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Full Tilt Poker Nears American Payment Decision, Plans .eu Domain Launch

                Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the American group helping to guide disgruntled Full Tilt Poker players through the reimbursement process that followed 2011's Black Friday legal scandal, has reported some progress in its work with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The good news surrounding Full Tilt Poker continues with word of the company's plan to launch a new .eu domain.
                The PPA recently informed concerned players of the US DOJ's efforts to determine who would administer the payout reimbursement process. Once the American government has decided on who the best administrator may be it can then begin to process claims and end the Black Friday troubles that have seen Full Tilt's members left out in the cold while trying to cash out their bankroll. While Full Tilt players from other nations have been reimbursed following the company's PokerStars buyout, Americans continue to wait for the DOJ to find a way to return their funds. Now, the PPA forecasts an impending DOJ announcement that will help get the process moving.
                The upcoming launch of a new Full Tilt Poker domain may make the site more appealing for Europeans, too. Following in the footsteps of its owner, PokerStars, Full Tilt is working toward establishing a .eu platform that would provide players in nations such as Germany, Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands with tax free winnings. The new .eu site will avoid certain European income tax laws and allow some Full Tilt Poker players to cash out their earnings without having to subtract a portion of their money.

888 Holdings Reveals Strong 2012 Financial Performance Figures

                888 Holdings, the parent company of popular sites like 888.com Poker and 888.com Casino, has recently released financial figures that detail its performance throughout the end of 2012. The online gaming provider has evidently had a fantastic year, its corporate strategies paying off in customer and financial growth.
                The figures show an increase in nearly every area of 888's business during the last months of 2012. The only notable exceptions came from the company's online bingo site (which saw an 11% decline that 888 attributes to "challenging and competitive market conditions", sportsbooking service (with only a 3% decrease) and the number of active casino players. Otherwise, 888 Holdings reported an outstanding level of growth in sectors ranging from the number of active customers at its poker site to overall revenue. The online gaming network's success can be partially attributed to its recent entry to markets like Italy and Spain, its concentration on expanding into mobile gaming (a trend that continues to sweep the industry) and some savvy marketing efforts.
                Brian Mattingley, 888's CEO, called the last quarter of 2012 the end of "an excellent year of performance for 888" and said that the company "achieved record revenues in both the [final] quarter and the year as a whole." Mattingly added that 888's 2013 is off to a strong start, too. January has already seen the network increasing revenue while performing well in areas such as customer acquisition, betting activity and more.

Sky Bingo Reveals New Mobile Gaming App

                The growing importance of mobile play in the online gambling industry means that no company can afford to fall behind in developing on-the-go versions of their sites. The most recent gaming network to recognize this by offering up a mobile app for its customers is Sky Bingo.
                The brand new Sky Bingo application was created in partnership with well-known software developer Playtech and is already available for download for members of the site. Sky and Playtech have launched the online bingo app with a total of eleven rooms and a host of mobile-specific features. The app can be run on any iOS-enabled device and may be logged into using the same account information a Sky Bingo user has already set up for the desktop version of the platform. Alongside the existing bingo rooms the new app also hosts a pair of slot games and chat features that allow for communication with other players whether used from a computer or mobile device.
                Sky Bingo's Products Director, Conor Grant, said that his company considers the new app's translation of "the traditional desktop bingo room" to mobile devices "another step in delivering a great experience to our customers." Shimon Akad, Playtech's Operations Vice President, described the iOS launch as a great addition to his business' mobile bingo offerings and a sign of Playtech's continued ability to "set new standards in this growing space."

