Poker News

2 Months, $2 Million: Deuces Cracked Fundraiser Takes Center Stage

In Wednesday’s episode of the G4 online poker reality show “2 Months, $2 Million,” a fundraiser held by the training site Deuces Cracked took center stage and featured attendees battling in the age-old game Connect Four.

The show opened at a restaurant, where cast member Emil Patel, a vegetarian, ordered a vast assortment of food for breakfast, including pancakes, macaroni and cheese, sliced apples, pizza, berries, and a fruit smoothie. Patel was like a kid in a candy store selecting items off the menu, while Jay Rosenkrantz described the upcoming fundraiser sponsored by his website, Deuces Cracked. The gala, featuring the kids’ game Connect Four, would benefit the Lili Claire Foundation, which helps those suffering from “Williams Syndrome and similar disabilities,” according to its website.

Patel was appropriately tasked with devising a menu, while Brian Roberts was faced with the challenge of producing a rap to be performed on site. He told “2 Months, $2 Million” cameras, “I don’t know about rappers from Vegas and that’s a bad sign.” Dani Stern, meanwhile, was asked to attract a harem of women to the event. Stern ultimately sought the aid of Andrew “luckychewy” Lichtenberger, who participated in the “House Wars” episode several weeks ago.

The quartet was up $141,000 entering Week 7, still miles away from its stated goal of $2 million. As an added incentive, the “2 Months, $2 Million” personality with the best financial showing during Week 7 would take home a $5,000 watch courtesy of the other three players. Roberts sought revenge against luckexpress10, who banked $104,000 at his expense on the September 17th episode. Roberts flopped a set in Omaha to go up $7,500 against luckexpress10. His foe then made a well-timed laydown on a 9-A-6-A board when Roberts held A-J for trips. Still, Roberts was up $25,000 for the session.

Stern and Lichtenberger headed to the Hard Rock pool to recruit women for the Connect Four fundraiser. Stern quipped, “Chewy has made millions of dollars playing online poker, but his real skill is with the ladies.” However, the duo came up empty-handed at the pool and instead headed to Sapphire, a gentlemen’s club, to meet with their Las Vegas concierge. Finally, Stern and Lichtenberger convinced “Alicia,” a self-proclaimed Connect Four fan, to attend the fundraiser.

The charity gala took place at Planet Hollywood on the Las Vegas Strip. Patel claimed he was 7-0 in Connect Four matches during it and then made “Connect Five” against Rosenkrantz.  Stern and Alicia then played and their match was followed by a live performance of the rap. Roberts’ production was stellar, as Stern noted, “I’ll be honest, I was shocked at how good the rap was.” At the end of the night, over $20,000 was raised for the Lili Claire Foundation from the $400 buy-in event.

When the totals for the week were calculated, Rosenkrantz was down $44,000, Patel had lost $19,000, Roberts was up $46,500, and Stern had earned $11,000. Roberts ultimately claimed the watch, although the team was still down $5,500 on the week. After seven weeks of “2 Months, $2 Million,” the cast is just $135,600 in the black. The G4 franchise actually lasts 10 weeks, meaning the team must average nearly $625,000 in profit in each of the next three episodes in order to achieve their goal.

For the ceremonial Penalty Stunt, Rosenkrantz had to roller stake from Fremont Street to the world-famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” sign donning a tight pair of shorts and tied-up checkered shirt while being tailed by the rest of the gang in an SUV.

Next week, Rosenkrantz plays the highest stakes games of the season in an effort to achieve the $2 million goal. The show airs on Wednesday nights at 8:00pm ET on G4.

Las Vegas Mogul Bob Stupak Dies at 67

The poker and the Las Vegas communities lost one of their own last week, when entrepreneur and former World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Bob Stupak succumbed to a lengthy battle with leukemia.  He was 67 years-old.

To cite just one or two things Stupak will be best remembered for would be doing a disservice to a man whose long list of accomplishments ranges from building the iconic Stratosphere to winning a WSOP bracelet to placing a $1 million bet on the Super Bowl.

In addition to his reputation as an exceptional and well-rounded gambler, Stupak was also considered by many to be a master of publicity.  Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman summed up his legacy in a statement he gave to the Las Vegas Review Journal: “Bob was an impresario, a ringmaster in the mold of the promoters who made Las Vegas the great town that it is,” he said.  “His ingenuity got him into trouble sometimes, but that happens to folks who try to grab the brass ring.”

It is true that Stupak did not always have the easiest road to success.  After a failed attempt at running a restaurant, he opened Bob Stupak’s World Famous Historic Gambling Museum on the Las Vegas Strip.  Despite its less-than-stellar location on the northern portion of Las Vegas Boulevard, the museum drew patrons with slot machines, which promised huge payouts for a small investment.  Unfortunately, the building burned down just two months after opening.  In its place, Stupak built Las Vegas World, a casino with a space motif.  Years later, Stupak would pioneer the efforts to build the 1,149-foot tall Stratosphere.  While the project was seen to completion, it went bankrupt within its first year of operation and was sold off to Carl Ichan.

Stupak did not let these setbacks keep him down for long, though, and managed to keep himself in the spotlight via a series of outlandish sports bets and other gambling ventures.  The Las Vegas Sun reported that Stupak placed a $1 million bet on the 1989 Super Bowl, which garnered quite a bit of media attention, although the paper also suggested that he quietly made some side bets to compensate for the financial blow he would take should he lose.  Thankfully, he won.

In exchange for a $100,000 donation to the United Negro College Fund, Stupak was able to suit up for the Harlem Globetrotters in 1996.  Stupak’s official website features a video of the event highlighting his charitable contribution, but John L. Smith’s biography of Stupak, “No Limit: The Rise and Fall of Bob Stupak and the Las Vegas Stratosphere,” suggests he could not help but set up some side bets on his basketball prowess for as much as $250,000.

Stupak’s charitable side extended beyond his Globetrotters adventure and he was known throughout Vegas for his philanthropic efforts, which included financing a local park and community center and helping to fight homelessness in the city.  He was a civic-minded individual as well, running for Las Vegas Mayor and Nevada Lt. Governor, among other posts, but he failed to win any of his campaigns.

The poker world knows Stupak as a man with a knack for 2-7 Triple Draw.  He won his bracelet in the now defunct $5,000 2-7 Triple Draw with rebuys event, a tournament that many of the pros cited as one of the more prestigious bracelets to win.  In addition to nabbing the bracelet in 1989, Stupak made three other appearances at 2-7 final tables in the 1980s and 1990s.  He also final tabled the World Poker Tour’s first trip to Commerce Casino for the L.A. Poker Classic and made an appearance on the popular “High Stakes Poker” television program.

Stupak is survived by his three children, daughters Summer and Nicole and son, Nevada, as well as two sisters and two ex-wives.  Stupak’s body was cremated and there were no plans for a funeral.

2 Months, 2 Million: Boot Camp

Episode six of 2 Months. 2 Million. opened in the parched Nevada desert, where our fearless foursome let off some steam by riding dune buggies. Well, everyone except Emil "whitelime" Patel, who "didn't want to get sand in his eyes" and elected to...

Pokernews Op-Ed: Will Casinos Cater to Pot-Smokers in the Future?

If California and Nevada Legalize Marijuana in the Near Future, Should Casinos Cater to Pot-loving Players? Although California and Nevada both face numerous hurdles in their efforts to legalize the use and possession or marijuana, both are looking for an

Former Full Tilt Employee Jason Newitt Files Suit

The list of people and organizations that have a bone to pick with Full Tilt Poker keeps growing.  Two new lawsuits involving Full Tilt have brought the online poker room into the legal spotlight.

First, news broke that Brandon McSmith is suing Poker PROductions, the production company behind “High Stakes Poker,” “Poker After Dark,” and NBC’s “Face the Ace,” the latter of which features a roster of Full Tilt Pros facing off against contestants trying to win $1 million.  McSmith alleges he came up with a similar idea for a poker-themed game show called “The All Star Poker Challenge” and is suing Poker PROductions for $85 million.  No legal action is being taken by Smith towards Full Tilt directly, but the company’s close ties to the show mean they will have a vested interest in the matter should it go any further.

The other lawsuit that came to light this week involves Full Tilt Poker in a much more direct capacity.  Pokerati.com broke the news that former Full Tilt employee Jason “JDN” Newitt is filing suit against Full Tilt Poker, Tiltware, Pocket Kings Consulting, and both Howard Lederer and Raymond Bitar.  According to the case filing in the Nevada court system, Newitt is claiming that “he was unfairly fired and that his distribution payments were unfairly ceased.  Defendants then took control of his ownership.”  In other words, Newitt allegedly owned a percentage of Full Tilt Poker and is no longer receiving payments that stem from that percentage.

Prior to filing suit, Newitt was best known in the poker world for accidentally leaking internal correspondence between himself and Howard Lederer regarding potential sponsorship of 2007 Aussie Millions runner-up Jimmy “gobboboy” Fricke.  Newitt inadvertently forwarded an e-mail to Fricke in which Lederer referred to Fricke as a “freak” and a “kind of a weird dude.”  Fricke then posted it on the TwoPlusTwo poker forum.  In addition to simply revealing Lederer’s candid thoughts on the young online pro, the e-mail, which was copied to Bitar and Robert Wolf, shed some light on exactly how big of a role Lederer and Bitar play in the day-to-day dealings of the popular online poker site.

Newitt was let go in the wake of the Fricke faux pas and just recently filed suit for wrongful termination.  Newitt is being represented by the law firm Howard & Howard, the same firm that represented Clonie Gowen in her lawsuit against Full Tilt.  The two cases bear some resemblance to each other, as both individuals claim their distribution payments were ceased without just cause.  A U.S. District Court dismissed the bulk of Gowen’s lawsuit back in May, but Bitar, Lederer, and Tiltware LLC were dismissed without prejudice, meaning that Gowen can re-file against them in the future.  Her claims against several other individuals, including members of Team Full Tilt, were dismissed with prejudice, meaning Gowen can no longer pursue legal action against them in the matter.

