Main Headlines
Zynga to Roll Out More Real Money Poker Later This Year
In a conference speech on Monday, Zynga’s CEO reversed a decision not to extend their real money poker operations—he told investors that later this year Zynga would launch pilot programs for real money poker in several parts of the world.
- Zynga CEO says he plans to roll out real money poker in several parts of the world later this year.
- Earlier this year the company launched a real money poker game on Facebook, and like ZyngaPlusPoker, it is restricted to UK customers.
Unibet Switches Off MPN Skin
New independent poker room gets full launch.
- Since the beta launch the client has run concurrently with its old MPN skin—although the new client has been heavily promoted to existing customers and the previous client relegated to an “old poker” tab on the website.
- This MPN skin has now bee switched off. All players must download the new software and migrate to the new independent poker room.
- The new room boasted over 500 concurrent real money cash game players yesterday, according to self-reported data.
New Full Tilt Promotion Pits “Professionals” and Tourney Winners in Heads Up Battle
Gus Hansen and Viktor Blom will each lead a team of players that have qualified by completing achievements.
- Full Tilt is looking to its two remaining headline Team Pros, “The Professionals,” to headline a heads up promotion. Gus Hansen and Viktor “Islidur1” Blom will lead two teams in a series of heads up matches.
- There are eight slots in each team, and they can be won via separate Team Gus and Team Viktor flip freerolls.
- To qualify for the freerolls Full Tilt is following the recreational player feature of setting a list of “achievements” for players to complete.
Finance Minister Proposes Online Gaming Liberalization in Bermuda
David Burt wants Bermuda to compete globally in the gaming industry.
- Shadow Finance Minister David Burt has proposed that Bermuda should establish a regulatory regime for online gaming.
- The government is planning to allow casinos on the island, but Burt argues it should go further.
Picks from F5 Poker:
Antonio Esfandiari – Takin’ It To The Street
Check the trailer for The Magician’s Strip Magic video. Ultimate Poker lead ambassador and sometimes call center representative Antonio Esfandiari isn’t called “The Magician” because he makes your stack disappear – he’s a man of magic! From the looks of this short video, he took to the Las Vegas strip, in David Blaine like fashion, and entertained a group of onlookers with tricks of cards and smokes.
Phil Ivey’s Personal Appearance in Pala
Meet and greet the People’s Champ. According to officials at the Pala Casino located in the small, Native American town of Pala, CA, Phil Ivey is slated to make a personal appearance to meet-and-greet poker fans. This Friday, March 7, the 9-time WSOP bracelet winner and unofficial World’s #1 poker player will “meet fans and sign autographs.”
Gus Hansen – Don’t Call It A Comeback
Online poker’s king of downswing making gains. It would be a massive understatement to say that Full Tilt Poker Professional Gus Hansen hasn’t done very well when it comes to online poker. In fact, The Great Dane is the lifetime leader in losses when it comes to the virtual felt sitting at just under $16 million in money distributed to others (aka: losses).
Moorman, Serock Headline WPT LAPC FInal 18
Michael Rocco makes his move as well. The World Poker Tour LAPC is steamrolling to it’s final table, which should be set tomorrow, and as of now 18 players are still in the hunt for the over $1.1 million dollar first place prize.
Ultimate Poker’s Dana White Promo Video Back In Theaters
Once too hot for the internet, White’s blackjack binge is back online. Back in November at the launch of iGaming in New Jersey, Ultimate Poker released a video of UFC President Dana White, Jersey Shore star Jwoww and 4-time UFC Champion Frankie Edgar placing the first bets on the brand new Ultimate Casino…well, someone didn’t like the full content of the original so after a few hours (where it was featured here on F5) it was pulled.
Phil Hellmuth Goes Toe To Toe With The GPI
Global Poker Index’s Alex Dreyfus and The Poker Brat hash it out. Global Poker Index head honcho and consummate business man, Alex Dreyfus tries to have a word with Phil “The Poker Brat” Hellmuth at the World Poker Tour LAPC when thing got faux ugly. The smiling Dana White look-a-like snapped a selfie (of sorts) putting up his dukes with the Brat who has been waffling back and forth on his love for the worldwide poker ranking system.
Macau High-Stakes Has $20 Million On The Table
New photo and testimonial claims of massive money in play. The legend of Macau’s ultra-high-stakes games got another shot in the arm this week when poker pro Tom Hall posted a photo of some serious cash on the table at the big game at Poker King Starword. According to Hall, “two well known international pros” were huge staked and there was roughly $20million in chips on the table plus vouchers. Hall’s post on Two Plus Two stated that there was so much cash, there was literally no space to play.
Antonio Esfandiari Has A Few Tricks UP His Sleeve
Check out episode one of “Strip Magic.” Before he was the 18 Million Dollar man and the winner of the inaugural WSOP One Drop, Antonio Esfandiari’s poker “brand” was that of “The Magician.” With magic still incredibly close to his heart, the Ultimate Poker brand ambassador takes to the Las Vegas strip to dazzle the masses with some old school tricks, a la David Blaine, that will for sure make you a believer.
Tom Dwan Sitting With Millions In Macau Super High Stakes Game
Poker pro Alec Torelli also rumored to be in on the action. Earlier this week, a photo was posted on the Two Plus Two forums of the Super High-Stakes Macau Cash Games where it was speculated that roughly $20 million dollars, plus a few $650k vouchers, were sitting on the table.
Exclusive Articles on pokerfuse PRO:
Unibet Self-Reports a Top 20 Position in Online Poker Traffic
New poker client boasts over 500 concurrent cash game seats. Unibet’s new independent online poker client is hitting over 500 concurrent cash game players, according to self-reported data from a Unibet representative.
Regulation in Review: Europe and Beyond
A weekly review of the latest developments in gaming regulation outside the US. This week: UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Ireland, and Norway. Norway
Adjarabet Slips into Top 10
A possible side effect of the Winamax billion hand promotion, but the Georgian site can now boast that it is in the top 10 in the world. Adjarabet first joined the cash game traffic rankings a little under six months ago, and this week, measured by 7 day moving average, it made into the top ten ranked rooms in the world.
iPoker France Offers Late Winter Sale
Tournaments with over €200k in guarantees are having their buyins reduced by up to 60%. This week iPoker France sites are offering up to 60% off tournament entry prices for their guaranteed tournaments—the guarantee remains the same, but the buyin is reduced.