- PokerStars has confirmed that the 2014 EPT Barcelona will continue to use the Hotel Arts, Barcelona inspite of security issues that surfaced last year.
- Last year, players reported that while staying at the hotel, their laptops were taken and “sharking” software installed.
- PokerStars has expressed their concerns regarding security to the Hotel Arts and Stars has been “assured that these concerns are being taken very seriously and are being addressed.”
PokerStars has confirmed that the 2014 EPT Barcelona will continue to use the Hotel Arts, Barcelona in spite of security issues that surfaced last year.
During the 2013 EPT Barcelona players reported that while staying at the hotel, their laptops were taken and trojan software installed.
In a statement to pokerfuse, Eric Hollreiser, Head of Corporate Communications for PokerStars, indicated that PokerStars has expressed their concerns regarding security to the Hotel Arts and PokerStars has been “assured that these concerns are being taken very seriously and are being addressed.”
“Players have used the Barcelona Arts Hotel for several years, and aside from this very narrow—though serious—issue, player surveys show that they are generally very happy with the hotel,” read the statement.
“Consequently, players will continue to be able to stay at the Barcelona Arts Hotel if they wish. Barcelona remains one of the most popular EPT tour stops and we aim to make sure it remains so.”
After Jens “Jeans” Kyllonen’s computer was stolen from his room at the Hotel Arts Barcelona, the thieves installed a piece of malware—since christened a “shark attack”—on his laptop and returned it to his room. The malware enabled the perpetrators to see his computer screen while he was playing. Fortunately, Kyllonen discovered the laptop missing before it could be replaced, prompting him to avoid losing money to the hackers. Subsequently, other players came forward suspecting similar tampering.
In a rare example of a PokerStars customer relations misstep, assertions to Kyllonen that the authorities had been notified immediately after the crime was discovered proved to have been a miscommunication. Jens expressed his anger in posts on 2+2, prompting an apology from PokerStars representative Lee Jones.
