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RUSSIAN FIRM ENTERS MOBILE POKER
2012-02-13

Mobile gambling technology firms face a new competitor from Russia following the appearance this week of a company titled Enterra (enterra-poker.com) and what appears to be a versatile new mobile poker offering.

The company boasts that its Enterra Poker system has been substantially enhanced with a mobile client that offers a selection of five popular poker genres, a choice of tournament types and player interaction facilities, along with a versatility that enables it to be used on desktops, notebooks, tablets, Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows mobile phone systems

Enterra claims that the product does not require Silverlight, Flash or any technologies other than HTML, and the only technology the user needs is an Internet connection and any browser.

"Enterra Poker Mobile is built using the latest HTML5 platform and is available in pure HTML5 and PhoneGap variants in a highly customisable package," a spokesman said this week.

"You purchase Enterra Poker software without any royalties or post-sale fees. As game producers we are open to discuss different purchase schemes with you. Once you buy a license for one server installation you will be able to independently run the software on your own server."

The company has launched a demo version at http://demo.enterra-poker.com/html5/index.html and has an offering in the iTunes store. Enterra is currently also being used in the social networking context on Facebook through Glamble Poker.

Based in Barnaul, Russia, the company says that its turnkey poker system has an advanced server backend and 4 different clients – desktop (a standalone Windows application), Flash (used inside a web browser), social network (for integrating in social networking sites such as Facebook etc.) and mobile (for playing poker on mobile devices).

THE BEST ACTION IS PLAYING POKER ONLINE
2011-02-08

Do you love playing poker? Do you want to play more poker but can't travel to long distance casinos? Then you can Play Poker Online, all you need is a desktop and a high-speed Internet connection. poker is the most popular online game these days according to some surveys. Due to its wide popularity through television, poker has become the most played Internet game in the last few years.
You can start of with playing free poker online to learn the game. After that you can join the actual game and start of winning money. Some websites offer tutorials to learn the basic rules before you think to Play Poker Online. There are different kinds of poker games available on the Internet. Some of the examples are: No Limit Texas Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, Limit Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi Lo, Stud Hi Lo Razz, etc.
Some of the websites even offer to let you view a live game to learn and observe for yourself, and then you can join the game if you want. These websites even offer a virtual casino environment. They make you feel as if you are in an actual casino without having to make an effort to drive to a real casino. Some of the most popular poker players learned to play this game on Internet. Certain websites offer bonuses when you create an account and to loyal players. So we advise you to check the kind of bonuses the website offers before you register on their website. You can play on a website that suits your needs. For example, if you want to play at high stakes then you can play on websites that offer high stakes against keen competition. Then there are some websites that offer only moderate kind of competition. But if you don’t want to spend even a single penny then you can also Play Poker Online free of cost. After you develop your skills on such free websites then you can start playing poker for money.
The biggest disadvantage of online poker is that you cannot read the facial expressions of other players before your turn. In real casinos, you can read the facial expressions of the players when they try to bluff. The biggest advantage is obviously that no matter where you are, online poker is only a click away. You cannot cheat in online poker. the table position is of utmost importance in online poker. For example, if you have the last position, then you can view the bets of the other players before you place your own bet. You can also play on multiple tables when playing poker online. But if you are new to online poker then we advise you not to play on more than two tables because you might lose focus.
There are thirteen cards in poker. They have been nicknamed and given symbols. Some players become so good at poker that they start treating it as a part-time job and make sure that they spend several hours every week making some extra money. You need to know the meanings of basic terms such as "hand", "play", etc. Hand means the number of cards a player has in his hands. Play means single game. You should also know the various terms related to betting while playing poker. Some of the various categories of poker hands are: One Pair, Flush, Three of a kind, Two Pair, Royal Flush, etc.
You must have come across poker tournaments on television that last for hours usually and have large amount of money at stake. You can play such tournaments online anytime and anywhere you want.
You can make new friends while you play poker. But always make sure that you treat poker as a source of recreation and don't get emotionally involved. At the end of the day it is gambling. But don't forget to have fun.
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MAC FOR MERGE
2010-12-01

