So who thinks Party was on the ball?

[NL__Fool]

Everyone couldn't believe that Party voluntarily banned all US players from their site when the new law was announced back in October.

Why would they do that? Why give up so much revenue months before they had to? Could it be because they saw the writing on the wall where no one else did?

How did they get to be #1 in the 1st place? Advertising, they sank the most money into it and reaped the benifits. No one had even come close to taking the #1 spot away from Party before the new law was passed

So is it possible they decided to abanded the US market and be the 1st to concentrate heavily in the Non US markets and again reap the benifits? Stick with the formula that made them #1 in the 1st place?

Did they decide to take a short term loss to gain in the long run?

Lets face it, Online poker for Americans is pretty much done with. All the pro's and semi-pro's will want to keep playing and have every reason to want to but what will they do without the influx of new fish?

Soon it will be a lake full of Sharks all eating each other up to take the occasional break when the odd lone fish swims by, tear the lone fish shreds and then continue feeding on each other.

Honestly, how many casual or recreational players will want to deposit online again after they have gotten burned by Neteller holding their money for 6 months? They will see it no other way, even when they get their money back they will think they were screwed, plain and simple.

And the odd fish that wasn't burnt by Neteller who deposited by some other means will hear stories about what Neteller did to their friend, or brother or Uncle and that will more then likely frighten them away also.

Even when the sites find a new funding method all the goodwill and trust that was there is gone from the fish who were burnt by Neteller. They will not want to deposit again.

Party has had a huge head start, heavily advertising in the non US countries while most other sites left it alone figuring that even when Neteller bailed there would be a half dozen or so ther compnaies ready to replace it.

What they did not count on was the US getting as aggressive as they did in trying to cripple the online gambling industry such as the recent Neteller arrests.

They did not count on Neteller freezing funds for 6 months destoying any faith or goodwill from the fish which accounts for the majority of the funds being used for online gambling.

I say in a couple of months Party will be #1 again by a huge margin, not that I'm happy about it as I'd rather play on Stars

[iSTRONG]

I was thinking just the same thing right now. I think you've hit it 100%.

[The Camel]

There's a 0% chance you are correct.

Party has a terrible reputation in Europe. And Mike Sexton is a nobody over here.

Pokerstars sponsor the most popular series of live tournaments in Europe, the EPT, and are renowned for their excellent customer service.

Stars will stay on top, although Ladbrokes will probably do very well too.

[blackize]

So much wrong with this post.

[ QUOTE ]
Everyone couldn't believe that Party voluntarily banned all US players from their site when the new law was announced back in October.

Why would they do that? Why give up so much revenue months before they had to? Could it be because they saw the writing on the wall where no one else did?

[/ QUOTE ]

....getting out Oct 13th or Jan20th, there is no difference except that they lose a ton of money they could have had.

[ QUOTE ]
So is it possible they decided to abanded the US market and be the 1st to concentrate heavily in the Non US markets and again reap the benifits? Stick with the formula that made them #1 in the 1st place?

[/ QUOTE ]

What was stopping them from continuing to allow Americans to play, dropping advertising in the US, and pumping their greater profits and other advertising budget into other markets?

[ QUOTE ]

Did they decide to take a short term loss to gain in the long run?

[/ QUOTE ]

So you are saying they took a ~50% hit to their revenue in order to gain in the long run? Say they made 1 billion over the last 3 months without Americans. With Americans they stood to make 1.7 billion. They could have taken that 700 million and used it in addition to the marketing funds they are currently allocating to other markets in order to get even more advertising.

[ QUOTE ]

Honestly, how many casual or recreational players will want to deposit online again after they have gotten burned by Neteller holding their money for 6 months?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why would a recreational player have money just sitting in Neteller? They take money and load it onto poker sites. They don't leave it sitting around in Neteller.

Edit: This wasn't some brilliant plan of Party's. They had to pull out because they are a publicly traded company on the London stock exchange, or their controlling members decided it was less risky. It most certainly wasn't some masterful plan to dominate the world market minus the US

[okietalker]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a 0% chance you are correct.

Party has a terrible reputation in Europe. And Mike Sexton is a nobody over here.

