Perhaps triggered by transfers of Doyle's Room poker players across
to Full Tilt Poker.com with full privileges, the rumors are currently
rife that Full Tilt has acquired the US operations of the popular
poker site by outbidding rival Bodog.com. There are also reports that
Doyles Room player accounts are currently being transferred en masse
to Full Tilt Poker.
As InfoPowa went to press there had been no response to our enquiries
with both sites seeking to clarify the situation and obtain more information
on the alleged takeover.
However, the US withdrawal by Doyle's now seems set in stone after
yesterday's corporate and communications confusion. A press release
from PR representative Kevin Mercuri at 5wpr.com confirmed the closedown
of US operations was due to the UIGEA and that new sign-ups for the
Costa Rican based online poker room would be immediately stopped.
DoylesRoom.com will not permit US-based play with effect from March
1, 2007, although the site will continue serving non-US players and
will increase its focus on Canada, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
The release quotes a spokesperson as saying: “In view of the
passage of the UIGEA and the cessation of operations by Neteller and
other payment processors, the management of DoylesRoom.com has reluctantly
decided not to permit online real money play by US-based players at
DoylesRoom.com
Players will find some consolation in the orderly nature of the Doyle's
pull-out, which gives them options.
"We know this will come as a disappointment to you but we have
taken the view that the most prudent course of action at this time
to ensure the security of player funds is to conduct an orderly withdrawal
from the United States market," DoylesRoom.com said in an email.
Players' funds remain secure with the poker room, though management
warns cash outs may take longer than usual to process as a result
of the expected high withdrawal demand from U.S. players.