The 2022 World Series of Poker might have been dominating the headlines, but it is not like the planet stopped rotating. There has been some other news that has penetrated the WSOP bubble, which we will look at here in today’s version of “In Case You Missed It!”
PokerStars Bans Players Who Cheat Online
It is something that has perturbed many at this year’s WSOP. Players who have allegedly cheated in online poker or, in other cases, have used unscrupulous means to make money off players yet are playing at the WSOP have borne the brunt of abuse from other players and fans. The WSOP, however, has not taken the action of banning players from their tournaments. Henceforth, however, one live tournament circuit will do just that.
PokerStars announced on July 1 that future PokerStars branded events, including their European Poker Tour (EPT) and PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC), will not allow players who have been banned by their site. “Anyone who is expelled online for game integrity, for any reason, will be automatically barred from competing in a PokerStars live event,” the statement says.
This goes back directly to the EPT Monte Carlo before the start of this year’s WSOP. For their High Roller event, PokerStars allegedly kept Ali Imsirovic and Jake Schindler from entering. In their announcement, PokerStars did not indicate whether this ban on Imsirovic and Schindler would continue, however, or if it would potentially apply to others.
We will see what happens when the EPT returns to action in Barcelona, Spain, on August 8.
GGPoker Terminates Sponsorship Deal with Player for Scamming Investors
After allegedly accepting money to buy pieces of him for the $50,000 Poker Players’ Championship at the WSOP, Tamon Nakamura ultimately did not enter the event. In the world of poker, that is a violation of trust, especially if you do not return to your investors the money they put up. In Nakamura’s case, it also resulted in his dismissal from GGPoker and their Japanese operations.
Adam Hendrix tweeted about the situation first, stating that he bought some action in Nakamura and gave him the $2500 for that piece.
GGPoker Japan was VERY quick to respond to the situation, issuing a Tweet (in Japanese) that “terminated Nakamura’s contract” with the site. Apparently GGPoker Japan paid Hendrix back his $2500, rather than Nakamura, who has confessed he has “lost a lot of money online and in high-rate cash games.”
Germany Adds Online Gaming Licenses
In an adjustment to their laws, Germany has now authorized up to nine additional licenses for operation inside their country.
With approximately 60 licenses backlogged, Germany’s Sachsen-Anhalt State Administration Office decided to increase the number of licenses for online casinos and poker rooms in the country. Previously only three licenses were being offered – and were quickly snapped up (but not revealed? Who received them) – but the new licenses will allow for more choices for German players.
When regulations come into effect, there is a downside, however. Germany is going to crack down especially hard on those sites that attempt to access German players. The new regulations have already drawn the ire of the Sachsen-Anhalt State Administration Office, with 25 cases that have been referred to the regulatory authority. The regulatory body continues to look at up to 900 websites and will be clamping down hard on what they are calling the “black market” of online gaming in the country.