Pokerstars sponsor the most popular series of live tournaments in Europe, the EPT, and are renowned for their excellent customer service.

Stars will stay on top, although Ladbrokes will probably do very well too.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about the asian countries? Hasn't Party announced they are going after them also? I think Party will be #1 again very soon and I think the OP just said what all of us U.S. players already know..... just don't want to admit.

[Psy_Mike]

Does Party have a terrible rep here? Everybody I know who plays there seriously is very happy with Party. They offer quick support (say whatever you want about their support, but they fix things.. fast!), great amount of players, they're steadily growing opposed to many other sites, nice client, good bonuses... They have a LOT going for them, and why somebody would dislike Party is beyond me.

[Michael C.]

[ QUOTE ]
There's a 0% chance you are correct.

Party has a terrible reputation in Europe. And Mike Sexton is a nobody over here.

Pokerstars sponsor the most popular series of live tournaments in Europe, the EPT, and are renowned for their excellent customer service.

Stars will stay on top, although Ladbrokes will probably do very well too.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is just WAY off. Look at the last couple of weeks, and Party is almost even with Stars again, even without the US market. Figure 60-70% of Stars customers are US based, like it was with Party. Simple math shows that Party has at least twice as many non-US players as Stars, and probably more than that. Why? Quite simple. Party is/was and for the time being will be the place fish go to swim, and that to me is way more important than customer service and the EPT, I'm sad to say. Even now, SNGs are much easier on Party than they are on Stars...

[Synergistic Explosions]

Party is very smart. They did their IPO at the exact perfect moment in time to extract the most from the public.

[CharlieDontSurf]

The only part that is off is that Stars will continue to grow along with Party.

The part about online poker for american players is true.
The pool of fish will continue to lessen esp on sites that are heavily invested in the US.

[NL__Fool]

I'm not a US player so this wasn't a sky was falling post, I can always go to the Non US sites

[ QUOTE ]
Party has a terrible reputation in Europe

[/ QUOTE ]

Care to explain that?

[ QUOTE ]
Pokerstars sponsor the most popular series of live tournaments in Europe,

[/ QUOTE ]

Your Point? The fact thet they sponser the EPT doesnt mean much

[ QUOTE ]
and are renowned for their excellent customer service.



[/ QUOTE ]

Stars alwyas had better customer service then Party, but Party was always #1 until forces beyond their contol caused them to loose that spot. #1 Customer service doesn't mean you are the #1 player

[ QUOTE ]
....getting out Oct 13th or Jan20th, there is no difference except that they lose a ton of money they could have had.



[/ QUOTE ]

With the stance the US is taking on online gambling it makes a huge diffeerence. Jail is a huge motivator for most, just look at neteller

[ QUOTE ]
What was stopping them from continuing to allow Americans to play, dropping advertising in the US, and pumping their greater profits and other advertising budget into other markets?

[/ QUOTE ]

Jail, Freedom to travel in the US without risk of Jail time.

[ QUOTE ]
So you are saying they took a ~50% hit to their revenue in order to gain in the long run?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, succesfull business do this all the tirm to ensure thier long term prosperity. Who cares what you can make in the short term if you lose overall in the long run.

[ QUOTE ]
Why would a recreational player have money just sitting in Neteller? They take money and load it onto poker sites. They don't leave it sitting around in Neteller

[/ QUOTE ]

Fish depsoit via neteller. Fish runs a $100 deposit into $1k. Fish withdrawls via neteller because he has to because of the policies of the poker sites and now his $1k is stuck in neteller for 6 months.

[ QUOTE ]
Edit: This wasn't some brilliant plan of Party's. They had to pull out because they are a publicly traded company on the London stock exchange, or their controlling members decided it was less risky. It most certainly wasn't some masterful plan to dominate the world market minus the US


[/ QUOTE ]

Never said it was a masterfull plan, just a sound one. They did not have to pull out right away they could have waited like Neteller and then been arrested like some execs at neteller. Neteller is on the stock exchage also. Whats your point?

Party cut their losses in the US and then moved on to where they can make money, without any risk. PArty became #1 by heavily advertising and thats what they are doing again in Non US markets.