August 19 2011, Elaine Chaivarlis

It’s Friday and we’re sure you’re just as ready to start your weekend as we are, so we’re going to keep this short and sweet. New Jersey senator Raymond Lesniak is looking to reintroduce his intrastate gaming bill. Keep reading to find out more on that, Jose “Girah” Macedo’s legal issues, and more.

In Case You Missed It

Our new podcast series, Strategy with Kristy, is off the ground. Kristy Arnett spoke with Andrew “BalugaWhale” Seidman about everything from beginning play to polarized ranges.

Wondering what happened this week? Sarah Grant brings you all the details in the PokerNews Weekly.

The online high-stakes action was in full swing this week and plenty of notables banked big wins. Who won big and who had a losing week? You’ll have to read the Online Railbird Report for that answer.

The debt super committee may be the key to getting online poker on radars of the U.S. congressmen. Here are our Five Thoughts on the issue.

On Monday, the Epic Poker League Standards and Conduct Committee held a hearing regarding Chino Rheem. The Committee released its decision on Friday, placing Rheem on probation.

Try Again

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

That’s what New Jersey state Sen. Raymond Lesniak is doing. Rather than giving up after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie vetoed his bill for intrastate online gaming, Lesniak is planning on reintroducing it.

“Both industries are dying a slow death and they need the additional revenues that online gaming will provide for them,” Lesniak said of Atlantic City casinos and horse racing.

The state senator says that online gaming would create 1,900 new jobs and tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue. According to reports, one reason Gov. Christie vetoed the bill was because he was worried that Internet cafes would pop up around the state and exploit it.

In the new version of the bill Lesniak said, “They will be strictly prohibited from doing that.”

According to NJ1015.com, the bill will be reintroduced on August 25.

Read more on Lesniak’s reintroduction on NJ1015.com.

Legal Problems

According to a post on TwoPlusTwo by Eric “Rizen” Lynch, Lock Poker is pursuing legal action against Jose “Girah” Macedo. The latest official statement, as posted by Lynch said, “Lock is currently pursuing legal action against Jose so we are unable to make a substantial comment at this time. We do realize that ongoing silence can lead to people jumping to conclusions. What happened goes against the very core of our player based philosophy and we intend on exercising our legal rights in the most severe degree. We will keep you updated as things progress.”

Lynch went on to post that legal action will be filed in the near future and once that happens, then the purpose of the lawsuit will become clearer.

“I was VERY clear with Lock before we released this statement that it was a bad idea unless we were actually committed to pursuing legal action, otherwise it would just look like an attempt to avoid commenting,” Lynch said.

Read the thread on TwoPlusTwo for more.

Friday’s PSA

What we’re about to tell you is shocking. We know you think we’re omniscient, but even we make mistakes.

Our mistake? Well, we recently purchased assets from Per Hagen. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, Hagen, who was on the 2010 BLUFF Power 20, is a former poker agent. Back to the situation at hand. PokerNews recently learned that Hagen sold the same assets to multiple parties. To add to it, he didn’t even own the assets he was selling.

We have been hearing numerous reports of shady dealings and are working on a large editorial piece. If you or anyone else has been scammed by Hagen, please contact us.

Every now and again we like to throw PSAs your way. This is our fair warning to all of our friends, you shouldn’t trust Per Hagen. Avoid him like you’d avoid a Nigerian lottery email.

Pocket Kings Ltd. Chief Marketing Officer Resigns

On Friday, QuadJacks reported that Pocket Kings Ltd. chief marketing officer, Lothar Rentschler resigned. PokerNews has confirmed the resignation via email.

Lothar worked for Pocket Kings for three years and said it was “not an easy step” to come to the decision. “However, given the current circumstances, I do believe it is a long overdue step towards the right direction,” he wrote.

He continued, “Our hands in Marketing were bound and at the end even every communication was stopped. Again, I can only apologize for this situation. The future will hopefully see a better, well organized structure and a return to business as usual. To see the brand FTP going down that way, hurts a lot.”

Read more at QuadJacks.com.

Bet365 Shuts Down Australian Site

According to EGRMagazine.com, Bet365 will be shutting down its services to its Australian players. The U.K.-based online gaming site is preparing to apply for a sports betting license Australia.

The Australian obtained an email sent to Bet365 players which read, in part, “We’re in the process of applying for a sports betting licence in Australia. As part of our preparations for this, we regret to inform you that our Casino, Poker, Games and Bingo sites will no longer be available from week commencing 22nd August. Any funds currently in your Casino, Poker, Games and Bingo balances will be transferred to your Sports balance. Our Sports site will continue to work as normal. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.”

