On today’s Daily Deal, the PPA speaks about the looming implementation of the UIGEA, we find out who won the WPT Grand Prix de Paris, former WPT stockholders go into a new branch of business and new celebrities confirm attendance to the After-school All Stars charity tournament.
Hello, I’m Sean Gibson and welcome to the Daily Deal by Poker News Daily, brought to you by PokerSource.com.
On June 1st, the financial services industry in the USA must fall in line with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act – the dreaded UIGEA. John Pappas, the Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance, reminded the poker community that the PPA was once successful in delaying this implementation, and that even if they fail to stop UIGEA it will not be the end of online poker. In Pappas’s words, “We don’t suspect this to be a doomsday scenario for online poker. To be clear, it is not going to be unlawful for you, the poker player, to play internet poker. Nothing in the UIGEA makes it illegal for individuals to play.”
WSOP bracelet winner Theo Jorgensen came out on top in the World Poker Tour’s Grand Prix de Paris on Saturday, taking home six hundred and thirty three thousand Euros. A total of two hundred and forty-seven players put up ten thousand Euros to play the Grand Prix de Paris, including heavyweights such as November Nine member Antoine Saout and Men “The Master” Nguyen. Jorgensen has more than Tournament wins to his credit: he once defeated Full Tilt Poker pro Gus Hansen in a boxing match.
Coming up, former WPT stockholders get energized, and more celebrities join the After-School All-Stars.
Former World Poker Tour chief executive Steve Lipscomb plans to use the cash from the sale of the popular WPT brand to enter a new type of business. The company, which now goes by the name Ante4 Inc., became an energy corporation in April and has seen its share price more than double in less than a month. On April sixteenth, the former WPT merged with an oil leasing firm in Billings, Montana to form Voyager Oil and Gas. Former professional poker player Lyle Berman, who served as Chairman of the WPT and holds the same position at Voyager, said “We thought if we could find a company with a great business model that needed cash, the stock would trade significantly above $1.40. We have fulfilled that mission.”
Good news for charity: former “Everybody Loves Raymond” star Brad Garrett will join the upcoming charity poker tournament benefiting After-School All-Stars. Other celebrities in attendance will include Ante Up for Africa co-founder Don Cheadle and Absolute Poker pro Trishelle Cannatella. The tournament will be hosted by UB.com pro Annie Duke, and it will play out on May 20th from the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles.
Thanks for joining me on The Daily Deal by Poker News Daily, brought to you by PokerSource.com. Don’t forget to visit PokerNewsDaily.com and be sure to follow us at Twitter.com/PokerNewsDaily for the latest in poker news. I’m Sean Gibson…good luck on the flop!