virtue-poker-logo

Virtue Poker to Hold Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament

Renowned blockchain-powered poker platform Virtue Poker is looking to deliver yet another win to the crypto-ecosystem thanks to an upcoming poker tournament. The company will be celebrating its recent launch and developments through the poker tournament which is expected to go down sometime in early June. Having been under development for five years, the Phil Ivey-led online poker operation has so much going for it and it is all about to get even better.

Lots to Look Forward To

Virtue Poker did not seem to have much of a problem pushing its upcoming celebrity poker tournament. Backing the venture are some very well-known industry investors including Pantera Capital, ConsenSys, and DFG Group among others, all of whom could further help solidify its credibility. That said, the no-limit Texas Hold’em poker tournament will be a great launchpad for the company’s ambitious plan for the industry.

Already there is a solid lineup of people that are expected to attend. These include celebrities, influencers, and many poker industry leaders. Most notably, Phil Ivey who also happens to be a Poker Hall of Famer will be among the people that will grace the poker tournament. Other notable figures that will be participating in the tournament include the Virtue Poker Pro team, Ethereum Co-Founder Joe Lubin, Founder and CEO of Ethernity Chain Nick Rose, and NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce.

“Virtue Poker is excited to take this next step to drive awareness and adoption of the world’s first blockchain-based P2P poker platform. Through our partnership with SuperStarter and our execution of our Celebrity Poker Charity event, Virtue Poker will be able to grow our community’s foundation as well as showcase the platform to a broad audience,” Virtue Poker CEO Ryan Gittleson.

The winner of the planned tournament will get to decide on a charitable organization that will receive the proceeds from the event. Virtue Poker will also issue all of the celebrity participants with NFTs and these will act as bounties of sorts during the tournament.

Where to Catch the Action

For anyone that will be interested in watching all the action that will go down during Virtue Poker’s tournament, look no further. The operator will be broadcasting the even as it unfolds on Twitch. In addition to that, fans of the participants will also be able to watch on the channels of these players.

Crypto giving back to the community is certainly a good thing but this is also bound to mark yet another huge leap for crypto and blockchain as they move towards mainstream adoption.

atari-casino

Atari Launches Crypto Casino on Decentraland

Atari is arguably one of the most iconic and most recognizable brands in the world of gaming. However, the company has had some ups and downs over the past decade or so, a situation that has forced it to find other ways of keeping the business going. A few years ago, crypto and blockchain would seem to be the most unlikely of places for the company to venture into but that is no longer the case. Now, it is full steam ahead for Atari’s new blockchain division.

In early March, Atari announced its plans for an Ethereum blockchain casino in partnership with Decentral Games. For this venture, the video game-turned-casino company planned to feature a range of nostalgic games and Atari non-fungible tokens (NFTs), both of which its users can be leveraged to earn more digital currency. This, they projected, would bring over $150 million in 2021 and $400 million over two years.

Last Thursday, all those plans finally paid off when Atari finally held a virtual launch party for its new crypto casino project. The branded casino launch party featured DJ and Produce Dillon Francis who played a live set and went to participate in a huge sale.

The NFT Sale

One of the biggest highlights of the launch party was the sale of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) which, as mentioned above, Dillon Francis also participated in. The special NFTs that the DJ sold was a collaboration between him and renowned visual artist MERDA. All three NFTs that they collaborated in creating were inspired by Gerald the Pinata which, as it turns out, contributed to their value immensely.

The auctioning of the NFT was done on OpenSea as well as other platforms where they fetched thousands of dollars in crypto. The “3D Pixel Gerald,” for instance, sold for 6.42 ether (ETH), the equivalent of $17,788.

What Next for Atari?

While this is an exciting new venture for the Japanese video game company, it has no plans to abandon its roots. According to its officials, Atari will continue to operate and develop its successful free-to-play mobile games. They will, however, be shifting new development to console and PC, with “an emphasis on revitalizing classic Atari intellectual property for the modern era.”

