Bitcoin Casino News

More Poker Operators Warming Up to NFTs

Posted on August 4, 2022August 3, 2022 by Kelley N.

For quite some time, non-fungible tokens have been consistently featured in news reports from various countries throughout the globe. Even if the hype has subsided quite a bit, there is no denying the enormous potential that this technology has. Having said that, it is not unexpected that casino operators, particularly those in the poker sector, are still exploring methods to incorporate it.

PokerAces: The NFT and AI-based Poker Brand

A new NFT-based AI poker brand has been under development by a group of ex-executives from Full Tilt and PokerStars. According to i3soft, the firm that is creating the software, the goal of the project, which has been given the name PokerAces, is to make playing online poker more “exciting” by using new technologies and gameplays.

Every PokerAces event enables participants to avoid the traditional grind of tournament play and find out “whether they’re in the money” instantly. The first stage of the gaming experience in PokerAces makes use of AI to play down to the money much quicker than in traditional tournaments. With the inclusion of NFTs, the project is able to address the problem of RTAs degrading the gaming experience.

In addition, there are plans to add wearable alternatives to the NFTs in the near future. These choices will include things like sunglasses, headphones, hats, and more. Players will be awarded i3X tokens for their participation in tournaments, and they may use these tokens to buy customizations for their NFT accounts or earn them via tournament play.

PokerLook’s Innovative Model

Another online gambling provider that is making progress in incorporating non-traditional features like NFTs into its operations is PokerLook. It has devised a method through which its members may profit financially from their participation in the game. The only thing they need to do is create and stake their own non-fungible tokens.

The NFTs determine a player’s passive income, and the greater they are, the more money they may save. Users also have the option of earning more virtual currency by lending out their NFTs to other gamers.

PokerLook aims to reinvigorate people’s interest in the crypto industry by providing an experience that is both challenging and entertaining. While working toward being the greatest player they can be, players may improve their skills by looking over their statistics, racking up accomplishments, and competing in weekly tournaments.

Poker Operators Tightening Integrity Controls

Posted on July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 by Kelley N.

Online poker is more popular than ever. As the game continues to gain more popularity, operators are hard at work trying to find new and interesting ways of ensuring that their customers get the best experiences. One of the areas that they have been improving on is integrity controls. This not only ensures fairness but also makes the platforms more trustworthy.

GGPoker Introduces Poker Integrity Council

The Poker Integrity Council was established by GGPoker as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to defend the integrity of the game via a variety of internal and external investigations. It will be up to the council, which will comprise Jason Koon and Andrew Lichtenberger, Fedor Holz, Seth Davies, and Nick Petrangelo, to examine complaints of cheating and carry out impartial evaluations. They will also be tasked with implementing punishments for suspicious behavior detected at GGPoker tables.

To determine if disciplinary action should be taken in every given matter presented before the council, members will vote. This will, of course, come after investigations into signs of suspicious behavior and analyzing relevant hand histories. Only then will they provide a verdict.

In each matter that is presented before the council, the steps of the procedure will include identifying suspicious behavior, evaluating relevant hand records, and ruling, which will include council members voting on whether disciplinary action is warranted.

If disciplinary action is required, the player may get a warning regarding their conduct. In some cases, GGPoker will temporarily suspend or permanently ban their account, or a player could receive a permanent ban in addition to having their funds confiscated.

PokerStars Implements Ban on Cheaters

In light of the multiple claims of cheating that have been floating around the poker world, PokerStars has decided to take a bold step in protecting the integrity of the game. Players who have been banned for cheating on PokerStars, the biggest online poker site in the world, will also be prohibited from playing in live tournaments that PokerStars organizes in the future.

When deciding whether or not to ban a player from live tournaments, PokerStars follows a “no questions asked” approach. For whatever reason, any player who is evicted from a PokerStars online tournament will not be allowed to participate in any of the company’s live tournaments.

Numerous allegations have been leveled against well-known live and online poker players in the last several months. In light of PokerStars’ new policy, other poker sites may follow suit and take similar measures against players that commit cheating acts such as using prohibited tools, ghosting, and collusion.

