Carbon Poker, is a part of the Merge Gaming Network, where they blocked all U.S players shortly after black friday,
but as of today they are back on the global poker market and, U.S players are once again welcome to sign-up.
This means that they're now also a network that we would like to add to the Accessible Poker project
and, we hope that they'll be willing to work with us in the future.
Note: ChipSplit brands do not accept players from the following countries and states: Australia, France, New York, Kentucky, Washington DC, Maryland, Washington, Missouri and Louisiana.
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
A black friday for poker and, grey days yet to come
As I'm sure everyone has heard by now, the founders of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker were indicted on charges based on the Illegal Gambling Business Act of 1955 and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 this past friday. The charges include: bank fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling.
There were also restraining orders issued against over 75 bank accounts used by the online poker companies and their payment processors, as well as five Internet domain names.
During the course of the investigation, apparently using information gained from making a deal with Daniel Tzvetkoff, the former head of a payment processing company named Intabill that processed transactions for the online poker companies, the Department of justice gained evidence that it believes would prove that the poker sites conspired to defraud U.S. financial institutions by disguising transactions used for Internet gambling as something else to circumvent the UIGEA.
Because U.S. banks and credit card issuers were largely
unwilling to process payments for internet poker after the enforcement of UIGEA in June 2010, the DOJ believes that the Poker Companies used fraudulent methods to trick them into processing payments on their behalf.
For example, defendants ISAI SCHEINBERG and PAUL TATE of
PokerStars, RAYMOND BITAR and NELSON BURTNICK of Full Tilt Poker,
and SCOTT TOM and BRENT BECKLEY of Absolute Poker are accused of arranging for the money received from U.S. gamblers to be disguised as payments
to hundreds of non-existent online merchants.
According to the indictment, the Poker Companies also worked with an array of highly compensated "payment processors" including defendants RYAN LANG, IRA RUBIN, BRADLEY FRANZEN, and CHAD ELIE, who supposably obtained accounts at U. S. banks on the Poker Companies behalf and, then lied to banks about the nature of the financial transactions they were processing, as well as covered up those lies by,
among other things, creating phony corporations and websites.
after U.S. banks and financial
institutions detected and shut down multiple fraudulent bank
accounts used by the Poker Companies, SCHEINBERG and BITAR changed strategies. Instead of lying to the banks, PokerStars, FullTilt Poker, and their payment processors persuaded the principals of a few small, local banks
facing financial difficulties to process the payments in return for multi-million dollar investments in the banks.
Of the billions of
dollars in payment transactions that the Poker Companies tricked U.S. banks into processing, approximately one-third or more of
the funds went directly to the Poker Companies as revenue through
the "rake" charged to players at the poker tables.
The crimes carry heavy sentences, with bank fraud being the most serious one with a possible penalty of up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $1 million. I don't agree with what the poker companies have done. There should have been a way to do this without Breaking the law , but on the other hand There's no victim here. The poker sites have not stolen anything from anyone. If crimes have been committed, it was done with the good intentions of running legitimate business through unreasonable government interference.
The UIGEA is in my eyes totally rediculous. Poker is not a crime and, should not be treated as such. The poker companies do earn revenue in form of rake, but so do the land based casinos and, nobody's trying to ban them. How can you allow one and not the other? Besides, the U.S. government sanctions activities such as the lottery and stock market, which are much bigger gambles than poker, as they don't require the skill that poker does. Now don't think for one second that I'd imply that the UIGEA came in to play because it's easier for the government to get their cut of the revenue in form of taxes from the land based casinos.. Ahem....
The indictment is not only hurting the poker companies. It is also having a terible impact on all the players who are having trouble to withdraw their funds. Not to mention that U.S. Players will no longer be able to play on neither FullTilt nor PokerStars. There are still other companies where U.S. players are allowed, Such as
But Hundrads of thousands of players have already lost their only source of income. Others will only lose their recreational outlet, but that is taking away from a persons freedom as well.