That said, it will also leverage the unique position of its brand name in both gaming and non-gaming-related fields (including hotels and casinos). If the success in licensing the Atari-related brands for use in NFTs over the recent past is anything to go by, this might just work.

betmgm-poker

BetMGM’s Online Poker App Now Available on Google Play Store

Finding real money gambling apps on official application stores has always been quite difficult. However, things are beginning to change especially for gamers who own Android-powered smartphones and tablets. Google has been changing some of its policies with regards to allowing real money betting apps on its platform – at least in some jurisdictions – and operators are starting to step up to take advantage of the changes.

In mid-March, BetMGM became the very first real money online poker app to become available on the Google Play store. This first became available to poker players in New Jersey who could now easily access the operator’s offerings right from their mobile devices.

More to Come

Now, the launch of an app on the Google Play store might seem to be much of a big deal especially considering how many social gaming apps are already available. However, real money gambling apps remained prohibited on the Google Play store for a very long time. This change thus marks a landmark shift for the gambling sector in various jurisdictions.

For the operators, the change means that they will now be able to deliver their services to even more people in a more streamlined and simple manner. Their customers will no longer have to download any installation files or use the mobile versions of their websites which are more often than not less polished when compared to native apps.

For the customers, there is likely to be even better gaming experiences. For instance, as the number of BetMGM’s poker app users continues to rise, the operator will work hard to retain them. As such, the players can expect more interesting features, design improvements, or optimizations as well as other value-additions to make their poker gaming adventures all the more engaging.

A Few Concerns

Naturally, the decision by Google to change some of its policies is accompanied by certain implications – most of these have already been pointed out by several concerned parties. By opening the floodgates, it could be safe to assume that the company is prepared to deal with all of the issues.

Perhaps one of the things that customers will need to be vigilant about is the proliferation of copycat apps on the application store. This has been a problem in the past but companies have found ways of dealing with it. Hopefully, BetMGM is already implementing mechanisms to make it stand out lest it gets confused with pretender apps.

crypto-currencies

Online Gambling Rise Continues Amid Surge in Crypto Activity

The past couple of years or so have been monumental to the growth of arguably two of the most important sectors in the world right now. Crypto and gambling have both proven that they are here to stay time and again but we would understand if you are still skeptical. Speculations and predictions seem to be all the buzz but one undeniable thing is the significant effect the two sectors are having on each other and the rest of the world.

Several digital currencies have over the past couple of months been enjoying new streaks of popularity. Bitcoin, for instance, has recently reached record highs of over $50,000, something that nearly no one saw coming. Its price is however not the only thing that we are interested in – these price surges have been one of the main drivers of the growth in popularity that bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been enjoying lately.

As it turns out, it is not just individuals that are jumping on the bandwagon. Several institutional investors have begun to take the sector very seriously which goes to show just how big of a ripple effect the price surges have had on the global economy.

Still, very few industries have benefited from the crypto boom as much as gaming and entertainment companies. Gambling has long been one of the most popular sectors and with its stakeholders showing a lot of enthusiasm when it comes to adopting new technologies, its utilization of crypto and blockchain technologies was always bound to happen.

Big Promises

When cryptocurrencies first became a thing, no one would have imagined that these tokens along with the related technologies would have such wide-ranging use-cases. Gambling companies, however, seized the opportunity as many of the things that the crypto was promising would be immensely beneficial to their businesses.

Perhaps the most notable aspects of crypto that have been pushing its adoption in gambling are decentralization, transparency, and safety. In essence, they have created what can only be described as an online gamblers’ heaven where the games are provably fair, the transactions are cheap and fast, and the user data is completed protected.

Now, not all gaming companies have been quick to make some of these changes especially considering how volatile the crypto market often gets. Still, it is very important to acknowledge just how far we have come and how close we are to finally achieving the dream of a whole new financial system. One that is not only safe but also fair and reliable.

pokerstars-michigan

PokerStars Launches Its Operations in Michigan

Poker enthusiasts in Michigan have had to endure a long wait for the launch of online poker since online gambling was legalized in the state over a year ago. Well, the wait is finally over as Michigan has recently officially become the fifth state in the country to offer legal and regulated online poker. As expected, this is a pretty lucrative market and already some of the biggest brands in the sector have already made a play for the sector.