Michigan Board Greenlights Online Poker Shared Liquidity

Posted on June 4, 2022June 1, 2022 by Kelley N.

The state of Michigan has just become a party to a multijurisdictional poker agreement. This paves the way for residents of the state who play poker online to compete against players from other states. Poker fans in the state will compete against players in Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey.

One of Michigan’s top gaming regulators, Henry Williams, was on hand to sign the document granting his state permission to take part in the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement. The announcement of the state’s participation was initially made public a month ago, but it had to be completed before Michigan could join.

All of this started back in December 2020, when the Michigan Legislature approved a measure that would enable the MGCB to become a member of a multijurisdictional poker compact. Sen. Curtis Hertel, a Democrat who represents East Lansing, was the primary sponsor of bill PA 327, and on December 29, 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer gave her signature on the legislation.

“I am happy to announce Michigan has joined the multistate poker compact, and much of the increased tax revenue from multistate poker will go to support K-12 education in Michigan. By joining, Michigan will almost double the potential pool of participants in multistate poker games.”

Michigan Gaming Control Board Executive Director Henry Williams

The initial online gambling law (PA 152) that went into force in December 2019 lacked wording that would have enabled players to participate in several jurisdictions. Now, just one game has been exempted from the restriction, and that is poker.

New Requirements for Operators

The Michigan Gaming Control Board notes that licensed operators and related platform providers must fulfill several processes to obtain MGCB clearance to start multistate poker. Guidance on participation criteria for interested parties was published by the organization in April.

The multijurisdictional agreement stipulates that the operators must fulfill all criteria and regulations before starting multistate poker operations, including the need that only states included in the agreement participate. Additionally, they must get clearance for new platforms or platform updates, new remote gaming systems, and new game software.

Multistate poker providers must also seek internet gaming supplier licenses for any new suppliers utilized in conjunction with the poker game, as well as the MGCB registration for any new vendors. The Gaming Control Board may also issue occupational licenses to new multistate poker operators and platform providers.

At the moment, there are three licensed operators and providers that offer online poker in the state of Michigan. These include the MGM Grand Detroit with its partner site BetMGM, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians with its partner site World Series of Poker, and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians with its partner site PokerStars.

GGPoker Unveils New Ask Fedor Feature

Posted on May 4, 2022May 2, 2022 by Kelley N.

Want to get better at your poker game? How about getting a chance to learn from a poker pro? That is exactly what GGPoker is offering with its new, powerful, and innovative Ask Fedor feature. This is essentially a unique tailor-made deep learning system that was built in consultation with Fedor Holz, one of the best poker players alive.

The German poker pro has built up quite a reputation in the poker sector. Over the course of his career, he has earned over $32.5 million in live poker events and millions more from online poker gaming. That said, it is very exciting to get the opportunity to pick his brain.

How It Works

Ask Fedor is powered by Prometheus AI which not only analyzes your hand history but also gives detailed feedback on how you play a specific hand. To begin, you will be given feedback in the form of a one- to five-star rating. Five stars indicate that you played the hand in the same way or manner as Ask Fedor would.

“The perfect poker player doesn’t exist, and every one of us is curious about the best way to play a hand. This is why we have created Ask Fedor. Your hand is analyzed in real-time and the advice provided will help bring your game to the next level. It helps bridge the gap between casual players and professionals…”

Fedor Holz, GGPoker Ambassador

After the rating is then, the players then get recommendations on how to play the hand differently. In the long term, making the changes suggested by Ask Fedor should yield better outcomes for all the players that choose to participate.

The Ask Fedor feature currently only works in No-Limit Hold’em cash games and tournaments. However, there are plans in the works to introduce more varieties, so stay tuned.

Is It Free?

Well, it is possible to try out the feature without paying anything extra. Every player at GGPoker has been awarded five free asks. They may use these the next time they log into their account. You may choose from three membership tiers if you want additional requests to assist you in your game.

To make it more enticing, if you sign up for any of the subscription packages, GGPoker will give you a 50% discount on your first month. It is worth noting that VIP games can only be analyzed with the Ask Fedor Premium package. Cash games with stakes of $25/$50 or above, as well as tournaments with buy-ins of $5,000 or more, are classified as VIP games.

