Party is mixing sportsbetting into it US offerings ?

MiltonFriedman · #1 08-03-2006, 12:23 PM

"PartyGaming has confirmed this morning that it has made its first step into sports betting with the acquisition of Gamebookers for E102m (£69m).' --- egaming review

Does this seem like a well-timed move, in light of the pending BOS prosecution ?

Anyone know if Party plans on taking sportsbets from US players ?

What implications does this hold for Party's US poker players, if any ?

LuckyTxGuy · #2 08-03-2006, 12:58 PM

Seems like stupid timing if you ask me. But everything all these poker sites are doing seems stupid to me. Instead of the Party Monster, why not take all the money and spend it on buying a few US senators and running US nationwide campaigns educating the average American about how poker is a game of skill and we should have a right to play it etc?

I just think these online casinos/poker rooms are skipping along like there has never been a 1% chance they could loose 70% of their customers overnight.

Wynton · #3 08-03-2006, 01:08 PM

In contrast, I read somewhere (perhaps even at this forum) that Pokerstars has announced its intention to remain purely a poker site.

citrus · #4 08-03-2006, 08:00 PM

I can see it now........

They will probably offer -120 juice on spread bets and have quick links to the sports book on every Monster table.

With this and the Monster promotion, I think Party is saying "screw it" to fighting the "ban" and trying to get all the money possible from the "fish" in America while they can.

Nate tha\\\' Great · #5 08-03-2006, 08:05 PM

Gamebookers does not take bets from US customers.

MiltonFriedman · #6 08-03-2006, 11:51 PM

Basically, that is my concern too. i.e. That Party is betting that the ban fails, but doing little to stop it.

After all, who with deep pockets could be looking at a nice way to starve out the poker competition legislatively, if it does pass.

There also has been a regime change at Party, keep that in mind.

Nate tha\\\' Great · #7 08-03-2006, 11:54 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Basically, that is my concern too. i.e. That Party is betting that the ban fails, but doing little to stop it.

After all, who with deep pockets could be looking at a nice way to starve out the poker competition legislatively, if it does pass.

There also has been a regime change at Party, keep that in mind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Please go to http://www.gamebookers.com/

...and see what happens. This is an absolute non-story as far as this forum is concerned.

BluffTHIS! · #8 08-04-2006, 02:34 AM

Party has also announced its intention to go after a bigger share of the European and Asian markets, so that is likely to be the focus of their new bookmaking enterprise.

Little_Luck · #9 08-04-2006, 12:06 PM

gamebookers is a quick way of getting your ip address though.

Unabridged · #10 08-04-2006, 04:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Seems like stupid timing if you ask me. But everything all these poker sites are doing seems stupid to me. Instead of the Party Monster, why not take all the money and spend it on buying a few US senators and running US nationwide campaigns educating the average American about how poker is a game of skill and we should have a right to play it etc?

I just think these online casinos/poker rooms are skipping along like there has never been a 1% chance they could loose 70% of their customers overnight.

[/ QUOTE ]

i'd assume they'd use a more quiet approach to lobbying senators. a senator will not help for any amount of money if their opponent will be able to bash them for endorsing gambling. but if you get a few key senators to slow it down by demand impossible amounts of rewrites or research.
i think all of this has to be handled out of the public eye to avoid backlash from antigamblers. i believe party would drop at least $50 million to protect a ~$1 billion revenue stream, and i think they are currently doing so. the fact that we haven't heard anything about it means they are doing it right