Awful WSOP news from PokerStars - Page 4

JacJacAtk · #1 05-03-2007, 09:20 PM

If I had to guess, Harrah's management is either insane (not entirely impossible based on past history) or they think they're at significant risk legally for dealing with the online sites directly (or semi-directly, even). The DOJ could certainly have threatened them, for instance.

That said, it will be interesting to see if this only applies to US players (or sites still catering to them). If Party and everyone else can't register people directly either, I can't see the ME field making it to even a quarter of last year's levels.

Dennisa · #2 05-04-2007, 07:06 AM

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this is going to mean that about 500-1000 fish are going to just stay home and keep their cashola

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At the risk of again re-hashing an old question, why would Harrah's adopt this policy prohibiting 3rd-party registrations when it's going to cost them MINIMUM 1,000 buy-ins (aka $10M)...granted that's a drop in the hat for a corp like Harrah's, but they'll be hit even harder with the lost publicity b/c of a smaller field. Seems like a real bonehead move to me. Especially when it doesn't appear that they shouldn't have any concerns about legal liability from merely allowing a 3rd party to pay an entrant's fee.

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My guess is Harrah's legal staff does not want to take the risk that funds could be siezed by the DOJ. If a known drug dealer were to funnel money into Harrah's and they were aware of it, Harrah's would not accept the money. At this time under Bush they could equate Pokerstars being similar to a drug cartel. I applaud Pokerstars and Harrah's for taking this course of action.

The office reason that Harrah's will state for the reduction of entries into the WSOP is that this time there was only an eleven month cycle between WSOP's. They may state UIGEA would account for some of the decline, but not likely.

teddyFBI · #3 05-04-2007, 12:14 PM

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The office reason that Harrah's will state for the reduction of entries into the WSOP is that this time there was only an eleven month cycle between WSOP's. They may state UIGEA would account for some of the decline, but not likely.

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Huh?

thebeebster · #4 05-04-2007, 12:26 PM

i can't believe cardcounter is posting actual information.

BGnight · #5 05-04-2007, 12:40 PM

Lol at paying taxes on FPP store purchases. My God, your getting it in the ass as it is by the IRS. This is precisely why I like cashing in FPP's for gift certs and such. THE IRS WILL NEVER FIND OUT!! (lol at people who think they I'm wrong on this). It's my little way of sticking it to the man I guess [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

peterchi · #6 05-03-2007, 09:20 PM

This may be stupid, but it seems like a reasonable solution would be to make you come to Vegas, go to their hospitality suite at the Rio during the WSOP and get lammers from them there, instead of just giving you $10k into your account.

Does anyone know why this can't be done?

teddyFBI · #7 05-03-2007, 09:22 PM

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This may be stupid, but it seems like a reasonable solution would be to make you come to Vegas, go to their hospitality suite at the Rio during the WSOP and get lammers from them there, instead of just giving you $10k into your account.

Does anyone know why this can't be done?

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u've got to assume Stars searched far and wide for a solution...we could speculate about options, but i'm sure we're not uncovering anything they didn't already think of.

JacJacAtk · #8 05-03-2007, 09:35 PM

I was told by a source I trust to have some knowledge of the situation that buying and distributing lammers was the original plan. I haven't heard anything from him about problems with that plan, though it wouldn't blow my mind if getting the money into the US to do it, or even being able to get an appropriate quantity of lammers (do they just sell these to people directly, I've only seen them as prizes in the live sats at the Rio) was difficult/impossible to arrange.

TimWillTell · #9 05-03-2007, 10:01 PM

This years WSOP is not even going to have half the number of players of last year.
That means way less media attention.
I'm trying to figure out Harrah's... Whats their game?
They look like complete idiots, so there must be something I'm overlooking.

cardcounter0 · #10 05-03-2007, 10:09 PM

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I'm trying to figure out Harrah's... Whats their game?
They look like complete idiots, so there must be something I'm overlooking.

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I think maybe in a few years the only way to qualify for the ME online will be at the Harrahs dot com poker site.
Of course, them being complete idiots is always a good option also.