Online poker network introduces download software for Mac users
The Merge Gaming Network-owned Carbon Poker.com has announced that it will launch new download software to accommodate Mac users this week.
The launch on Carbon Poker will be followed by the wide availability of the software across other skins on the network.
A company spokesman said that there were a limited number of online poker sites, including Full Tilt and Poker Stars, that offer this type of software
The spokesman added:
“Having the ability to offer potential customers a Mac version of our software is quite significant. Numerous studies have shown that Apple’s market share in the U.S. has grown to over 10% in 2010 and will continue to grow rapidly moving forward. Our affiliates can now target an unsaturated market of potential Carbon Poker players.”
The software has been in beta testing for some weeks and includes the following features:
- Tournament lobbies now open in a separate window
- Full screen mode has been optimized for smoother play
- Improvements have been made to the software’s performance on smaller computers and netbooks
Carbon Poker is an online poker room that was created in 2007, by staff and management of the company that were heading up Poker.com. Taking a decision to break away from the domain Poker.com for a more brand-able one in Carbon Poker, the company then formed the gaming network now known as Merge Gaming Network.
In related news the independent online poker site monitor, PokerScout.com, noted this week that the Merge Gaming Network had a enjoyed a surge in popularity which has enabled it to overtake rival Cake Poker.
According to PokerScout.com, Merge Gaming Network has tied in 22nd position with Everest Poker, recording a seven-day running average of 830 cash ring game players as at December 1st.

TV CHANNEL TO OFFER ONLINE POKER
2010-09-28

At The Races partners with Genting in new venture
UK poker and blackjack fans can look forward to another new arrival on the internet gambling scene following an agreement between gambling group Genting and the UK horseracing television channel At The Races signed this week.
The new site will be branded ATR Poker Club.com, and former Sky Poker presenter Sean Boyce will be the front man.
Boyce commented this week: “It’s a fantastic idea. As a passionate poker player, I’ve always been a firm believer that the game makes us all better bettors and every one I know loves the thrill that both racing and poker provides.
“Now, playing blackjack or poker online with the ATR Clubs combines my love of horse racing with my fascination with poker, and offers everyone great opportunities to enjoy a day at the races.”
Company spokesmen said ATR Poker Club is planning to host live tournaments, broadcasting these on the ATR TV channel.
The partnership is also planning a sports betting venture branded BetDif, where gamblers have far more flexibility and do not have to choose their wagers from a set list.

POKERSTARS LOWERS THE BOOM ON BOT ACTION
2010-07-20

10 player accounts frozen following security investigation
Information that initially emanated from the popular and respected online poker message board 2plus2 has resulted in an intense Pokerstars investigation and a freeze on 10 player accounts at the giant online poker website this week.
The investigation showed that the frozen accounts were operating remote computer programs, or ‘bots’, findings that were confirmed by the independent poker rankings site Poker Table Ratings.com, which has previously identified such disqualifying play (see earlier InfoPowa reports).
In an article this week, PTR claimed that the offending accounts had collectively played at least eight million hands, generating nearly $187,000 in rake and making $57,000 in profit.
Posting in the relevant thread on the 2plus2 website, a representative of Pokerstars Game Security gave an update on the situation:
“PokerStars would like to update you on the status of this case, and correct several misconceptions that have been perpetuated throughout this thread.
“First, as of the afternoon of July 17, we have indeed removed ten players from the site for violations of our terms of service. We cannot give additional details about which accounts, or the specific reasons for their removal.
“Second, we would like to clarify that there were two separate investigations here. PokerStars absolutely did not exonerate these players from being bots at any time. We conducted a review of the three users listed in the [original 2plus2 post] for collusion, and it was negative, and this was reported to the OP, who posted an incorrect “PokerStars said ‘All Clear’”.
“A review of the players for being bots was concurrently being conducted, and was in progress until July 17th. The OP was notified of this concurrent bot review being in progress, and did not inform this thread of that fact.
“We would like to address the fact that the play continued throughout the night of July 16th, after a third party poker source posted an independent review [that] identified 7 additional players.
“PokerStars had also identified 7 additional players very early in our investigation - prior to the third party poker [PTR] site's identification of them. We were conducting a very in depth search to locate other potential accounts, to ensure we had located all of the accounts prior to closing them down concurrently.
“Shutting down only part of a ring in mid-investigation can spook additional, undiscovered accounts into cashing out prior to locating them. As of this afternoon [July 17] that review concluded that the ten accounts were the complete extent of the matter.
“Next, please note that third party poker sites did not locate this ring unassisted. They had a baseline of three identical player profiles from which to start, which is a far more trivial task than saying "here's a collection of 4 million players... now, find me 3 who are identical.... without a baseline from which to search."
“One is a linear search (searching for a particular pattern) and the other is exponentially more difficult based upon the number of players. PokerStars located the rest of the ring faster than did the third party poker site.
“Finally, to address why these players played for a relatively extended period without detection, we can say that upon conclusion of this review that the bots were fairly sophisticated in certain aspects, including their human behaviour modeling and their stealth capabilities.
“Our tools for bot detection are sophisticated, but they are not perfect. No site can guarantee you that they are completely free of bots. What PokerStars can and does pledge is that we use our extensive tools behind the scenes to detect bots as best we can... and they are very effective. We detect and remove most bots well before they even leave the development stage, and well before they could play long enough to come to the attention of players or third party poker databases the way these players did.
“PokerStars takes its commitment to bot detection and removal extremely seriously, and will continue to do so, both behind the scenes with our tools (which are under constant review and improvement), and in response to player-generated suspicions. Most player reports of bot suspicions are false alarms, but we still investigate each one thoroughly, and when they actually do locate a previously undetected bot, appropriate action will always be taken.”

