Daily Rewind - PTR Respond, AGCC Hearing, GSOP Final & Campos' Plea
In today's Daily Rewind we get PTR's response to PokerStars' legal action, check out what the AGCC's hearing means, preview the GSOP Grand Final and get the latest on Campos' plea.
The Daily Rewind is your one-stop-shop for a sharp review of the day in poker. Join us here for a mix of the latest news and a more irreverent insight into the poker world. Today we discovered the following topics for you:
PTR Respond to ‘Stars Ban
They incurred the wrath of the world’s largest poker site and after considering the odds Poker Table Ratings (PTR) has decided to comply with PokerStars’ demands.
Earlier this week ‘Stars began legal proceedings against the datamining site stating that their actions weren’t just, "an idle threat".
PTR has now heeded the warning and removed all PokerStars’ player data from their system. In a follow-up to the move, PTR has released a statement explaining the situation.
Contained within the press release they say that despite trying to form a relationship with PokerStars over the past year their attempts have been unsuccessful and this has led to, "a hostile dissolution of service for this brand".
It goes on to say that while they are prepared to, "fully adhere to the cease and desist notice", they will continue "developing new tools that will give more control" to online poker players.
To have your say on the issue, visit our dedicated forum thread.
AGCC to Review Full Tilt Subsidiary
The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) is to hold a public hearing on May 3rd to review the license application of Orinic Limited.
The Full Tilt subsidiary applied for a Category 2 eGambling license on March 23rd and the forthcoming hearing will consider any 3rd party opinions on the matter.
To get a full breakdown of how and why the meeting is to take place check out PokerStrategy.com’s recent article.
GSOP Grand Final
The Grand Series of Poker is set to bring its second season to a close in the Dominican Republic this weekend. Players from across the Ongame Network will be treated to 5 star luxuries from the moment they step off the plane in the Caribbean.
In total around 200 players are expected for the $3,000 Grand Final; a figure that will push the prizepool towards $600,000 and first place close to $140,000.
The action begins tomorrow with the final showdown taking place from Monday. For full updates be sure to check out GSOP’s site.
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| Luxury Living for All GSOP Players |
Campos Plea Bargain Accepted
John Campos, a payment processor who faced Black Friday charges in the United States, pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanour charge on March 27th.
The Judge presiding over the case, Lewis A. Kaplan, didn't understand why the prosecution was willing to let him off so lightly, and requested a statement explaining their decision.
On Wednesday, the prosecution filed a letter to Judge Kaplan explaining why they requested such a light plea bargain. Their primary reasons were as follows:
The misdemeanour which Campos pleaded guilty to is directly targeted at what his offense was - "causing a bank insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to process illegal gambling transactions."
The sentencing range stipulated in the Plea Agreement is very similar to what it would have been had Mr. Campos pleaded guilty to one of the felony charges.
The Plea Agreement bars Campos from ever "participating in any manner in the affairs of any depository institution." Had he pleaded guilty or been convicted of one of the felonies, it may not have barred him in this manner.
Mr. Campos' role in the overall criminal conduct was minimal relative to the other indicted individuals, and he profited a great deal less than the others.
Due to his position in the case, Campos' defence provided a "slightly more viable good faith argument, one not available to other defendants". Basically, there was a greater chance that he could win in court than anyone else who was indicted.
The letter was apparently enough to convince Judge Kaplan that the Plea Agreement was appropriate, as he has now decided to accept it.
High Stakes Corner
Asia’s largest super high roller event, the Manila Millions, got underway earlier today with a total of 30 players in the mix.
The HKD$1 million ($129,000) event started a little behind schedule but once the cards were in the air the players wasted no time in pressing the action.
Indeed, within just a few minutes Yi Cheng was on his way to the rail after moving all-in with a flush on a Qd 8d 6s Ad board. Jun Wei made the call with As Qs but probably wished he hadn’t until the dealer put the Ah out on the river to give him a full house and eliminate Cheng.
The action is currently being streamed with a 15 minute delay. You can also catch live updates here.
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| Manila Millions Trophy |
Daily Signoff
He knows when to hold them, he even knows when to fold them and it seems Phil Hellmuth also knows how to sing in front of the army whilst wearing a pink cap.