TheAustralian.com.au has more.

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August 18 2011, Matthew Kredell

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Internet poker legislation “will get done.” This is the first time the Nevada Senator has spoken so assuredly about the future of online poker. Whether Reid’s prediction happens sooner rather than later likely will depend on the debt super committee.

The joint select committee on deficit reduction has been tasked with finding at least $1.5 trillion in debt savings over the next 10 years. Licensing and regulating Internet poker is a way the committee could identify billions of dollars with little effort.

“I think there’s a very good chance we’re going to get in the discussion,” Poker Players Alliance executive director John Pappas said about online poker. “Whether it makes it into the final recommendation is the question.”

The super committee is a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011, the debt-ceiling agreement signed into law by President Obama on Aug. 2. The law created the bipartisan committee, which has been called super because it has the unprecedented authority to craft a bill that may not be amended or filibustered. The bill, as written by the committee, will get a majority vote in the Senate and House. If passed it will go to President Obama for final approval.

If online poker is put on the bill by the committee, it is there to stay. Whether or not the bill passes will have little to do with poker and be all about politics, but poker will be along for the ride. If poker is put on the bill, the second hurdle will be for the committee itself to come to an agreement. With six Democrats and six Republicans, the committee will be in a 6-6 deadlock unless at least one member is willing to break party lines. The 12 members were picked by the leadership of their party, presumably with loyalty in mind.

The 12 members are Democratic Senators Patty Murray (Wash.), Max Baucus (Mont.) and John F. Kerry (Mass.), Republican Senators Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Rob Portman (Ohio) and Patrick J. Toomey (Penn.), Democratic representatives James Clyburn (S.C.), Xavier Becerra (Calif.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.), and Republican representatives Dave Camp (Mich.), Jeb Hensarling (Tex.) and Fred Upton (Mich.).

The lineup doesn’t give particular reason for optimism on poker’s prospects. Upton, Clyburn, Becerra and Van Hollen all have grades of “B” in the PPA’s congressional ratings, Kyl and Camp have grades of “F,” and the rest are unknowns.

“The people holding the cards I think will be Kyl and Reid,” Pappas said. “Even though Reid is not on the commission, he appointed people who are. If Kyl and Reid can compromise on a deal to include online poker, I think it can happen. It’s handing Congress revenue without raising taxes, which is exactly what they’re looking for.”

Kyl blocked Reid’s attempt to attach an online poker proposal to must-pass legislation during last year’s lame-duck session. However, he wrote on his official website earlier this year that he would consider efforts to legalize online poker if other aspects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act are strengthened. Then Kyl and Reid combined on a letter last month to Attorney General Eric Holder that wasn’t at all favorable to online poker but indicated that the two Senators were working together on the issue, sparking speculation that they were approaching a compromise that would allow for licensing and regulating the activity.

One has to wonder about the timing of Reid’s statement that Internet poker legislation will get done coming as the super committee approaches. The optimistic among the poker community might look at that as a sign that Reid and Kyl have reached an agreement.

There is no official word on when the super committee will begin its work. The Budget Control Act requires that the committee vote on a proposal by Nov. 23. Any poker legislation discussed is likely to be a not-yet-released Reid proposal rather than the bill introduced by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) in the House. It would also have to include tax language in order to estimate the amount of money licensing online poker could take off the deficit. There never has been poker-only tax legislation introduced, though the proposal floated by Reid at the end of last year did include tax language that could be adapted.

Although Pappas thinks the decision on whether to include poker will be made by Reid and Kyl, the PPA is recommending that poker players go all out in sending e-mails to members of the committee and posting on their Facebook pages in support of licensing and regulating Internet poker. Usually, the PPA recommends that players only contact their specific representatives. Since the committee is tackling a national issue, it is appropriate for players to contact all the members.

“If we’re able to get a lot of PPA members tuned up to contact members of the committee and say to include online poker, I think when it comes up in their discussions that it will be much more palatable to them than if they go into this without any understanding that there are a bunch of people out there who care about this,” Pappas said. “We don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket but, if we’re looking at something between now and the end of the year, this is our best shot.”

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August 16 2011, Elaine Chaivarlis

If you’re looking for the top poker news stories of the day, then you’ve come to the right place. In this edition, you’ll learn about the new poker player relocation service that’s being offered, which state is pushing hard for online poker legislation, and more.