FRENCH GIANTS COMBINE IN BARRIERE POKER.FR INTERNET POKER VENTURE
2010-06-15

Former French monopoly FdesJ and casino group Lucien Barriere team up
Two major French gambling companies have teamed up to take advantage of the newly liberalised French online poker sector.
The former state gambling monopoly Francaise des Jeux and land casino giant Lucien Barriere (which also runs the online casino LeCroupier outside France) have announced that their new online poker site servicing French players will be branded Barriere Poker.fr.
The new joint venture will see both firms invest eight million Euros in return for a 43.84 percent stake while the remaining 12.32 percent is to be controlled by Online Gaming 3D, which is a subsidiary of French cinema and video games developer MK2.
The domain is expected to go live in September 2010 targeting French players.
The Reuters news agency reports that a licence has been sought from the French regulator ARJEL and is expected before the end of June.

CALIFORNIAN MEDIA SUPPORTS LEGALISED ONLINE POKER
2010-04-29

Influential government and political newspaper says legalization and regulation is overdue
The influential Californian newspaper Capitol Weekly, which serves an audience made up mainly of government and political readers, says it’s time for online poker to be regulated in the state.
The op-ed article points out that large numbers of Californians play at online foreign websites that
are not regulated or monitored by U.S. law enforcement to ensure that consumer protections against fraud, cheating or theft of personal financial information are in place, and makes the observation that these are basic safeguards they would have playing in any licensed land-based casino in California.
“Worse, neither the State of California nor legal land-based gaming operators in the State receive a penny from the multi-billion online poker industry that operates from foreign locations,” it notes.
Millions of Californians play today and that number is growing exponentially, the articles asserts, going on to attribute the pastime’s popularity to the fact that poker is the third most watched spot on cable television, and that internet poker is faster-paced than poker played at a traditional casino or card club.
California legislators are currently wrestling with the contentious subject of legalisation and regulation to better protect players and the financial interests of the state, and the Capitol Weekly article notes: “It’s about time, because federal law says individual states have the power to regulate Internet poker, raise revenues from it and protect players and minors.”
The piece presents its ideas on essentials for legalisation, asserting that whatever system is adopted, it must provide players with safety and certainty. “If the ‘eye-in-the-sky’ can prevent cheating in a [land] casino, a state-approved Internet system must [equally] prevent fraud and collusion,” it observes.
“This means that, consistent with federal law, the California system must use technology to prevent minors from playing, and players are entitled to certainty.”
The article goes on: “Legalization and regulation is the only way to empower California law enforcement to guard against identity theft, release of personal financial information, fraud or the use of these sites by underage players – all protections that can be provided by state of-the-art security technology used in a system regulated and monitored by law enforcement.
“Second, the Legislature must put in place a system that allows its contractors to compete with powerful offshore competitors to keep money from leaving California. After all, those companies start with a market share of two million Californians.”
The Capitol Weekly quotes independent estimates from PricewaterhouseCoppers, H2 Gambling Capital and Goldman Sachs which estimate gross revenues in the first year of proper Californian regulation to be around $500 million.
“If the state receives 20 percent of those gross revenues as part of any contract for operating an intrastate system, roughly $100 million annually could be generated,” the article notes.
The author argues convincingly against the proposition that Indian tribes holding land gambling deals with the state government should have exclusivity in any new online gambling dispensation, and concludes:
“There are many different issues to be debated and resolved before legalizing and regulating Internet poker. But it’s important for that debate to occur – before it’s too late.”

