Poker News

Poland Limits Gambling, Poker to Brick and Mortar Casinos

Poland’s Senate approved a measure limiting gambling to casinos, stunting access to poker and other games outside of a structured establishment. The bill cleared the Senate by a 48 to 3 margin, with 30 lawmakers not voting.

The Krakow Post noted that the new crackdown on gambling outside of licensed casinos may also spell trouble for internet gambling and online poker: “The legislation also affects Internet gambling, which will no longer be allowed under Polish law. However, the enforcement of this aspect of the bill will inevitably prove much more difficult than even the removal of thousands of slot machines.” Around 50,000 slot machines, which can be found in places like bars and restaurants around the country, will be removed as a result of the new law.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski must still apply his John Hancock to the piece of legislation in order for it to become official. The Post quoted Poland’s Prime Minister as saying that he expects Kaczynski to sign by the end of the month. In addition to ridding the European country of 50,000 slot machines and potentially slowing the growth of internet gambling, the bill passed by Polish lawmakers also sets a legal gambling age of 18.

The Agence France Presse, or AFP news service, shed some light into this month’s vote: “The decision by parliament comes nearly a month and a half after [Prime Minister] Tusk was forced to sack several key ministers and political allies over allegations of influence peddling within his cabinet regarding the gambling legislation.” World Bulletin explained what a portion of the funds raised will be used for: “Tusk has said the restrictions will prevent young people from becoming addicted to gambling. The government will funnel tax revenues raised under the bill into foundations promoting physical education and culture.”

No general election is scheduled in Poland until 2011 and the scandal in question involved casino owners. The new bill also increases the tax rate on casinos, helping raise additional money for Poland’s government. On the TwoPlusTwo forums, a translated article that originally appeared on Bankier.pl revealed that the tax rate on tournament poker would also increase as part of the new measure, although this component was not reported by the AFP or World Bulletin. TwoPlusTwo poster “novahunterpa” commented, “Looks like every country is either trying to ban online poker and gambling or restrict it to state monopolies.”

One month ago, Poland saw the invasion of the PokerStars-sponsored European Poker Tour (EPT), which made its annual stop in Warsaw. The 25,000 PLN buy-in event was held at the Casinos Poland Hyatt Regency and French businessman Christophe Benzimra emerged victorious from the 203 player field. The online poker site claimed that EPT Warsaw was one of the largest poker tournaments ever held in Poland. No indication has been given as to whether the new law will affect the EPT’s Season 7 Warsaw stop.

Among those keeping a watchful eye on the situation in the European country was Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) Chairman Joe Brennan, who told Poker News Daily, “The genie is out of the bottle when it comes to online gambling. Whether it’s restricting it for consumer protection or guaranteeing the franchise for Poland’s brick and mortar casinos, the fact is that the Polish people have already voted with their feet, their wallets, and their computers by seeking out online gambling. Poland is going to have a hard time putting the genie back in the bottle, as would any country.”

Notable poker personalities hailing from Poland include Poker Hall of Fame member Henry Orenstein, a WSOP bracelet winner who also invented the hole card camera. Orenstein was born in Hrubieszów and currently lives in the United States. Michael Gracz was born in Warsaw and, like Orenstein, now calls the USA home.

Poker News in Brief: Nov. 16-22, 2009

The 21-year-old generated some major mainstream press coverage this week by appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman and CNN's American Morning.

There was plenty of news that didn't involve Cada, however, and as part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief Feature we're going to break some of it down for you today.

This week we'll look at another man winning a ladies event, the end of Fair Poker, more support for an online poker bill, an upgrade for Cake Poker and more.

Man wins Ladies Championship at Lake Tahoe

Greg Sessler became the latest man to enter and win a female poker tournament last week.

Sessler won the Ladies Championship at the World Series of Poker Circuit stop in Lake Tahoe by outlasting all 95 players that entered the tournament. Of that total, four were men.

Although organizers encourage only women to play, Harrah's cannot exclude any player based on gender. After winning the tournament Sessler defended his decision to play.

"Me playing in this tournament really had nothing to do with trying to take advantage of the ladies or thinking it was a softer field," he said.

"If Jennifer Harman would have come and played in the ladies event, she would have been much tougher competition than me. I came here because I only had one day and I really like the structures and the payout."

Back in September Abraham Korotki entered a ladies event at the 2009 Borgata Poker Open and went on to win it. Former baseball star Jose Canseco also famously entered a women's tournament a few years ago.

More support for Frank's pro-online poker bill

The U.S. bill that would both legalize and regulate online poker has another co-sponsor.

Rep. Anthony D. Weiner of New York's 9th district signed on board this week as the 63rd co-sponsor of the legislation.

Rep. Barney Frank originally introduced the bill last spring but it has yet to be heard before committee.

Frank's bill would essentially repeal the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that was passed in 2006 and put a regulatory system in place for the online gambling industry.

Unfair outcome for Fair Poker

Lesser-known online poker room Fair Poker disappeared this week, but its players found a new home at Noble Poker.

Both sites were members of the iPoker network and were merged into one site earlier in the week. Fair Poker players had their account balances and the iPoints they had earned transferred to Noble Poker.

iPoker remains one of the busiest online poker networks in the world with Titan Poker, ChiliPoker, Bet365, CD Poker, William Hill, Mansion Poker and numerous others all under the iPoker banner.

The 2009 BC Poker Championships, starring Liz Lieu, will be televised.

HeadsUp Entertainment to televise BC Poker Championships

HeadsUp Entertainment, operators of the Canadian Poker Tour and Canadian Poker Player Magazine, will help televise coverage of the 2009 BC Poker Championships in Vancouver.

"We are very pleased to be part of Canada's premier poker tournament," said HeadsUp President Kelly B. Kellner. "We consider it a privilege to be able to cover the event through both our magazine and on television."

HeadsUp Entertainment made a deal with The Score Television Network, which is the exclusive broadcast partner of the Canadian Poker Tour, to show highlights from the tournament.

The 2009 BC Poker Championships began this week with 606 runners. The event received the attention of some big name poker players including Tiffany Michelle, Liz Lieu, Maria Ho, Greg "FBT" Mueller, Gavin Smith and Brad Booth.

Last year Canadian poker super-star Daniel Negreanu outlasted 689 players to win the 2008 BCPC for $300,708.

Cake Poker adds players, synchronized breaks

Cake Poker had a busy week adding synchronized breaks to its software and taking players from Third Bullet Poker.

Third Bullet was already a member of the Cake Network and the company's executives made the decision to merge the player base onto Cake Poker for better technical support and customer service.

Meanwhile, Cake's synchronized breaks will let multi-table tournament players take a break no matter how many tables they are running. The breaks will occur at 55 minutes past the hour, every hour.

The breaks do not affect Sit 'n' Go tournaments with less than 30 players.

The feature is quickly becoming an industry standard as Absolute Poker and UltimateBet recently added synchronized breaks as well.

Spencer Bachus, Jon Kyl Issue Letter to Timothy Geithner, Ben Bernanke

Recently, two high-powered, longtime opponents of internet gambling issued a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner calling for the compliance date of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) regulations (December 1st) to be enforced.

The date is now 10 days away and approaching rapidly. Last month, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) teamed up with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and American Greyhound Track Operators Association to issue a letter to the same two government officials. Following the letter by the PPA was one authored by 19 Congressmen belonging to the House Financial Services Committee, of which Barney Frank (D-MA) is the Chair.

Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) explained in their own letter, “We strongly oppose this request and believe there is no justification for delaying the compliance deadline of the UIGEA regulations.”

The letter, dated earlier this month, outlines the passage of the UIGEA and the approval of its regulations, which went into effect on January 19th as so-called “midnight rules” by the outgoing Bush administration. The Republican duo notes, “If the Final Rule represented an ‘unreasonable burden on regulators and the financial services industry,’ as certain other Members have claimed, then the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve could have reconsidered the regulations.” The letter adds that the Truth in Lending Act, whose regulations were issued in August, accommodated the UIGEA.

All told, Kyl and Bachus, staunch opponents of internet gambling, give their stance on the letter writing campaign by the PPA and Financial Services Committee members: “This is a blatant attempt to circumvent the democratic process by influencing the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve to take action that cannot possibly be enacted by Congress.” On Capitol Hill, the United States legislative body is in the midst of a debate about massive health care expansion.

Two bills, both introduced by Frank, have the potential to change the landscape of the internet gambling industry in the United States as December approaches. The first, HR 2267, establishes a full licensing and regulatory framework for the online gaming outfits in the United States. The measure received its 63rd co-sponsor last week after its introduction in May. The second piece of legislation, HR 2266, delays mandatory compliance with UIGEA regulations by one year to December 1st, 2010. HR 2266 is up to 53 co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle. The House Financial Services Committee has scheduled neither HR 2266 nor HR 2267 for markup.

The letter from the two lawmakers concludes, “Simply delaying the compliance date serves no interest except that of the internet gambling enterprises that have long evaded American gambling laws and will continue to do so until effective enforcement is in place.” Kyl is a third term Senator from Arizona and the current Senate Minority Whip. His counterpart in the Western state is also a Republican, former Presidential candidate John McCain. Bachus was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 and is the Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee, which includes 30 Republicans and 42 Democrats.

Neither Geithner nor Bernanke has responded to any of the three letters as of the time of writing. John Pappas, Executive Director of the PPA, told Poker News Daily that a January markup of HR 2267 is a possibility, although no timetable has been set in stone. Blocking of legal online gambling transactions led the two horse racing organizations to become involved. Similarly, in North Dakota and New Hampshire, major credit card companies denied legal online lottery purchases due to “overblocking.”

The effect that the December 1st deadline will have on the industry is not yet known. Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest poker legislation headlines.

PPA asks players to Tweet for Poker

The PPA launched "Tweet for Poker" yesterday and online poker supporters can go to the website, sign in and make an appeal for online poker to their Congressional representative in about 30 seconds.

"Poker players are online, they're active, and they're weighing in on the policy battles that impact their right to play," said PPA executive director John Pappas.

"Tweet for Poker is PPA's most instant and dynamic tool for our members to directly contact legislators in a way that engages the public in debate. We're proud of the instant success, and look forward to hearing what our elected officials think of the legislation and this new advocacy program."