One's gotta put blame where blame is do and, there's no doubt that the poker sites has a responsibility here, by making it possible for the government to shut down their U.S. activity, but this proves more than anything that the U.S. government needs to take action, not by hunting down the owners of the poker companies, but by regulating, regulating, regulating online poker!
It is the only way to protect the players and, that is after all the purpose of the UIGEA, right? Not to mention that there's no doubt that the U.S. economy would benefit immensely from these extra earnings. It has been on the verge of collapse for quite a while now...
Now is the Time for the Poker Community to Stand Strong and take action for Our Rights
There were also restraining orders issued against over 75 bank accounts used by the online poker companies and their payment processors, as well as five Internet domain names.
During the course of the investigation, apparently using information gained from making a deal with Daniel Tzvetkoff, the former head of a payment processing company named Intabill that processed transactions for the online poker companies, the Department of justice gained evidence that it believes would prove that the poker sites conspired to defraud U.S. financial institutions by disguising transactions used for Internet gambling as something else to circumvent the UIGEA.
Because U.S. banks and credit card issuers were largely
unwilling to process payments for internet poker after the enforcement of UIGEA in June 2010, the DOJ believes that the Poker Companies used fraudulent methods to trick them into processing payments on their behalf.
For example, defendants ISAI SCHEINBERG and PAUL TATE of
PokerStars, RAYMOND BITAR and NELSON BURTNICK of Full Tilt Poker,
and SCOTT TOM and BRENT BECKLEY of Absolute Poker are accused of arranging for the money received from U.S. gamblers to be disguised as payments
to hundreds of non-existent online merchants.
According to the indictment, the Poker Companies also worked with an array of highly compensated "payment processors" including defendants RYAN LANG, IRA RUBIN, BRADLEY FRANZEN, and CHAD ELIE, who supposably obtained accounts at U. S. banks on the Poker Companies behalf and, then lied to banks about the nature of the financial transactions they were processing, as well as covered up those lies by,
among other things, creating phony corporations and websites.
after U.S. banks and financial
institutions detected and shut down multiple fraudulent bank
accounts used by the Poker Companies, SCHEINBERG and BITAR changed strategies. Instead of lying to the banks, PokerStars, FullTilt Poker, and their payment processors persuaded the principals of a few small, local banks
facing financial difficulties to process the payments in return for multi-million dollar investments in the banks.
Of the billions of
dollars in payment transactions that the Poker Companies tricked U.S. banks into processing, approximately one-third or more of
the funds went directly to the Poker Companies as revenue through
the "rake" charged to players at the poker tables.
The crimes carry heavy sentences, with bank fraud being the most serious one with a possible penalty of up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $1 million. I don't agree with what the poker companies have done. There should have been a way to do this without Breaking the law , but on the other hand There's no victim here. The poker sites have not stolen anything from anyone. If crimes have been committed, it was done with the good intentions of running legitimate business through unreasonable government interference.
The UIGEA is in my eyes totally rediculous. Poker is not a crime and, should not be treated as such. The poker companies do earn revenue in form of rake, but so do the land based casinos and, nobody's trying to ban them. How can you allow one and not the other? Besides, the U.S. government sanctions activities such as the lottery and stock market, which are much bigger gambles than poker, as they don't require the skill that poker does. Now don't think for one second that I'd imply that the UIGEA came in to play because it's easier for the government to get their cut of the revenue in form of taxes from the land based casinos.. Ahem....
The indictment is not only hurting the poker companies. It is also having a terible impact on all the players who are having trouble to withdraw their funds. Not to mention that U.S. Players will no longer be able to play on neither FullTilt nor PokerStars. There are still other companies where U.S. players are allowed, Such as
But Hundrads of thousands of players have already lost their only source of income. Others will only lose their recreational outlet, but that is taking away from a persons freedom as well.