Online Poker Finally Arrives in Ontario

Posted on April 4, 2022April 3, 2022 by Kelley N.

Ontario’s online gambling market is finally a reality and this represents a lot of renewed optimism about Canada’s gambling sector. Being the very first jurisdiction in the country to take bets within the context of a legal and private online gaming market, it sets the pace for what we can expect in the future.

Going forward, residents of Ontario will be able to wager on casino games as well as sporting events. Other forms of gambling products and services will also be offered online on both mobile apps and web-based platforms. These will, of course, have to be from licensed and regulated operators.

So far, iGaming Ontario has registered an impressive 25 operators. More are expected to be added in the long run but this is certainly a great start. Thankfully, there is a decent number of online poker options. Poker enthusiasts in the jurisdiction now have another amazing option when it comes to enjoying their favorite online poker titles.

Offshore Operations

Now, even though online gaming is now available in Ontario, some of the online poker options will still be offered from offshore sites. Players will not need to worry about the lack of localized content though as the poker operators are taking the new market very seriously.

PokerStars, for instance, will strive to ensure that its customers in Ontario have access to the global poker market as well as its massive player pool. 888poker and GGPoker who are always big brands in the online poker sector also have their sights set on the newly-launched market. There is talk of even more operators coming in.

Two-Tiered System

The launch of online gambling today (Monday, April 4, 2022) came with the creation of a de-factor two-tiered system. As it stands, there are no long-term plans for the system but it is expected to have some far-reaching impacts, especially on poker players.

Commissioned by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the two-tiered system is intended to help with avoiding a blackout period. This means that licensed online poker operators will be operating alongside rivals that have just started the licensing process.

On the bright side, this could help eliminate the possibility of black market operators stepping in where the players have no viable options. The main disadvantage of this is that it might lead to the market having some arguably inferior products and services. Still, this is all work in progress and we will have to wait and see how it all pans out over the coming months.

Poker Problems Amid Sanctions on Russian Banks

Posted on March 4, 2022March 2, 2022 by Kelley N.

With the war on Ukraine, a lot of things have certainly been affected. Global tension aside, there have been lots of casualties. At the same time, many aspects of both Ukraine’s and Russia’s operations have taken a hit.

In the case of Russia, the country’s banking systems have since taken a nosedive primarily because of interventions from other countries. Most notably, the United Kingdom, European Union and the United States agreed to remove Russia’s banks from SWIFT, the global international payment system.

As a result of these sanctions, the assets of the Russian central bank were essentially frozen. The stock exchange was forced to close something that ended up spurring a surge in ATM withdrawals across the country. Consequently, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, moved to ban international bank transfers.

The Impact on Poker

Poker is probably the last thing on many people’s minds but it would not be surprising to find that people are using the games to cope with all that’s going on. For people who may fall into this category, there is another complication. As it stands, the only options they have available to them when it comes to making deposits and withdrawals are offshore payment services. To that effect, even some of the most popular online poker operators have had to make some changes.

PokerStars, for instance, transferred its Russian players from its EU network in November 2021. This is not directly linked to the ongoing situation. The state of poker in the country was already a bit shaky in the country. Similarly, partypoker chose to let go of its operations in the Russian market. That was after trying and failing to run its online operations from Sochi like PokerStars.

The Alternatives

All in all, it seems like Russian players will not even have access to unlicensed offshore online poker sites. Aside from international payment options some of which are also likely to stop working in Russia, the remaining option is digital currencies like Bitcoin.

In addition to using crypto to play online, Russian players can also use crypto to contribute to relief efforts in Ukraine. Members of the poker and gambling community at large are already doing this thanks to the decentralization of crypto. We can therefore all chip in one way or the other.

Even though poker is definitely not even close to a priority considering what is happening right now, the impact on the sector is proof of the far-reaching effects of the attacks on Ukraine.

partypoker Partners with Theta Labs for NFT Venture

Posted on February 4, 2022February 3, 2022 by Kelley N.