The Tweets will support either Sen. Robert Menendez' pro-online poker bill in the Senate or Rep. Barney Frank's poker bill in the House. Users have the option of choosing whether they want Tweets sent to their respective Senator or House Representative.

The Twitter-based campaign is just the latest initiative the PPA has started with the intent of legalizing online poker.

This summer the PPA launched National Poker Week and collected over 375,000 signatures on a petition to President Obama asking for licensing and regulation of online poker.

Online Poker May Be Coming to Quebec, British Columbia

Quebec, British Columbia, and the four Atlantic provinces of Canada may soon see legalized and regulated online poker headed their way, according to an article that appeared in the Montreal Gazette newspaper.

Loto-Québec has submitted a proposal to the province’s government “for an internet wagering initiative in partnership with British Columbia and the four Atlantic provinces, which already have limited online gaming,” according to the Canadian news outlet. Loto-Québec claims that Canadians are currently placating more than 2,000 offshore internet gambling outfits, sending nearly $700 million in wagers away from the country each year, a number that will likely top $1 billion in three years.

Quebec plays home to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC), which is located on the Indian reservation of the same name outside of the city. Although the KGC is not currently linked to Loto-Québec’s endeavors, the organization’s Chairman, Dean Montour, told the Montreal Gazette, “The fact that Quebec is now entering the online gaming business in partnership with the Atlantic provinces and British Columbia is an indication that the industry is thriving and is gaining wider acceptance. For over 10 years, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has had a positive working relationship with online gaming regulators throughout the world and looks forward to sharing its knowledge and experience with the Régie des alcools des courses et des jeux.”

The KGC is fresh off completing the investigating surrounding Ultimate Bet, an online poker site that recently changed its name to UB.com. In a September report, the KGC continued to finger former World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion Russ Hamilton as the mastermind behind the scandal and noted that 31 other individuals were involved, but would not identify who they were. The KGC also issued over 100 screen names associated with the misgivings, a list that included “nvtease,” “Sleeplesss,” and the infamous “NioNio.”

Given the seemingly “Wild West” atmosphere of the internet, Canadian control of the online poker industry will likely bring a considerable amount of validity: “The integrity of the online games often is dubious, as it was for some lotteries and VLTs before Loto-Québec was mandated by the government to funnel them into controlled circuits and oversee them,” noted Loto-Québec President and CEO Alain Cousineau. Loto-Québec added $1.4 billion to the bottom line of the province during the last fiscal year.

Potentially adding to the pressure of Loto-Québec to legalize and regulate the internet version of the age-old card game is a move towards licensing in the United States, spearheaded by Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA). Back in May, the lawmaker introduced HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, which establishes a full framework for legalized internet gambling in the USA. The measure is up to 63 co-sponsors, including Anthony Weiner (D-NY), who signed on four days ago. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) expects HR 2267 to be marked up in the House Financial Services Committee, of which Frank is the Chair, in January. Other reports signal that markup is coming in December.

On December 1st, the financial services industry in the United States must fall into full compliance with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was passed three years ago. The PPA and other organizations have been feverishly working to delay the compliance date by one year, but so far, pleas to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and the U.S. Congress have not been heeded.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that the newly-created Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment (HIE), headed by former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber, would be based in Montreal. Former WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack was originally slated to be HIE’s President, but recently parted ways with the Las Vegas-based gambling giant.

WPT and PartyPoker begin fight for poker supremacy

"That's our stated aim," PartyGaming's chief marketing officer Chris Welch told PokerListings. "And until that time we will leverage both the World Poker Tour and PartyPoker as best we can to take that challenge to our competitors."

Before the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was signed into U.S. law in October 2006 and PartyPoker effectively pulled out of the U.S. market, it was the number one site in poker.

Since that time, PokerStars has emerged as the industry leader with more than 28 million players worldwide.

A major catalyst for PokerStars' growth has been the emergence of the European Poker Tour. While the WPT has always been credited with helping spur on poker's boom, it has since been surpassed by the PokerStars EPT, which boasted a total prize pool in excess of $55 million over 11 events last season, making it the largest poker tour in the world.

However, Welch says PartyGaming subsidiary Peerless Media Ltd's $12.3 million purchase of the WPT, approved by shareholders earlier this month, now has the organization primed to compete in Europe and across the globe.

"We think there is certainly room for two big tours in Europe," said Welch. "And the World Poker Tour, we believe, is a global brand while the European Poker Tour exists only in Europe."

Particularly in Italy and France, the WPT plans on embarking upon an aggressive growth strategy to begin competing with the EPT.

"We're looking forward to more global expansion, more International expansion," added newly appointed WPT president Adam Pliska.

Welch said part of that expansion will include offering more online satellites into WPT events worldwide.

"It's a great opportunity to offer our European players more tournaments and land based events and of course we are going to run satellites on PartyPoker," Welch said. "But we are also going to encourage other online sites to do the same."

While sites other than PokerStars once ran satellites for EPT events, many stopped after PokerStars forced its competitors to use the site's branding.

Welch says the WPT and PartyPoker will be taking a different approach.

"PokerStars have gone down the route of it being the PokerStars EPT and you've got to have that on your site to run satellites or freerolls," he explained. "That's not our strategy. Our strategy initially will be that it's the World Poker Tour and you can come and qualify from any online site or direct buy in.

"What they are trying to do is leverage their brand. They have the biggest tour in Europe and they are trying to get other people to mention their brand name. We have an opportunity here to grow the World Poker Tour by offering other online sites a chance to get in there without necessarily mentioning PartyPoker and that's what we are going to do."

But the battle for online poker supremacy will not just be fought on European soil.

In April of this year, PartyGaming entered into a $105 million settlement with the U.S. Attorney's Office to avoid prosecution for providing Internet gambling services to U.S. customers prior to the enactment of the UIGEA.

Under the terms of the agreement, PartyGaming agreed to stay out of the U.S. Internet gambling market under current legislation and is hoping, should the legislation change, it would be in a prime position to move back in.

Welch said the purchase of the WPT is yet another way PartyGaming is paving its road back into the United States.

"Should the United States open up, it's going to put us in a preeminent position, way ahead of the competition," he said. "We've taken the long view while some of the other players have taken the short view, and should the United States open up, we are going back to being number one again."

However, until U.S. Lawmakers get on board, Welch said the front lines of this fight will remain on the other side of the Atlantic.

"This provides us with a massive platform to bring PartyPoker back into the hands of millions of Americans," he said. "But in Europe, we can do that from day one."

The public face of both brands, 2009 Poker Hall of Fame inductee Mike Sexton, believes with PartyPoker and the WPT coming together, the sky is the limit.

"I think it can be a huge entity and a worldwide brand," he said. "Hopefully when online gaming becomes legalized in the United States, PartyPoker can come in and retain its status as the number one poker site in the world."

UltimateBet relaunches as UB.com

The poker room will henceforth be known as UB, a nickname originally coined by players on the site.

Company directors said the UB label better represented the site's current focus on the next generation of poker players.

"The launch of UB.com represents a turning point for our company," said Paul Legget, Tokwiro's Chief Operating Officer.

"We have assembled a great group of professionals who are passionate about poker to build the UB brand. Our goal is to create products and services that poker players really want."

The new site features a streamlined interface, a user-friendly lobby, improved game filters and new UB branding.

In addition, the tournament schedule has been revamped and there are over 30 new tournaments a month, which offer over $1 million in guarantees.

"In the 10 years since I have been involved with the UB brand, I have never been prouder to represent the company as much as I am right now," said UB Pro Phil Hellmuth.

"We have great people captaining the ship, we have a great vibe and some serious swagger. I look forward to the day when we are the largest poker site on the planet."

Earlier this year the CEREUS poker network, to which UB belongs, also released a Mac poker client and a software upgrade that featured synchronized tournament breaks.

UB also enhanced their team of poker pros by adding PokerRoad president Joe Sebok and resigning reality TV star Tiffany Michelle.

Although UB now offers the UB.com domain, users will still be able to access the site through the older UltimateBet.com.

VP of Bodog Poker Network Discusses Expansion

Recently, officials from Bodog announced the formation of the Bodog Network, a family of poker sites encompassing the various Bodog brands around the world with expansion to non-Bodog domains expected in 2010. Poker News Daily sat down with Jonas Odman, Vice President of the Network, to review the company’s plans to take on new sites.

Poker News Daily: Thanks for joining us. Can you give us an update on the Bodog Network? When can we expect more sites to be added?

Odman: We’re talking to potential partners now and will hopefully get someone on board. We have a target list, but we’re looking for someone who is technologically savvy to be the first partner. Ideally, we would like to find someone with a big European base of players.

PND: Are American-facing sites more attractive than those that do not accept U.S. players?

Odman: It’s possible that we would not want or require the customer database of our partners. So, if our partners take American players, it’s fine. They can take players from anywhere they want. It’s a big project. We will have to develop things on the business-to-business side. It’s new to us and will be a big project. We want to move up in player liquidity.

PND: Explain the importance of seeking out European-focused online poker sites to join the Bodog Network.

Odman: We want to cover all limits at all hours so you always have a game when you log in. If you’re a high-limit player and log on during European hours, you might have trouble right now. Also, we will be able to offer better tournaments.

PND: What will happen to Bodog.com’s team of sponsored pros, which includes Evelyn Ng, David Williams, and Justin “ZeeJustin” Bonomo after the departure of Jean-Robert Bellande?

Odman: Team Bodog will represent Bodog.com and continue to do that. Our operators on the network will have their own teams of players.

PND: Are you planning to offer payment services and other ancillary features as well or only focus on online poker?

Odman: Initially, it will just be poker. The sites will have to do payments themselves. Our target partners are bigger and they won’t need to have those types of services provided to them anyway.

PND: What are the benefits of potential partners moving to the Bodog Network?

Odman: There are some unhappy operators on other networks. On Bodog, the operators can keep their customer databases. That will differentiate us from some networks. We also have a unique solution to rakeback where operators that bring in net depositing players will earn more money than they would on other networks.

The players that the network wants are net depositing players, but with the way the rake is split now, the winning players get too large of a proportion of revenue. We don’t think that’s fair. We want to reward operators who bring in net depositing players.