Irish Open Mini Main Event Seats Available Through Paddy Power Poker Satellites

                With the 2013 edition of the Irish Open fast approaching poker players interested in attending should be ready to take advantage of any opportunity to make their way to the competition. Luckily, Paddy Power Poker has just announced a way for talented site members to win their way into the Irish Open Mini Main Event.
                Paddy Power's Irish Open Mini Main Event promotion provides players with a series of qualifiers that award entry to the upcoming events. The satellites consist of no-limit hold 'em rebuy/add on games that allow competitors to test their skill against others through a €11 buy-in. These satellites are scheduled to take place at 8 'o clock PM each Tuesday throughout the month of March. Winners will receive a prize package that gives them entry to the Irish Open Mini Main Event, a tournament that takes place over two days at Dublin's Burlington Hotel and requires a €225 fee for those who opt to buy-in directly. The Mini Main Event, one of the Irish Open's 11 side events, sees competitors start out with 10,000 in chips and will maintain a fast pace through a half hour clock.
                A statement from Paddy Power Poker predicted that "the Irish Open Mini Main Event is likely to be one of the most popular tournaments at the festival" due to its "great structure, affordable buy-in" and the fact that it takes place during the holidays. The Irish Open Mini Main Event kicks off on 31st March, 2013. Paddy Power Poker satellites have already begun.

888 Holdings Reveals Strong 2012 Financial Performance Figures

888 Holdings, the parent company of popular sites like 888.com Poker and 888.com Casino, has recently released financial figures that detail its performance throughout the end of 2012. The online gaming provider has evidently had a fantastic year, its corporate strategies paying off in customer and financial growth.

The figures show an increase in nearly every area of 888's business during the last months of 2012. The only notable exceptions came from the company's online bingo site (which saw an 11% decline that 888 attributes to "challenging and competitive market conditions", sportsbooking service (with only a 3% decrease) and the number of active casino players. Otherwise, 888 Holdings reported an outstanding level of growth in sectors ranging from the number of active customers at its poker site to overall revenue. The online gaming network's success can be partially attributed to its recent entry to markets like Italy and Spain, its concentration on expanding into mobile gaming (a trend that continues to sweep the industry) and some savvy marketing efforts.

Brian Mattingley, 888's CEO, called the last quarter of 2012 the end of "an excellent year of performance for 888" and said that the company "achieved record revenues in both the [final] quarter and the year as a whole." Mattingly added that 888's 2013 is off to a strong start, too. January has already seen the network increasing revenue while performing well in areas such as customer acquisition, betting activity and more.

Full Tilt Poker Nears American Payment Decision, Plans .eu Domain Launch

Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the American group helping to guide disgruntled Full Tilt Poker players through the reimbursement process that followed 2011's Black Friday legal scandal, has reported some progress in its work with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The good news surrounding Full Tilt Poker continues with word of the company's plan to launch a new .eu domain.

The PPA recently informed concerned players of the US DOJ's efforts to determine who would administer the payout reimbursement process. Once the American government has decided on who the best administrator may be it can then begin to process claims and end the Black Friday troubles that have seen Full Tilt's members left out in the cold while trying to cash out their bankroll. While Full Tilt players from other nations have been reimbursed following the company's PokerStars buyout, Americans continue to wait for the DOJ to find a way to return their funds. Now, the PPA forecasts an impending DOJ announcement that will help get the process moving.

The upcoming launch of a new Full Tilt Poker domain may make the site more appealing for Europeans, too. Following in the footsteps of its owner, PokerStars, Full Tilt is working toward establishing a .eu platform that would provide players in nations such as Germany, Poland, Sweden and the Netherlands with tax free winnings. The new .eu site will avoid certain European income tax laws and allow some Full Tilt Poker players to cash out their earnings without having to subtract a portion of their money.

bet365 Casino Adds New 3D Slot Games Developed by Sheriff Gaming

bet365 Casino members will now be able to enjoy an even larger catalogue of slot games as the popular online gaming network has begun releasing new 3D titles. These slots come as the result of a recently signed deal between bet365 and online game developer Sheriff Gaming.