At the time Gowen’s case was dismissed, Howard & Howard announced they disagreed with the court’s decision and were considering filing an appeal on Gowen’s behalf.  So far, there has been no announcement from Newitt, Gowen, or Howard & Howard on whether or not Newitt’s case will prompt Gowen to re-file against Lederer, Bitar, or Tiltware.

Nevada Gaming Revenues Fall 12.48% in July

While the economy may be picking up steam worldwide, news from Las Vegas revealed that Nevada casino gambling revenues were down 12.48% in July year over year. Statewide, the Nevada Gaming Control Board reported revenues, or “win,” of $872 million.

In July of 2008, casinos reported a win of $997 million. In Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, revenues two months ago were $729 million, off 10.92% year over year from the $819 million recorded in 2008. On the Las Vegas Strip, where poker-friendly resorts like the Bellagio and Venetian can be found, revenues came in at $461 million in July, a drop of 11.14% compared to the same period last year. July saw an influx of visitors to the Rio and other Harrah’s resorts for the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP), which kicked off its Main Event on the 3rd of the month.

In Downtown Las Vegas, which includes the Golden Nugget, the setting for the first and fifth seasons of “High Stakes Poker,” and the L.A. Comedy Club at the Four Queens, which was featured in the most recent installment of G4’s “2 Months, $2 Million,” revenues came in at $39.8 million in July. That figure represented a dive of 11.54% in comparison to the same period in 2008. Besides the Golden Nugget and Four Queens, other Downtown Las Vegas casinos include former WSOP home Binion’s, the Las Vegas Club, Main Street Station, and Fitzgerald’s.

In North Las Vegas, revenues rose in July year over year by 7.41%. The area recorded a win of $23.6 million during the month, a growth from the $22.0 million in July of 2008. North Las Vegas was the only area to report an increase in revenue in 2009. In Laughlin, which is also located in Clark County, revenues fell 18.57% to $39.3 million, down nearly 20% from the $48.2 million recorded in 2008. Also hurting were the Boulder Strip and Mesquite, which reported declines in revenue of 6.80% and 19.50%, respectively. The Boulder Strip includes establishments like Green Valley Ranch and Sam’s Town, while CasaBlanca and the Eureka Casino call Mesquite home.

In Washoe County, gambling revenues were off 19.52% in July year over year. The entire country generated $71.2 million in win, down from the $88.5 million recorded last year. In Reno, the gambling Mecca of the county, revenues were $50.7 million, down a blistering 21.06% from the same period in 2008, when casino win was $64.2 million. In Sparks, win was $11.5 million, down 15.55% from the $13.6 million recorded in July of 2008. Also down significantly in Washoe County was North Lake Tahoe, whose win of $3.7 million in July was 23.18% less than the $4.8 million registered last year.

South Lake Tahoe reported the largest dip in revenue of any area in Nevada during July. Revenues of $27.3 million represented a 33.17% drop year over year from the $40.8 million reported in 2008. In Elko County, revenues were $22.2 million, a slide of 8.54% from the $24.2 million reported last year. In Wendover, which is in the county, revenues of $14.1 million in July represented an 11.18% drop year over year. Finally, in the Carson Valley area, which includes Carson City, Gardnerville, Minden, and areas of Douglas County except South Lake Tahoe, revenues were off 7.17% year over year to $9.3 million.

The State of Nevada collected fees of $57.3 million in August based on July’s revenues. The figure represented a scant 1.64% decrease year over year. Overall, gambling revenues in Nevada have declined year over year for 19 straight months, with the last increase reported in December of 2007:

July, 2009: (12.48%)
June, 2009: (13.82%)
May, 2009: (8.34%)
April, 2009: (14.07%)
March, 2009: (11.61%)
February, 2009: (18.12%)
January, 2009: (14.62%)
December, 2008: (18.94%)
November, 2008: (14.80%)
October, 2008: (22.33%)
September, 2008: (5.44%)
August, 2008: (8.10%)
July, 2008: (12.97%)
June, 2008: (1.11%)
May, 2008: (15.17%)
April, 2008: (5.05%)
March, 2008: (1.52%)
February, 2008: (3.93%)
January, 2008: (4.75%)

High Heels Poker Tour Signs Sponsorship Deal With PokerStars

Poker has traditionally been a masculine pursuit, but women have been making inroads into the game since the boom earlier this century. One only has to look at Annie Duke’s performance in the first WSOP Tournament of Champions or Vanessa Rousso’s runner-up finish at this year’s National Heads Up Poker Championship to realize that women are a formidable part of today’s poker world. A tournament schedule to promote female participation in the game, the High Heels Poker Tour, recently signed on PokerStars as a sponsor to further the number of women who participate in poker.

In an announcement late last week, PokerStars will help to support the tournaments that make up the HHPT schedule from this point on. “PokerStars has all of the attributes in a online partner that female players crave…an incredible variety of quick, entertaining games that range from low buy in sit and goes and cash games to serious tournament play, all in an environment where women can learn the game, develop their skills, and truly become champions”, Lauren Failla, founder of the High Heels Poker Tour, stated during the announcement. “With champions like Vanessa Rousso, Katja Thater, and Vicky Coren, our players have a whole new set of role models to emulate and challenge, online and at the tables.” As a part of the new sponsorship with PokerStars, the High Heels Poker Tour will be conducting their Grand Final as a part of the festivities of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas this January.

The first HHPT event, which was held on August 22nd at the Turning Stone Resort Casino, was won by Texas’ Kathy Talerico and leads into what will be a hectic two months of action on the HHPT schedule. After New York, the tour heads south to Florida, where four tournaments are set to take place across the state.

First up for the players on the HHPT is Dania, FL, and a $125 buy in tournament at Dania Jai-Alai. Set to begin at 4PM on September 12th, players will start out with 6000 chips and play down to a champion that evening. After the Dania tournament, players on the HPPT will have the opportunity to relax before heading into a three tournament run in the month of October.

On October 2nd, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino will play host to the High Heels Poker Tour in Hollywood, FL. The tournament is scheduled to start at 6:30PM and, as of yet, the starting chip stacks haven’t been determined. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is demonstrating its support of the HHPT by making their tournament a prominent part of its “Main Event Tournament Week” schedule. The month of October finishes off with a couple of charitable outreaches by the HHPT with a trip to Tampa Bay Downs on October 10th for the “Battle of the Sexes To Battle Breast Cancer” and the organization will be in charge of the poker activities at the Trump International Beach Resort on October 17th for a benefit for the Friends of the Israel Defense Fund Casino Night.

The High Heels Poker Tour will be looking to expand to several different locations in 2010. While dates are not yet locked in for the tournaments, the HHPT is in discussion with such casinos as the Horseshoe in Hammond, Indiana, Harvey’s Lake Tahoe in Nevada, the Canadian Poker Expo in Toronto, Canada and others to hold HHPT events.

The High Heels Poker Tour also holds their very own Academy, with 2010 dates to be announced soon, that assists in teaching the game to more women. Such popular female players as Women In Poker Hall of Fame members Barbara Enright, Susie Issacs and Marsha Waggoner, along with current pros Kristy Gazes, Karina Jett and Joanne “J. J.” Liu, offer the wealth of their experience for other female players to learn from. For more information on the organization, visit the High Heels Poker Tour website to learn more.

Internet Gambling Law Expert Reacts to UIGEA Decision

The story of the week in the internet gambling industry has been the constitutional challenge to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) brought on by the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA). Internet gambling law expert I. Nelson Rose comments on the ruling, which was passed down by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Third Circuit tossed out iMEGA’s arguments that the UIGEA violated the First and Tenth Amendments of the United States Constitution as well as privacy rights and international treaties. However, the judicial body asserted, “It bears repeating that the Act itself does not make any gambling activity illegal. Whether the transaction… constitutes unlawful internet gambling turns on how the law of the state from which the bettor initiates the bet would treat that bet, i.e., if it is unlawful under that state’s law, it constitutes ‘unlawful internet gambling’ under the Act.” The bet must also be legal in the jurisdiction in which the internet gambling operator is located.

Rose was perplexed by the Third Circuit’s ruling, which seemed to, in part, shed light on the UIGEA’s meaning. He told Poker News Daily, “This decision was written by judges who appear to know absolutely nothing about gaming law.” Rose reiterated that only two states, Hawaii and Utah, ban commercial gambling. The 10-page court ruling cites Oregon as a state in which it may be problematic to conduct internet gambling. However, Rose noted, “It is bizarre to use Oregon as an example. Oregon has more forms of legal gambling than Nevada.”

Deferring to the states, therefore, may not be a straightforward endeavor. Rose explained, “I practiced law in Hawaii for over three years and I can tell you that neither these nor any other existing Hawaiian statutes clearly make all forms of internet gambling illegal.  The Oregon statute cited merely makes it a crime to transfer money for ‘unlawful gambling using the internet,’ which brings us back to the question of whether any other existing law covers internet gambling.” The U.S. Department of Justice, for example, may assert that online poker is illegal under the Wire Act, although organizations like the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) would deny such an interpretation.

If internet gambling’s legality varies on a state-by-state basis, then a long road may be in store for financial services outfits like Visa and MasterCard. Rose forecasted, “The reality is that some forms of internet gambling are expressly legal, such as pari-mutuel bets on horseracing in most states. In every other case, it would take a detailed analysis by a competent gaming lawyer to know whether the state’s anti-gambling laws might apply.” A handful of states allow permit lottery purchases, further complicating the matter. For example, TwinSpires.com, a site that offers online wagering on horse racing, is owned by the same publicly traded parent company as Churchill Downs in Kentucky.