We will take the players’ deposits as a factor before we split the rake between the operators. The typical rakeback player will be worth much less. The winning players will come anyway because we will have good players for them to play against. By focusing on net depositing players, it will benefit the whole ecosystem.

PND: What is the long-term focus of the Bodog Network?

Odman: Our long-term goal is to be in the top three and it depends on which partners we get. We have a good liquidity now, but we want to move up the ladder.

Poker Pros Rally Behind Former WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack

Late last week, World Series of Poker (WSOP) Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack stepped down from his post and removed himself from Harrah’s entirely. The move caught much of the poker world off-guard and Poker News Daily solicited the reaction from a few of the game’s top names.

“Celebrity Apprentice” runner-up and marquee female pro Annie Duke told Poker News Daily that Pollack’s ascension to the role of WSOP Commissioner in 2006 marked a player-friendly movement for the tournament series. She explained, “The first thing he did was meet with top players and I was fortunate enough to be among them. He really listened to us. There was only so much he could do because in the end he didn’t own it, but he was committed to working with the players and making sure they had a strong voice.” Pollack formed the Players Advisory Council, of which Duke was a member.

On the future of the tournament series without Pollack’s involvement, Duke admitted, “I know that Jeffrey stood as a partner with the players and fought with management over some of the issues. I feel like he was the players’ protector and it does concern me that he’s gone. I hope people at the WSOP take a lesson from what he did and partner with the players because that’s how you grow the brand.” Two years prior to Pollack’s Commissioner nod, Duke won the WSOP Tournament of Champions event for $2 million.

Among those lamenting Pollack’s departure was PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok, who made a deep run in the 2009 WSOP Main Event and finished in 56th place. Sebok told Poker News Daily, “I think it’s a bummer. The biggest thing is that the players are losing out. Jeffrey did a good job and people don’t understand how much he fought for different things. He really was an advocate for us, so it’s a sad day. He was a great Commissioner and I think he did a great job of fighting for the WSOP and fighting for the players.” PokerRoad will take to the television airwaves this Wednesday with the debut of “Poker 2Nite,” a poker news show that airs on Fox Sports Net.

Two Poker News Daily Guest Columnists also weighed in on Pollack’s resignation from the WSOP and Harrah’s. Linda Johnson, co-owner of Card Player Cruises, explained, “This is not necessarily the best thing for poker players. He was a great communicator. If you sent him an e-mail, he responded immediately and he listened to us.” ESPN “Inside Deal” host and noted poker author Bernard Lee added, “I’m surprised. I think he did a great job of bringing the WSOP to another level with not only the commercial success, but also the growth in the number entrants. I thought he was doing a great job.”

Last night, the CBS reality series “Amazing Race” aired, one of the first episodes since the elimination of poker pros Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, who were sent packing in the Netherlands. Michelle gave her take on Pollack’s exit from the WSOP: “I’m very sad to see Jeffrey Pollack resigning. He has been so instrumental in the excellent changes and adaptations we’ve seen over the last four years. Jeffrey was professional, yet personal, which is why I think he held the respect of the entire poker community.” Michelle was the last woman standing in the 2008 WSOP Main Event, while Ho held that honor one year earlier. In 2009, the designation went to Leo Margets, who finished in 27th place.

According to WSOP officials, there are no immediate plans to fill the Commissioner’s role, leading many to wonder who will become the next face of the annual festivities in Las Vegas. Pollack was slated to become the President of Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, the casino giant’s Canadian-based online arm. Former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber remains the head of the new outfit.

Poker News in Brief: Nov. 9-15, 2009

Although poker legend Phil Ivey didn't win his eighth bracelet, fans were still treated to a thrilling final table that saw 21-year-old Joe Cada become poker's youngest world champion.

There was plenty of poker news that nearly slipped through the cracks, however, and as part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature we've compiled a list of the lesser-known stories below.

This week we'll take a look at Fox Sports en Español picking up the LAPT, Tom "durrrr" Dwan starting his own blog, Joe Sebok passing the one million mark in Twitter and more.

Fox Sports en Español Broadcasting Latin American Poker Tour

Fox Sports en Español and PokerStars reached an agreement this week that will see the network broadcast the Latin American Poker Tour in Spanish.

The Fox Sports en Español broadcast will feature highlights from tour stops in Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina.

"It's amazing to see how poker has become one of the most popular sports in Latin America, it has taken off like wildfire," said Team PokerStars Pro Humberto Brenes. "To think that the prize pool has nearly doubled in just one year is a testament to the power of poker."

Coverage is scheduled to air on Friday nights at 8:00 ET on Fox Sports en Español.

Joe Sebok hits one million twitter followers

Pokerroad.com president and UltimateBet pro Joe Sebok hit over one million Twitter followers this week.

It's an impressive feat considering if you combined the followers for Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth you still wouldn't have even 25% of Sebok's following.

To put things in perspective Sebok also has more Twitter followers than Tom Cruise (153,905) and Lindsay Lohan (142,474).

Will Tom 'durrrr' Dwan share strategy tips in his new blog?

UltimateBet is celebrating the occasion by offering a $5.50 tournament with $24,000 in added prizes and a $1,500 bounty on Sebok. The event is scheduled to take place Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. ET.

Tom "durrrr" Dwan starts blogging

Noted high stakes online player Tom "durrrr" Dwan is giving fans an inside look at his life thanks to a new blog launched this week.

One of the few players without a training site or blog, Dwan did mention in his first post that he was officially blogging for Full Tilt Poker, which he recently joined as a team member.

In his first post, Dwan discussed taking a helicopter ride with Patrik Antonius to see a Jay-Z/Coldplay show in London and skydiving while inebriated.

He also said he would be recapping some of the action at the live durrrr heads-up challenge scheduled to take place in London later this week.

You can check the blog out here.

Annie Duke to host "Use Poker Skills for Life"

UltimateBet.com poker pro Annie Duke will be hosting a special presentation on how to use skills learned in poker in real life settings.

The "Use Poker Skills for Life" presentation will take part in conjunction with the Annie Duke Celebrity Poker Night which benefits the Decision Education Foundation. Both events will take place on Nov. 19 at the Commerce Casino in L.A.

The free presentation will start at 6:30 p.m. and guest entry is on a first come, first serve basis, for up to 80 attendees.

Duke won't be the only famous poker player speaking as Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch and Ali Nejad will all take the podium during the evening.

The presentation is sponsored by Stakes Supper Club.

Brad Booth once bought into 'High Stakes Poker' for a cool million.

Brad Booth joins GR88.com

Former Full Tilt poker pro "Yukon" Brad Booth has signed with new gaming site GR88.com as their official spokesperson and head of poker development.

Primarily a cash game player, Booth is perhaps most well-known for buying into High Stakes Poker for $1 million and pulling off a risky bluff against Phil Ivey.

Although he now resides in Vancouver, Canada, Booth earned his nickname by playing underground games in the Yukon.

Booth made his biggest tournament score when he came in third place in the 2006 WPT Mandalay Bay Championship for $319,180.

Jeffrey Pollack Resigns from Harrah’s, WSOP

In breaking news from Las Vegas, World Series of Poker (WSOP) Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack has resigned from his post at the WSOP and Harrah’s, according to the Associated Press and his Twitter feed. Today, Friday, November 13th, is Pollack’s last day on the job.

Pollack told the news service on Friday, “It’s bittersweet, but I’m leaving with just great memories and a really nice sense of it being a great run. More than anything else, I’m just appreciative of the opportunity to have been part of the WSOP.” The WSOP entered its 40th year in 2009, with Michigan pro Joe Cada having been crowned its latest champion earlier this week. The youngster became the youngest WSOP Main Event winner ever at age 21 and defeated Maryland logger Darvin Moon heads-up. Cada will celebrate his 22nd birthday next week.

The Associated Press reported, “Series spokesman Seth Palansky said there were no immediate intentions to replace Pollack.” Back in May, Pollack teamed with former Party Gaming CEO Mitch Garber to lead Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment, the casino giant’s newly-formed online arm. Pollack was slated to be its President and Harrah’s CEO Gary Loveman commented in a press release announcing the launch, “As the world’s largest gaming company, Harrah’s is taking a proactive approach toward international and interactive expansion. It is important we position ourselves to explore new markets as well as new technologies with our best in class brands.”

Pollack was instrumental in growing the WSOP since 2005. The annual festivities from Las Vegas picked up shop and moved from Binion’s in the Downtown area to the Harrah’s-owned Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino off the Strip. 2005 saw Australian Joe Hachem take down the $10,000 buy-in Main Event to the tune of $7.5 million. A total of 5,619 players entered, a number that would swell to 8,773 in 2006, the year that Hollywood agent Jamie Gold claimed victory.

Pollack told the Associated Press that his next career move remains up in the air: “I really wanted to see this year through, see this series through. I’m leaving on an absolute high note.” No indication was given to media on-hand at the Rio last weekend that Pollack was departing, as the Commissioner seemed in high spirits. Pollack awarded Mike Sexton his Poker Hall of Fame trophy in a ceremony held during Saturday’s play in the Main Event that saw the field trimmed from nine players to two, Cada and Moon.

Under Pollack’s leadership, the WSOP brand hopped “The Pond” for WSOP Europe. The festivities began in 2007, with Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad becoming the youngest bracelet winner ever by taking down the Main Event, defeating fellow Betfair pro John “Kunkuwap” Tabatabai heads-up. The inaugural Main Event drew 362 entrants. In 2008, Full Tilt Poker pro John Juanda took down the title, defeating Russian poker players Stanislav Alekhin and Ivan Demidov. In 2009, Barry Shulman, father of WSOP November Nine member Jeff Shulman, claimed victory in the WSOP Europe feature tournament. A total of 57 events in Las Vegas and four more in Europe were held this year.

Palansky told Poker News Daily, “We appreciate Jeffrey’s contributions over the past four years and wish him the best in the future. The World Series of Poker remains the market leader with this year’s tournament exceeding all expectations and we are well positioned for the future. There is no intention at this time to replace the Commissioner role.”

Pollack also held positions with the NBA and NASCAR and is the half-brother of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. On his Twitter page, Pollack boasted on Friday, “Thank you for allowing me to be part of the #WSOP these last few years. I will always be a fan and friend to the poker community.”