One's gotta put blame where blame is do and, there's no doubt that the poker sites has a responsibility here, by making it possible for the government to shut down their U.S. activity, but this proves more than anything that the U.S. government needs to take action, not by hunting down the owners of the poker companies, but by regulating, regulating, regulating online poker!
It is the only way to protect the players and, that is after all the purpose of the UIGEA, right? Not to mention that there's no doubt that the U.S. economy would benefit immensely from these extra earnings. It has been on the verge of collapse for quite a while now...
Now is the Time for the Poker Community to Stand Strong and take action for Our Rights
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Democrats Lost Control of The House; what happens to the prospect of poker legislation?
On Tuesday, voters in the United States went to the polls for midterm elections. The entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate were up
for grabs and, when the polls closed, it became evident that the Democrats would be losing control of the House.
According to Yahoo News, Republicans will have at least 240 seats in the House come January. What affects will this have for the prospect of poker legislation?
the Financial Services Committee has been largely responsible for bringing pro-internet gambling bills to life including Frank’s HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. The measure was marked up in the Committee in July, but has not yet been addressed on the House floor.
internet gambling champion Barney Frank (D-MA) was reelected by a 54% vote. However, Frank will likely lose his post as Chairman of the Financial Services Committee, now that the Democrats have lost control of The House. According to John Pappas, PPA Executive Director, the PPA has done a
good job of recruiting others on that committee however, so there's still hope. It’s unclear who its new Chairman will be, but it looks like it will be Spencer Bachus, and Even he and his staff would contend that there needs to be review of how the government addresses internet
gaming. Not even Bachus can say with a straight face that the
UIGEA has been a successful piece of legislation.
Find out why
Whether internet gambling and online poker will be addressed before 2010 is through
remains to be seen. Bachus ran unopposed in Alabama and currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee. Now, Bachus and other sitting lawmakers
will likely return to Capitol Hill for a so-called “lame duck” session. The Executive Director of Poker Player Alliance, has said that the best opportunity to get something done in 2010 would be during the lame duck session, and they're still moving in that direction.
New blood in Congress is good for the chances of poker legislation. The PPA has had success before, when they've had the chance to educate members who recently have come into Congress, and january 2011 should be no different. the PPA will be able to get players and members in their districts out in front of them. Whether Republican or Democrat, when you spell out the issue and it’s backed up by calls, it becomes important.
Read more here
PayPal Donations Button widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)
for grabs and, when the polls closed, it became evident that the Democrats would be losing control of the House.
According to Yahoo News, Republicans will have at least 240 seats in the House come January. What affects will this have for the prospect of poker legislation?
the Financial Services Committee has been largely responsible for bringing pro-internet gambling bills to life including Frank’s HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. The measure was marked up in the Committee in July, but has not yet been addressed on the House floor.
internet gambling champion Barney Frank (D-MA) was reelected by a 54% vote. However, Frank will likely lose his post as Chairman of the Financial Services Committee, now that the Democrats have lost control of The House. According to John Pappas, PPA Executive Director, the PPA has done a
good job of recruiting others on that committee however, so there's still hope. It’s unclear who its new Chairman will be, but it looks like it will be Spencer Bachus, and Even he and his staff would contend that there needs to be review of how the government addresses internet
gaming. Not even Bachus can say with a straight face that the
UIGEA has been a successful piece of legislation.
Find out why
Whether internet gambling and online poker will be addressed before 2010 is through
remains to be seen. Bachus ran unopposed in Alabama and currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee. Now, Bachus and other sitting lawmakers
will likely return to Capitol Hill for a so-called “lame duck” session. The Executive Director of Poker Player Alliance, has said that the best opportunity to get something done in 2010 would be during the lame duck session, and they're still moving in that direction.
New blood in Congress is good for the chances of poker legislation. The PPA has had success before, when they've had the chance to educate members who recently have come into Congress, and january 2011 should be no different. the PPA will be able to get players and members in their districts out in front of them. Whether Republican or Democrat, when you spell out the issue and it’s backed up by calls, it becomes important.