As part of its efforts to keep being a trendsetter in the poker community, popular online poker platform partypoker has recently launched its first-ever non-fungible tokens (NFT). This does not come as much of a surprise. Crypto and the iGaming industry intersected years ago. Given how well that has turned out, it was only a matter of time before the NFT craze caught on in the gambling sector.

For the venture, partypoker has partnered with Theta Labs, a decentralized, blockchain-powered video delivery network. It is best known for providing end-to-end infrastructure for video and NFT and Metaverse platforms.

The project will allow partypoker customers and poker fans the opportunity to own a piece of the gaming platform’s history. Its NFTs will major on a selection of the most iconic moments and tournaments hands from the previous partypoker tournaments.

For the mainstream audience, there will be a range of ‘PokerApes’ NFTs which will essentially be a showcase of 3D artwork with unique partypoker-inspired traits.

Where and How to Get Them

For those interested in the partypoker NFTs, the collection will be available on the platform’s own native marketplace. This is the first of its kind in the online poker scene and thus presents a huge leap forward. It will be the primary place where the sale of partypoker’s NFTs will be happening.

There are also plans for a secondary marketplace that users can take advantage of to trace their digital currencies. Both marketplaces will not only be exciting places for partypoker customers to explore but it could also be a great entry point for NFT enthusiasts.

“Partypoker has established a history across 20 years full of great hands and epic poker moments that have happened during our live and online events. We are happy to give players the opportunity to own their very own piece of poker history in partnership with Theta. I am truly excited for partypoker to join the NFT space.”

Vadim Soloveychik, partypoker Director.

This pioneering NFT launch in the poker space is part of a much larger innovative initiative by Entain, partypoker’s parent company. Its partnership with Theta Labs also extends to other equally exciting projects. These include the upcoming launch of a brand-new innovation hub known as Ennovate in London. The innovation hub is set to invest millions of dollars in several tech projects across the continent. This could potentially extend to other markets in the near future.

Online Poker Wish List for 2022

Posted on January 4, 2022December 30, 2021 by Kelley N.

The past couple of years have been quite challenging, to say the least. This was especially true for the land-based gambling sector which had to deal with the measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Online gambling, on the other hand, did not suffer quite as much as, something that is easily proven by the stellar performance of various iGaming sectors.

Online poker is quite mature now but this does not mean that it has stopped growing. The vertical still benefits from several innovations and technological advancements as operators rush to meet the growing market demand. Crypto and blockchain stand out for being some of the most notable technologies that have been pushing poker forward.

However, they are not the only aspects that we are paying attention to in 2022. Here are some of the things that we are hoping for in the world of poker this year:

Interstate Poker in the United States

Traffic sharing is a pretty big deal in the world of online poker. Not only does it open the doors for soma amazing possibilities for the players but it also creates room for more growth for the poker operators. In the United States, the best way of achieving traffic sharing has been interstate poker.

As it stands, only WSOP (World Series of Poker) can share traffic in the country. Unfortunately, this is limited to Delaware New Jersey and Nevada which happen to be the smallest regulated online poker markets in the United States.

Keeping that in mind, it would be amazing if Michigan and Pennsylvania could also be part of this online poker network. These two have massive poker markets and their inclusion would be a big step for online poker in the country. Moreover, it would even be better if other operators other than WSOP could launch their networks. The top contenders in this regard would be PokerStars, partypoker and BetMGM Poker.

2022 might not be the year all this is achieved but, hopefully, even a single step in the right direction could begin the journey towards the online poker market of our dreams.

An Expanded Poker Market Maybe?

When it comes to legal online poker, we have made tremendous strides towards an expanded regulated market. Even so, only a handful of states have actually come on board. Poker enthusiasts in many other states have had to stick to offshore betting sites or even underground poker sites which come with their own set of cons.

For state authorities, one of the things we hope will be a key consideration will be the introduction of regulated, safe and reliable poker offerings in their states. Some discussions had already begun and we will be following closely to see how far they go.

All in all, 2022 will certainly be quite a year. Nothing is cast in stone and there are lots of possibilities. Happy new year!

Poker Players Betting on CryptoPunk NFTs

Posted on December 4, 2021December 2, 2021 by Kelley N.