Joe Sebok – Poker Player Profile

Stepson of Barry Greenstein, Joe Sebok is the CEO and President of PokerRoad, a multimedia conglomerate that includes industry-leading podcasts, video blogs with some of the game’s best like 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event November Nine member Phil Ivey, and a mammoth collection of Twitter feeds called PokerRoad Nation. Sebok is one of the most recognizable faces in all of poker and serves as a member of Team Ultimate Bet, joining the likes of Annie Duke and Phil Hellmuth.

Having a stepfather who is one of the most decorated players in the game gives Sebok a leg up on the competition. In an interview with Poker News Daily, Sebok explained, “We’ll chat about things before events. He’s teaching me more than he was before.” Greenstein is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner and was a nominee for the Poker Hall of Fame in 2009. His charitable work away from the felts has earned him the nickname “The Robin Hood of Poker.” With Greenstein being dubbed “Bear,” Sebok has appropriately earned the moniker “Cub.”

PokerRoad launched a Wednesday night television show on Fox Sports Net in November of 2009 called “Poker 2Night,” which is sponsored by Ultimate Bet and covers the hot topics for the week in the game. Besides Sebok, other PokerRoad personalities include Joe Stapleton, Gavin Smith, and Court Harrington.

Ultimate Bet Signing

In September of 2009, Sebok signed on to become the Media and Operations Consultant for Ultimate Bet. The announcement, which followed the release of screen names associated with the cheating scandal that rocked that online poker site, seemed to add credibility back to the brand. Sebok told Poker News Daily, “I requested a business role within UB, as I wanted to make sure I could also be involved in the operations and help guide the path a little.” The deal took four months to finalize and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission continued to finger Russ Hamilton, a former WSOP Main Event winner, for masterminding the scandal.

World Poker Tour

Sebok has bubbled a pair of final tables on the World Poker Tour (WPT). He took seventh in the Bay 101 Shooting Star event in Season V for $130,000 and also grabbed seventh in the Legends of Poker the following season for another $114,000. Sebok owns nearly $600,000 in lifetime WPT earnings, as he’s had to scale back his involvement with the roving tour due to his plethora of duties with PokerRoad.

2009 WSOP Main Event

Sebok burst onto the WSOP scene in 2005, final tabling two events for a combined payday of $109,000. Four years later, Sebok made a deep run in the $10,000 buy-in feature tournament, finishing 56th for $108,000. He outlasted 99% of the 6,494 combatants and took to the stage of the Penn and Teller Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas to watch the Main Event final table unfold in November.

Prop Bets

Sebok and Gavin Smith have faced off in numerous prop bets, including one during the 2006 WSOP in which Sebok turned out in a diaper. He has also dressed up as a variety of superheroes and co-hosted “Prop Bets” with Smith, an online series.

Fox Sports to air with Sebok

Sebok, who is President of Pokerroad, broke the news during the WSOP audio broadcast this weekend and followed up with a blog post about it today.

The show is called Poker 2Night and will follow a SportsCenter-style format with Sebok and Scott Huff as hosts.

The half-hour long show will air every Wednesday at 11 p.m. and then be rebroadcast throughout the weekend. The debut episode is set to premier Nov. 18.

Sebok mentioned they would try to bring as much of the Pokerroad attitude to Poker 2Night as they possibly can. Pokerroad host Joe Stapleton will act as head writer and poker player/presenter Lacey Jones will also be involved in the project.

Fox Sports seems to be upping their poker programming lately as they also air the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge, which is hosted by Daniel Negreanu and episodes of the World Poker Tour.

Vanessa Rousso to Appear On E!’s Bank of Hollywood

This past month, rumors were flying that Team PokerStars Pro member Vanessa Rousso was going to be the new co-host of the GSN poker show “High Stakes Poker.”  While that TV gig ultimately went to Kara Scott, poker fans and others will be seeing Rousso’s face on their screens in the very near future, as she will be a member of the panel of judge’s on the new E! reality game show “Bank of Hollywood.”

Rousso broke the news of her involvement on her Twitter feed earlier this week and a write-up on the new show in the Hollywood Reporter confirmed that she would be a part of the Ryan Seacrest-produced show.  Joining Rousso on the judging panel are Candy Spelling, Wilhemina Models President Sean Patterson, and Pussycat Dolls singer Melody Thornton.

The basic premise of the show rings similar to the NBC vehicle “Shark Tank,” but instead of business proposals, contestants come to the judges with more personal matters.  “Bank of Hollywood” allows contestants to ask the celebrity panel for money for a variety of causes ranging from charity to personal gain.  Participants in the upcoming show will be pleading for money for everything from an engagement ring for their fiancée to funds for charity.  If the judges feel the cause is worthwhile, they will award the contestant with at least $2,000 from their own pockets.

Seacrest elaborated on the show to the Hollywood Reporter: “The idea’s simple. We are giving away tons of money to everyday people to alleviate the stress of today’s climate.”  E! Executive Vice President of Programming Lisa Berger elaborated on Seacrest’s thoughts: “We’re giving real people the opportunity to garner life-changing sums of money and, at the same time, fulfilling our judges’ desire to make a difference in the lives of others – one person at a time.”

The eight-episode series will be hosted by comedian Bryan Callen, who has also appeared on shows like “Sex and the City,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Entourage.”  The show is scheduled to premiere at 10:00pm ET on December 14th.

This is just the latest TV appearance for Rousso, who keeps developing an increasingly higher profile both inside and outside of the poker world.  This past spring, she signed on as a spokesperson for GoDaddy.com and appeared in a PokerStars-sponsored spread in the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.  Rousso was also heavily featured on NBC’s 2009 National Heads-Up Poker Championship, where she finished as the runner-up to Huck Seed.

2009 has been a landmark year for Rousso on the tournament scene as well.  In addition to her showing in the Heads-Up event, she also had a deep run at the Southern Poker Championship in Biloxi in February, a win at the European Poker Tour High Roller event in Monte Carlo in May, and four cashes at this summer’s World Series of Poker.  She married longtime boyfriend Chad Brown this past spring.

“Bank of Hollywood” is the latest E! reality vehicle from Ryan Seacrest Productions. “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” “Denis Richards: It’s Complicated,” and the recent “Leave it to Lamas” are just a few of the E! shows currently on the network’s lineup that are produced under the Seacrest banner.

WSOP Main Event: Cada and Moon talk heads-up

But after running like Gods to get heads-up for the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event title, both 21-year old online pro and heads-up guru Joe Cada and 46-year-old Darvin Moon, the luddite logger from Western Maryland, sound confident heading into Monday's fight for poker's most prestigious title.

Despite being bailed out by the deck after several missteps during the more than 14-hour play down to the final two Saturday, and the fact he's facing a 2.5:1 chip deficit, Moon believes he can win.

"I feel confident about everything I do," said Moon. "I know I'm not the best at everything I do, but I feel confident."

Cada's road to heads-up included being down to as little as four big blinds and hitting more than one two-outer on the way up Saturday.

Although he's feeling lucky to still have a shot at the $8.5 million first-place prize, he feels like heads-up is his game.

"What can I say? I got lucky," he said. "I'm not too mad about the plays I made. It was unfortunate the results and unfortunate what happened to the other guys, but good for me I guess.

"I'm very excited to get heads-up because that's what I play and I'm feeling pretty confident. But anything can happen. I came from down to 2 million and now I'm heads-up. Anything can happen. There's still a lot of tournament to be played."

'I'm very excited to get heads-up because that's what I play.'

While Cada regularly plays $10/$20 heads-up cash games online, Moon says he's played heads-up only once - when he won a satellite into the Main Event.

"Back home we always get down to two and chop," he said. "It'll be a learning experience. We'll see how it goes. He's better than me, but I'm confident. They say he's some kind of specialist heads-up online. I'm not online to watch or see, so we'll just see what happens."

Cada has studied heads-up strategy on online forums and through his backers at PokerXFactor.

Moon's strategy appears to be a little less refined.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Can you give me the definition of strategy?"

When play resumes Monday, Cada will hold 135,950,000 chips to Moon's 58,850,000 and the entire poker world appears to be buzzing about the match up.

"This has been the most exciting Main Event Final Table I've ever witnessed," said World Series of Poker President and Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. "To see Joe Cada go from about two million in chips to nearly 136 million in chips - and to watch Darvin Moon go from chip leader to short stack and back again - was truly astonishing.

"The heads-up competition is going to be outstanding."

To catch all the action as it happens, tune into PokerListings 2009 Main Event Live Coverage beginning at 10 p.m. PT Monday.

Rousso to appear on E! reality show

Bank of Hollywood, set to premier on the E! network this December, will feature a panel of celebrities taking pitches from Americans who are in need of cash.

Every week the show will give money to the contestant they feel is most deserving.

Rousso will appear as a panel member on the show, which is being produced by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest.

Other panel members include Pussy Cat Dolls singer Melody Thornton, author and wife of TV producer aaron Spelling, Candy Spelling and Wilhelmina Models president Sean Patterson. Each panelist will give away their own money with amounts starting at $2,000.

Vanessa Rousso burst onto the poker scene with a deep run in the 2006 World Poker Tour World Championship eventually bubbling the final table for $263,625.

Since then Rousso has become one of the most prominent members of Team PokerStars Pro and has appeared in ads for the site across the globe.

Her largest score to date came after winning the 2009 Monte Carlo High Rollers Event for $749,467.

The eight-episode Bank of Hollywood will debut at 10 p.m. ET on Dec. 14, 2009.

High Stakes Poker, GSN Officials Preview Season 6

Making waves in the poker world this week has been the announcement of the “High Stakes Poker” Season 6 cast. Set to debut in February on the cable station, “High Stakes Poker” will feature Gabe Kaplan alongside new co-host Kara Scott.

During the first five seasons of the high-dollar cash game show, A.J. Benza provided color commentary with Kaplan. Now, Scott, a television veteran, will furnish insight and interviews from the poker room floor. On the change from Benza to Scott, GSN Vice President of Programming and Development David Schiff told Poker News Daily, “We’re into the sixth season and we felt like it was time to freshen it up. Our feeling was that we wanted viewers to be in the room with the players. Gabe and A.J. did a good job, but they were disconnected from the action.”