Read more here
PayPal Donations Button widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Commerce Casino sells all poker player's rights down the river
Commerce Casino, Established in 1983, is a cardroom located in the Los Angeles suburb of Commerce. With over 240 tables on site, Commerce Casino is the largest cardroom in the world.
In addition to the main cardroom, the Commerce Casino complex includes a full service 200 room Crowne Plaza Hotel, which houses dining establishments, a day spa, beauty salon, pool and sundeck, banquet rooms, shops and entertainment. The Commerce is also home to several restaurants and host to live boxing and MMA events.
It is disheartening that one of our own in the poker community is opposing good public policy that will keep players safe and preserve our rights to play poker online. But by testifying before Congress in opposition to HR 2267 -- where Commerce Casino allied itself with those seeking to ban online poker across the nation -- their organization demonstrated complete disregard for every poker player who has ever patronized their establishment.
It is important to note that with the rise of online poker, many individuals hone their skills online before they enter establishments such as the Commerce Casino – increasing traffic to poker rooms nationwide.
HR 2267 will create a U.S. regulated online poker framework, requiring all online poker sites to measure up to strict safety and consumer protection standards – requirements that do not exist today. More importantly, this bill will create an open and competitive market, giving players a choice of many sites on which to play against others from across the country and the world. This bill also includes language allowing states to opt out of this legislation while providing appropriate safeguards to ensure Indian tribes retain their current rights regarding gaming.
,all dedicated poker players, both online and live, both professional and amateur, are extremely disappointed in the position Commerce Casino has taken in opposition to federal legislation to license and regulate online poker. their opposition puts their own narrow corporate interests ahead of the interests of America’s poker players.
Further more It's a rare case of hypocrisy. For while their testimony before the House Financial Services Committee criticized federal legislation and regulation of online poker, Commerce Casino is actively promoting legislation to create a segregated, California-only online poker network. That proposal would create a monopoly that would harm California’s poker players by severely limiting the pool of players against whom they could play as well as the options for sites on which they could play. It could also set the stage for other states to follow suit, possibly resulting in a balkanized online poker world, where players across the nation would be limited in their choices of where and against whom they could play.
In addition to the main cardroom, the Commerce Casino complex includes a full service 200 room Crowne Plaza Hotel, which houses dining establishments, a day spa, beauty salon, pool and sundeck, banquet rooms, shops and entertainment. The Commerce is also home to several restaurants and host to live boxing and MMA events.
It is disheartening that one of our own in the poker community is opposing good public policy that will keep players safe and preserve our rights to play poker online. But by testifying before Congress in opposition to HR 2267 -- where Commerce Casino allied itself with those seeking to ban online poker across the nation -- their organization demonstrated complete disregard for every poker player who has ever patronized their establishment.
It is important to note that with the rise of online poker, many individuals hone their skills online before they enter establishments such as the Commerce Casino – increasing traffic to poker rooms nationwide.
HR 2267 will create a U.S. regulated online poker framework, requiring all online poker sites to measure up to strict safety and consumer protection standards – requirements that do not exist today. More importantly, this bill will create an open and competitive market, giving players a choice of many sites on which to play against others from across the country and the world. This bill also includes language allowing states to opt out of this legislation while providing appropriate safeguards to ensure Indian tribes retain their current rights regarding gaming.
,all dedicated poker players, both online and live, both professional and amateur, are extremely disappointed in the position Commerce Casino has taken in opposition to federal legislation to license and regulate online poker. their opposition puts their own narrow corporate interests ahead of the interests of America’s poker players.
