FBI Seizes Fulltiltpoker.com, pokerstars.com, etc

[Icy]

Reuters: Full Tilt Poker, Pokerstars and Absolute Poker charged with illegal gambling - Poker News - News, Views and Gossip

I have nothing vested in online gambling, but it certainly isn't a good sign for things to come..

The websites will still be showing for some of you because the DNS is still propagating, but the nameservers have been changed.

 

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[Bozigian]

Good thing I got off of the addiction.

I always had better cards on pokerstars for some reason

 

[slapshot]

Some are speculating that this is a move to help clear the way for govt regulation of online gambling.

Congress has just allowed DC to legalize online gambling.

This may be a part of a larger trend, of cash-strapped government legalizing/regulating/taxing vices like gambling and marijuana

 

[DeletedUser394]

This constitutes as one of those 'thank god I'm not american' moments.

This is absolutely insane news for the poker world.

Interesting what snowbank has to say.

 

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[PJS]

Just became unemployed, I guess time to really concentrate on starting a fastlane business

This constitutes as one of those 'thank god I'm not american' moments.

This is absolutely insane news for the poker world.

Interesting what snowbank has to say.

There are rumors that PS/FTP/AP will be taken offline WORLDWIDE in next 48-72 hours

 

[DeletedUser394]

I can't even get on 2+2. The servers crashed.

My planned future essentially just evaporated. At a loss for words..

Mind you, Ipoker, Party, etc will go on as usual, but the games will probably get insanely tough.

This better be resolved.

Were you able to get your br off?

 

[Stu_Hefner]

Heres more info if you havent seen all the articles. twoplustwo is back running.

Internet poker bill not dead after indictments, sponsor says « SlashPolitics

Its an interesting story, some Australian boy genius that helped them with all the transactions, ratted them in. After they originally ratted him to the FBI when he came to Vegas last April. Apparently he was stealing from them. It's crazy, he was making $150,000 a day from their transactions anway.

Web king behind FBI raids | Courier Mail

In Another Era, Daniel Tzvetkoff Would Have Been Whacked, Shot or Garroted | Gambling911.com

Poker Indictments: Daniel Tzvetkoff May Have Given Up The Online Poker Industry To The Feds

 

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[Jonleehacker]

Time for a new ebook... "How to make money trading stocks, for Poker Players"

 

[Stu_Hefner]

So is it possible to run an online poker site from Australia or another country? Is there any info about the legal issues involved with it?

 

[Flatlander]

I'm surprised it took so long. I can't believe so many people gamble online anyway, what a joke. Does anyone really think that the games aren't fixed? Give me a break, what a racket.

 

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[PJS]

I can't even get on 2+2. The servers crashed.

My planned future essentially just evaporated. At a loss for words..

Mind you, Ipoker, Party, etc will go on as usual, but the games will probably get insanely tough.

This better be resolved.

Were you able to get your br off?

No, and really doubt I could have, don't think any withdrawals by US citizens today will be processed anyways. Feds froze all the sites assets on top of the fact banks will be told to reject payments from any of their payment processors. I am pretty confident I will get the money eventually (waited a while with Netteller back in the day), just worried UB/AP will run but only have around $2.5k on there.

I was hoping the Reid bill would pass, everyone complained about the 6 month blackout period (how does that look now?) but it would have given me a much needed break from Poker and also time to set up other sources of income/travel more. Could of probably come back to much softer games in 6 months also.

I'm sure they will get tougher with many Americans heading across borders, but don't think everyone will do it. I think in short term many will head to Vegas and you can expect live games to get extremely tough.

Was planning to move to NYC this month and am pretty sure I'm canceling that plan with no income stream. I have quite a bit saved up, and could support myself with no income for a while but don't want to burn through my savings in half the time living in NYC.

Its a little too late but wish I networked better and took up opportunities to meet other players years ago when I had the chance. Would of gotten better, made more money, and had some business opportunities available to me. I envy a lot of people I know who are pretty much set for life who I could of been around to learn from even though I know its unhealthy. I originally posted on this forum a few months back, and while I have read a few things here or there was really just too lazy to walk away from poker and start over. So now I have nothing but time and will be looking for ways to create a fast lane business.

 

[Bozigian]

I'm surprised it took so long. I can't believe so many people gamble online anyway, what a joke. Does anyone really think that the games aren't fixed? Give me a break, what a racket.

Well I made a couple of money from online poker. But it was unhealthy because I became addicted and it was the only thing on my mind.

Plus I heard some of the admins that played could see the other players cards. Infact, I probably played against 5 of what I can presume "online cheating poker players"

Pokerstars was always better for me then full tilt



So what does this mean for professional online poker players?

 

[Flatlander]

So what does this mean for professional online poker players?

Would you like fries with that?

 

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[Stu_Hefner]

Better question is what does it mean for US pro poker players?

You are definitely right, bozigian sometimes i question the fairness of online poker. I have got my AA cracked so many times.

Just yesterday I had a showdown with AA, KK calling my all in raise, and an early position flat bettor, called also with J9o and flops out a straight. Just before the bubble of the tournament. We were nowhere near shortstacked either.

Maybe time to persue my poker live more, although it is always more of a hobby, i prefer a fastlane business and poker as a past time. A poker business would be good

 

[Flatlander]

Although I couldn't care less about this, I think the fact that they seized the domains without convictions is bullshit. That shouldn't be allowed to happen.