Scott is one of only two women to cash in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event in back-to-back years and, as such, provides a unique level of insight. She’s fresh off bringing the PokerStars.net Ante Up for Africa charity tournament to life on CBS in the United States and serves as eye candy for ESPN announcer Norman Chad. Schiff explained the allure of hiring Scott, as opposed to other rumored co-hosts like Shana Hiatt and Vanessa Rousso: “Kara is really the full package. She’s a great player and has had deep runs in the Main Event the last two years. We think she can add a lot of insight to the broadcast.”

Seventeen players have been announced as part of the “High Stakes Poker” Season 6 cast, including newcomers Dennis Phillips, Yevgeniy “Jovial Gent” Timoshenko, Lex Veldhuis, Andreas Hoivold, and Sammy “Any Two” George. On the stable of pros lined up for Season 6, “High Stakes Poker” Executive Producer Mori Eskandani told Poker News Daily, We are going to have possibly the most colorful and strongest cast we’ve had to date.” The newcomers will take to the felts alongside regulars like Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein, Doyle Brunson, and Antonio Esfandiari.

Also in the mix for Season 6 is WSOP November Nine member Phil Ivey, who has only appeared once in the show’s five previous seasons. Schiff examined the addition of Ivey to the impressive lineup of poker pros and recreational players: “Arguably, this is the best cast of players we have ever had. To have Phil Ivey off the November Nine and all of the other great players, I think it’ll be great poker action.” The series premieres on Sunday, February 14th at 8:00pm ET and replays twice each night.

“High Stakes Poker” features a $200,000 buy-in and, as such, includes a bevy of well-known tournament players battling it out in a cash game. Eskandani explained, “We’ve never seen Dennis Phillips in cash games, yet he’s done super in tournaments. Now, he’s coming out to the cash game world to throw punches with the best of them.” Last season’s broadcast featured recent WSOP Main Event winners Peter Eastgate and Joe Hachem; neither will take to the felts this time around.

Music mogul Allan Meltzer, who is among the regulars at Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio, will likely be one of the only so-called “recreational” players on the sixth season of “High Stakes Poker.” During Season 5, “The Notebook” Director Nick Cassavettes and “The Simpsons” Co-Creator Sam Simon were among those who challenged poker superstars like Tom Dwan and Patrik Antonius. Eskandani explained the dearth of recreational players this season: “This year, Meltzer will be playing, but we didn’t want to go to the same recreational players we always went to. Several that we went to ended up having cold feet.”

“High Stakes Poker” will film from November 11th to 13th at the Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas.

James McManus Discusses the Poker History Book Cowboys Full

Earlier this decade, when poker wasn’t the behemoth that it is today, a noted writer by the name of James McManus accepted a job from Harper’s Magazine to cover the 2000 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Far from looking at it as simply a poker entity and observe the proceedings, McManus decided to dovetail his story of the tournament with the ongoing murder investigation of the late Ted Binion and chronicle his efforts to play. After using a satellite to gain entrance into the Main Event, McManus went on to finish fifth in the $10,000 tournament and chronicled the whole story in what has become one of the poker world’s seminal books in “Positively Fifth Street,” which was released in 2003.

Since then, however, McManus has limited his writing about poker to newspapers and magazines. His last non-fiction book, “Physical: An American Checkup” (2006), looked at the American health care system and pointed out its problems even prior to this year’s debate on the issue. Now, one of the most notable scribes in the business has returned with what might be called the definitive book on the history of the game.

“Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker” was released on October 27th and documents, as best as possible, the development, growth, and history of what once was considered to be America’s game and has since expanded around the world. From the beginning of the creation of playing cards in China and Korea to today’s game, McManus nails the goal of putting a history to a pastime.

“Poker has a long-deserved reputation as the cheaters’ game, but the book reminds us that cheating has been a big part of baseball, football, cycling, boxing, horseracing, marriage, taxes, politics, warfare, and most other human activities,” McManus stated before the interview with Poker News Daily began. “It’s naive to single out poker as being overly luck-based or larcenous, especially when making laws banning some games, while encouraging others. For the State to encourage lotteries and bingo while banning poker is greedy and cynical.”

McManus continued by discussing the theory that poker is luck-based and how his book handles that issue. “I think the book makes it fairly clear how much luck is involved in other games, such as baseball and football, games that few people think of as being determined by luck,” McManus said. “Luck determines the winner of baseball’s World Series about as much as it does the winner of the WSOP.”

PND: After the success of “Positively Fifth Street,” why didn’t you write another poker book immediately?

McManus: Because I was sent by a magazine to get an executive physical at the Mayo Clinic, by another magazine to cover the debate about stem-cell research, and by another to write about emergency surgery my daughter had undergone. It seemed only natural that I would combine this material into a book, which turned out to be “Physical: An American Checkup” (2006).

In the meantime, poker still had my interest. My agent, editor, and I were all surprised that there was no single book on the history of what is clearly America’s card game and arguably the national pastime, especially during the boom years this decade. As such, I continued to research the poker story and it became “Cowboys Full.”

PND: What were some of the problems in writing a book on a subject that doesn’t have a well-known and documented history?

McManus: One problem was that I had no training as an historian; it’s one reason I call it the story of poker, not the history.

Another was that people tend not to keep records of their poker action, especially when they work as blacklegs and swindlers. You’re forced to rely on lore, hearsay, and the work of feature writers such as Mark Twain, who were paid to exaggerate for humorous or dramatic effect. The book addresses this problem directly and makes a serious effort to deduce what was actually going on. The reporting becomes more precise and historically reliable as I cover the last third of the 20th century, especially when famous hands began to be televised.

PND: What was more difficult, the research for or the writing of “Cowboys Full”?

McManus: Most definitely the research. I have 35 years of experience as a writer, but very little as a researcher, although Google and the Amazon search function made the job a lot easier than if I had to do it with microfiche. I also couldn’t have done it without David Schwartz’s hospitality and sage advice at the UNLV Center for Gaming Research or without his marvelous history of gambling, “Roll the Bones.”

PND: You look at poker from sides that the average person wouldn’t consider. When you talked to academics and scientists about poker and its effects on human history, did they understand what you were doing?

McManus: In many cases, I was relying on what people had written. People like John von Neumann, Oskar Morgenstern, David Halberstam, and the presidents and generals in charge of World War II and the Cold War were already dead while I was writing.

At the same time, I interviewed plenty of folks including Todd Brunson, Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Harman, Linda Johnson, Andy Beal, Crandell Addington, Chris Ferguson, Aaron Brown, Tony Holden, and Gabe Kaplan, who understood some of these issues a lot better than I did before I started talking to them.

PND: What was the most surprising aspect of poker you learned from your research?

McManus: How important its logic and psychology was, and continues to be, to the military and diplomatic strategies deployed in a world in which several countries, including some extremely unstable regimes, have nuclear weapons. In other words, how important poker-based game theory is to life beyond the green felt.

PND: What can the reader take away from “Cowboys Full” other than a grasp of the history of the game?

McManus: That it isn’t just a history lesson. It has dozens of pretty cool stories about actual games: riverboat hustles, friendly games in the White House and the homes of ordinary citizens, $40 million showdowns between Andy Beal and the corporation of Las Vegas pros captained by Doyle Brunson, Jennifer Harman facing off against Andy while waiting for her second kidney transplant, Stu Ungar making a WSOP final table from the intensive care unit, and Chris Moneymaker’s bluff against Sammy Farha. They’re all there and more.

PND: Now that you have followed up “Fifth Street,” are you finished writing books about poker?

McManus: No, but almost. I’m currently writing the final book of the trilogy. Book one was a memoir about the WSOP, which became “Positively Fifth Street.” Book two is the history of poker, which is “Cowboys Full.” Book three is a novel tentatively titled “The Winter Casino” about a very large tournament played in a city being threatened by an Al-Qaeda cell with a nuclear suitcase device.

Best Poker Twitter Accounts You’re Probably Not Following

The Twitterverse is a vast and sometimes scary place.  With so many people microblogging the minutiae of their everyday lives, it is often difficult to find Twitter accounts that are genuinely worth reading.  For every active celebrity, there are a half-dozen who only Tweet about what they had for dinner.

In other words, just because someone is famous doesn’t mean their tweets will keep you rapidly hitting refresh on your cell phone or laptop.  The same can be said for the celebrities of the poker world, whose tweets range from chip counts to outrageous stories from debauchery-filled nights on the Las Vegas Strip.  Since it seems as though every poker player around has opened up a Twitter account, we here at Poker News Daily have taken it upon ourselves to point out some quality feeds for your reading pleasure.

We’ll assume you are aware of the biggies.  With more than 943,000 followers, you’ve more than likely already added Joe Sebok (@JoeSebok) to your list of poker-related Tweeters.  Doyle Brunson, known to Tweeters as @TexDolly, is rapidly approaching 100,000 followers, so we won’t waste your time reiterating how groan-inducing, but funny, his endless string of blonde jokes is.  What we will do is offer up five Twitter accounts from players who may not be the most well-known pros on the circuit, but offer up some quality insight in 140 characters or less.

@basebaldy

This is the time of year when the various Player of the Year races start heating up and a few players in contention start entering every tournament around.  World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Eric “basebaldy” Baldwin is one such player who has been documenting his progress via his Twitter account.  His tweets not only provide chip counts and updates on his own progress, but also give rundowns of some of the kookier characters he encounters on the felt

Choice Tweet: “Not sure why I convinced @JonathanLittle to play this 300 with me. It doubled the number of good players in the field.”

@Erik_Seidel

If you think eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel’s Twitter feed will make you a better poker player, think again.  It will instead provide you with a steady stream of chuckles thanks to Seidel’s witty quips on everything from Balloon Boy to President Obama.  His loyal group of 4,000+ followers has already begun to spread the word about the joys of Seidel’s dry sense of humor and eagerly await his Tweets, which crop up once every couple of days.

Choice Tweet: “T-Mobile Sidekick has lost all customer data. Andy Richter, Paul Shaffer + Tom Arnold also reported missing”

@RoothlusUncut

The brainchild of poker pro Steve “MrTimCaum” O’Dwyer, @RoothlusUncut is composed entirely of quotes from Ultimate Bet sponsored pro Adam “Roothlus” Levy.  Ranging from the comical to the absurd, @RoothlusUncut’s tweets will often leave you more than curious about what conversation and situation could possibly produce them.  Unfortunately, Levy’s relocation to Los Angeles has left the account idle for the past couple of months, but the concept is such a good idea that we simply couldn’t let it go unmentioned.

