Although the “new” Full Tilt Poker is back on line and servicing the rest of the international online poker community, the news continues to be disappointing for American players who still have their funds tied up on the beleaguered site.
On Tuesday, the Poker Players Alliance, led by Executive Director John Pappas and the PPA legal counsel of Marc Zwillinger and Ken Dreifach, met with officials from the U. S. Department of Justice‘s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Division regarding the ongoing case of repaying American players their funds from the old Full Tilt Poker. “It was a cordial and productive meeting,” Pappas reported to PPA members, but the gist of the remainder of his statement left little for U. S. players to be excited about.
Pappas and the legal eagles reaffirmed the stance by the PPA that players should be paid in full, including compensation for “player point” balances and any medals won through the site before it was shut down last year. According to Pappas, the PPA also passed along to the DoJ their plans for a repayment process, but the response from the federal government was less than rosy. “It was clear from our discussions that no decisions have been made at the DoJ regarding the repayment of player balances,” Pappas stated in his report to PPA membership.
When it comes down to the nuts and bolts of the meeting – when U. S. players can expect repayment from the federal government – the news became even bleaker. “Unfortunately, completion of a refund claims process is a long way away,” Pappas writes, stating that the government hasn’t even reached the point of hiring a third party claims agency to administer the refunds as of yet. This is a critical first step that, after almost three months since the settlement between the Department of Justice and PokerStars on the Full Tilt matter, should have already been completed.
“This is certainly not good news for those poker players still awaiting the return of their money, but it is all the news the PPA can provide at this time,” Pappas almost dejectedly reports. “While there were not many answers to come from this meeting, I do believe that it was beneficial and that there is a clear record for the Department to make the right decisions with respect to the player remission process.”
The entire process started back in August, when the Department of Justice and PokerStars reached a settlement of their “Black Friday” legal case. As a part of the settlement, PokerStars purchased Full Tilt Poker, promising to pay back the international community (for the most part; some countries that the “new” Full Tilt Poker isn’t licensed in are in the same boat as American players). In that settlement, PokerStars passed repayment of American players onto the U. S. government, where it has languished since.
Making the situation even more maddening for American players is the return of Full Tilt Poker to the online poker industry last week. Since its reintroduction to the community under the PokerStars umbrella, Full Tilt Poker has reassumed its role as the number two site in the online poker industry, with player numbers last Tuesday (its first day back) peaking at almost 15,000 cash game players. Since that time, however, Full Tilt Poker’s numbers have fallen a bit, with the peak number only reaching 12,123 yesterday, according to PokerScout.com. This indicates that, while there was an initial rush to return, some may have cashed out their balances and left the site.
Furthermore, Full Tilt Poker has moved on as if nothing has happened. On Monday, the schedule for the 21st running of the Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) was announced, featuring 35 events that include a Main Event that will guarantee a $1.5 million prize pool. Overall, the entire tournament schedule, which will run from December 2 through December 16, will have $7.5 million in guaranteed tournaments, a far cry from their heyday of a $35 million schedule but still a chunk of change that American players would like a crack at.
Overall, the news from Pappas and the PPA is less than exciting for the American online poker community. Although they were able to get to the table with the Department of Justice, it is apparent that the PPA lacks the power to be able to effectively apply their will to move forward the wheels of repayment. Meanwhile, American players steam while the “rest of the world” rejoices.
It’s said that the United States is supposed to be The Land Of The Free! It is only free to the people of power in uniform unfortunately! Legalization and regulation of Internet poker would seem like a viable solution to anyone that has half a brain. Sad to say that corporations, lobbyists, and money run this country and brick and mortar casinos have plenty of lobbyists and even more money to throw at Washington. I am ashamed to call this country my home! This so called Democratic Nation is really a Communistic Corpation! Wake up America! Wake Up! Wake Up! And do something about it!