 

[Bozigian]

Would you like fries with that?

Yes please, lol

 

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[DeletedUser394]

Flatlander what is your problem?

The games are not fixed.

Perhaps you should educate yourself about a given topic before making such statements.

 

[DeletedUser394]

You are definitely right, bozigian sometimes i question the fairness of online poker. I have got my AA cracked so many times.

Just yesterday I had a showdown with AA, KK calling my all in raise, and an early position flat bettor, called also with J9o and flops out a straight. Just before the bubble of the tournament. We were nowhere near shortstacked either.

Download PokerStove, go type in those hand situations above, and you'll see that AA/KK are hardly massive favorites against any two cards.

 

[Flatlander]

Flatlander what is your problem?

The games are not fixed.

Perhaps you should educate yourself about a given topic before making such statements.

lol Yeah, okay, they aren't fixed. If you believe that I have a bridge for sale. PM me if interested.

 

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[Bozigian]

From the Wall Street Journal:

In an apparent crackdown on Internet gambling, federal authorities in New York have frozen or seized bank accounts worth $34 million belonging to 27,000 online poker players, according to representatives for the players and account holders.

In an operation that began last week, the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York froze or issued seizure orders for bank accounts in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Arizona held at Wells Fargo, Citibank, Goldwater Bank and Alliance Bank of Arizona.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office had no comment.

The accounts are managed by Allied Systems Inc., and Account Services, which handle cash for popular online poker sites, including Full Tilt Poker, Poker Stars, Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker. Though the money belongs to the poker players, it is held for them in accounts managed by the two service companies.

Account Services, which had an account worth $15 million frozen in its San Francisco bank, doesn't accept deposits, but writes checks to players who are cashing out, said lawyer for the company, Jeff Ifrah. As a result, thousands of players receiving checks from the company won't be able to cash them, he said.

The seizures come as a debate over Internet gambling heats up in Washington. Last month, U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D., Mass.) introduced a bill that would legalize and regulate Internet gambling.

Federal authorities say online gambling is illegal, but Internet-gambling advocates say it is a gray legal area. In 2006, Congress passed a law making it illegal for banks to processing payments for unlawful Internet gambling. Critics say the law is unclear.

Poker players don't consider poker a game of chance, but a game of skill, and argue that poker shouldn't be lumped in with sports betting, for example.

The government has prosecuted Internet gambling in the past, including sites that allow users to bet on sports and play poker. The massive seizure by the U.S. attorney is the first time federal authorities have targeted online poker accounts, according the Poker Players Alliance, a Washington-based lobbying group for online poker players.

The Alliance said there are 10 million Americans who play online poker for money, and estimated the market at $6 billion.

The Alliance "is disappointed that this unprecedented action has been commenced against law abiding poker players," said former U.S. Senator and Alliance Chairman Alfonse D'Amato in a written statement.

 

[Bozigian]

What next?

Internet Marketers?
Affiliate Marketing?

Casinos?

 

[DeletedUser394]

lol Yeah, okay, they aren't fixed. If you believe that I have a bridge for sale. PM me if interested.

I seem to make consistent money over a decent sample size. Hmm, I wonder how that happens. Must be fixed.

 

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[Flatlander]

I seem to make consistent money over a decent sample size. Hmm, I wonder how that happens. Must be fixed.

A certain amount of people will always win. They only have to jack the odds a percent here and a percent there. It is definitely fixed.

 

[Bozigian]

Hm.......

Should we all get together and play poker sometime?

 

[Flatlander]

Hm.......

Should we all get together and play poker sometime?

I don't gamble, especially not online.

 

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[DeletedUser394]

A certain amount of people will always win. They only have to jack the odds a percent here and a percent there. It is definitely fixed.

You obviously have no understanding of how this works.

One of the most respected members of this forum (snowbank) was a professional online player for many years, who now runs a strategy website, among many other extremely successful ventures.

Are you jealous of others' success, or just extremely ignorant? Probably both.

 

[Flatlander]

You obviously have no understanding of how this works.

One of the most respected members of this forum (snowbank) was a professional online player for many years, who now runs a strategy website, among many other extremely successful ventures.

Are you jealous of others' success, or just extremely ignorant? Probably both.

Think whatever you want. Online gambling is rigged. You are fooling yourself.

 

[Bozigian]

Are you jealous of others' success, or just extremely ignorant? Probably both.

There there Ryan others shouldnt be calling people jealous or ignorant.


But I would like to see Snowbanks website.

 

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[Bozigian]

Think whatever you want. Online gambling is rigged. You are fooling yourself.

I personally dont believe it is rigged but I have had some instances in which I never won a damn hand.

I heard of poker programs and bots and have heard of admins; playing at a table and seeing the other players cards.

 

[djs13]

So is it possible to run an online poker site from Australia or another country? Is there any info about the legal issues involved with it?

That's the first thing that I thought of. I heard one of the big issues surrounding this was the fact that the players who were making serious money weren't paying taxes since they had no proof of income. My friend has $24k frozen in a pokerstars account right now.

I don't know much about online poker, but all of those sites were hosted off shore. I don't know what's legally involved, but what an opportunity it would be to start an online poker site if it were legally done. There's virtually no competition right now.