The World Poker Congress to Take Place on June 27-28, 2006 in Sweden

The World Poker Congress, scheduled to take place on June 27-28, 2006 at the City Conference Center in Stockholm, Sweden, is the first conference designed to combine both online and land-based aspects of the international poker industry. Participants of the conference will be offered the unique opportunity to address concerns related to both Internet and live poker operations, and examine the poker world's future possibilities.

Sunday, 30 April 2006

Mobile Game Publisher Launches World Poker Tour Sweepstakes

(Press Release) Hands-On Mobile (formerly MFORMA), a leading global publisher of mobile lifestyle, games and personalization products, today announced a national sweepstakes to coincide with the premiere Season Four episodes of the World Poker Tour® (WPT), which air each Wednesday on the Travel Channel. The sweepstakes, which will begin today, allows poker fans in the United States to vote for their favorite player during the course of the nine weeks counting down to the WPT World Championship(TM) on June 28. Fans can win a VIP prize package including seats at the taping of a World Poker Tour Final Table and the opportunity to appear on television as the official starter, announcing "Shuffle Up & Deal."

Friday, 28 April 2006

7 More Online Poker Sites Get Online Gaming Watchdog's Stamp of Approval

(Press Release) Poker players across the world will now find the familiar eCOGRA "Play It Safe" seal on 7 more quality Internet poker sites belonging to some of the most successful and reliable online gaming groups in the business.

Thursday, 27 April 2006

New Casual Poker Game Takes Poker Players Around the World

(Press Release) PlayFirst, the leading full- service publisher of casual games, introduces a new twist on poker with Poker Pop(TM), a tile matching game that gives card-game enthusiasts a tile-turning, around-the-world escape. Developed by Say Design and published by PlayFirst, Poker Pop is poised to appeal to casual gamers and experienced poker players alike.

Wednesday, 26 April 2006

Online Poker Fraud Hits Unsuspecting Shop-Goers in Sweden

Although there has been increased talk of bolstering security measures at online poker rooms, a recent case of fraud has highlighted the fact that the online poker industry still has a ways to go in this respect. In the Swedish town on Skovde, nine people were victims of a new version of internet fraud, in which they lost money at online poker sites, which they claimed they never visited.

Monday, 24 April 2006

David Williams: Poker pro by day, porn star by night?

Move over Paris Hilton; another hapless celebrity has allegedly been caught on tape in, um, compromising positions, and this time it's one of poker's own. A video of David Williams, one of the most promising young professional poker players on the tournament circuit, has seemingly surfaced on the internet, in which Williams performs various unmentionable acts with a woman named Janet Mason. As this is a G-rated publication, we can't offer the particulars, but suffice it to say that David Williams gives new meaning to the phrase "foot in mouth."

Sunday, 23 April 2006

Party Poker Hooks Up with Lava Life for Online Poker Players Looking for Love at the Felt

Online poker room Party Poker has teamed up with Internet dating service provider Lava Life to launch a singles-only poker tournament series aiming to have their members flush with hearts. Party Poker was inspired to team up with Lava Life for this venture after two of its players found more than just great poker action at the site's tables- they found love.

Friday, 21 April 2006

Pacific Poker Now Lets Online Poker Fans Play at up to 5 Tables at Once

Online poker room Pacific Poker has finally jumped on the bandwagon and implemented multitable technology that allows online poker players to play at more than one table at a time. Until now, Pacific Poker had been the only major online poker room, which did not offer this feature. Now, thanks to the new software upgrade, online poker fans can play at up to five tables at once.

Thursday, 20 April 2006

Manchester United Star Shies Away from Charity Poker Tournament after $1.2m Gambling Debts Uncovered

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney withdrew from a charity poker tournament after reports surfaced that he had racked up £700,000 ($1.2 million) in gambling debts. Rooney's England striking partner Michael Owen, who was implicated in Rooney's gambling debt scandal, also pulled out of the charity poker tournament. The charity poker tournament under discussion was organized by Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard and his cousin, Jamie Redknapp, formerly of Liverpool fame.