Non-fungible tokens, otherwise known as NFTs, have been all the buzz over the past year. One of the reasons why this is the case is how divisive they have proven to be as investment assets. There is a group of people who swear by it and believe that it is the future of both art and gaming. An equally large number of people see it as nothing more than a gimmick and a bubble that will fade away just as quickly as it rose.

Now, objectively speaking, nothing is cast in stone at this point. Still, the amount of interest in the sector is worth paying attention to. Several mainstream sectors are getting involved and one of the most notable ones is the poker industry. Recently, poker pros like Ryan Daut, Jeff Gross, Mike McDonald and Dan Smith have gotten in on NFTs. In total, the players have CryptoPunks NFTs worth about a whopping $400,000 as their Twitter profile pictures. Bill Perkins, another high-stakes poker player, has a World of Women NFT.

A Perfect Match?

Crypto and blockchain have found use cases in the world of online gambling and continue to thrive in the sector. For poker, especially in live dealer games, this has mostly been limited to payments. NFTs seem to be changing that. High-stakes poker professionals have a reputation for being risk-takers which makes NFTs a great fit for them.

The goal is profitability, something that is not always guaranteed. That is often overridden by the idea of the Expected Value (EV). NFTs present a rather unique opportunity for this as seen from their mind-blowing price surges in the past year. As it turns out, this fusion of poker and NFTs is already being explored on other fronts.

Next-Gen Poker

Recently, a new and innovative version of poker that brings together the loved game and NFTs was unveiled. Polker, the game, has been built using Unreal Engine 4 and is expected to usher in the next generation of online poker gaming. It is the first free-to-play and play-to-earn poker game that takes immersion to new heights. Most notably, Polker will be the first game of its kind to integrate NFTs throughout the game structure.

The gambling industry has always been known for its dynamism. Now we are at the tipping point in the way we gamble online and such innovations promise to take the poker experience we know and love to the next level. It will take a bit of time but it will certainly be worth the wait.

Mastercard Strikes Crypto Deal with Bakkt

Posted on November 4, 2021November 3, 2021 by Kelley N.

In a recent announcement, Mastercard which is one of the world’s biggest financial service providers revealed that it has partnered with Bakkt, a popular digital assets platform. Thanks to the arrangement, thousands of Mastercard’s banks and merchants will now have the chance to integrate cryptocurrencies into all their products. Giving Mastercard’s partners the ability to offer crypto solutions is set to significantly boost the already rapidly-expanding crypto ecosystem.

Speaking on the development, Sherri Haymond, executive vice president, Digital Partnerships at Mastercard mentioned that the move aligns with the company’s goals. With Bakkt on board, they intend to apply their innovative approach to ” power our partners to offer a dynamic mix of digital assets options” and “also deliver differentiated and relevant consumer experiences.”

How Will This Work?

Consumers in the United States will have the chance to buy, sell and hold digital assets like cryptocurrencies. Enabling this will be the highly-acclaimed custodial wallets that are the backbone of Bakkt’s fast-rising crypto business. At the outlets where MasterCard is accepted, the users will have their digital assets exchanged for fiat to complete the transactions.

As if that is not enough, Mastercard’s loyalty solutions will also apply to the digital asset payments that its users will make. This applies to both Mastercard credit and debit cards. Rewards from the loyalty programs will even be converted to crypto in some cases. Merchants will no longer have to stick to redeemable loyalty points. Instead, they can just offer rewards to their customers in the form of crypto.

What Could This Mean for Online Gambling?

Online casinos form one of the biggest industries that depend on payment service providers such as Mastercard. Many modern-day online casinos have also started integrating digital currencies on their platforms. This is, of course, a very important step forward for the sector.

To begin with, it means that casinos that had not switched to using digital currencies may now have the chance to be a part of the revolution. It will certainly take some time but we are already off to a great start.

Secondly, this is a great way of increasing mainstream adoption of digital assets. Several great online casinos accept crypto payments. However, lots of people are still holding out. With the backing of yet another huge player in the financial sector, mainstream adoption of crypto just got yet another big boost. It will be like having the best of both worlds, that is, a popular payment service and what is considered to be the future of global finance – crypto.

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