A press release issued by iMEGA shortly after the Third Circuit’s decision noted that some forms of internet gambling were “potentially lawful” in 44 states. The organization added, “There are only a half-dozen states which have laws against internet gambling.” The Poker Voters of America (PVA) is leading the charge for licensed and regulated intrastate online poker in California. The PVA is also pushing for intrastate wagering in Florida. California offers a bevy of card rooms sprinkled within its borders, including the Commerce Casino and Bicycle Casino, which host World Poker Tour events.

iMEGA may appeal the Third Circuit’s decision in an effort to overturn the UIGEA, which was its primary goal. However, no decision has yet been made. The U.S. Department of Justice can also appeal the ruling.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest on the iMEGA UIGEA challenge. A wealth of information on U.S. internet gambling statutes can be found at Rose’s website, GamblingAndTheLaw.com.

iMEGA, Poker Players Alliance React to UIGEA Ruling

Twenty-four hours ago, the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) came up short in its bid to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). In the process, internet gambling may now become an industry governed by state law.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals emphasized that the legality of internet gambling transactions may ultimately depend on where the bettor and operator are located. If the industry is permitted in both jurisdictions, then online poker players may be able to return to the felts in droves. The opinion, which was penned by Judge Dolores Sloviter, read in part, “Whether the transaction…constitutes unlawful internet gambling turns on how the law of the state from which the bettor initiates the bet would treat that bet, i.e. if it is illegal under that state’s law, it constitutes ‘unlawful internet gambling’ under the Act.”

In a press release distributed by iMEGA following Tuesday’s historic ruling, Chairman Joe Brennan noted, “The court made it clear - gambling on the internet is unlawful where state law says so. But there are only a half-dozen states which have laws against Internet gambling, leaving 44 states where it is potentially lawful. It’s not perfect, but it’s a good start.” Internet gambling law varies by state based on the type of transaction, number of times the consumer is raked, and game type, among other factors. Several states allow online lottery transactions and wagering on horse racing, while others like Utah and Hawaii ban all forms of commercial gambling.

What happens next is anyone’s guess. States may soon find it prudent to clarify laws and statutes related to internet gambling. In the meantime, a push by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) on Capitol Hill for legalized and regulated online poker may come to fruition through future passage of a bill by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA). PPA Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily, “While I am disappointed that iMEGA’s full arguments did not prevail, it was encouraging to see the courts reaffirm that the UIGEA does not make playing internet poker illegal. The PPA and our legal team have long argued that the UIGEA should not force banks to block poker transactions in a vast majority of states. This decision might very well help as banks make those determinations on what to block; simply follow state law.”

On handing over the determination of whether internet gambling is permissible to the states, Brennan commented in the same press release, “States have always held the power to regulate gambling in this country, not the Federal government. The court’s ruling seems to say ‘back to the future’ when it comes to regulating internet gambling, so we will turn our attention to the states to make the case that this industry can be properly regulated and produce badly needed tax revenue.” Land-based gambling is already governed at the state level, with Nevada, New Jersey, and Mississippi leading the way. A bevy of riverboat casinos have also sprung up in states like Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri.

Brennan told Poker News Daily that the organization has not yet decided whether it will appeal the three-judge panel’s decision. The magistrates dismissed iMEGA’s claims that the UIGEA violated the First Amendment, Tenth Amendment, privacy rights, and treaty obligations over the course of its 10-page ruling. In the end, the cloudy law, which was passed during the waning moments of the 2006 Congressional session, was not declared unconstitutional, as iMEGA had hoped. However, the court’s ruling may have ultimately led to the same endgame, clarification of the legality of internet gambling and online poker in the United States.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest reaction to iMEGA’s UIGEA challenge.

Nevada Casino Win Down In June; Boyd Gaming Looking At Station Assets

The Nevada Gaming Control Board announced this week the results of casino win rates for the month of June 2009, continuing a downward trend and leading to one casino chain filing for bankruptcy protection in July.

For the month of June, casinos in Nevada produced a win – the money taken in by the casinos before taxes or other deductions – of over $818 million. This was significantly lower than the same time period in June 2008, when Nevada casinos pulled a win of over $949 million. The decrease in revenue is 13.2 percent and continues a trend that has been in effect for well over a year now.

There wasn’t an area of Nevada that reported a positive win rate in June 2009 versus the same time frame in 2008. The Carson Valley area reported the biggest drop in win rate when it reported $8.1 million in win versus $9.7 million in 2008, a 15.6 percent drop. The South Lake Tahoe area wasn’t far behind when they reported a 15.06 percent falloff from 2008 (from $20.5 million in 2008 to $17.4 million in June 2009). Those areas most familiar to poker players, the Las Vegas Strip and the Downtown area, both saw win rates drop by 14.77 and 5.63 percent respectively. Overall, Clark County’s gaming win rate declined by 14.71 percent from $806 million in 2008 to $687.5 million in June 2009.

The June report continues a trend that has been in place for over a year now. For Fiscal Year 2009 – a period that covers July 1st, 2008 through June 30th, 2009 – casino win rate in Nevada eclipsed $10.7 billion. For Fiscal Year 2008, which ended on June 30th, 2008, the total was $12.5 billion, 13.72 percent more that the win rate from the most recently completed fiscal year.

The downturn in the economics of Nevada’s casino industry can be seen in two distinct places. As of this writing, such stocks as Wynn Resorts (down $2.72 to $58.16 per share), Las Vegas Sands (down .69 to $13.10) and MGM Mirage (down .05 to $8.72) are below their opening prices. Even though casino revenues have been down for a considerable time frame, the stock of those involved in the Nevada casino industry has been on the rise over the last three months, reflecting the overall upturn by the stock market.

The continued soft performance of the Nevada casino industry has also claimed its first victim. According to the website Casino Gaming Stock, Station Casinos – which holds eighteen casinos and is a prime player in off-Strip casino action for locals and in-state players – has been avoiding bankruptcy court for the past few months by borrowing heavily and trying to negotiate a good settlement for their properties. After those negotiations collapsed, Station Casinos was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of July.

Casino Gaming Stock reports that the news of Station Casino’s bankruptcy may be a good sign for one of its competitors. Boyd Gaming, who made a billion dollar offer to Station prior to the bankruptcy announcement and was rebuffed by Station, is rumored by Casino Gaming Stock to be considering making another offer to Station for its assets. As of press time, there was no report of Station’s reply to this offer from Boyd Gaming.

Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Bill Breaks 50 Co-Sponsors

This week saw Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, officially break 50 co-sponsors. The bill establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for internet gambling outfits to solicit U.S. customers.

The addition of two Congressmen officially pushed the support to over 50 co-sponsors. On July 27th, just a few days removed from the conclusion of National Poker Week, Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) lent his name to the bill to become co-sponsor #50. One day later, Congressman Dan Maffei (D-NY) joined on. Flanking Thompson and Maffei are Congressmen from both sides of the aisle. Each has come out to support legalizing the internet gambling industry in the United States and reaping tax revenue in return. Here is a full list of HR 2267’s co-sponsors, as given by the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative (SSIGI), along with the political party each belongs to (Democrat or Republican):

Alaska
Don Young (R)

Arizona
Raul Grijalva (D)

California
Michael Thompson (D)
George Miller (D)
Michael Honda (D)
Linda Sanchez (D)
Bob Filner (D)

Colorado
Jared Polis (D)
Ed Perlmutter (D)

Connecticut
Joe Courtney (D)

Florida
Robert Wexler  (D)
Alcee Hastings (D)

Hawaii
Neil Abercrombie (D)

Idaho
Walt Minnick (D)

Illinois
Luis Gutierrez (D)
Bill Foster (D)

Indiana
Andre Carson (D)

Massachusetts
James McGovern (D)
Barney Frank (D)
Michael Capuano (D)
William Delahunt (D)

Michigan
John Conyers (D)

Nevada
Shelley Berkley (D)

New Hampshire
Paul Hodes (D)

New Jersey
Robert Andrews (D)
Frank LoBiondo (R)
John Adler (D)
Steven Rothman (D)

New York
Tim Bishop (D)
Steve Israel (D)
Peter King (R)
Carolyn McCarthy (D)
Gary Ackerman (D)
Joseph Crowley (D)
Jerrold Nadler (D)
Edolphus Towns (D)
Mike McMahon (D)
Charles Rangel (D)
Paul Tonko (D)

North Carolina
Melvin Watt (D)

Ohio
Steve Driehaus (D)
Tim Ryan (D)

Oregon
Earl Blumenauer (D)

Tennessee
Steve Cohen (D)

Texas
Ron Paul (R)
Ciro Rodriguez (D)

Virginia
Bobby Scott (D)
Tom Perriello (D)
James Moran (D)

Washington
Jim McDermott (D)

HR 2046, introduced during the last Congressional session and labeled the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, garnered 48 co-sponsors. Frank unveiled it to the world in April of 2007, but it was not acted upon. The new version forbids gambling on any event that would violate the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. However, Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas noted during National Poker Week that sports leagues are seeking clearer language in the bill. He explained, “Changes need to be made to explicitly outlaw sports betting.”

HR 2266 was introduced on May 6th, the same day as HR 2267, and calls for industry compliance with the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) to be delayed by one year to December 1st, 2010. The measure is dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act and is up to 32 co-sponsors. On its sister bill reaching the milestone 50th co-sponsor, SSIGI spokesperson Jeff Sandman commented in a press release, “Reaching this milestone illustrates that momentum is growing for a shift in U.S. policy and a rewrite of U.S. internet gambling laws. We also expect an increased spotlight on internet gambling as a way to augment federal revenues and help cover the cost of necessary policy initiatives.”

During a Fly-In orchestrated by the PPA as part of National Poker Week, over 100 meetings were held with Congressmen and their staffs from around the United States. Attendees included 33 PPA State Directors and a handful of poker’s elite, including Poker News Daily Guest Columnists Annie Duke and Linda Johnson, PokerStars pros Dennis Phillips and Greg Raymer, Full Tilt Poker pros Andy Bloch and Howard Lederer, and online poker sensations Chris “Fox” Wallace and Jordan “iMsoLucky0” Morgan.

Over 375,000 concerned players signed an online poker petition, which was presented to U.S. President Barack Obama last week. In addition, nearly 200,000 letters and e-mails were sent to Representatives and Senators during National Poker Week. The PPA’s Randy Law admitted that just 80,000 were sent during the entire 2008 calendar year. The organization currently has over 1.2 million members after boasting only 50,000 in mid-2006.

