Poker News May 22, 2008
Poker machine king Bruce Mathieson wins
BILLIONAIRE pokies king Bruce Mathieson is bracing for the loss of up to 2000 machines under a Brumby Government industry crackdown.
But a decision to hand pokies venues a greater share of profits means he will still become even richer.
Gaming Minister Tony Robinson has revealed the Government is investigating laws to prevent Mr Mathieson from owning or managing more than 35 per cent — or 4813 — of the state’s pub pokies beyond 2012.
The powerful hotel baron, who now controls 6768 machines in partnership with supermarket giant Woolworths, will also be stopped from owning, managing or associating himself with pokies in sporting and community clubs.
Car Salesman Bests Poker Pros to Win World Series of Golf
In a unique event that combines the wagering format of Texas Hold’em poker with the skill of golf, Andrew “AJ” Johnson, a 36-year-old car salesman from Davison, Michigan, bested a field of 80 amateur golfers which included several of the world’s greatest poker players, to win the second annual World Series of Golf and its $250,000 top prize.
Poker Players Alliance Launches New Website, More Member Benefits
In a press release this week, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) announced a slate of new membership benefits as well as a new and enhanced website, both of which are designed to provide the over one million PPA members with greater membership benefits. As part of the launch, PPA is holding a drawing for a fully paid $10,000 buy-in for a seat at the Main Event at the 2008 World Series of Poker.
“The PPA has entered into the top tier of advocacy organizations, and we have only our members to thank. As such, we are constantly looking for ways to increase the value of a PPA membership,” said former Senator Alfonse D’Amato, chairman of the PPA. “I am excited about the opportunities our new website and enhanced membership benefits offer to our members as we continue the fight to protect poker players’ rights.”
PPA reports that their new website is designed to provide a more interactive and user friendly experience to PPA members. With enhanced forums and individual blogs written by each of PPA’s State Directors, members will be able to communicate with each other and find out the latest poker news in their state. This will also be a great resource for PPA’s State Directors as they organize members on the ground in their state to take action in support of poker.
The many benefits of the full annual $20 PPA membership- including access to all information, resources and tools on the PPA website (including action alerts at local, state and federal levels), and use of PPA’ Litigation Support Network- are also expanding. Members will now have the right to vote for the at large member of the PPA board of directors and receive a custom collector’s edition PPA poker chip.
PPA commented how pleased they are to partner with OneBigPlanet to provide full PPA members with enrollment in an online royalty rewards program. This program will offer PPA members discounts of up to 70 percent on purchases from select online merchants.
As an added bonus, every new, dues-paying member that signs up to join PPA before June 10, 2008 and who makes one purchase through OneBigPlanet will be automatically enrolled in the WSOP Main Event Seat contest (conditions apply). For more information on the contest, please visit: http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org/wsop2008.
For more information or to join PPA, visit www.pokerplayersalliance.org.
South Africa Approves Online Poker, Internet Gambling Regulation Bill
(Reuters) - South Africa’s parliament approved a new Internet gambling law to regulate an industry plagued by crime and vulnerable to money laundering and terrorism financing, parliamentary papers showed on Monday.
A memorandum attached to the National Gambling Amendment Bill said the interactive gambling industry in Africa’s biggest economy was currently unregulated and “generally plagued” by crime.
“This situation has resulted in a considerable loss of revenue to the national fiscus and compromises the country’s reputation as a responsible global citizen,” it said.
The new bill aims to address the negative socio-economic effects associated with gambling and deals specifically with issues of problem gambling, player protection, licensing, taxation and advertising.
Every online player would need to be registered with a licensed interactive gambling provider and submit an affidavit to ensure they were older than 18 years.
“The purpose of this Act is to ensure that all gambling activities are conducted responsibly, fairly and honestly (and to) protect minors and other vulnerable persons from the negative effects of gambling,” it said.
The bill also allowed for an electronic monitoring system to help root out potentially addictive behavior and restrict credit extensions to players.
President Thabo Mbeki must still sign the bill into law before it comes into effect.
The United States, a major market for website punters, recently banned online gambling, hitting revenues at sites offering a variety of games, including blackjack and roulette.
According to South Africa’s National Gambling Board, which will enforce the country’s new laws, revenues across all forms of gambling, excluding Internet, increased to 13.5 billion rand ($1.8 billion)in 2006/07 from 6.2 billion rand in 2001/02.
WPA Upgrades Poker Tournament Rules; Card Rooms Around the World are Invited to Comment
Today the World Poker Association announced completion of its recommended 2008 Tournament Rules, for use in poker tournament competition around the world. The New Rules will be distributed to players at the WPA Mega Satellite, which is the opening event on the schedule of the 2008 World Series of Poker - at noon, May 29th at the Rio All Suites Hotel in Las Vegas. WPA Chairman Wendeen H. Eolis explains, “The WPA requires all of its members to adhere to a stringent Code of Ethics that is designed to promulgate professionalism and the highest standards of sportsmanship. The new WPA Tournament Rules work hand and hand with this mission.”
Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) May 21, 2008 — Today the World Poker Association announced completion of its recommended 2008 Tournament Rules, for use in poker tournament competition around the world. The New Rules will be distributed to players at the WPA Mega Satellite, which is the opening event on the schedule of the 2008 World Series of Poker - at noon, May 29th at the Rio All Suites Hotel in Las Vegas.
Those new rules will be presented at the WPA’s Annual Meeting May 28th, following which will be a WPA seminar led by Mike Caro and then a WPA cocktail party which is open to the press as well as members and their guests. The recommended Rules will also be immediately available to players competing in the WPA tournament, May 29th.
With a $500 buy-in, the Mega Satellite at the WSOP includes seats for the WSOP Main Event (as per the prize pool) as well as a separate sponsorship entry into the WSOP Ladies Championship as a member of the Queens of Heart Team for the lady member of the WPA who finishes in highest position in the Mega Satellite. The Queens of Heart prize was arranged by Queens of Heart team founder Lisa Tenner, renowned marketing and branding expert and a member of the WPA
More WPA Sanctioned Mega Satellites on the Horizon
The Mega Satellite is part of a long term effort by the WPA to expand its reach in the poker world, and to provide incentives for its growing membership base. WPA Chairman Wendeen H. Eolis says, “The Mega Satellite that is taking place at the WSOP will serve as the prototype for more WPA-sanctioned events. She adds, Mega Satellites provide an opportunity for the WPA to connect with casinos around the world bringing WPA members to their properties while attracting new WPA members from the casino’s local community of players who may not be active tournament circuit players,”
Earlier this spring the WPA finalized arrangements for the WPA Mega Satellite under the auspices of the WSOP, noting it would coincide with the Association’s planned release of new WPA Tournament Rules. Some of the new WPA Tournament Rules will be incorporated in the 2008 WPA Mega Satellite at the WSOP with a view toward additional collaboration between the WPA and WSOP in the future. The WSOP has agreed to operate the tournament with nine-handed tables, and will adopt a strict prohibition against splashing the pot.
The WPA requires all of its members to adhere to a stringent Code of Ethics that is designed to promulgate professionalism and the highest standards of sportsmanship. “The new WPA Tournament Rules work hand and hand with this mission,” says Eolis, citing the WPA’s request to WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel to fully enforce the Rio’s casino-wide ban against foul and obscene language.
WPA Tournament Rules Committee Chair, Thomas Kremser, oversaw more than 100 hours of committee and Board of Directors discussions to reach consensus on the newly published rules. Kremser says, “The WPA Tournament Rules reflect a good balance between the needs of tournament personnel and the needs of players to insure fairness and consistency.”
Discussing the year long WPA deliberations on Rules, Eolis continues, “We have built on the substantial work of the Tournament Directors Association and have moved down the path of unifying and standardizing tournament rules for competitions around the world.”
Toward this end, the WPA is sending the new WPA Tournament Rules to casinos and public card rooms around the world seeking endorsement of its work and inviting card room personnel worldwide as well as players in the WPA Mega Satellite, May 29th, to offer feedback to the recommended WPA Rules that will be distributed when they take their seats.
The Tournament Rules are part of the WPA’s mission to unite world poker entities by unifying standards of play.
Lee Watkinson and FullTilt Pros Host FullTiltPoker.com Save Captive Chimps Charity Poker Tournament
LAS VEGAS, NV–(Marketwire - May 21, 2008) - On Sunday, May 25, at 9:00 pm EDT, FullTilt team member Lee Watkinson will host the “Save Captive Chimps” Charity Poker Tournament on FullTiltPoker.com. The $5 + $5 no-limit hold’em event will benefit the Cortland Brandenberg Foundation in their effort to rescue chimpanzees. The animal rescue foundation is in desperate need of immediate funding and Watkinson is encouraging everyone to join him in the “Save Captive Chimps” fundraising effort.
For more information or to register for the event, visit http://www.greasiewheels.com or FullTiltPoker.com. New members should download the free software and enter referral code “ANIMALLOVERS” to ensure animal shelters receive continued funding. To register, look for the “May 25 21:00 Hold’em NL $5 + $5″ tournament listed in red and located in the “tournaments” tab of the FullTiltPoker.com online lobby. The cost is $10 to enter. Half of the entry will benefit the Cortland Brandenberg Foundation, with a portion of the proceeds going towards the establishment of a new sanctuary slated to open in June in Watkinson’s home state of Washington. The other half of the entry will be awarded to participants who place in the money, and the winner of the “Save Captive Chimps” tournament will receive the first place prize money and a Curtis & Co. watch.
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