The first batch of new titles to be added to bet365 Casino includes seven three dimensional slots (Dr. Magoo, Atlantis, Cars and Cash, Goldraider, French Cuisine, The Amsterdam Master Plan and Magical Forest). Each game has been designed by Sheriff Gaming, bringing the developer's well regarded software to bet365 Casino members. The new arrangement between Sheriff and bet365 has only just begun with the release of the seven new slots mentioned above. The supply deal agreed upon by both entities will see more titles from Sheriff Gaming's extensive catalogue brought to bet365 Casino in the months to come.

Steve Ibberson, Gaming Managing Director for bet365, said that the deal with Sheriff Gaming provided his company with "an excellent addition" to the site's catalogue and a great way to "evolve [bet365 Casino's] portfolio." Sheriff Gaming's spokesman, Eric Roskamp, added that his business is "extremely proud that our games have been recognized by bet365" and "confident that [the company] will be pleased with the reaction from its players." bet365 Casino plans to add further 3D slots in the future as part of its ongoing business relationship with Sheriff Gaming.

Virgin Games' Casino Redesign Goes Live, Introduces Several Changes

As previously reported Virgin Games has been acquired by Gamesys, its ownership transferring from the Virgin corporation to the online gaming provider and software developer. Part of the acquisition deal involved the redesign of Virgin Games' Casino, a move that has now been implemented and made available to site members.

Virgin Casino now features a new aesthetic that takes elements from the old site and updates them to better fit with Gamesys' vision. While the most immediately noticeable changes are cosmetic ones, Virgin's casino platform also features a number of structural adjustments. Virgin fans will likely be most surprised to find the main casino site split off from Virgin's slot offerings. The traditional casino section of Virgin Games has re-launched with a number of favourites (blackjack, video poker, roulette, baccarat and more) while the newly separate slots page includes the return of games like Star Trek: Against All Odds, Monopoly Plus and a few new additions such as Peggle Slots. Aside from these fairly significant changes, Virgin Casino will remain much the same in other areas. Gamesys has already told press that it plans to continue providing regularly scheduled promotions and maintaining the V* Points loyalty system.

Separating slots from the rest of the site most likely hints at the greater emphasis the new Virgin Casino will be putting on slot play, something that could lead to further site alterations in the future. Regardless of how this change shakes out, fans and industry observers alike will definitely be watching how Gamesys positions their newly acquired online gaming network in the weeks and months to come.

PKR.Com Announces Easter Weekend PKR Live VII Tournament Schedule

The latest edition of PKR.com's PKR Live tournament series has finally been announced, the popular online poker network having scheduled the event for this year's Easter Weekend. The seventh PKR Live is set to include plenty of action for both competitors and fans alike.

PKR Live VII will consist of three days of no-limit hold 'em competition. The event will bring hundreds of excited and talented players from across Europe to London, England for a chance at making their name — and, of course, some cash — in the poker world. More than 300 players culled from PKR Italy, PKR France, PKR Sportsbook and PKR.com can buy a seat for PKR Live VII directly (for $500) from PKR's multi-table tournament lobby, but may also earn their entry by competing in upcoming satellites. These qualifiers will provide prize packages (worth $800) that send winners to PKR Live's new home at Westfield Stratford City's Aspers Casino in London in style. PKR describes Aspers Casino, a brand new venue with 500 person capacity located near the 2012 Olympic Village, as "the UK's first 'super casino'" and "a true taste of Las Vegas" within England itself.

PKR.com told press that it believes PKR Live VII "will set the standard for friendly and affordable live poker" through its "outstanding venue, more than 300 expected entrants and six-figure prize pool." PKR Live VII will kick off on Friday, 29th March, 2013.

Bet365 Casino Adds New, Weekly Monday Promotions

bet356's Casino has just launched a new promotion that is set to make Mondays a little more tolerable. With competitors able to vie for up to £100 in deposit bonuses fans of bet365's online casino site may now have reason to actually get excited about the start of the work week.