Jeff Shulman - Poker Player Profile

The Editor of CardPlayer Magazine, Jeff Shulman resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He’s 34 years-old and finished seventh in the 2000 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, banking $146,000 when he was just 25. That tournament was ultimately won by Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, who firmly entrenched himself as one of poker’s top stars. Shulman is a member of the November Nine of the 2009 WSOP Main Event and will return to the green felts that month to play down to a champion, who will find their bankroll boosted by $8.5 million.

Immediately following the final elimination in July of the Main Event, Shulman ignited controversy by claiming that if he won he might “toss out” the tournament’s celebratory bracelet instead of wearing it. Many in the industry speculated that Shulman’s comments stemmed from the fact that Bluff, not CardPlayer, received media rights to the WSOP. However, Shulman retorted to reporters, “It’s my lack of respect for the WSOP and the management and what they’ve done to all of the players. I don’t like it.”

Shulman’s comments have polarized the attitudes towards the Nevada native among those in the industry. Some have inquired why the CardPlayer Magazine Editor entered the tournament, while others have questioned whether he should return to the Rio in November for the final table of the Main Event. He has since formulated alternatives to trashing the bracelet, including auctioning it off for charity, holding a tournament for players shut out of the 2009 Main Event and awarding the bracelet to its winner, and giving the piece of hardware away on Spade Club, CardPlayer’s subscription-based online poker site.

Shulman’s last final table appearance at a WSOP event prior to the 2009 Main Event came in 2005, when he finished seventh in a $5,000 buy-in Limit Hold’em tournament for $50,000. Shulman finished 12^th in the Season III World Poker Tour (WPT) Championship, taking home $94,000, and owns nearly $400,000 in career earnings on the WPT circuit.

He’s the son of CardPlayer owner Barry Shulman and has become one of the most influential figures in the industry. Shulman’s nonchalant attitude is in stark contrast to the serious nature of most poker players. When asked if this easy-going mantra gives him an advantage over other players in the game, Shulman candidly explained to reporters gathered around him at the WSOP, “I feel like I’m on Adderall and everyone else is on Xanax.”

CardPlayer is one of the world’s premier poker magazines and has over 20,000 subscribers. Besides its American version, Shulman and company produce CardPlayer Europe, which distributes nearly 13,000 copies across 40 countries. CardPlayer features live coverage of top tournaments around the world, including WPT events.

2009 WSOP Main Event November Nine Features Phil Ivey

After 56 events and 13 days of play in the Amazon Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, the final table of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event was determined.

A total of 27 players came back to the Amazon Room at Noon on Wednesday with dreams of being at the final table of the most prestigious poker tournament in the world. Everyone remaining would receive $352,832, but the true focus was on making the final table, which once again will be delayed until November. Leading the pack was newcomer Darvin Moon, a logger from Maryland, who held slightly over 20 million chips as play began.

Leo Margets, who came to the start of play on Wednesday as one of the shorter stacks in the room, was the first to depart in 27th place. She was followed by notable players including Antonio Esfandiari (24th place for his largest WSOP cash ever) and Day Six leader Warren Zackey, who dropped from the tournament in 22nd place after his pocket deuces were out-raced by Ian Tavelli’s Qs-Js.

Tavelli’s aggressive play eventually caught up with him after he ran pocket nines into Steven Begleiter’s pocket kings. After the board didn’t bring him either of his two outs, the 21-year old Tavelli was eliminated in 17th place ($500,557). Almost immediately after Tavelli’s departure, one of France’s top professional players, Ludovic Lacay, was defeated by Jeff Shulman in 16th place. After Lacay’s elimination, everyone at the tables was guaranteed $633,022.

As the field continued to dwindle down, both Moon and Begleiter used their chips to climb to astronomical levels at the tables. Moon never seemed to be in jeopardy during play on Wednesday and Begleiter, using the chips he had earned from Tavelli, continued his march up the leaderboard. For all of their work, however, most of the eyes in the Amazon Room followed poker professional Phil Ivey.

The perennial pick by ESPN commentator Norm Chad to win the Main Event, Ivey had come to the 2009 WSOP with his skills at their highest point ever. He captured two bracelets during the six weeks of preliminary tournaments and had been at or around the top of the Main Event leaderboard since it began. Starting the day with over 11 million in chips, Ivey seemed content to sit back and maintain his stack, scouting potential opponents should they reach the November Nine final table.

After over 11 hours of battle, the final table of the Main Event was determined. The unlucky Bubble Boy was pro player Jordan Smith, who fell in tenth place ($896,730) at the hands of Moon. Facing a raise to 650,000 from Eric Buchman and a call from Moon, Smith popped a 2.6 million bet into the pot, which was called by Moon after Buchman folded. The seemingly innocent flop of hit the table, at which time the fireworks went off. Smith checked his option to Moon, who put four million chips out, and Smith moved all-in over the top. Moon called and tabled pocket eights for top set; Smith dejectedly turned up . After the turn and river failed to come an ace, the November Nine was determined.

These are the nine players who will gather at the Rio in November to determine the next WSOP Main Event Champion:

Darvin Moon (Oakland, Maryland) – 58,930,000
Eric Buchman (Valley Stream, New York) – 34,800,000
Steve Begleiter (Chappaqua, New York) – 29,885,000
Jeff Shulman (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 19,580,000
Joe Cada (Shelby Township, Michigan) – 13,215,000
Kevin Schaffel (Coral Springs, Florida) – 12,390,000
Phil Ivey (Las Vegas, Nevada) – 9,765,000
Antione Saout (Paris, France) – 9,500,000
James Ankenhead (London, England) – 6,800,000

With such professional players as Ivey, Shulman (Editor of CardPlayer Magazine), and Ankenhead in the mix, some are concluding that this will be one of the strongest Main Event final tables of the past few years.

Play will pause on the Las Vegas leg of this year’s WSOP, but there are still four events to go. The 2009 WSOP Europe, which will be held in London beginning in September, will offer a chance for the survivors of the Main Event to tune up their games. The November Nine then will emerge from their respite. All are now millionaires, but the eventual winner takes the $8.5 million first place prize.

Nevada Gaming Revenue Falls 8% in May

In recent figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, it was revealed that gambling “win,” or revenue, fell by 8.34% in May of 2009 in comparison to May of 2008. Total win was nearly $900 million statewide.

Nevada casinos raked in $889 million two months ago, a fall of over 8% compared to the $970 million in revenue generated in May of 2008. The hardest hit area of the state was South Lake Tahoe, where revenues plummeted by 25.50% in May year over year, landing at $18.1 million. On the Las Vegas Strip, which includes poker-friendly gaming establishments like the Bellagio and Venetian, revenue was off by just 6.36% in May to $480 million. Over the fiscal year to date, which began in July of last year, revenue is down by 15.31% in comparison to the previous fiscal year.

In Downtown Las Vegas, which includes the home of Season V of GSN’s “High Stakes Poker,” the Golden Nugget, casino win was off by 10.69% in May to $43.2 million. Over the fiscal year to date, revenue in Downtown Las Vegas is down by 12.28% to just over $503 million. In North Las Vegas, revenues were actually up in May year over year despite the fledgling economy. Area casinos reported a win of $20.8 million, up 2.89% from the $20.2 million recorded during May of 2008. For the fiscal year to date, revenue in North Las Vegas is off by a scant 2.15%.

In Laughlin, casino revenue in May was down by 15.05% to $41.2 million. It was a far cry from the trend on the Boulder Strip, where revenues were up a strong 10.32% to $64.4 million. Over the fiscal year to date, the Boulder Strip has seen its win fall by 9.32% to $745 million. In Mesquite, the news was not as rosy. Casino revenue dove by 22.08% in May of 2009 in comparison to May of 2008. When the final results were tabulated, Mesquite casinos pulled in $10.5 million, down from the $13.5 million recorded last year. During the fiscal year to date, Mesquite casino revenue is off by 19.04% to $121 million.

In Washoe County, revenue was off by 8.63% in May year over year. Its gambling metropolis is Reno, where revenues of $56.2 million two months ago represented an 8.84% slide. Over the fiscal year to date, “The Biggest Little City in the World” has seen its revenues fall by 13.37% to $577 million. In Sparks, the news was equally bleak. Revenues of $12.2 million in May marked a 12.05% decline from the $13.9 million recorded last year. North Lake Tahoe saw its win sink by 18.76% in May to $2.1 million. Over the fiscal year to date, North Lake Tahoe casinos have experienced a 16.86% drop in revenue.

In the Carson Valley Area, which includes Carson City, Gardnerville, Minden, and other areas of Douglas County outside of South Lake Tahoe, revenues slid by 16.25% in May to $9.4 million. In Wendover, which makes its home in Elko County, revenues were off by 10.03% to $15.3 million. Over the fiscal year to date, Elko County casinos have seen revenues drop by 7.33%.

In June, the State of Nevada collected $50.8 million in fees based on May’s gaming win, a 19.89% slide in comparison to the $63.5 million recorded last June. Overall, gaming win has now fallen for 17 straight months, with casinos last recording an increase year over year in December of 2007:

May, 2009: (8.34%)
April, 2009: (14.07%)
March, 2009: (11.61%)
February, 2009: (18.12%)
January, 2009: (14.62%)
December, 2008: (18.94%)
November, 2008: (14.80%)
October, 2008: (22.33%)
September, 2008: (5.44%)
August, 2008: (8.10%)
July, 2008: (12.97%)
June, 2008: (1.11%)
May, 2008: (15.17%)
April, 2008: (5.05%)
March, 2008: (1.52%)
February, 2008: (3.93%)
January, 2008: (4.75%)

Read the official Nevada Gaming Control Board report.

Leo Wolpert (Pechorin) Interview with Poker News Daily

It isn’t often you hear that a young 20-something is semi-retired, but Leo “Pechorin” Wolpert is just that.  Wolpert went from being a full-time online poker player to a law school student at the University of Virginia.  Wolpert hasn’t given up on poker entirely, but he has cut back drastically on cards while interning with the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and finishing up law school.  One of the events he found time to play in at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em, which he won after four long days and nine individual matches.  Wolpert took some time to discuss his strategy in the event and his plans for the rest of the 2009 WSOP.