Further more It's a rare case of hypocrisy. For while their testimony before the House Financial Services Committee criticized federal legislation and regulation of online poker, Commerce Casino is actively promoting legislation to create a segregated, California-only online poker network. That proposal would create a monopoly that would harm California’s poker players by severely limiting the pool of players against whom they could play as well as the options for sites on which they could play. It could also set the stage for other states to follow suit, possibly resulting in a balkanized online poker world, where players across the nation would be limited in their choices of where and against whom they could play.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The accessible Poker project
AccessiblePoker offers a solution that makes it possible to bring poker software into line with the need of those whom are visually impaired, so that they can play online poker as equals. We offer advice to network managers, with the intention of making them aware of what can be done to make their software accessible. We develop scripts that enables you as a Jaws user to play, we help you with the installation, and we offer you free email support, and best of all, we do this free of charge. To make things even better, you will also reseive a 100% 1st deposit bonus up to $400, along with one of the best rakeback deals available on the internet today. You can of course sign-up with us whether you're visually impaired or not. There's no reason why you should miss out on the 40 % rakeback deal, just because you don't need our scripts.
It's true! For the first time, since the "Ongame network" updated their software in 2008, which made it inpossible to play there, the "blind community" now has a place to play real money poker online.
All thanks to: Brandon Malin, who wrote numerous emails to what seemed like a never ending list of poker sites, "Minted Poker", where they actually took the time to listen, some dedicated work by Helene Jangenfeldt, with the Jaws scripts, and the "Everleaf gaming network", which as of to day is the only poker network where they've realised that what is necessary for some, is good enough for everybody. No other network has been willing to make changes to their software, in order to make it accessible.
It's really not that difficult. All we need is an option that makes it possible to read all the updates for the game in the chatbox, including wholecards and communitycards, and a text label for the players, that shows their nicknames and their chipcounts.
Most of this is already possible in a lot of poker clients. The probaem is usually that they don't display the wholecards in the chatbox. This is true for the cake network for example, and Fat bet Poker as well.
There were quite a few visually impaired players on the ongame network, but after their attrocious update in 2008, where they changed the labels on the cards from text to graphics, it was no longer possible to play there using a screenreader.
All of us blind poker players tried to email them and beg them to make it possible for us to play using there old version of the poker client, but they refused, and after their update in the summer of 2009, it doesn't even seem to be accessible if your sighted, so I strongly doubt that there's any hope left for the visually impaired.
Microgaming was also accessible for a while, but they did something to the labeling of the players, so that Jaws, the screenreader couldn't red them anymore.
The same goes for FullTilt Poker. Although their last update made it impossible even to sign in using Jaws for windows. The screenreaders are just not able to catch anything on there now. We find this very strange, considering that they have a blind poker player signed as one of their pros..
We've tried to email all of these networks, and a lot of others as well, but until January 2010, all of them either refused point blank, or promised to get back to us. They must be very busy how ever, cause we're still waiting for their reply...
When it became impossible to play at the Ongame network, most people either called it quits, and went back to paying almost $ 8 a month to be able to play with fake chips, or hired a reader to be able to keep playing poker, but The Accessible Poker Team just wouldn't give up.
We kept looking around online for new poker networks, and downloaded tons of different poker software to establish whether there was any kind of potential forJaws scripts. No poker client works without scripts, but if Jaws can't read enough to even make it possible to sign in, it's not even worth contacting the network, since they'd have to make so many changes to the software, they might as well design a totally new one.
We settled for Cake Poker on the Cake network, and Minted Poker, on the Everleaf gaming network, as they both worked very well with jaws. On Cake they already had the community cards in the chatbox , but unfortunately the wholecards weren't displayed there as well and they were not willing to change that.
At Minted Poker however, we finally found someone who was willing to help us.
We couldn't really believe it at first. We figured they would forget about us, as they were just merging with another poker network, but they didn't!
Helene started to write scripts for Jaws, and when they made the accessibility changes in February 2010. We were ready and waiting.