The recently unveiled promo, "I DO Like Mondays", has been designed as a way to give back to bet365 Casino's most loyal fans. Each week will see certain players provided with 100 percent deposit matching bonuses based on site activity. These bet365 Casino members will be chosen by site administrators who survey active accounts to determine the players who most deserve a reward. Those who have played bet365 Casino's games most over the previous week will be eligible for full matching bonuses of either £25, £50 or £100. Simply put, the more a bet365 member plays the better a chance they have at winning some extra cash to wager at the site.

A press release from bet365 Casino said that the new I DO Like Mondays promotion offers "a great opportunity to enjoy over 150 exciting games" such as slots, video poker, roulette, blackjack, card games and much more. With a weekly opportunity to take home up to £100 in spending money bet365 Casino may be right in adding that "Mondays could quickly become your new favourite day."

PKR.Com Extends into Mobile Marketplace with New iPad App

Never a company to balk at technological innovation, PKR.com has just launched its latest foray into the rapidly expanding mobile gaming market. The new PKR.com iPad application brings the company's critically acclaimed software to a new platform and is looking to provide plenty of on-the-go fun for online poker fans.

iPad owners are now able to enjoy a portable version of the PKR.com experience through a free download available from Apple's App Store. Though this iteration of the online poker experience is missing some of the desktop PKR's features it does come equipped with some of the site's most famous trademarks. These include unique player avatars, emotes, 3D environments, real-money sit and go, ring games and more. PKR has already announced future updates that will help achieve feature parity between the desktop and mobile clients, too. Upcoming revisions will see the PKR iPad app gaining multi-table tournaments and support for other smartphones.

Leon Walters, PKR.com's Chief Operating Officer, told press that he is "pleased to have launched the [iPad] app after several months of hard work by [our] team." Walters went on to say that the app "represents one of the most significant steps forward for PKR.com since our inception in 2006" and that his company now plans to begin creating iPhone and Android versions that will cater to other segments of the mobile marketplace.

Virgin Games Acquired by Gamesys in Recent Deal

Virgin Games, the online gaming network that includes popular sites such as Virgin Casino, Virgin Poker and Virgin Bingo, has been acquired by Gamesys. The purchase was finalized and announced earlier this month, but occurred without much fanfare or significant changes to the Virgin Games network.

Until now Virgin Games was owned by Virgin itself, operating since 2004 as a part of Sir Richard Branson's massively successful corporation. The release of a statement from both Virgin Games and Gamesys (on 7th January, 2013) announced changes to the operation, though, revealing that software developer and online gaming provider Gamesys had acquired the business. The statement offers scant details on the acquisition, but does describe how Gamesys plans to move forward with their new gaming network. The Virgin brand will, apparently, remain associated with the network while Gamesys reconfigures the site's software to better fit with the rest of its social and real-money gaming offerings. The updates in question are likely the real reason for the site overhaul that has recently been announced at Virgin Casino.

All of the changes listed above are set to be implemented by the end of the month of March and the unveiling of the revamped Virgin Casino. Other, more precise details of Gamesys' purchase have yet to be disclosed, meaning that the purchase price involved with acquiring Virgin Games is still unknown. More information should become available in the weeks and months to come.

William Hill Casino Awards Mobile Player wins Enormous Cash Prize

William Hill's mobile casino client has just provided one lucky player with an incredible windfall. The gambler in question, a man from east London, is now the recipient of the largest payout recorded through Will Hill's mobile platform to date.

While playing the iPhone version of William Hill's Leprechaun's Luck game after breakfast the soon-to-be winner, a 28 year old supermarket employee, triggered an enormous £341,259 cash prize after wagering only £12. The fortunate play session was well timed, too, taking place on 9th December — just in time for the 2012 holiday season. The unnamed winner said that the win meant that "all [his] Christmases have come at once" and went on to add that he would be treating his family to a number of unexpected gifts. He also planned to purchase a new BMW and take his family to India on holiday, but returned to his regular job after taking only a handful of days off from normal life.