Poker News Daily: Congratulations on your bracelet.  You had to get through nine matches to win it.  Which matches were the toughest?

Leo Wolpert: It’s tough to choose.  I would say definitely John Juanda.  He’s at the top of the list.  He’s just amazing all-around.  He really gets tournaments inside and out.  Also, with all of his live experience, he could probably pick up on all my myriad tells.  I had to flip for my tournament life against him and luckily I won.

Jamin Stokes played really well.  He was really tough.  He really trapped me well with pocket kings against his top pair.  I mean he just totally owned me that hand.  He made me think he was floating me and I just spazzed off with the hero call.  Kudos to him for playing that hand really well.

PND: You’re friends with Steve “MrTimCaum” O’Dwyer, who played your final opponent, John Duthie, in the quarterfinals.  Did he give you any tips heading into the finals?

Wolpert:  He gave me a few tips.  One was not to really value bet super thin.  Another was that he suspected, but didn’t really know for sure, that Duthie’s betting range was rather polarized, so I could feel a little more comfortable calling him down light if it was one of those boards where there is the nuts out there and he could be trying to represent it, but just couldn’t have it.

PND: We know you were initially planning to play a limited schedule of events.  Does the bracelet change those plans now?

Wolpert: I haven’t really decided yet.  I might play in a couple more, but I might actually play in a couple less because I am just not as motivated for the $1,500s.  As for other games, I am pretty much terrible at everything but Hold’em and [so playing other events] is essentially burning money.  And I’m not going to play any of the weekday events because of my internship [with the Nevada ACLU].  I’ll probably try to play in a couple more events, like the $5,000 Shootout, and see if I can make the final table again.

PND: Oh that’s right! You have to defend your third place finish from last year.

Wolpert: Yeah, maybe I’ll play that.  Or, maybe I’ll just stay home and grind online (laughs). Maybe I’ll just play the Main Event, though.  Who knows?

PND: If I remember correctly, after you final tabled the Shootout last year, you basically said, “Yeah I’m here for the money.  I don’t care as much about the final tables and the titles.”  Now that you have the bracelet, have you changed your mind?

Wolpert: Not really, I’m still really all about making money by playing poker.  The bracelet’s really nice and I’m proud to get it.  What actually motivated me a little more was almost, like, redemption.  I felt like last year was going to be my one big chance to get the bracelet.  So, even though the bracelet means not quite as much as making a good living from poker, just having the opportunity to go for it and knowing I didn’t blow the opportunity again feels really good.

Boeree beats up Castello in WSOP Rumble

The Ultimate Bet pro defeated video hostess Melissa Castello in an amateur boxing match in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Despite admitting to having very little experience fighting human beings, Boeree handily defeated her rival over the course of three rounds at Barry's Boxing Center.

"It was way harder than I expected," Boeree told PokerListings.com. "Three rounds is a lot.

"By the end of the second round I was like, 'Are you insane, you want to do another?'"

Boeree punished Castello with a succession of brutal blows, but the Brit was nothing if not gracious following her victory.

"Melissa is just amazing," she said. "I mean, I was hitting her really hard. I wasn't holding back and she kept coming.

"It was so much fun. I'm really tired, but I'm really, really happy I won."

With the win, Boeree earned $1,000 for the Marie Curie Cancer Trust, while $500 will be donated in Castello's name to the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California.

Beyond the victory for her chosen charity, Boeree cited pride as a key motivational factor.

"Winning was 100% important," she said. "I could not lose.

"I couldn't let my lot down. They were cheering me on and had bets on me so I had to win. There was no other option."

Originally slated to be fought in UFC fighter Wanderlei Silva's personal octagon, the fight attracted the attention of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, necessitating a number of changes to the program.

The fight was moved to Barry's Boxing Center and both Boeree and Castello were given amateur boxing certification as a condition for the Commission sanctioning the event.

Consequently, Boeree now finds herself possessed of a sparkling 1-0 record in the Commission's official register while Castello drops to 0-1.

The PokerListings video crew was on location for the fight shot plenty of footage, including interviews with both fighters. Check out the PokerListings TV section for more coverage.

Visit PokerListings.com

WPT Announces Season 8 Schedule

With the Bellagio Cup V only three weeks away, officials from the World Poker Tour (WPT) released the schedule for Season VIII. A dozen tournaments will be held, including the brand new Hollywood Poker Open, which will debut from the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

The entire tournament series will be filmed in high-definition, making for a unique experience for viewers watching the action unfold on Fox Sports Net. The cable station returns as the television outlet for Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten, and the rest of the WPT broadcast crew for the second straight season. The first five seasons of the WPT aired on The Travel Channel, while Season VI could be seen on GSN. After a management change at GSN, WPT officials were left scrambling for a new media partner.

WPT Founder and CEO Steve Lipscomb commented in a press release distributed by the roving tournament series on Wednesday, “As this great game has evolved over the years, we have seen the tour grow and develop into something truly incredible. Each year seems to top the last, from stops in exciting new venues to historical moments to breakout players to unbelievable action. We’re looking forward to seeing what the eighth season brings and then watching it broadcast in HD!”

Hollywood Casino was formerly known as Argosy and makes its home outside of Cincinnati. The 270,000 square foot riverboat casino on the Ohio River will host a total of four WPT events, including the brand’s first televised tournament in the Midwest. Blue Diamond Almonds will once again sponsor WPT Live Updates, which Amanda Leatherman delivered last season.

Here’s a look at the schedule of events for WPT Season VIII, which kicks off in three weeks from beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada:

Bellagio Cup V
Bellagio (Las Vegas, NV)
July 13th to 19th, 2009
$15,000 + $400 buy-in

Legends of Poker
The Bicycle Casino (Los Angeles, CA)
August 22nd to 26th, 2009
$9,800 + $200 buy-in

Borgata Poker Open
Borgata Hotel, Casino, and Spa (Atlantic City, NJ)
September 19th to 24th, 2009
Buy-in To Be Determined

Festa al Lago
Bellagio (Las Vegas, NV)
October 20th to 26th, 2009
$15,000 + $400 buy-in

Foxwoods World Poker Finals
Foxwoods Resort Casino (Mashantucket, CT)
November 5th to 10th, 2009
$9,700 + $300 buy-in

Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic
Bellagio (Las Vegas, NV)
December 13th to 19th, 2009
$15,000 + $400 buy-in

Southern Poker Championship
Beau Rivage (Biloxi, MS)
January 24th to 27th, 2010
$9,700 + $300 buy-in

L.A. Poker Classic
Commerce Casino (Los Angeles, CA)
February 20th to 25th, 2010
$9,600 + $400 buy-in

WPT Invitational
Commerce Casino (Los Angeles, CA)
February 27th to March 1st, 2010
Invitation Only

Bay 101 Shooting Star
Bay 101 (San Jose, CA)
March 8th to 12th, 2010
$9,600 + $400 buy-in

Hollywood Poker Open
Hollywood Casino (Lawrenceburg, IN)
March 20th to 24th, 2010
$9,600 + $400 buy-in

WPT Championship
Bellagio (Las Vegas, NV)
April 17th to 24th, 2010
$25,000 + $500 buy-in

In addition, the WPT will host two tournaments outside of the United States in the coming months. From August 26th through September 5th, the WPT Slovakia will take place from the Golden Vegas Casino in Brataslava. The Main Event has a price tag of €4,400 and follows a deep stack structure. WPT officials are estimating a total prize pool of €2.8 million, with players receiving 30,000 in starting chips and blinds of 25-50.

From September 6th to 12th, the tournament series heads to Cyprus for the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic. The event is expected to be televised regionally and carries a $10,300 buy-in. In June, the WPT Spanish Championship played out from Casino Barcelona. In the end, Markus Lehmann banked €537,000 for his win in the annual overseas tournament, which attracted 226 entrants to the Spanish city.

2009 World Series of Poker Presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, Nevada Official Report Event #16 Seven-Card Stud Buy-In:  $1,500 Number of Entries:  359 Total Net Prize Pool:  $490,035 Number of Places Paid:  40 First Place Prize:  $124,975 June 6-8, 2009 Tournament …

William Hill Hosts No Surrender UK Poker Classic

iPoker Network site William Hill has teamed up with the No Surrender Charitable Trust to bring the first ever No Surrender UK Poker Classic to life. The online event will raise money for a cancer-related social network and research.

The tournament is slated for Friday, June 26th and has an expected prize pool of $30,000. Its grand prize winner will take home a one-of-a-kind VIP trip to Las Vegas, Nevada worth $10,000. Tournament organizers are gunning for 1,000 players in the online event, which will play out on the virtual felts of William Hill. A longstanding fixture in the online poker industry, William Hill is a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, where it can be found under the symbol “WMH.” The UK Poker Classic comes with a price tag of $30 with $20 rebuys available for those finding themselves short on chips.

Its winner and a very lucky guest will jet set to Sin City in style aboard British Airways in the carrier’s luxurious Club World class. While in Las Vegas, the duo will call the Bellagio, a Strip casino, home for four nights. The venue is rich in poker lore, playing host to the annual World Poker Tour (WPT) end-of-season Championship event each April as well as the Bellagio Cup, Festa al Lago, and Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic. It’s the equivalent of Ground Zero for the WPT tournament series and also hosts Bobby’s Room, the home of high-stakes cash games featuring poker’s biggest names.

Marc Maley of the No Surrender Charitable Trust commented in a press release distributed by William Hill, “We are always looking for new ways to raise funds and keep within the spirit of the No Surrender Trust, which ultimately is to do it having fun! Jason would have loved this event. As a city trader before he contracted pancreatic cancer, he was hugely competitive and loved synergy between the city and a game like poker.” The “Jason” in question is Jason Boas, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago at age 33. Nevertheless, he has raised over £150,000 for cancer-related causes, including research and a helpful social networking site for patients.