TRIBAL BUSINESS ALLIANCE FIGHTING CALIFORNIA POKER PROPOSAL (Update)
2010-02-09

Independent study finds that income for the state may disappoint

The conferences and lobbying among tribal gambling groups - some for and others against legalising poker in California to close state budgetary gaps (see previous InfoPowa reports) - has triggered some opposition from the California Tribal Business Alliance, which this week released the results of an independent study claiming that potential revenues may have been overstated.

The study was conducted by Mike Genest, the former Director of the California Department of Finance, who in a seven-page letter estimates the revenue that California could derive from a proposal that is currently being discussed in the legislature to license and tax intrastate, internet poker.

The essence of Genest's letter is in the following excerpt: "The proposal would result in an annual General Fund revenue reduction of $365 million, partially offset by an annual increase in revenue of up to $50 million and by an unknown, but probably not substantial increase in personal income tax collections."

Playing off Genest's opinion, CTBA chairwoman Leslie Lohse released a statement saying: "The proponents of this proposal to legalise internet poker in California are touting it as a major solution to our state's budget crisis.

"It was important to bring in a neutral third party to analyse the viability of this proposal as a revenue resource. I think the results clearly show the state needs to research some more feasible solutions."

Alison Harvey, executive director of the Association added that the monopoly poker initiative launched earlier by the Morongo band of Indians and certain card room companies is also is likely to siphon $365 million a year out of the state’s general fund if tribes operating Indian casinos under 2004 and 2004 gaming compacts invoke the exclusivity clause.

“And that’s in a down economy,’’ Harvey said.

Patrick Dornison, a spokesman for the Morongo, responded by calling the report a “politically motivated” document, saying it was “cobbled together at the last minute with the intention of negatively influencing the Senate hearing next week on Internet poker.’’

Dorison took exception to the California Tribal Business Alliance stance. It assumes that people will continue to play illegal, offshore sites, thereby, decreasing potential revenue to California, he said.

“Perhaps the (alliance) should keep up on current events,’’ he said, noting a crackdown by Mastercard and VISA on the use of their cards on offshore sites would leave poker players in the United States unable to play.

“This goes to what we have said all along that California needs a regulated intrastate game that will offer consumers protection from unscrupulous operators and maximize revenue to the state,’’ Dorinson said.

The California Tribal Business Alliance projected, as part of the study, that the total gross gambling yield attributed to Internet poker played anywhere in the world from terminals in California in 2011 will be $536 million.

“If all players moved to the proposed new, single-licensed entity’s site, and continued to play at the same level, a 10-percent fee would generate $53.6 million,” Genest’s report said.

In August of 2009, a plan was proposed to legalise and tax intrastate poker in California, but no legislator would author the legislation. The proposal has returned and the Senate Governmental Organization Committee will take up the issue of internet poker next week on February 9.

Genest's report is available online at www.caltba.org

The California Tribal Business Alliance consists of California Indian tribes interested in developing partnerships and coalitions with like-minded governments and with business entities in California, with the intent to build productive alliances based on mutual respect and cooperation.

The CTBA members are the Jackson Rancheria of Miwuk Indians, the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, Pala Band of Mission Indians, the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, the United Auburn Indian Community, and the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.