In Case You Missed It

We caught up with Peter Jetten recently to find out more about his life off of the felt. We learned there’s more to him than poker, like his love for koalas, busting out all of his moves on the dance floor, and scuba diving.

In the latest PokerNews Podcast, the team broke down the inaugural Epic Poker League event, Chino Rheem’s debts, and the sick call that Erik Seidel made during the EPL Main Event. They’re then joined by EPL bubble boy Adam “Roothlus” Levy to discuss his future plans and shoes.

Black Friday impacted thousands of poker players in the United States. We caught up with PokerStars Supernova Elite Mike “MeleaB” Brooks, who uprooted his family and moved back to the United Kingdom days after online poker was shutdown in the U.S.

The Epic Poker League kicked off its inaugural event last week, and it was a hit with most of its players. Eric Ramsey and Rich Ryan took sides to debate whether the Epic Poker League will succeed.

Player Relocation Service

On Tuesday, PocketFives announced the launch of its poker player relocation service, Poker Refugees. The service is founded by Kristin Wilson, a former professional surfer. She lives in Costa Rica and is currently focusing on commercial and residential leasing.

Poker Refugees currently features services for players moving to Costa Rica, Panama, and Canada. There’s a one-time relocation fee of $1,000 to become a client. Then it’s $750 per person for two or more roommates or $1,500 per family.

So what do you get? Information on opening a foreign bank account, access to a relocation specialist to answer any questions, assistance on requirements to set up online poker accounts, relocation to an apartment or home, an orientation guide to the country, and more.

PocketFives.com has more.

Online Poker TV Ads

With only one business-month left for the California legislature, the push is on to get Sen. Lou Correa’s Senate Bill 40 passed. The California Online Poker Association has released a series of radio and television ads asking the legislature to pass the bill that would make online poker legal and taxed in California.

With ominous music in the background, the ad says, “California is facing a real emergency. A $4 billion budget shortfall that will result in cuts to police and fire departments, health care and state schools among other. Online poker will provide California with billions of dollars including $250 million immediately, create thousands of jobs and will ensure that the state’s online poker market, the largest in the nation, won’t be taken over by Nevada and its casinos.”

The bill is opposed by other gaming tribes and they issued a letter urging the legislature not to take action.

“Even though there have been hearings on the matter of intrastate internet poker, many fiscal, legal, technical and policy related questions must be resolved before adoption of any intrastate internet gaming legislation. There are numerous stakeholders who stand to be irreparably harmed should legislation be ‘ram-rodded’ through this legislative year and this surely would be a disservice to ALL Californians, Tribal and Non-Tribal, alike,” says the letter from Robert H. Smith, Chairman of the California Tribal Business Alliance.

The Sacramento Bee has more.

Don’t Forget

We’re sure you have your DVRs set to record the 2011 World Series of Poker on ESPN, but just in case, this is your friendly reminder. Main Event coverage kicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m. EDT.

“You know who wins the Main Event whether you like poker or not and that’s why it’s the one event that you still want to win more than any other,” Daniel Negreanu said in the teaser video.

We would have embedded the video for you, but the auto-play function hasn’t been fixed over at ESPN, and we don’t want you to wonder where that SuperCuts ad is coming from.

And while you’re over on the ESPN website, check out Shaun Deeb’s adorable grandmother, Ellen Deeb. She plays poker 50 hours a week according to Shaun.

New to the Team

PokerStars has added to its team, but not its Pro roster. Alex Payne has joined the online poker giant’s senior leadership team as chief marketing officer. Before joining PokerStars, Payne worked in sales and marketing for Bing in the U.K. Before that, he worked for Microsoft for 11 years where he held national, regional, and global marketing roles.

“I’m delighted to be joining PokerStars,” Payne said. “I am joining an outstanding business, which is the clear leader in its category and has enormous potential ahead of it. Moreover, it’s a product in which I have a huge personal passion.”

According to the press release, Payne will be “responsible for the company’s brand and advertising, TV programming productions and media buying, online marketing including paid search, organic search, social media, regional customer relationship management and acquisition, conversion and retention campaigns for online and live poker players.”

Read the press release for more.

What’s My [Screen] Name?

For his latest musical masterpiece, SrslySirius found his inspiration from DMX and the Jose Macedo scandal. Our one warning is don’t listen to this if your 5-year-old is by you, or you’re at work. The video was posted on QuadJacks Tuesday morning. And when you’re done with the video below, make sure you check out Fun Police, inspired by Katy Perry.

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