Top Stories This Week: Zynga for Real, Heads Up at Stars and Ivey in California Top Stories This Week: Zynga for Real, Heads Up at Stars and Ivey in California
Key Takeaways
  • Exclusive: Phil Ivey Signs as Brand Ambassador for Tribal Online Poker in California.
  • PokerStars “Firmly Convinced” Automated Match-Making Should Replace Traditional HU SNG lobby.
  • Zynga Plus Poker Readies Real-Money Launch on Facebook.

We wrap up the week with a rundown of the most read news articles and features from the past seven days on pokerfuse. Never miss a story with our special feature every Saturday.


10. Ultimate Poker Completes Real-Money Field Trial in Nevada

The Nevada Gaming Control Board has recommended that Ultimate Poker, the state’s first and currently only online poker room, successfully end its real-money field trial in Nevada.


9. Barton’s New Federal Online Poker Bill Introduced

HR2666, the “Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013,” is the latest attempt to regulate online poker at the federal level in the United States. Republican Congressman Joe Barton has formerly introduced HR2666, his latest attempt to pass a federal online poker bill in the US, the Poker Player’s Alliance announced Thursday.


8. WSOP Main Event Enters Day 2

4,186 players remain to battle for over $8.3 million first place prize. It was another historic day at the World Series of Poker on Monday when 3,467 players took their seats on the final flight of Day 1’s for the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event.


7. Who To Watch On Day 3 of the WSOP Main Event

The fields combine and play under one roof. There’s no more letters in the starting days, no more days off in between. Today is Day 3 of the WSOP Main Event and finally all of the players who have survived each of their flights come together under one roof to battle it out. It’s when moves are made and big stacks clash as all of the chips in the tournament are in play and the remaining 1753 players try to position themselves to make the money and, potentially, history.


6. PartyPoker’s “Next Generation” Software to Launch in August

All new socially-focused software in final weeks of testing. bwin.party’s major overhaul of its poker product is now in testing and will get a full rollout next month, the group announced Wednesday.


5. Playtech Buys PokerStrategy for €38.3m

Playtech extends its marketing services for operators with the “bolt-on” acquisition of mega-affiliate. UK Listed company Playtech has announced the purchase of super-affiliate PokerStrategy in a “bolt-on acquisition” for €38.3m (USD $50m).


4. IveyPoker Free to Play Poker App Launches on Facebook

Phil Ivey’s new venture debuts on Facebook with a free-to-play social app with training videos available in the store. Ivey Poker has finally launched its first product. The IveyPoker app for Facebook launched on Sunday morning, and offers all the bells and whistles you would expect of “social” free-play poker games.


3. Zynga Plus Poker Readies Real-Money Launch on Facebook

Poker and casino products on Facebook and mobile to be demoed at World GES summit. Zynga is to demo its real-money poker and casino software for Facebook at the World GES conference this week, VentureBeat reports.


2. PokerStars “Firmly Convinced” Automated Match-Making Should Replace Traditional HU SNG lobby

Meanwhile, new July promotion aims to encourage more action between regulars. A new July promotion at PokerStars aims to encourage more play between regular players by giving bonus points when two opponents play together over 250 times.


1. Exclusive: Phil Ivey Signs as Brand Ambassador for Tribal Online Poker in California

New business venture Pala Interactive will be headed by ex-bwin.party CEO Jim Ryan. Professional poker player Phil Ivey is set to be the frontman for a joint venture between the Pala Band of Mission Indians and former bwin.party CEO Jim Ryan, pokerfuse PRO has learned.