The tournament kicks off at 8:00pm. A total of 70% of the prize pool will be donated to the charity, while the remaining 30% will serve as the event’s purse. In addition, William Hill will add $1,000. The $10,000 travel package is good for non-blackout dates before December 1st. Travel is not permitted on Independence Day (July 3rd and 4th), Labor Day (September 7th), Columbus Day (October 12th), Veteran’s Day (November 11th), and Thanksgiving (November 26th), all major U.S. holidays when tourists flock in droves to Las Vegas.

The iPoker Network’s weekly major is the $250,000 Guaranteed, which runs on Sunday nights at 19:00 UK time. The tournament sports a $320 buy-in and satellites start as low as $3.80. On Friday, the family of sites hosts a $150,000 guaranteed prize pool event, which comes with a $109 buy-in and unlimited rebuys are available. The high-stakes contest kicks off at 20:00 UK time and qualifiers start at an affordable $1.20. Finally, Saturday night sees the running of the $50,000 Guaranteed, which has a $109 price tag. Thee freezeout starts at 18:30 UK time and satellites begin at $8.80.

Players on William Hill battle with competitors from across the iPoker Network, which also includes CD Poker, Mansion Poker, Noble Poker, Paddy Power, and Titan Poker. The Network is the third largest worldwide and the biggest that does not accept players from the United States. According to PokerScout.com, which monitors online poker room traffic, the iPoker Network features a seven day running average of 5,900 real money ring game players with a 24 hour peak that is double that amount. Its traffic is comparable with that found on PartyPoker.

Duthie falls short, Wolpert strikes WSOP gold

Wolpert found himself heads-up against European Poker Tour Founder John Duthie for a WSOP bracelet and although Duthie is more well-known for his poker commentary he nearly pulled off a victory.

"It seems so surreal it hasn't even sunk in yet," said Wolpert. "It's really hard to describe just how elated I am right now."

Wolpert won a total of nine matches, including one against John Juanda, to secure first place in the $10,000 World Championship Heads-Up event and the $625,682 that came with it. It took over 200 hands for Wolpert to beat Duthie as they played out three consecutive heads-up matches.

Wolpert was boosted by one of the most supportive rails at this year's WSOP with online legends like Vivek "Psyduck" Rajkumar, Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke and Shaun Deeb all rooting for their peer.

"I didn't want to let down all these people that came out here to see me ship a bracelet!" said Wolpert after winning.

In many ways Wolpert is proof that dreams do come true at the WSOP and, in a stark contrast to poker players who drop out of school to pursue poker, he actually helped finance his way into law school through his poker winnings.

Wolpert just finished his first year at the University of Virginia law school and is currently doing an internship for the Nevada chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

"I gotta go home and check my grades," joked Wolpert. "I think my last two have finally been posted. I want to see how I did."

Meanwhile the $386,636 for second place had to be bitter-sweet for Duthie, who came within one player of winning his first WSOP bracelet and would have been the third player from the U.K. to strike gold.

Duthie became the first player to win $1 million in a televised event when he came in first place at the Poker Million in 2000. Duthie hasn't had a huge score since then but has been building somewhat of a reputation in heads-up poker. He finished second for $250,000 in PokerStars.com Spring Championship of Online Poker $25,000 Heads-Up event.

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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.”

WSOP 2009 notable numbers: U.S. and A-ok

As they are wont to do, the WSOP has released some of its notable numbers to this point, outlining some statistical highlights as of the awarding of bracelet #10.

And the numbers so far seem to be establishing the 40th World Series of Poker as, indeed, one of the most impressive yet.

The highlights:

• 17,093 total entrants in the WSOP so far this year, with the vast majority (14,502) coming from the United States.
• Of all states, California leads with 3,306 entrants. Nevada (1,649); Texas (987); Florida (896); and New York (819) round out the Top 5.
• 861 Canadians have represented the Great White North, will all 10 provinces (and one territory) sending players.
• 57 other countries have sent players, with the U.K. leading the pack with 269 entrants, followed by Germany (170), France (113), Russia (111) and the Netherlands (83).
• Other countries represented include the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Korea, India, China, Belarus and Turkey.
• Americans have dominated the bracelet leaderboard, winning 9 of the first 10 events. Russia (Vitaly Lunkin) has the lone non-U.S. bracelet. (Note: now 12 of 14, with Ville Wahlbeck of Finland ading the other non-U.S. bracelet.)
• The $40,000 No-Limit Hold'em Event 2 set a record for largest live tournament outside of a Main Event with a prize pool of $7,718,400.
• The 918 entrants for Event 3 established a record for the largest Omaha live-tournament field ever.

The 40th annual WSOP started on May 26 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and continues until July 15.

This will be the second year that the final nine players will return to Las Vegas in November to compete for the WSOP Main Event gold bracelet.

Catch the live action and more in the 2009 WSOP section.

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Jackpot Sit n Go’s - $25,000 WSOP 09 Package

If you want to play the most thrilling poker on the planet then WSOP 09, May 27th to July 15th, is definitely the place for you. Held in glittering surroundings this is the highlight of every poker players’ year, the good and the great of the poker world will descend on Las Vegas in the State of Nevada, USA.

If you’re keen to go to WSOP 09 in style then you should be playing on Titan Poker in their Jackpot Sit n Go Tournaments, at just $12 buy in, and you could be on your way to Vegas. Just win six consecutive 6 player Jackpot Sit n Go’s, contact support@titanpoker.com within 48 hours of your last jackpot win, the good people at Titan will verify your win and the $25,000 WSOP package will be yours. What will you win? Read on…

• $10,000 buy in to Main Event #57
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• 16 nights for 2 at the Rio – worth $2,250
• $2,150 in Executive perks which includes
• July 6th great seats at Beatles Cirque du Sol
• Dinner x 2 at the swanky SW Steakouse in the Wynn Hotel – spot those celebs!
• Limo transfers
• July 7th helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon
• approx $8,750 for your flights and spending money – should be enough for two of you

This is an amazing package to get your hands on and will certainly be a trip of a lifetime for the lucky players who win one of these packages, and their +1 of course.

If you’re not familiar with Titan take a look at our Titan Poker review to get an idea of what an excellent site Titan is. Newcomers to Titan are rewarded with a generous sign up package which includes a sign up bonus of 150% up to $500, $50 – upfront, entry to exclusive freerolls, free Titancalc, 2 exclusive $150 added buy-ins per week but, our deal is exclusive to us so you must use the bonus code VIPTITAN to make sure you don’t miss out. Further info available on our Titan Poker Bonus Code page.

Mansion Poker players can also win a top $25,000 WSOP 09 package by winning 6 consecutive 6 seat jackpot sit n go’s. Once you have won your 6th jackpot in a row you must contact memberservice@mansion.com to verify your claim and get you on your way to Vegas and WSOP 09. If you’re signing up for the first time with Mansion Poker the bonus on offer is 100% up to $500 and the bonus code to use is BONUSDOOP, for more unbiased info on Mansion read our informative Mansion Poker Review or take a look at our Mansion Poker Bonus Code page.

Whether you’re playing on Titan Poker or Mansion Poker your last chance to get your 6 in a row and go is June 20th – Good Luck!

Still want more ways to gt to WSOP this year, check out our WSOP Satellites & Qualifiers page.

WSOP To Offer Players Ability To Help Charities

Over the past five years, poker players have stepped to the forefront for a variety of charitable causes. Online tournaments have raised funds to assist the victims of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and other deserving organizations. The Heartland Poker Tour makes contributions to the Disabled American Veterans. There is even an organization – founded by Poker News Daily guest columnist Mike Sexton, tournament directors Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher and philanthropist Lisa Tenner – called Poker Gives, that focuses on using poker to assist in fundraising for charities. Now the World Series of Poker will step up and take poker philanthropy to the next level.

For the first time in its forty year history, the WSOP will offer players who cash during each event on this summer’s schedule the opportunity to donate part of their winnings to an organization that the WSOP has aligned itself with. All that a winning player has to do is to ask the payout clerk to leave one percent of their winnings to the Nevada Cancer Institute and the WSOP will arrange to transfer the funds to the Institute. As with many charitable donations, they are tax-deductible and contributors will receive a letter from NVCI for accounting purposes.

During the run of the tournament schedule, a special VIP lounge will be set up for players who pay a membership fee to be able to use the room. The “Aces Club” will be donating a large portion of each membership taken for access to the room to the Nevada Cancer Institute. As of press time, there are still memberships available and anyone who wishes to access the “Aces Club” should visit the area during the first few days of the WSOP.

One of the most popular fundraisers during the last few years at the World Series has been the “Queens of Heart” that play during the Ladies’ Championship Event. Featuring such players as former WSOP Ladies’ Champion Jennifer Tilly, poker professional Kristy Gazes and actresses Mimi Rogers and Cheryl Hines, the team has raised large amounts of money for women’s causes over the past few years. This year, the WSOP has created a special line of poker clothing for women, available at the Rio and on their website, WSOP Shop. The proceeds from sales of the “Queens of Heart” merchandise will go to the Nevada Cancer Institute, continuing the tradition the team has driven while playing on the felt.

There will be two special charitable tournaments during the run of the WSOP. “Ante Up For Africa” – the cause promoted by actor Don Cheadle and poker professional Annie Duke – will be back for their third annual event. The $5,000 buy in No Limit Hold’em tournament is open to anyone 21 years or older and this year, for the first time, will be a part of the ESPN broadcasts of the WSOP. For the Media Charity Event this year, the players who reach the final table will have donations made in their name to the Nevada Cancer Institute.

Finally, the Championship Event of the World Series will also have a way for players to make their mark in a charitable way. Poker pro Phil Gordon’s charitable cause “Bad Beat On Cancer” and the Nevada Cancer Institute will both benefit from players who donate, much like earlier in the tournament schedule, one percent of their winnings to charity. All contributions are tax deductible and will benefit research into the cure for one of mankind’s worst diseases.

With the WSOP adding in this charitable aspect to their poker schedule, the poker world is once again proving that, while there may be no charity at the poker table, there is a charitable heart inside all who play the game.

