Online poker fora were full of comment this week on what looks like
a clash over rake rebates to players where relative newcomer and Party
Poker skin, Poker Now (they opened in October last year) are at odds.
PokerNow is thought to be unique among Party Poker skins because it
offers the same multi table tournaments as Party Poker itself,
to which the other skins do not have access.
Online poker expert, Pokeraddict tells us that PokerNow's marketing
was apparently geared towards rake rebates, competing with other skins
by paying the affiliates 25 percent of rake back at first, although
it is understood that in the end some were getting more then that.
These affiliates kicked back a sizeable chunk of this reward to the
players they had signed up. Unfortunately for them, Party Poker strictly
forbids any marketing practice that lures their players away. Offering
players receiving zero rake back 25 percent or more back through affiliates
more than likely falls into this "luring" category, and
as Party's parent iGlobal Media does the banking it was possible to
read the substantial player to player transfers that happened after
affiliate payday as an indication of what was going on.
Sources claim that Party Poker lowered the boom on Poker Now by withholding
their February payments whilst the entire system was subjected to
a detailed inspection. This left Poker Now in an invidious position
vis-a-vis payment to its affiliates and sent shock waves through the
poker community, although it is believed that some affiliates paid
their players the rake back rebates out of their own pockets.
Reports indicate that Eurobet, another popular rake rebate skin on
Party Poker has seemingly been unaffected because it banks the players
itself and Party Poker therefore does not have access to the database.
Importantly, the money in players' gambling accounts is not in danger
as these funds are not held by PokerNow but by iGlobal. This money
is as safe as money in any player's account on Party Poker or Empire
Poker.
PokerNow has apparently had a previous affiliate dispute when one
of their first affiliates skipped out on a number of payments and
promises under the now notorious"SHARK" bonus code, which
promised rewarding kickbacks and DVD's. There were massive sign ups
and some people still remain unpaid with most never receiving the
promised DVD's.