William Hill's Mobile Director, Juergen Reutter, told press that the Londoners' "monster win is our biggest ever mobile payout and [one of the] largest in the history of mobile gaming." Reutter also spoke to the rise of portable gaming, noting that "more customers are playing our games via mobile devices" and that William Hill predicted seeing "someone winning a million with us in 2013."

Paddy Power Poker Provides Full Year Leaderboard Battle

Frequent online poker players now have the chance to take home part of the $100,000 prize pool just made available by Paddy Power Poker as part of Paddy's Tournament Championship Leaderboard Battle, its latest promotional series.

Paddy's Tournament Championship is tailored toward Paddy Power Poker members who regularly play at sit-and-go competitions and multi-table tournaments. Those who compete in these types of games will be ranked on a weekly basis, their performance from the last seven days determining their leaderboard position. Each of the top thirty players will receive a cash reward with the top one hundred taking home a handful of extra leaderboard points for the month. The highest ranked competitor on the weekly leaderboards will be awarded with $100. Monthly editions of the new leaderboard battles will provide the top player with $500, the best 75 with a share of $2,000 and the highest 150 members with yearly leaderboard points. The ultimate form of Paddy's Tournament Championship, the yearly leaderboard, is set to give out $50,000 in cash, Champion Rewards and more. The most skilled player of the year will also be provided with a 2014 Irish Open prize package valued at $6,000.

The official statement released by Paddy Power Poker said that Paddy's Tournament Championship should appeal to its members as "poker players are a very competitive bunch" who will be eager to compete for $100,000 in total cash prizes. The Leaderboard Battle has already begun and is set to continue for the rest of the year.

New Sign Up Bonuses from Titan Poker's Network Help Kick Off 2013

The new year is already getting off to a good start with Titan Poker's announcement of a brand new line-up of sign up bonuses for its online gaming network. The recently launched promotion is available to players of both the Titan Poker and Titan Bet (online sportsbooking) sites and can be taken advantage of now.

In order to attract new members Titan is offering a healthy first deposit bonus that will provide new registrants with complementary vouchers valued at amounts of $20 or lower. The value of these vouchers ranges depending on whether players sign up to Titan Bet or Titan Poker. Titan Poker members will be given $3 for use at low stakes and/or micro stakes tables and $7 for use in online tournaments while Titan Bet fans will receive $5 that can be used in placing a few initial bets at the virtual sportsbook. As part of the promotion Titan's online poker players will also be provided with tickets to events such as the $10,000 Monthly Bonanza, the $2,500 New Depositors' Freeroll and entry to $20,000 freeroll tournaments. Regardless of whether players sign up to Titan Poker and/or Titan Bet they will also receive extra vouchers that can be used at either site's range of casino side games.

The generous sign up promotion should offer an influx of excited new players to both Titan Poker and the newly revamped Titan Bet. Anyone interested can head to their site of choice now to sign up and get started playing (or betting) with their extra funds.

Sky Vegas Launches Brand New Mobile Casino Service

With the continued prevalence of smartphones, many online gaming networks have been scrambling to develop mobile iterations of their sites that are capable of providing their members with gameplay that can be enjoyed on the go. Sky Vegas, with the launch of their mobile casino application, is the latest to do so.

The Sky Vegas mobile app brings the network's desktop experience to handheld devices, employing HTML-5-based software that allows players to hop into roulette, blackjack, slots and other games without having to sit down at a computer. The mobile client has been developed in order to make on-the-go play as simple as possible and features touch-based navigation, account management and setting adjustment. While Sky has already made a large number of its games available to mobile users it has also reassured players of future additions slated to appear over the coming months.

