Players have been given fresh hope this week that a deal between Full Tilt Poker and Group Bernarde Tapie may yet conclude successfully.
Multiple reports on Thursday indicated that positive progress had been made and there is hope the deal could close imminently. Industry magazine GamingIntelligence reported that both parties are confident they can close a deal by a March 16 deadline.
On the same day, EGR Magazine reported that the deal is expected to close next week and the site could be back up online in April.
For the thousands of Full Tilt customers owed over $300m since the closure of the site, the news is being met with caution. The hope is that a deal will involve GBT repaying all non-US customers, and US players will be reimbursed by the US Department of Justice.
Players are right to be wary and not overly optimistic. Nearly a year since Black Friday and over eight months after the Full Tilt poker room went offline, rumors have flourished and facts have been scant.
Until a deal falls through we can expect both parties to speak publicly of their confidence, and until a deal completes—and the specifics of the deal revealed—if, when and how much players will be reimbursed will remain unknown.