Tuesday, 18 April 2006

Online Poker Company PokerStars to Opt for IPO

PokerStars, one of the industry's leading online poker companies, is reportedly taking the route of an IPO, rather than an all-out sale. And the price tag of a publicly-traded PokerStars? It's expected to run over $2 billion. Currently, about three-quarters of the online poker business is shared between PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg and Israeli businessman Pinchas Shapira. The majority of the remaining shares are owned by PokerStars employees.

Monday, 17 April 2006

New Mobile Phone for Teens Includes Strip Poker Game

Virgin Mobile's latest offering, a teenybopper device developed by Kyocera, includes a controversial little surprise: strip poker. Virgin and Kyocera, themselves, are marketing the new phone as the perfect gadget for text message-happy youngsters.

Sunday, 16 April 2006

WPT Video Game Comes to PSP

The World Poker Tour (WPT) video game is getting ready to launch on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) game console. The WPT's PSP version follows the October, 2005, release of the WPT game for PlayStation 2, Microsoft's Xbox, and Nintendo Game Boy Advance. In honor of the latest launch, 2K Sports, the video game developers behind the game, added some special features available exclusively on the PSP version of the game.

Friday, 14 April 2006

Strip Poker Comes Undone at Online Poker Room BowmansPoker

(Press Release) You’d be hard pressed to find anywhere more satisfying on the web to match BowmansPoker.com. The slick and sexy poker site launches a brand new poker download – a strip poker viral.

Thursday, 13 April 2006

Online Poker Room Titan Poker Announces Back-to-Back Championship Freerolls

(Press Release) Titan Poker (http://www.titanpoker.com), one of the fastest growing online poker rooms, will stage two exciting Jackpot Champion of Champion Freeroll Tournaments on April 23 and April 24 to determine its best sit 'n' go tournament players.

Wednesday, 12 April 2006

Busty Tomb Raider Babe Plays Poker in the Palm of Your Hand

What does buxom, digitalized treasure huntress Lara Croft do when she has a few minutes to spare in between archaeological escapades? Play poker, of course. No, not even the globe-trotting Ms. Croft is immune to the worldwide poker craze. Indeed she too has been hit by the poker bug in a forthcoming mobile video game, by the name of Lara Croft's Poker Party.

Monday, 10 April 2006

Casino Royale Gets Bad Beat after New Bond Admits He Can't Play Poker

Daniel Craig continued to disappoint loyal 007 fans when the new Bond revealed that he was a dud at the poker table. While filming a pivotal gambling scene of “Casino Royale" Craig's first foray in the shoes of Bond, producers hit a wall when they discovered that their leading man was most unfamiliar with the game at hand, poker.

Sunday, 09 April 2006

High Stakes Cash Games to Return with Second Season of Poker Action

(Press Release) The legends of poker are back on GSN, the network for games, for a second season of HIGH STAKES POKER. Based on the series solid ratings performance, the network has ordered a new 16-episode season that will feature the same minimum buy-in requirement for all invited players -- $100,000 of their own money.

Friday, 07 April 2006

Online Poker Site Gathers Hot Chicks with Brains for Good-Looking Poker Team

(Press Release) Online Poker finally got sexy! Bombshell Poker (www.bombshellpoker.com) is the newest, sexiest and most innovative poker site on the web. Bombshell Poker offers an endless supply of "models by day, professional poker players by night" against which poker players can now test their skills. Bombshell Poker Teams consisting of 10 beautiful models are currently being formed in all major markets including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami to name a few. These girls are trained by some of the most respected poker players in the world. Bombshell Poker offers its players significant cash bonuses and innovative prizes to those lucky enough to beat these beauties in one of the Bombshell Tournaments, such as, "Win-a- Date with a Bombshell," "Win-a-Trip to a Bombshell photo shoot," and the "Bombshell Poker Cruise Package" -- you and 100 beautiful models.

