gardner said.

"So when we came across the PokerListings.com video of Scotty Nguyen saying that if he doesn't win at least $4 million at this year's WSOP he'd quit the game, we knew this would be the kind of action our players would like to get in on."

To place your bets head over to the Bodog Sportsbook and check out all of the 2009 WSOP prop bets.

EU claims U.S. Internet gambling laws violate WTO

The European Union says U.S. laws on Internet gambling are in violation of World Trade Organization rules.

Following an investigation into U.S. measures affecting foreign suppliers of Internet gambling services, the European Commission released a draft report Thursday concluding U.S. laws deny access and discriminate against foreign suppliers of gambling and betting services.

The report says U.S. Internet gambling regulations effectively create a trade barrier which has adverse effects on EU economic interests.

Although the report claims WTO proceedings against the U.S. would be justified, it does not include any recommendation for actions, suggesting only that the issue should be addressed with the current U.S. administration.

New study finds poker is a game of skill

Once again a study has found that poker is a skill game. The latest study was released by Cigital Inc. in conjunction with PokerStars.

The study used data acquired from 103 million hands of hand No-Limit Hold'em and found that in 75% of those cases an outcome was decided without a showdown.

Learn more about the study and the Poker Players Alliance's thoughts about it in the link below:

http://pokerplayersalliance.org

Ultimate Fighting Championship shuts door on Full Tilt Poker

Full Tilt Poker and the Ultimate Fighting Championship seemed like a match made in heaven, with fighters like Forrest Griffin and Mike Swick having donned the FTP badge to play in tournaments.

Instead, according to mmapayout.com, the UFC has placed FTP on the banned list, which means no fighter can don Full Tilt gear. The unconfirmed rumor is that Ultimate Bet or Absolute Poker may be taking over as a key sponsor.

http://mmapayout.com/2009/03/on-tilt-poker-company-full-tilt-on-no-no-list/

Poker in Texas?

Legal poker in Texas seems to be getting closer and closer to reality and the folks over at Pokerati have been following the issue closely. The bill for poker in Texas is titled HB 222 and it is scheduled to be voted on this week.

http://pokerati.com/2009/03/27/re-texas-poker-bill-up-for-committee-vote-today-6/

Duke returns to WSOP Academy Ladies Only Event

It was announced earlier this week that the WSOP Academy Ladies Only Event hosted by Annie Duke will once again be back this summer.

It's somewhat ironic given that Duke is vehemently against playing ladies events, but apparently she feels differently about women-only training workshops.

The Celebrity Apprentice star will host the event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas June 5-6. Check out the Web site for more details.

http://www.wsopacademy.com/

 

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