WSOP Commissioner talks to PND about the Impending 2009 WSOP

The 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) will kick off in exactly one week on May 27th. The traditional $500 Casino Employees event is the first to play out, followed by the new $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP. Poker News Daily sat down with WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack to gauge the mood at the Rio with just seven days remaining.

A total of 57 bracelet events will play out inside the mammoth Amazon Room at the Rio. This year, the festivities are presented by Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, which just signed on for a multi-year agreement. Pollack described the mood inside the all-suite hotel in Sin City: “The mood is really good. Operationally, it’s been a smooth year for planning and preparation. We started last summer and the work is paying off. From a sponsorship standpoint, the partnership with Jack Link’s is tremendous. We can have a lot of fun with them.”

Daily at 2:20pm, bracelets will be awarded to winners of the previous day’s tournaments in front of the gathered crowd in the Amazon Room. The national anthem of the winner’s country will be played in a scene that is likely to be reminiscent of the Olympics. Pollack explained the rationale for adding in the daily bracelet ceremony, which is scheduled to take place at the end of the first break: “I’ve said that we need to do a better job of promoting our bracelet winners. We’ll do an awards ceremony every day. If you win in the middle of the night, you’ll receive you bracelet in the spotlight in the Amazon Room.” It is not uncommon for tournaments to wrap up during the pre-dawn hours. Now, winners will receive their time in the sun.

Pollack confirmed that next Sunday, Ultimate Bet pro Phil Hellmuth will participate in special training with tournament staff. Last year’s festivities were marred by Hellmuth’s public tirades that played out on ESPN as well as Scotty Nguyen’s verbal abuse of players and Rio staff during the $50,000 HORSE Championship. According to the WSOP Commissioner, those incidents will be distant memories in 2009: “We’re going to be tracking penalties and warnings. Our officials will keep a more watchful eye than ever before. The result will be a greater degree of stability on the tournament floor. This is all just for a handful of people. The vast majority of players conduct themselves proudly and with respect.” A database will log infractions and identify repeat offenders.

Pre-registration numbers are up in 2009 in comparison to 2008. The number of hotel room bookings is also up year over year. Pollack explained, “We view those as very good indicators. Generally, the economic mood is a little better overall now than it was a few months ago.” Meanwhile, Nevada gaming revenues fell for the 15th straight month in March year over year. This time around, casino “win” dropped by 11% statewide.

When the festivities play out on ESPN, four tournaments will air: The $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event, the WSOP Champions Invitational, the Ante Up for Africa charity gala, and the Main Event. Pollack noted that the driving force behind this year’s programming has been the 40th running of the high-stakes tournament series. He explained, “A $40,000 No Limit Hold’em tournament will produce a final table for the ages. The Champions Invitational will be a truly historic event. Someone will walk out of that as the Champion of Champions. Because community relations are so important, Ante Up for Africa is a good addition. We think it’ll be a strong television year for us.” Tournament coverage on the cable station begins on July 28th.

Like readers of Poker News Daily, Pollack was closely following NBC’s hit reality series Celebrity Apprentice, which culminated with poker pro Annie Duke falling to comedian Joan Rivers. Many have questioned what impact Duke’s appearance on the highly rated network television show would have on WSOP attendance, if any. Pollack speculated, “I don’t know that we’ll see a bump because of it. However, poker has been re-injected into our pop culture thanks to Annie. We would have liked to see her win, but making it to the final two is no small beef. She will loom large at the WSOP this year.”

The 2009 WSOP Main Event begins on July 3rd with the first of four starting days. It will once again wrap up in November after a four month delay.

Nevada Gaming Revenues Down 11% in March

Figures for March reported by the Nevada Gaming Control Board revealed that statewide “win,” or revenue, was down 11.61% compared to the same period in 2008. Total revenues amounted to $918 million during the month.

The famed Las Vegas Strip, which includes such poker-friendly hotels as the Bellagio, Venetian, and Wynn, saw casino revenues dive amid the global recession by 12.26% in March to $456 million. Downtown Las Vegas, which is home to the High Stakes Poker Season V set at the Golden Nugget, experienced a relatively benign 2.26% drop in win, while North Las Vegas saw gambling revenues actually grow in March by 9.73% to just less than $32 million. It was the only year over year growth in revenue reported by the Gaming Control Board in March. Laughlin’s gambling win fell by 8.29% to $51 million, while Mesquite experienced the largest decline statewide, a 29.20% slip to $12 million. Rounding out Clark County was the Boulder Strip, which reported a 4.05% decline in revenues.

During the current fiscal year, which began back in July of 2008, statewide revenues in Nevada are off by 14.21% to $8.2 billion. On the Las Vegas Strip, revenues have fallen by 14.60% year over year during that time period. Downtown, revenues have dropped by 16.15% during the fiscal year. Respectively, the two areas of Sin City have recorded $4.3 billion and $414 million in gaming win during the current fiscal year. The largest fiscal year over year drop occurred in Mesquite, where $99 million in revenue now is 18.99% less than it was the year before.

In Washoe County, which includes Reno, gambling win was $64 million, off by 23.29% year over year. In the “Biggest Little City in the World,” revenues in March were off by 26.22% to $46 million, trailing last year’s tally of $62 million. In Sparks, which also makes its home in Washoe County, gambling win was down by 14.69% to $11 million. In North Lake Tahoe, revenues plummeted by 23.61% to $1.8 million and the balance of the county saw an 11.72% fall in March. For the fiscal year to date, business in Washoe County is off by 13.73% to $655 million.

In South Lake Tahoe, revenue in March fell by 34.07% year over year, the largest drop of any area reported. Revenues landed at $19 million for the month, down from over $28 million during March of 2008. Over the fiscal year to date, South Lake Tahoe’s revenues are down by 15.07% to $212 million. In Elko County, revenues in March slipped by 12.98% to $24 million, while the Carson Valley Area saw a slide of just 6.58%. The latter includes the towns of Carson City, Gardnerville, Minden, and other Douglas County gaming locations except South Lake Tahoe, which is reported separately. The Carson Valley Area has seen revenues during the current fiscal year dive by 8.88% in comparison to the previous period.

The State of Nevada collects fees from casinos in April based on revenue totals in March. Last month, that amounted to a take of $74 million, which was off by 8.69% in comparison to last April’s total of $81 million. Fee collections in March, which are based on February’s gaming win numbers, were actually up 22.60% after sliding 42.27% during the previous month.

The 11.61% decline in statewide revenues marks the 15th straight month that win has fallen year over year. The last time that gaming win grew was in December of 2007. Here is an overview of the month-by-month results since:

March, 2009: (11.61%)
February, 2009: (18.12%)
January, 2009: (14.62%)
December, 2008: (18.94%)
November, 2008: (14.80%)
October, 2008: (22.33%)
September, 2008: (5.44%)
August, 2008: (8.10%)
July, 2008: (12.97%)
June, 2008: (1.11%)
May, 2008: (15.17%)
April, 2008: (5.05%)
March, 2008: (1.52%)
February, 2008: (3.93%)
January, 2008: (4.75%)

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest gambling revenue results from Sin City.

PokerScout Owner Discusses the State of Online Poker

If you’re not familiar with PokerScout.com, the site tracks online poker room traffic according to cash game volume. Its owner, Dan Stewart, has seen a bevy of changes over the years as the industry has evolved in the United States and around the world. With the recent running of the 12th Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS), Poker News Daily sat down with Stewart to talk about the event’s successes and shortcomings.

Word broke on Sunday that the Main Event of FTOPS XII failed to reach its $2.5 million guarantee, drawing only 4,581 runners and boasting a $200,000 overlay. The $535 buy-in tournament was the centerpiece of the FTOPS schedule, which saw its MiniFTOPS counterparts draw players by the thousands. In fact, the smallest MiniFTOPS event attracted 729 players and its Main Event comfortably surpassed its $500,000 guarantee. Stewart explained, “The MiniFTOPS is a mini-disaster. It’s a tournament at one-tenth of the buy-in starting five minutes later and has cannibalized the business from the big tournaments. When players see a lower cost option, they opt for it. It’s taken a good chunk of business away from the traditional FTOPS events.”

Despite the fact that over half of the FTOPS tournaments failed to reach their guarantees, PokerScout.com notes that traffic on the site is up 56% year over year. The growth is similar to PokerStars (57%) and the Cake Poker Network (54%), which has seen the addition of sites like Doyle’s Room and Poker Host during 2009. Stewart surmised, “The overlays don’t have anything to do with traffic or how well the site or the industry is doing. All you have to do is compare this FTOPS to the last one. They ran a similar schedule and if you look at the ring game traffic, it’s up about 10%. They’re busier now than they were then, yet you have a different outcome in terms of guarantees.” The FTOPS is run quarterly, whereas PokerStars holds its World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) once per year. In April, the first ever PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) panned out.

The SCOOP series had tournaments at low-, mid-, and high-stakes and kicked off on April 2nd. The FTOPS XII schedule was announced one week prior and mirrored the SCOOP concept of offering multiple stakes. Stewart commented, “The FTOPS schedule came out before the SCOOP ran. When it ran, it became clear that low-stakes tournaments were cannibalizing their high-stakes counterparts. Both sites are probably learning from the experience.” Nine of the 22 high-stakes SCOOP tournaments did not reach their guarantees; however, the $5 million guaranteed Main Event generated an additional $20,000 in prize money.

On the state of the overall poker economy, which is treading amid a global economic downturn, Stewart noted, “It’s quite healthy. All we can do is compare right now to the same time last year. When we do that, we see that the industry is up 30% year over year. That’s probably a slow rate of growth in comparison to three or four years ago.” Year over year, Bodog has experienced a 30% drop in player traffic, while Swedish gaming operator Svenska Spel is down 14%. The largest gain year over year went to the Entraction Network, which is headlined by Devilfish Poker and NoiQ Poker. Traffic on the rapidly growing network ballooned by 140%.

With gambling revenues in Nevada down 11% in March of 2009 in comparison to the same period in 2008, many have speculated as to whether online poker will experience a similar downturn. Stewart speculated, “I don’t see the economy affecting online poker too heavily. Some people say that poker is counter-cyclical. A person is laid off, spends more time at home, and gambles online to make money. I don’t see it being counter-cyclical; it just chugs along regardless of the economy.”