A statement from Sky Vegas described the mobile app as ideal to "gamers on the move as well as those playing at home." The online casino network went on to forecast 2013 as "another record-breaking year in mobile gaming" that it's now set to take advantage of through its fully featured mobile application. The Sky Vegas mobile app is available now and can be downloaded for free by all members of the Sky network.

PKR.com Covers the World Poker Tour National Dublin Main Event in Style

The World Poker Tour (WPT) National Dublin tournament is quickly approaching and is set to be one of the most exciting events of next winter. In order to properly celebrate the series, online poker network PKR.com has unveiled plans to cover the games with live streaming and expert commentary.

WPT National Dublin will take place early next month, running from 3rd to 6th January at the Irish city's Citywest Hotel. Many players are anticipating the series' €1,320 buy-in main event, the climatic end of a fierce competition that will see some of Europe's top players duking it out for bragging rights and a large cash prize. PKR.com, having successfully live streamed last year's main event, has announced plans to do the same for the 2013 edition. The site plans to bring in professional players like Jesse May to analyze the action as it happens while also hosting "side event" games that allow PKR members to watch tables (starting as low as €60 and maxing out at €2,700) that will bring extra enjoyment to the viewing experience. Lastly, PKR will also be streaming pre-finals events like the €2,700 Buy-in Double Chance High-Roller that will help determine which competitors make it to the main event itself.

PKR.com Pro, Vladimir Geshkenbein, told press that "the mix of PKR qualifiers, locals and top pros" featured at WPT National Dublin should "[create] pure entertainment" and predicted that the coverage will make for a "perfect start to the year."

New Sign Up Bonuses from Titan Poker's Network Help Kick Off 2013

The new year is already getting off to a good start with Titan Poker's announcement of a brand new line-up of sign up bonuses for its online gaming network. The recently launched promotion is available to players of both the Titan Poker and Titan Bet (online sportsbooking) sites and can be taken advantage of now.

In order to attract new members Titan is offering a healthy first deposit bonus that will provide new registrants with complementary vouchers valued at amounts of $20 or lower. The value of these vouchers ranges depending on whether players sign up to Titan Bet or Titan Poker. Titan Poker members will be given $3 for use at low stakes and/or micro stakes tables and $7 for use in online tournaments while Titan Bet fans will receive $5 that can be used in placing a few initial bets at the virtual sportsbook. As part of the promotion Titan's online poker players will also be provided with tickets to events such as the $10,000 Monthly Bonanza, the $2,500 New Depositors' Freeroll and entry to $20,000 freeroll tournaments. Regardless of whether players sign up to Titan Poker and/or Titan Bet they will also receive extra vouchers that can be used at either site's range of casino side games.

The generous sign up promotion should offer an influx of excited new players to both Titan Poker and the newly revamped Titan Bet. Anyone interested can head to their site of choice now to sign up and get started playing (or betting) with their extra funds.

Bodog Poker Announces New Tournament Series for 2013

January is looking to be a busy month for Bodog Poker. The popular online poker network has entered into 2013 with a host of new promotions and business plans, including concentration on catering to Asia's poker market and, probably most interesting, the launch of a freshly created tournament series that ties into this effort.

Anonymous Poker Series, the new tournament venture in question, is set to consist of a combination of online and real world qualifying events. These qualifiers will provide amateur poker players with chances to win their way into lucrative online games as well as European and Asian land-based games leading up to the massive Philippines finale (scheduled to take place in 2014 in Manila). In an innovative move, Bodog's tournament series will also feature anonymous tables that are meant to ward off cheating players. This move has been described as a way to gain the trust of the Asian poker market (where providing a safe playing environment is essential to success).

Jonas Odman, the Bodog Poker Network's Managing Director, told press that his company created Anonymous Poker Series in order to "highlight exactly how and why . . . our poker network is the best and safest place for recreational poker players." Anonymous Poker Series will run throughout 2013 before concluding next January with a $100,000 finale set to take place in Manila, Philippines. Partnering poker operators will be revealed in the weeks to come.