Choice Tweet: “I just looked up the last google I did…Jane Seymour’s age”

@allenkessler

While the Twitter updates from Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler filling the world in on his latest bad beats are entertaining in their own right, what is perhaps even more fun is reading the tweets of those who talk back to him.  Whether it is Kessler arguing with tournament director Matt Savage or exchanging pleasantries with the growing contingent of online players who think of Kessler as a cult hero of sorts, the banter is what really makes his feed so fun.  There is also the added bonus of hearing updates from tournaments at smaller venues that do not always receive mainstream poker media coverage.

Choice Tweet: “If anyone is hungry I have a 200 comp at ago restaurant at the hard rock”

@Maridu

In order to fully appreciate Team PokerStars Pro Maria “Maridu” Mayrinck’s Twitter feed, you need a working knowledge of Portugese.  The Brazilian pro switches back and forth between her native tongue and English as she posts updates on herself and other South American pros like Alexandre Gomes and Andre Akkari.  Following Mayrinck on Twitter can also be a profitable venture, as she recently offered $10 on PokerStars to the person who gave her the best Halloween costume idea.  Always one to get a conversation going, Mayrinck keeps it lively and interactive like a good Twitter account should be.

Choice Tweet: “i long for a world where chickens can cross roads without being questioned about their motives…”

This list is certainly not all-inclusive and we’ll continue to scour the internet for more top Twitterers, but for those looking to kill some time while grinding online, these are a good place to start.

Celebrity Apprentice 3 Cast May Not Feature Poker Players

In 2010, the third installment of the NBC reality franchise “Celebrity Apprentice” will hit television airwaves. The show, which featured comedian Joan Rivers best poker pro Annie Duke in the finale last time out, will likely not include a poker player this time around.

Ever since Duke finished as the runner-up to Rivers in May, the poker community has been abuzz that one of its own may appear in the third edition of the popular series. However, according to Huliq.com and the New York Post, the ensemble cast, which will likely once again pit men against women, does not appear to include a poker player. No official cast list has been released by NBC. The show is hosted by real estate mogul Donald Trump and raises money for charity.

Last season, Duke played for Refugees International, an organization that she worked closely with as part of her own charity, Ante Up for Africa. In the process, the poker community was instrumental in raising $730,000 for the charity. Poker players who made cameos throughout the season included Ultimate Bet front man Phil Hellmuth, Andy Bloch, Howard Lederer, 2009 Poker Hall of Fame nominee Erik Seidel, and Perry Friedman.

Embattled politician Rod Blagojevich headlines the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast in Season 3. His wife, Patty Blagojevich, appeared on NBC’s “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here” when Rod was unable to attend due to ongoing legal action. Blagojevich is the former Governor of Illinois and was impeached in January for, among other misgivings, allegedly trying to sell the Senate seat vacated by current U.S. President Barack Obama.

Joining Blagojevich on the men’s team will be another controversial celebrity, former baseball great Darryl Strawberry, a member of the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and New York Yankees. Strawberry exited the league in 1999 and was the National League Rookie of the Year 16 years earlier. Chef Curtis Stone will join the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast, as will popular comedian Sinbad, whose credits include “A Different World” and “The Sinbad Show.” He has also appeared in movies such as “First Kid” and “Jingle All the Way.”

Former professional wrestler Bill Goldberg, who stormed onto World Championship Wrestling (WCW) scene with an undefeated streak in the late 1990s, will be a part of the new “Celebrity Apprentice” cast. Rounding out the men’s team is “Rock of Love” star Bret Michaels, who is also known for his work with the band Poison.

The women’s team features “America’s Got Talent” judge Sharon Osborne, whose fellow judge on the show, Piers Morgan, was the winner of Season 1 of “Celebrity Apprentice.” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “Time After Time” signer Cyndi Lauper will join the squad. Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders, who took down hardware in swimming in 1992, will also make her way to New York City to film “Celebrity Apprentice.” There, actress Holly Robinson Peete, wife of former NFL great Rodney Peete, will join her.

World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Maria Kanellis will also be a part of “Celebrity Apprentice,” as will comedian Carol Leifer, who has written scripts for hits like “Seinfeld” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” Finally, Selita Ebanks, a model, will round out the new cast.

The names of more cast members may be released, but for the meantime, it appears that the poker community will not be a part of the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” Over on CBS, Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho, the last women standing in the 2008 and 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Events, respectively, are competing as part of the Emmy Award winning reality series “Amazing Race.” The show airs at 8:00pm ET on Sundays and viewers will see the poker playing duo race around Dubai, United Arab Emirates on this week’s edition.

The Post reported that the “Celebrity Apprentice” cast was seen recording the opening credits in the Meatpacking District of New York City and that the show would begin airing in March.

Barney Frank, 18 Others Issue Letter to Geithner, Bernanke about UIGEA Rules

The fight to delay the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) rules continues. Recently, 19 Congressmen, including Barney Frank (D-MA), issued a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The news comes on the heels of a letter sent by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) in conjunction with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the American Greyhound Track Operators Association to the same two government individuals. In fact, the letter sent by the Congressmen alludes to the PPA’s petition directly, encouraging Geithner and Bernanke to use the Administrative Procedure Act to delay the implementation of the UIGEA rules by one year to December 1st, 2010. As it currently stands, the financial services industry must fall into line with the 2006 law six weeks from now.

Frank’s letter explains that the UIGEA rules were officially approved on January 19th, one day before current U.S. President Barack Obama took office. It implores, “We realize this is not a task you requested. We also believe this is an unreasonable burden on regulators and the financial services industry at a time of economic crisis, and it contradicts the stated intent of the Financial Services Committee.” Last year, Frank pushed HR 6870, which would seek to clarify what activities were permissible under the UIGEA, through the Financial Services Committee. However, any action on the bill was halted, as the crisis on Wall Street began shortly thereafter. Frank has been the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee since 2007.

The letter notes, “At our hearing in April 2008, the testimony of regulators and the industry indicated that it would be particularly difficult to craft workable regulations to effectively enforce the statute without having a substantial adverse effect on the payments system.” Instead of creating a “laundry list” of activities that are allowed online, the UIGEA instead defers to a muddled web of federal, state, and local laws. As a result, credit card companies like Visa and MasterCard began “overblocking” in an attempt to comply with the measure, leading to legal online lottery purchases being denied in states like New Hampshire and North Dakota.

The letter is signed by 19 Congressmen, all of whom are members of the Financial Services Committee: Frank, Peter King (R-NY), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Ron Paul (R-TX), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Michael Capuano (D-MA), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Paul Hodes (D-NH), Ron Klein (D-FL), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Bill Foster (D-IL), André Carson (D-IN), Walt Minnick (D-ID), Steve Driehaus (D-OH), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Dan Maffei (D-NY). Four Republicans are among the signers, who also include two Subcommittee Chairmen.

Frank introduced HR 2266 in May. The measure, affectionately dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, would delay financial services industry compliance with the rules and regulations of the UIGEA by one year until December 1st, 2010. The measure was introduced in May and has generated 51 cosponsors. However, while the letter explains that HR 2266 is “likely to move,” Frank’s committee has been bogged down with the struggling U.S. economy, which boasts near-double-digit unemployment. As of the time of writing, no discussion of the bill is scheduled.

Frank also introduced HR 2267 in May, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. The bill establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. HR 2267 blocks wagers on sports under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) and has attracted 62 cosponsors. As its name implies, HR 2267 places a considerable amount of emphasis on providing consumer protection in an effort to placate to those in Congress who are fearful of underage and problem gambling.

Barney Frank, 18 Others Issue Letter to Geithner, Bernanke about UIGEA Rules

The fight to delay the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) rules continues. Recently, 19 Congressmen, including Barney Frank (D-MA), issued a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The news comes on the heels of a letter sent by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) in conjunction with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the American Greyhound Track Operators Association to the same two government individuals. In fact, the letter sent by the Congressmen alludes to the PPA’s petition, encouraging Geithner and Bernanke to use the Administrative Procedure Act to delay the implementation of the UIGEA rules by one year to December 1st, 2010. As it currently stands, the financial services industry must fall into line with the 2006 law six weeks from now.

Frank’s letter explains that the UIGEA rules were officially approved on January 19th, one day before current U.S. President Barack Obama took office. It implores, “We realize this is not a task you requested. We also believe this is an unreasonable burden on regulators and the financial services industry at a time of economic crisis, and it contradicts the stated intent of the Financial Services Committee.” Last year, Frank pushed HR 6870, which sought to clarify what activities were permissible under the UIGEA, through the Financial Services Committee. However, any action on the bill was halted, as the crisis on Wall Street began shortly thereafter. Frank has been the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee since 2007.

The letter notes, “At our hearing in April 2008, the testimony of regulators and the industry indicated that it would be particularly difficult to craft workable regulations to effectively enforce the statute without having a substantial adverse effect on the payments system.” Instead of creating a “laundry list” of activities that are allowed online, the UIGEA instead defers to a muddled web of federal, state, and local laws. As a result, credit card companies like Visa and MasterCard began “overblocking” in an attempt to comply with the measure, leading to legal online lottery purchases being denied in states like New Hampshire and North Dakota.

The letter is signed by 19 Congressmen, all of whom are members of the Financial Services Committee: Frank, Peter King (R-NY), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Ron Paul (R-TX), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Michael Capuano (D-MA), William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Paul Hodes (D-NH), Ron Klein (D-FL), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Bill Foster (D-IL), André Carson (D-IN), Walt Minnick (D-ID), Steve Driehaus (D-OH), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Dan Maffei (D-NY). Four Republicans are among the signers, who also include two Subcommittee Chairmen.

Frank introduced HR 2266 in May. The measure, affectionately dubbed the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act, would delay financial services industry compliance with the rules and regulations of the UIGEA by one year until December 1st, 2010. The measure was introduced in May and has generated 51 cosponsors. However, while the letter explains that HR 2266 is “likely to move,” Frank’s committee has been bogged down with the struggling U.S. economy, which boasts near-double-digit unemployment. As of the time of writing, no discussion of the bill has been scheduled.

