Before Black Friday, options for American online poker players were limited, but most people were perfectly happy with the two giants, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. But since those two poker rooms closed to U.S. players (the latter shutting down completely, at least temporarily), it has become very hard for players stateside to find a reliable place to grab some cards. For those who just play poker as a hobby, it’s frustrating, but not the end of the world. But for full time grinders, those people who play poker to pay the bills, the virtual elimination of online poker in the U.S. is a major problem.
Enter PocketFives.com.
The online poker website, best known for its online poker tournament rankings and busy poker forums, has launched a unique service called Poker Refugees. Poker Refugees is a flat-fee service designed to help poker players relocate to poker-friendly countries so that they can continue earning a living.
Developed by Kristin Wilson, Poker Refugees will start with three countries: Panama, Costa Rica, and Canada. Wilson can relate to those wanting to make the move as she herself is an American living in Costa Rica. She has started three real estate offices in the country and specializes in residential and commercial leasing. Wilson has been a licensed member of the Costa Rica Global Association of Realtors (CRGAR) for five years and appears to be the perfect point-woman for this poker-centric relocation service.
It is hard enough to move to another state, but moving to another country is a whole other animal. Kristin will hold clients’ hands through the entire process, making the transition as smooth as possible. The things she will help with include:
- Finding a suitable rental property.
- Assistance in setting up a local bank account.
- Coordinate the setup of a local internet connection, backup connection, and other utilities, along with contacts for each.
- Contacts with English-speaking attorneys and accountants, if needed.
- Visa and tax information.
- Cell phone and SIM card acquisition.
- New locale orientation.
- Preferential rates for various services, including a $500 discount for setting up a corporation, if recommended for professional poker.
- Complete list of all costs associated with the move.
Poker Refugees will even secure safe transportation to pick clients up from the airport once they arrive, will get people discounted rates at hotels if needed before the new residence is ready, information on fulfilling any requirements to play at various poker rooms, and connections with local PocketFives members, if desired.
Without all of this assistance, a poker player would be on his own to do everything. This would naturally take a lot of time and would likely cause a great deal of stress. With an expert like Kristin Wilson doing all the legwork, much of these problems disappear.
Of course, Poker Refugees isn’t free. The cost for an individual is $1,000, with all services provided. If roommates wish to move together, the service is discounted to $750 per person. The fee for an entire family is $1,500. Actual relocation costs, such as transportation, moving fees, deposits, and the like, are all the responsibility of the client, just as they would be without the service.
Those interested in the service can visit PocketFives.com and navigate to the “Refugees” tab at the top of the home page. From there, go to “Contact” and fill out a form to get the ball rolling.