World-renowned online poker operator PokerStars became the very first poker brand to go live in Michigan. The company’s efforts to offer its world-class services in the state received the backing of FOX Bet and Stars Casino both of which are also pretty notable brands in the world of gambling.

For the venture in the newly-regulated online poker market, PokerStars and its affiliate companies partnered with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority.

A Rocky Start

There was of course a lot of excitement when PokerStars announced that its poker offerings would be coming to the state. However, a little adjustment period may have been needed as the company tried to figure out the new market and iron out a few bugs. On the first day of online poker gaming on the site, there were a few notable glitches.

These glitches mainly affected the users’ ability to add funds to their accounts which would have been disastrous at any other time. However, this has since been fixed and new players can go in with confidence that such issues will not taint their experiences.

PokerStars even went as far as offering some very exciting promotions to welcome poker lovers in Michigan to their new offering. The most memorable one was a 100 percent deposit bonus – the minimum amount required to claim this was however on the higher side at $600.

Very High Hopes for The Industry

As mentioned earlier, the state has very high hopes for the online poker industry and by extension the online gambling sector as a whole. PokerStars’ entry into the market makes things all the more exciting given its stellar reputation.

According to Richard Kalm, the executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board, revenue generated from the newly launched sector will have a huge impact on several projects in the state. The money will go into such things as education, support for the tribal communities as well as further development of Detroit.

Pokerstars_Pa

PokerStars Pennsylvania Celebrates Anniversary with Tournament Series

It has been one whole year since PokerStars made its debut in the Keystone State. Since its launch, the online poker platform has recorded very strong numbers in terms of revenue as well as the number of visitors. More and more players have been welcomed to the platform and with the pandemic, there was a significant surge in traffic which further cemented PokerStars’ position as the go-to online poker destination for poker lovers in the Keystone State. This can also partly be attributed to its monopoly in that particular marker – this is, however, set to come to an end very soon as other online poker operators are already making plans to join the state’s gaming market.

Meanwhile, PokerStars is marking its 1st anniversary in the state by offering its customers the chance to participate in a fun and exciting tournament series that will be running all through November. Referred to as the Pennsylvania 1st Anniversary Series, the event series will run from November 8 to November 15. During this period, poker players will be able to play across 35 events for a chance of winning a portion of the $1 million guaranteed prize.

The Highlights

The schedule for the tournament is pretty packed to make sure everyone gets a chance to participate. The main highlight will, however, be the $100-entry Main Event which boasts of a guaranteed prize pool of a whopping $200,000.

In addition to that, there are lots of other exciting events that players can participate in. The operator has made it easy for the customers to grab over $10,000 in tickets to the events. These can be grabbed in seven freerolls and players can qualify for those for as little as $1.

Some of the other notable events on the massive schedule include the $100 Sunday Special that will go down on November 8. This has a guaranteed prize of $100,000. There is also the ‘Mini’ Main Event that will go down on November 15 and carries a guaranteed prize pool of $25,000. Moreover, there is the amazing $50 phased tournaments that will be running throughout the duration of the tournament series and has a guaranteed prize of $50,000.

Competition on The Way

As mentioned earlier, PokerStars has had a monopoly in the Keystone State’s online poker market ever since it was launched. This is about to come to an end as other poker operators that have been eyeing the state are inching closer to launching their poker offerings. However, if the high traffic that PokerStars boasts of is anything to go by, the operator does not have much to worry about.

coinpoker-usdt

CoinPoker Shifts All of Its Tables to USDT

After announcing in mid-September that it would be switching to a stable coin as its main in-game currency, CoinPoker has finally followed through with those plans by integrating USDT. It becomes the very first online poker operator on the planet to pull off such as move, something that is expected to pay off quite decently in both the short and long terms.

USDT, otherwise known as Tether, has been breaking records for quite some time now. In fact, it is widely considered to have a lot to do with the most innovative developments in the digital currency space since the conception of Bitcoin in the late noughties. The currency has grown so popular that even banks might start to consider it as a normal payment option in the near future.