Unfortunately Helene gave the scripts to a friend, to let him try them out, and just 2 days later he and another acquaintance had a blog up where they were giving out our scripts in exchange for players signing up via their affiliate links to XPTPoker, another site on the Everleaf network, so that they could make money off of and, take credit for our work. This is why we can't help you if you didn't receive your copy of the scripts directly from us, as we don't contribute to the support of VTPoker neither technically nor economically.
Still, the important thing is, that finally, Finally! We have a place to play poker again, where we don't have to depend on other people to be available, and, or, in the mood to read the cards...
border="0" alt="MintedPoker" />
It's true! For the first time, since the "Ongame network" updated their software in 2008, which made it inpossible to play there, the "blind community" now has a place to play real money poker online.
All thanks to: Brandon Malin, who wrote numerous emails to what seemed like a never ending list of poker sites, "Minted Poker", where they actually took the time to listen, some dedicated work by Helene Jangenfeldt, with the Jaws scripts, and the "Everleaf gaming network", which as of to day is the only poker network where they've realised that what is necessary for some, is good enough for everybody. No other network has been willing to make changes to their software, in order to make it accessible.
It's really not that difficult. All we need is an option that makes it possible to read all the updates for the game in the chatbox, including wholecards and communitycards, and a text label for the players, that shows their nicknames and their chipcounts.
Most of this is already possible in a lot of poker clients. The probaem is usually that they don't display the wholecards in the chatbox. This is true for the cake network for example, and Fat bet Poker as well.
There were quite a few visually impaired players on the ongame network, but after their attrocious update in 2008, where they changed the labels on the cards from text to graphics, it was no longer possible to play there using a screenreader.
All of us blind poker players tried to email them and beg them to make it possible for us to play using there old version of the poker client, but they refused, and after their update in the summer of 2009, it doesn't even seem to be accessible if your sighted, so I strongly doubt that there's any hope left for the visually impaired.
Microgaming was also accessible for a while, but they did something to the labeling of the players, so that Jaws, the screenreader couldn't red them anymore.
The same goes for FullTilt Poker. Although their last update made it impossible even to sign in using Jaws for windows. The screenreaders are just not able to catch anything on there now. We find this very strange, considering that they have a blind poker player signed as one of their pros..
We've tried to email all of these networks, and a lot of others as well, but until January 2010, all of them either refused point blank, or promised to get back to us. They must be very busy how ever, cause we're still waiting for their reply...
When it became impossible to play at the Ongame network, most people either called it quits, and went back to paying almost $ 8 a month to be able to play with fake chips, or hired a reader to be able to keep playing poker, but The Accessible Poker Team just wouldn't give up.
We kept looking around online for new poker networks, and downloaded tons of different poker software to establish whether there was any kind of potential forJaws scripts. No poker client works without scripts, but if Jaws can't read enough to even make it possible to sign in, it's not even worth contacting the network, since they'd have to make so many changes to the software, they might as well design a totally new one.
We settled for Cake Poker on the Cake network, and Minted Poker, on the Everleaf gaming network, as they both worked very well with jaws. On Cake they already had the community cards in the chatbox , but unfortunately the wholecards weren't displayed there as well and they were not willing to change that.
At Minted Poker however, we finally found someone who was willing to help us.
We couldn't really believe it at first. We figured they would forget about us, as they were just merging with another poker network, but they didn't!
Helene started to write scripts for Jaws, and when they made the accessibility changes in February 2010. We were ready and waiting.
Unfortunately Helene gave the scripts to a friend, to let him try them out, and just 2 days later he and another acquaintance had a blog up where they were giving out our scripts in exchange for players signing up via their affiliate links to XPTPoker, another site on the Everleaf network, so that they could make money off of and, take credit for our work. This is why we can't help you if you didn't receive your copy of the scripts directly from us, as we don't contribute to the support of VTPoker neither technically nor economically.
Still, the important thing is, that finally, Finally! We have a place to play poker again, where we don't have to depend on other people to be available, and, or, in the mood to read the cards...
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