After being closed for a little over a year, Bovada Poker has opened its virtual doors once again. The poker room initially shut down in September 2016 after selling its software to Ignition Casino and advising its players to migrate there. The reopening has come as a surprise to many, as the general assumption in the poker community was that ownership of Bovada Poker had been fully transferred to Ignition Casino. However, although the two companies will use the same poker software and both use the Pai Wang Luo Poker Network alongside Bodog, Bovada Poker has clarified that they remain separate and will operate independently of each other.
Legislation currently being considered by the Parliament of Australia could spell the end of legal online poker in Australia. The Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016, introduced as a successor to the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, passed in the House of Representatives last month, and has a strong chance of passing in the Senate when it goes to debate during the Spring 2017 parliamentary sittings.
Despite the fact the bill is yet to be passed, many online poker rooms are already looking to depart from Australian shores. 888 wasted no time in ditching the Australian market, withdrawing their online poker services on January 16. There’s been a great deal of speculation that PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker room, is looking to follow suit in the next few months. BetOnline have just launched a mobile version of their popular poker client. The company, founded in 2004 as an online sportsbook, first entered the online poker market with the release of BetOnline Poker in 2011. Thanks to a fantastic user interface, consistent promotions and acceptance of Bitcoin, BetOnline Poker quickly became one of the leading online poker rooms in the US. The release of their new mobile app is therefore exciting news for poker players – specifically those living in the US who don’t have many other options.
PKR has shut down due to “financial issues”. Microgaming, the gaming software company that supports PKR, has stated that they have “suspended gaming on PKR.com” and are awaiting “more information”. PKR has filed an application to the Court of Administration Orders, possibly for bankruptcy. As of this moment, players are unable to withdraw funds they had on the site and, given the history of sites like Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet, it seems unlikely that players will be able to retrieve their funds any time soon. PKR players are advised to email the PKR support team at support@pkr.com.
New online gaming statistics have revealed a significant rise in mobile poker players in India, a seismic shift that is being linked with the country’s massive smartphone market. Gaming developers and websites across the country have recorded notable growth in both downloads and revenue generated through mobile poker games, which Indians are predominantly accessing via web browser or Google Play, as well as Apple’s official App store. Most of this growth has been recorded across Android smartphones, which often come at a lower cost than their iOS counterparts in the south Asian country.
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