The recent decision by Poker Champs.com to exclude US players is
not a consequence of the anti-online gambling moves by the US Department
of Justice, but part of a longstanding policy at owners Betfair, a
company spokesman told InfoPowa this week.
The spokesman said that the decision to close US accounts is not a
direct response to recent developments involving BetonSports, but
has been the long standing position of BetFair not to accept U.S.
players. PokerChamps, now that it is owned by BetFair, has had to
come into line with this business decision. "We are sorry
for any inconvenience this causes," the spokesman said.
Betfair Poker is currently a licensee of Cryptologic. In the near
future Betfair Poker will be joining an updated version of the Poker
Champs platform. Both brands will remain separate but player liquidity
will be shared.
The updated Poker software will maintain the look and feel of Betfair
Poker and Poker Champs but will incorporate a number of new features
e.g. choice of educational video content, player profile, player search
and map, VIP club, new languages, bigger cash (ring games).
On the BetonSports situation, the Offshore Wire has published an as
yet unconfirmed story that the group is busy selling off assets such
as its motor vehicles in Costa Rica, and up to a thousand local employees
are said to be deeply concerned about their jobs with the company,
which lost 85 percent of its business through a US judges restraining
order barring access to US players. Reports suggest that many employees
are trying to find alternative positions with other online sportsbetting
companies in the country.