PokerScout.com is among the industry leaders in reporting traffic across the major sites and networks and launched in 2006. The website also displays high-stakes games in progress and a list of brand name pros competing on the virtual felts. One feature that the site expects to unveil is a Bad Beat Jackpot tracker, which would keep tabs on the promotion across the networks that offer it. We’d like to thank PokerScout.com’s Dan Stewart for joining us.

WSOP Ante Up for Africa Celebrities Announced

The third annual Ante Up for Africa fundraiser will kick off on July 2nd from the Rio in Las Vegas as part of the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) festivities. This week, Harrah’s officials announced a bevy of celebrities and poker players who are slated to attend.

Ante Up for Africa was founded in 2006 by Celebrity Apprentice runner up Annie Duke, “Crash” actor Don Cheadle, and Norman Epstein. Since then, the organization has raised over $2 million for victims of the crisis in Darfur. On Celebrity Apprentice, which wrapped up on Sunday night with comedian Joan Rivers becoming its champion, Duke played for Refugees International, an organization that works closely with her own charity. Last year’s $5,000 buy-in Ante Up for Africa tournament held during the WSOP was won by John “World” Hennigan, a two-time bracelet winner and former World Poker Tour (WPT) champion.

Due to Nevada gaming laws, direct donations to Ante Up for Africa from its charity tournament are prohibited. Consequently, players who finish in the money typically donate half, or sometimes all, of their earnings to the organization. Joining Hennigan at the final table last year were Michael Degusta, Dan Shak, Phil Hellmuth, Matt Calhoun, Jerry Cantrell, Jordanna Schutz, Ray Romano, and Casey Affleck. In 2007, Shak became the inaugural champion of the Ante Up for Africa charity event, defeating Brandon Moran.

This year, several contestants from NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice will hit the felts in Las Vegas on July 2nd when the Ante Up for Africa tournament begins, as Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker and NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman will participate. Both appeared on the finale of the reality series; Rodman teamed up with Duke, while Walker provided invaluable support to Rivers. Also slated to appear from the world of sports are Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Reggie Miller, who is the former star of the NBA’s Indiana Pacers. Celebrities confirmed to participate are “Rounders” actor Matt Damon, “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander, talk show host Montel Williams, “Simpsons” voice Hank Azaria, “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Brad Garrett, comedian Marlon Wayans, actress Sarah Silverman, and “Oceans 11” co-star Casey Affleck.

Several high-profile poker players have also signed up for the charity tournament. Subject to availability, the list includes Duke’s brother, Howard Lederer. The Full Tilt Poker pro recently donated $100,000 during Celebrity Apprentice and is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner. Lederer owns over $1.2 million in earnings from WSOP felts and has battled on televised poker programming like GSN’s “High Stakes Poker” and NBC’s “Poker After Dark.” Former MIT Blackjack Team member and current Team Full Tilt pro Andy Bloch will also appear, as will eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel. The latter paid $5,000 for a single cupcake on the very first episode of Celebrity Apprentice Season 2.

Also slated to appear is Phil Hellmuth, Duke’s sidekick on Ultimate Bet. Hellmuth owns a record 11 WSOP bracelets and recently saw his reign as youngest Main Event Champion come to an end when Peter Eastgate took home the title in 2008 at the tender age of 22. Hellmuth, Bloch, Seidel, Lederer, and others will attend an Ante Up for Africa party at the PURE nightclub, which is located at Caesars Palace and is home to the selection festivities for the National Heads-Up Poker Championship.

The charity poker tournament will air on ESPN on Tuesday, August 11th from 8:00pm ET to 10:00pm ET. It is one of four events that will comprise the cable station’s coverage of the 2009 WSOP, joining the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP, the Champions Invitational, and the $10,000 buy-in Main Event. The Ante Up for Africa tournament is scheduled to run for five hours and is open to the public free of charge. This time, it will be held inside the Amazon Room; previously, it had taken place across the hall in the Brasilia Ballroom.

2009 WSOP: Is it recession-proof?

In February, WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack told PokerListings.com he thought the economy and it's impact on the poker world would be the biggest news at this summer's series.

It's no secret that Las Vegas is reeling. Casino operators have seen their stock prices in freefall and the city's resorts have been forced to slash room rates and bump up incentives to continue attracting visitors.

To many experts, however, the casino industry's pains don't necessarily signal the same negative outlook at the poker tables.

"Poker is fundamentally different than the rest of the gaming industry," said Andrew M. Woods, Executive Director of the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society (www.GPSTS.org) and a former teaching fellow of economics at Harvard College.

"It's a game of skill. You play against peers and not against the house, and that changes who participates and why.

"People don't go to play poker with their disposable income intending to hit a big score like they do with slots or other casino games. It's not a pie-in-the-sky thing where you'd throw $20 away. Most people play because they think they have positive [expected value]."

David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, agrees.

"Since [poker] isn't a game of pure chance weighted in the house's favor, it's less of a discretionary income [form of] entertainment," he said. "Since if you are good, and who doesn't think they are good, you can gain a positive expectation. Some people might, in fact, be intensifying their poker play."

As for how the World Series itself will fare, the experts have mixed expectations.

WSOP Media Director and poker historian Nolan Dalla sounded optimistic.

"I don't want to sound like a cheerleader, but I think the WSOP is such a big draw for so many people that the impact of the economic crisis will be minimal, at least this year," he said.

Meanwhile, Washington-based attorney and former World Poker Association board member Ken Adams suggested the $10,000 Main Event, in particular, will continue to thrive.

"I do not expect the size of the field to decline in the Main Event, as the number of seats won on the internet is unlikely to decline any time soon," he said.

"In recent years as many as 75% of the seats in the Main Event have been filled with internet and satellite qualifiers. One consequence has been the increasing internationalization and youthfulness of the field, as the internet attracts young players from countries around the globe."

Woods agreed.

"The internet explosion has contributed a solid core of customers," he said. "These days, the level of poker education is so high that people don't see the WSOP as a lottery - it's more like the PGA."

Dalla, too, pointed to the increasing diversification of WSOP fields as a major reason why he thinks the Series will continue to prosper.

"Any single [demographic] of players that is affected by problems is often made up by other groups of people who increase in number," he said, pointing to Internationals and young players as two examples of increasing demographics.

"I think a lot of players who have grown up watching poker on television will turn 21 and will attend the WSOP for the first time," he said. "The youth-oriented demographics are favorable to the WSOP both long and short term."

Whether WSOP numbers decline or not in 2009, all four experts agreed that the overall health of the Series shouldn't be called into question.

"My gut instinct is that there will be a very small decline [in numbers], although it's not really my field of expertise," said Schwartz. "But I think Harrah's and Jeffrey Pollack have done a great job in building the brand and I think that their work will counteract any decline the WSOP might experience."

"Naturally, there will be declines and flat periods," said Dalla. "Nothing can grow at 50 percent a year like we did from 2003 to 2008. But given other forms of entertainment and recreation, especially gaming, the WSOP (and poker in general) appear to be doing quite well."

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Jim McDermott Introduces Internet Gambling Tax Act

Shortly after Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced comprehensive internet gambling legislation on Wednesday, Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act, HR 2268.

The companion legislation to Frank’s bill will allow the United States Government to extract tax revenue from the internet gambling industry. The bill’s text notes, “Each licensee… shall be required to pay an internet gambling license fee by the end of each calendar month in an amount equal to two percent of all funds deposited by customers during the preceding month.” In terms of how the costs can be passed onto the end consumer, HR 2268 states that the 2% fee “may not be deducted from the amounts available as deposits by the person placing a bet.” Individuals are expected to pay income tax on any internet gambling winnings.

Unauthorized bets or wagers are taxed at a hefty 50% and all money is sent to the United States Treasury. Full disclosure of the names and addresses of licensees, the gross wins and losses by each person wagering, the total of “net internet gambling winnings,” the amount of tax paid, and account balances are required once per year. In terms of bookkeeping under McDermott’s proposed bill, “Each person liable for fees… shall keep a daily record showing deposits… in addition to all other records required.”

In a press statement released on Wednesday, McDermott explained his rationale for once again championing internet gambling tax legislation: “We are losing billions of dollars in federal and state taxes every year because a prior Administration and its supporters drove legitimate U.S. online gambling off-shore by passing an ill-conceived late-night amendment in Congress that has done nothing except make Americans more vulnerable to scams when they wager online and cost us billions in lost revenue.” During the last Congress, McDermott’s legislation came in the form of HR 2607, which also prescribed that 2% of deposits would be taxed.

McDermott added, “These are merely the rightful collection of taxes where applicable. The billions of revenue that will be collected by the U.S. Treasury under my bill can be dedicated to pay for critically un-funded social safety net programs in America that could improve the lives of vulnerable children and others who deserve our help.” Also introduced during the last Congressional session by McDermott was HR 6501, which would have used revenue derived from internet gambling to fund programs for those currently or formerly in foster care as well as workers in declining industries. Although controversial in nature, HR 6501 was one of the first attempts to demonstrate what internet gambling tax revenue could potentially be used for.

HR 6501 was introduced last July and dubbed the Investing in our Human Resources Act. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV) spoke out sharply against the bill. The author of the Internet Gambling Study Act called it “a classic case of putting the cart before the horse.” Fellow Nevada Congressman Jon Porter, who was not re-elected in 2008, called HR 6501 “a frivolous attack on the gaming community to pay for services that local governments, states, and the federal government should already be providing.” In the end, neither HR 2607 nor HR 6501 was acted upon during the 110th Congress.

A study by U.S.-based PricewaterhouseCoopers released this year revealed that up to $52 billion could be derived from internet gambling over a 10 year period. The report used a bill similar to McDermott’s HR 2268 as well as Barney Frank’s Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. However, the potential revenue was largely based on professional sports leagues allowing online wagering on their games. At the time of writing, the number of co-sponsors for HR 2266, HR 2267, and HR 2268 were not available on the Library of Congress website.