Thursday, 06 April 2006

Mr. Lederer, Mr. Ferguson, and Mr. Raymer Go to Washington: Poker players protest anti-gambling bills

Pro poker players Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, and Greg Raymer were in Washington D.C. this week to appeal to lawmakers and the general public regarding three bills currently under discussion in Congress that threaten to put an end to online poker play in the U.S. At a press conference called by the Poker Players Alliance, a self-described grass-roots organization of more than 20,000 American poker players, the poker trio criticized the bill for including poker in its across-the-board campaign against gambling online. Lederer, for one, called poker a game relying more on skill than on mere chance. The poker players also pointed out the inconsistency of having legal poker on the ground, but deeming it illegal on the Internet.

Thursday, 06 April 2006

World Poker Exchange Forfeits Cut on Online Poker Games

(Press Release) World Poker Exchange (http://www.Worldpx.com) announced today a major pricing initiative that threatens to radically transform the $5.5-billion online poker industry. Called "No Rake Poker," the World Poker Exchange plan poses a direct challenge to standalone poker rooms that do not have access to additional revenue streams.

Wednesday, 05 April 2006

Party Poker Adds Online Poker Trainer Using Poker Academy's Artificial Intelligence Software

(Press Release) Poker Academy, the leading Texas Holdem poker software developer (http://www.poker-academy.com), today announced an agreement with PartyPoker.com, the world’s largest poker room, to help train its players to improve their game at all levels.

Wednesday, 05 April 2006

Gaming Watchdog Awards Seal of Approval to 7 Online Poker Sites, Makes for Safer Poker Action

A good deal of skepticism has circulated as of late regarding the safety of playing poker online. From bots to collusion, the claims are many. Enter eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), an independent watchdog organization that regulates and oversees the game play and procedures at online gaming sites. Now the "Play It Safe" seal, eCOGRA's trademark stamp of approval, has begun to appear on seven additional online poker rooms. The newly-approved sites bring the total number of online casinos and poker rooms meeting eCOGRA's standards to 76.

Tuesday, 04 April 2006

Online Poker Room Titan Poker Rewards Players With $500,000 Refer-a-Friend Freeroll Tournament

(Press release) Titan Poker (http://www.titanpoker.com), one of the fastest growing online poker rooms, will stage a $500,000 Refer a Friend Freeroll Tournament in September 2006.

Monday, 03 April 2006

Online Poker Company to Ink Record Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Manchester United

Online casino and poker company Mansion is slated to ink a record-breaking sponsorship deal with UK soccer giant Manchester United. Mansion beat out Etihad Airways, mobile giant O2, and LG Electronics to win the deal. The cost of replacing Vodafone, the team's previous sponsors, will cost Mansion £60million (~$104.3m) for four years of sponsorship benefits. Man Utd lawyers have reportedly taken the weekend to look over the contract, and the companies are expected to finalize the deal early in the week. The Mansion/Manchester deal breaks the record previously set by Chelsea, whose five year sponsorship agreement with Samsung added up to £50m (~$86.9m).

Sunday, 02 April 2006

Poker Player Gets Sentenced for Delivering 6.6lbs of Doobie to Canadian Prime Minister

John Turmel, a professional Canadian poker player and medicinal marijuana advocate, has been slapped with a C$1,000 fine, three years probation, and 100 hours of community service after being found guilty of possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. All in all, we're talking minor consequences, considering the extent of the possession: 3 kg (6.6), and the target to which it was being trafficked: then-Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien.

Saturday, 01 April 2006

Online Poker Supporters Organize Nude March to Protest Anti-Gambling Legislation

A group of legislators from across the Unites States have vowed to bind together in support of online poker. Comprised of 32 legislators from both federal and state levels of government, the group of poker supporters has decided that drastic measures are necessary to protest the anti-online gambling legislation currently on the table in the federal legislature. And, by drastic, we mean naked. That's right, these lawmakers, who are calling themselves "Free the Felt," have opted for a rather unorthodox method of drawing attention and support; the group, which includes 27 men and five women, has vowed to march in the buff from Washington D.C's reflecting pool, the site of some of the country's most momentous protests, to the Capitol.

Saturday, 01 April 2006