Frank also introduced HR 2267 in May, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. The bill establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States. HR 2267 blocks wagers on sports under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) and has attracted 62 cosponsors. As its name implies, HR 2267 places a considerable amount of emphasis on providing consumer protection in an effort to placate to those in Congress who are fearful of underage and problem gambling.

Poker Players Alliance Issues Letter to Timothy Geithner, Ben Bernanke

With the December 1st deadline rapidly approaching for industry compliance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) has coauthored a letter to prominent members of the Treasury and Federal Reserve.

The PPA letter is dated in September and addressed to Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Its purpose is straightforward: encourage the postponement of the UIGEA’s regulations by one year. The letter explains, “An extension of the compliance date is necessary because a significant number of institutions subject to the Final Rule will not have in place the necessary policies and procedures mandated by the Final Rule on December 1, 2009, the current compliance date.”

In May, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced HR 2266, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act. The measure pushes back mandatory UIGEA compliance by one year to December 1st, 2010 and has generated 51 cosponsors. However, with Frank’s committee bogged down in financial reform and near double-digit unemployment, HR 2266 has not yet seen the light of day. Rich Muny, PPA State Director for Kentucky, told Poker News Daily, “The hope is that we would pass legislation or would work with the Treasury to get them to accept something like an administrative law judge to determine what is legal and illegal under the UIGEA. The judge, for example, could include the fact that the Wire Act doesn’t apply to online poker.”

The PPA authored its letter in conjunction with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and American Greyhound Track Operators Association. The letter concludes by explaining what the three groups have in common: “Given a choice between subjecting themselves to liability under the Act for processing transactions involving unlawful internet gambling and subjecting themselves to no liability for overblocking, regulated institutions have indicated to our members that they intend to overblock.” In New Hampshire and North Dakota, overblocking by credit card companies like Visa and MasterCard of legal online lottery transactions occurred as financial institutions rushed to comply with the UIGEA.

The letter comes as the PPA scrambles to delay the UIGEA regulations by any means necessary and takes advantage of the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs the way regulations are implemented. Muny explained, “There are two laws that give the Treasury the right to make sure that regulations it implements are understandable. The UIGEA rules were a last-minute decision by the Bush Administration, so they could make a feasible case that they were created in haste.” The regulations of the UIGEA were passed as “midnight rules” by the Bush Administration and took effect on January 19th, one day before U.S. President Barack Obama took office.

The two horse racing outfits express concern in the letter over legal transactions being prohibited. It notes, “The UIGEA regulations could result in confusion among members of the financial services community, leading to a devastating impact on electronic wagering as authorized by the [Interstate Horseracing Act], which produces some $100 million in prize money for horsemen and millions of dollars of state and local tax revenue.”

Whether the UIGEA’s regulations will have any impact on the internet gambling and online poker industries in the United States after December 1st is not yet known. Noted online gambling expert Nelson Rose told Poker News Daily in a July interview, “Basically, the whole program focuses on due diligence on new accounts. If you’re crazy enough to set up a bank account with an American bank, they’ll ask if you’re involved in illegal internet gambling.” He added that payment processors have already devised ways to skirt the 2006 law.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest PPA news.

Industry Reacts to Poker Hall of Fame Nomination of Mike Sexton

This week, the industry learned that World Poker Tour (WPT) Host Mike Sexton would become the 38th member of the Poker Hall of Fame and the lone representative in the Class of 2009. Poker News Daily sought the reaction of some of poker’s greats.

Sexton bested eight other nominees for the Poker Hall of Fame this year, a group that included Barry Greenstein, Daniel Negreanu, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Scotty Nguyen, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Tom McEvoy, and Dan Harrington. GreasieWheels LLC President Lisa Wheeler, who has worked with Sexton on several charity endeavors, told Poker News Daily, “I’ve worked with Mike Sexton for many years and can honestly say that he lives up to his nickname, ‘The Ambassador of Poker.’ After learning he’d been elected into the Poker Hall of Fame, I was surprised at first. I just assumed he had already been inducted. He’s a staple in the industry and has done so much for its image and evolution. Mike was a shoe-in from the start.”

Sexton serves as the Host, Consultant, and Ambassador for the popular online poker room PartyPoker. In his role, he’s influential on the direction of the site, which has served as his main cheerleader for election to the Hall of Fame. Also central in the industry is Cake Poker Card Room Manager Lee Jones, who explained to Poker News Daily, “Mike Sexton is one of the great gentlemen of poker and he always has a friendly word for everybody. He’s been a powerful influence to help bring poker out of the Dark Ages and into the future. I’m delighted that Mike was chosen for the Poker Hall of Fame; they couldn’t have picked a more deserving person.”

Sexton earned 75% of the vote of a 30-member panel, each of whom was allowed to select up to three players for enshrinement. This author was privileged to be on the voting panel and selected Sexton, McEvoy, and Harrington. On the world’s largest online poker forums, the reaction has been largely positive to Sexton’s nomination. TwoPlusTwo member “venice10” explained, “Well deserved. Mike Sexton has done a great deal to try to lift the game up and is a class act.” TwoPlusTwo member “RadcliffePoker” added, “He has probably done more for poker [than] the whole of 2plus2 put together. He was a driving force behind getting Party Poker off the ground. He has done brilliantly with the WPT in getting a hell of a lot more fish into the game.”

ESPN “Inside Deal” Host Bernard Lee told Poker News Daily, “It’s very well-deserved. Mike has had a tremendous impact on the world of poker. Most people know him from the WPT, but even before then, he was a tremendously accomplished player with a WSOP bracelet. No one deserves it more than Mike.” “Inside Deal” is released every Tuesday on ESPN.com.

Poker pro Kathy Liebert, who rooted on McEvoy throughout the final table of the WSOP Champions Invitational, wrote on Twitter that she expected more than one candidate to be enshrined in 2009: “Seems to me there should be more than one poker player put into [the] hall of fame each year… With so many qualified candidates 75% of vote is too high. Especially with media being 50% of vote.” 2009 marks the first year since 2004 that only one person will become a new member of the Poker Hall of Fame. Dewey Tomko and hole card camera inventor Henry Orenstein were elected last year.

Full Tilt Poker pro Andy Bloch countered why Sexton was worthy of the only nod in 2009: “Arguably, any of the nine players nominated fit the qualifications and most will probably make it to the Hall of Fame in due time. Why was Mike elected before all the rest? Quite simply, he fit the qualifications for the Hall of Fame as both a player and a non-player much more so than any of the rest. I hope more of the others take a cue from Mike Sexton’s induction and do even more to promote the game of poker.” Tournament Director Matt Savage added, “Mike is and always has been the greatest ambassador for the game of poker and the Tournament of Champions was and idea clearly ahead of its time. I am very happy to see someone that has worked so hard to promote our great game receive this prestigious award!”

Finally, what would be an industry reaction article without a comment from the man of the hour? Sexton told Poker News Daily, “I’m truly honored to be inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame. It’s really special because for the first time, there is now a process of being selected that includes the fans, the media, and the living members of the Poker Hall of Fame. The most satisfying part to me is to be accepted and welcomed into this exclusive club by the current members of the Hall of Fame.”

Congratulations to all of us to Sexton for his Poker Hall of Fame election.

PPA drafts letter to President Obama

2009 BC Poker Championships hits in November

The centerpiece of the series is the $2,700 No-Limit Hold'em main event, which will run Nov. 19-22.

Last year Canadian super star Daniel Negreanu stole the show by outlasting all 689 opponents and winning the first place prize of $371,910.

Poker pros Lacey Jones, Brad Booth, Gavin Smith, Dennis Phillips, Steve Paul Ambrose and Liz Lieu also took part in the event.

"It is truly an honor to have BCPC take place at the River Rock Casino as it attracts a group of talented and brave poker players," said Howard Blank, vice president of media and entertainment with the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.

"Like every year, BCPC features an action-packed week where all players can test their poker face skills and connect with many other great poker players."

Any player 19 and older can play in the 2009 BCPC. For more information visit the River Rock website here.

Check below for the complete schedule for this year's BCPC:

Online Poker Industry Nearing December 1st UIGEA Compliance Deadline

On December 1st, the financial services industry in the United States must fall into full compliance with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). Working to delay the deadline is the Poker Players Alliance (PPA).

In May, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced HR 2266, more commonly known as the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act. Frank’s piece of legislation pushes back the looming compliance date from December 1st, 2009 to December 1st, 2010, essentially extending the status quo by one year. In the interim, lawmakers on Capitol Hill could, in theory, devise a lucrative method for taxing and regulating the internet gambling industry in the United States, potentially reaping over $60 billion in revenue in the process.

HR 2266 currently boasts 48 cosponsors, including Andre Carson (D-IN), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), and Melvin Watt (D-NC), who signed on to open the month of October. Despite the outpouring of support, PPA Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily that other avenues besides the legislative process are being pursued since the December 1st deadline is rapidly approaching: “We are working with Barney Frank and others for a non-legislative solution to clarifying or delaying the UIGEA regulations. Given everything on the Chairman’s plate, one thing off of it is a good thing. We’re hoping to see a delay.”

One strategy the PPA is potentially pursuing is utilizing the Administrative Procedure Act. According to About.com, the law is typically used by federal agencies to create regulations to enforce laws passed by Congress. The Administrative Procedure Act was passed in 1946 and Pappas noted that the measure “allows for individuals and organizations like the PPA to weigh in with the Department of the Treasury and ask for a delay of a proposed rule.” As many poker players remember, the regulations of the UIGEA were rubber-stamped as “midnight rules” by the outgoing Bush Administration. They were officially adopted on January 19th, one day before U.S. President Barack Obama assumed office.

Working against the industry as the December 1st deadline approaches is the precarious state of the U.S. economy, which saw unemployment rise to 9.8% in September. In addition, Obama and others on Capitol Hill have been steadfastly pushing health care reform, which has also taken center stage. Consequently, issues like internet gambling have fallen by the wayside. Pappas explained, “The reality is that our country is facing a lot of challenges. From a poker player’s perspective, the UIGEA may be the top priority, but it’s not the top priority of Congress. Until Barney Frank can solve the issues facing his Committee, ours is not going to take precedence.” Frank chairs the Financial Services Committee.

