After 10 years of online operations, one of the first poker rooms closed its virtual doors yesterday. PokerRoom.com is being absorbed by bwin, owner of the Ongame Network.
Seen by many as at the forefront of the genre and the stable where many of Europe’s finest first honed their online skills, what used to be PokerRoom.com is being taken over by
bwin.
For the last couple months, PokerRoom.com players have been offered incentives by the poker room to transfer their accounts to bwin or cash out their funds.
PokerRoom.com was a leader in the field when it came to innovation and will be something that bwin will be eager to replicate.
PokerRoom.com was one of the first sites to offer a completely online version of play. That is, no download, allowing customers to play anywhere on any computer without the need to download the client. It was also one of the innovators of realistic avatars, a norm now that certainly wasn’t when they began.
pokerroom players join bwin
In bwin, PokerRoom is going to a great new home and one that will see the bwin stable continue its excellent reputation in online poker. bwin International, based in Gibraltar, was also founded in 1999 and taken over in 2001 by bwin Interactive Entertainment AG. The company operates both live and online gambling services worldwide and is the largest operator in Europe.
Outside of poker bwin is a powerhouse in sports sponsorship in Europe and a name that millions outside of poker know for two main reasons. AC Milan and Real Madrid. When it comes to sports sponsorship there are few who can compete with bwin and when it comes to recognisable brands, there are few who can match the global presence of Real Madrid and AC Milan whose’ shirts bwin adorn as club sponsor.
Bwin was also founding member of the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) which in turn created the European Sports Security Association (ESSA) the later of which brings online gaming companies and sports leagues together to prevent sporting events from being unfairly influenced by gambling.