Also expected is a letter authored by Frank and two-dozen other politicians to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner calling for a delay of the UIGEA regulations. As of the time of writing, no such letter has come to fruition. Others, including gambling law expert Nelson Rose, question whether the industry will see any changes after the December 1st deadline passes. In a July interview, Rose told Poker News Daily, “The whole program focuses on due diligence on new accounts. If you’re crazy enough to set up a bank account with an American bank, they’ll ask if you’re involved in illegal internet gambling.”

Frank has also introduced HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. The measure has attracted 60 cosponsors, including Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Robert Wexler (D-FL). HR 2267 was introduced on the same day as HR 2266 and establishes a complete licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry in the United States.

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest poker legislation headlines.

Poker News in Brief: Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2009

With all the news out of London, it was easy to forget about the rest of the poker world. Fortunately, as part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature, we've broken down some of the lesser-known stories below.

This week we'll take a look at a renowned poker player going cosmic, five poker players getting a big relief and a new WSOP promotion from Milwaukee's Best Light.

Guy Laliberte blasts off

Cirque du Soleil founder and alleged high-stakes fish Guy Laliberte became the first Canadian space-tourist on Wednesday.

Laliberte, along with a Russian cosmonaut and an American astronaut, successfully blasted into space aboard a Soyuz spacecraft headed for the International Space Station.

The French-Canadian billionaire is isn't just along for the ride and on Oct. 9, if all goes according to plan, he will be the master of ceremonies for a global performance involving 14 cities and noted celebrities like Bono, Shakira, David Suzuki and former vice-president Al Gore.

The show is to promote the One Drop Foundation for access to clean water.

Laliberte is scheduled to return to earth on Oct. 11.

Milwaukee's Best Light starts poker promotion

Milwaukee's Best Light, the official beer sponsor of the WSOP, is giving their customers a chance to win a seat in the 2010 WSOP Main Event.

The promotion is part of the brand's two-month "Online Poker Challenge" which will see two seats awarded to the 2010 Main Event.

From now through Nov. 22, those 21 and older can visit www.wsop.com and click the Milwaukee's Best Light banner to register and compete in Texas Hold'em online.

At the end of each week, the 1,000 participants with the highest point totals will be eligible to participate in that week's final tournament, which will determine the top 100 point holders.  Those top 100 qualifiers will advance to the month-ending grand prize tournament.

Players will also have the opportunity to earn bonus points by referring friends, answering trivia and obtaining codes inside specially marked boxes of Milwaukee's Best and Milwaukee's Best Ice.

Pro-online poker bill hits 60 co-sponsors

Rep. Barney Frank's Internet Gambling, Consumer Protection & Enforcement Act of 2009 reached 60 co-sponsors this week. Among the newest to sign on board with the bill are Rep. Lyn Woolsey, William Clay, Adam Schiff and Christopher Murphy.

The bill is currently waiting to be heard before committee, but support is starting to grow in the Republican Party.

Frank originally said the bill would be heard by Easter this year, but it was pushed back to July and then September. It's now likely the bill won't be discussed until the new year.

In the meantime, Frank has introduced a second bill that would postpone the coming enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act Dec. 1, 2009.

Judge dismisses case against Mt. Pleasant poker players

The decision to convict five South Carolinian poker players has been reversed.

Bob Chimento, Jeremy Brestel, Michael Williamson, Scott Richards and John T. Willis were originally found guilty of violating South Carolina's anti-gambling laws for running a private Texas No-Limit Hold'em game in 2006.

The group didn't profit from running the games, but money was raked from the pot to help cover expenses.

Earlier this year, South Carolina Circuit Judge R. Markley Dennis ruled that poker was a game of skill, not chance, but the five were still found guilty of operating a gambling house.

Thursday Dennis released a letter stating he had decided to reverse the convictions of all five players. The municipal court found the evidence "overwhelming" that Texas Hold'em is a game of skill.

Poker advocacy groups like the Poker Player's Alliance are touting it as a victory for poker players in the U.S.

Federal Officials Seize Additional Internet Gambling Funds

Recent seizures of internet gambling funds related to the payment processor Account Services do not appear to be the end of the U.S. Government’s war against the industry. This week, it was revealed that funds in six more accounts had been seized.

The six accounts, according to the Baltimore City Paper, are held by Wachovia and appear under the name Forshay Enterprises. In July and August, other funds were seized in branches of Interstate Net Bank, Bank of America, and First Premier Bank belonging to Electracash and HMD. Regina Mignogna, a Maryland State Trooper, signed the warrant affidavits for the HMD accounts, which were obtained by Poker News Daily. Each of the warrant applications was ordered seized “until further order of this court or until January 20, 2010, whichever is earlier.” The documents were filed in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

Richard Gunn, an Anne Arundel County Police Detective, signed the warrant applications for the Wachovia accounts, which were numbered 2000042478410, 2000042478070, 2000042478452, 2000042478300, 2000042089414, and 2000042089427. The City Paper linked Forshay Enterprises to TransactSvc.com. Meanwhile, Electracash was tied to Edward Courdy, who many might remember as one of the defendants in Maryland’s Bodog case in 2008. That news broke last July, when $24 million was seized from the popular online poker site. Funds were taken from four publicly traded U.S. banks, including Wachovia, Bank of America, SunTrust, and Regions.

Account Services, which processed payments for PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker in 2008 and 2009, filed a motion in July for return of property, namely $14 million seized by the U.S. Government. The money was held in Union Bank and Wells Fargo branches in California. In retaliation, the Government indicted Account Services’ Douglas Rennick, a Canadian, on charges of bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling. He faces up to 55 years behind bars and $1.75 million in fines for his actions. As of the time of writing, he has not settled with U.S. authorities.

In August, Judge Jeffrey Miller denied Account Services’ motion for return of property, instead electing to wait for the criminal case against Rennick to pan out. The seizure was part of a larger effort by the Southern District of New York in June during which over $30 million was frozen. The funds in question were allegedly destined for more than 24,000 online poker players and not connected to online wagering on sports. Bodog operates a full online sports book, an option that does not exist on PokerStars or Full Tilt. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) filed an amicus brief on behalf of Account Services, a decision the organization stuck by despite Rennick’s criminal indictment.

Many in the online poker community assumed that the election of U.S. President Barack Obama, a poker player, would ease the attack on the industry. However, the opposite has been true so far, with federal agencies going on the offensive. For example, FBI Special Agent Dana Conte swore to the affidavits relating to Account Services.

In the closing months of the Bush Administration’s stay in Washington, D.C., the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) were ushered into effect as “midnight rules.” Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) was instrumental in attaching the UIGEA to an unrelated port security measure in 2006. The SAFE Port Act passed through the House with ease and was approved in the Senate by unanimous consent. Speaking out during the debate in the House was Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-NV), who questioned why internet gambling appeared in the bill.

As a result of the June seizure, which coincided with the running of the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas, paper checks and e-checks temporarily bounced, leading to reimbursements and cash bonuses from some of the world’s largest online poker sites. What effect the latest round of seizures will have on the industry is anyone’s guess.

WSOP Extends Contract with IMG Sports and Entertainment

Harrah’s Interactive Entertainment (HIE) announced Thursday that its World Series of Poker (WSOP) brand would be renewing its contract with IMG Sports and Entertainment for five more years through 2014.  The two groups have worked together since 2005 and IMG has helped to bring major non-gambling sponsors like Jack Link’s Beef Jerky and Planters Peanuts to the popular tournament series.

Within a press release distributed by HIE, the company also placed emphasis on its efforts to grow the WSOP brand internationally into something larger than just an annual series of poker tournaments.  “We are looking to emphasize the ‘World’ in World Series of Poker as our vision of the brand extends beyond the annual events in Las Vegas and London,” explained HIE Chief Executive Officer Mitch Garber.  “By tapping the global reach and expertise of IMG, we are confident that together we can take the brand to new levels on the international stage through new international bracelet events and other WSOP licensed poker events.”

IMG has long been a power player in the representation game and has a client roster that includes Hollywood celebrities, Olympic and professional athletes, and several major athletic brands like Major League Baseball, the Ryder Cup, and the PGA.  With offices in over 30 different companies, HIE is hoping IMG’s global presence will serve them well in the next five years.

“The World Series of Poker is an impressive property that we believe is well positioned to expand successfully into international markets given the increased activity in the online and offline poker business in key international markets,” said David Abrutyn, Senior Vice President and Global Managing Director of IMG Consulting.

Harrah’s has been taking steps to position itself for this transition into the international poker markets.  First, it launched HIE earlier this year and hired former PartyPoker CEO Garber to run the operation.  Earlier this month, HIE also announced it would be teaming with 888 Holdings’ business-to-business venture, Dragonfish, to develop online content for the casino conglomerate.  Although the legality of online gambling remains up for debate in the United States, Dragonfish will supposedly create online gambling ventures branded for WSOP and Caesars Palace in European and other global markets.  The WSOP’s longstanding relationship with ESPN was also renewed recently, with a contract guaranteeing coverage of the event on the ESPN family of networks through 2017.

HIE and the WSOP are not without their critics, though.  Despite plans to make a grand entrance and participate in this weekend’s WSOP Europe, 11-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth recently spoke out against the company on the Hardcore Poker Show because of the steps being taken to expand the brand into online poker ventures.  Hellmuth, like many other top pros, has a sponsorship deal from an online poker site and fears HIE’s attempts to create a WSOP-branded room will jeopardize lucrative television logo deals that players use to subsidize their income.

“You know, there’s going to be some mistakes made by Harrah’s and just mark my words - they’re going to risk losing the World Series of Poker, which is estimated at $200 million,” Hellmuth said in his interview.  “It may actually become worth nothing if they force the players and all the great internet sites to say, ‘Look, we’re going to start our own deal because Harrah’s is restricting logos.’ They’re actually taking logo use out of the picture, or trying to press their position as a site owner.”

To date, there has been no official announcement of a WSOP-branded online poker site, but the hiring of Garber and recent steps taken by HIE lead many to believe that is the direction the brand is heading.