Keeping all that in mind, it is not too surprising that CoinPoker has seen the potential of the digital currency. Perhaps the most compelling reason for the adoption of USDT is the fact that it offers a solution to the prevailing volatility problem that continued to plague a number of digital currencies. A stablecoin also creates room for accelerated growth, something that CoinPoker certainly needs in order to achieve its very ambitious growth plans.

The biggest perks that CoinPoker will be getting from USDT include stability, better transaction speeds as well as reliability. All of these are valued features among the members of the poker community and their existence will certainly make the site an attractive option for even more gamblers.

What About CHP?

Despite the fact that USDT will be taking over as the main in-game digital currency on CoinPoker, CHP which is the operator’s digital token will remain in place. According to CoinPoker, “CHP is the currency of the CoinPoker economy, and it will stay this way, except stronger than before.” The company still has some pretty huge plans for the token especially with regards to bringing customers more perks.

Using CHP will not be forced down the throats of the customers but those who choose to use it will gain special access to some exclusive perks and benefits. These will include such things withdrawal fee discounts, dedicated promotions, giveaways, special games, and special access to the sportsbook as well as rakeback. In addition to those, players who will be using CHP will also get 50% more Leaderboard points.

This is a pretty huge leap forward for CoinPoker, the crypto community, and the online poker community. Players can already join the action using fiat, BTC, or ETH if they do not have USDT yet – the in-app currency conversion really comes in handy here.

888poker-Millions-Superstorm

888poker’s Millions Superstorm Kicks Off September 10

Despite the massive changes that had to be implemented due to the coronavirus pandemic, online poker operators have been finding ways to bring back some action. Already a number of massive poker events have been held and more are yet to come.

Poker players have quite a lot to look forward to in September but the one that stood out the most for us is 888poker’s $8 Million Guaranteed Tournament Series, Millions Superstorm Edition. To begin with, Million Superstorm is the biggest poker festival that 888poker has ever held in nearly 20 years. It will also go down in history as the biggest online poker tournaments series that the renowned poker operator has held in the recent past.

What to Expect

To begin with, the Millions Superstorm will feature a whopping 480 events with the first one kicking off on September 10. The tournaments series will then run all the way to October 11. Buy-ins start from as low as $5.50 and rise all the way to as much as $530. This is a pretty reasonable range, particularly because it will allow all kinds of players to take part in some of that action.

This tournament series is part of the poker operator’s Millions Superstorm promotion that has been running for quite some time now. Participating players will have the chance to compete in tons of fun and exciting daily challenges. The promotion runs for 8 weeks and in that period the operator will have awarded a total of $1 million in cash prizes in addition to the $8 million that is guaranteed for the tournament series.

So, if you want a piece of that, you will certainly need to look out for the cash freerolls, the daily spinners, the bonuses, tickets as well as the Millions Superstorm Daily Freeroll tournaments.

The $1 Million Guaranteed Main Event

Perhaps the biggest highlight of the entire tournament series will be the Superstorm Main Event whose buy-in is $320 and there is a whopping $1 million cash prize. This will be an action-packed two-day event where the best poker players will battle it out to get a share of the cash prize.

Feel like you are a great player? Well, even if you cannot afford the $320 buy-in, there are ways of getting a piece of that action and possibly a piece of the cash prize too. With 888poker’s Daily Spinners, you might just be the lucky winner of a free entry into the Millions Superstorm Main Event. All you need to do is to spend no less than $5 playing games in the online casino or bet at least $5 in sports events with 1.5 minimum odds.

You could also win an entry into the Main Event via the satellite events which have been running since August 23.

iPoker-Network

iPoker Rolls Out New Cash Game Changes to Improve Player Experience

As part of its bid to make its gaming platform friendlier to recreational players, the iPoker Network has recently implemented a host of new changes. Most of these changes are intended to help in the reduction of predatory behavior that is often exhibited by some pro players and hardcore amateurs. As it turns out, that kind of behavior has been having some rather detrimental impacts on traffic since it has made keeping recreational or casual poker gamers on the site quite difficult.

According to iPoker Network Manager Joerg Nottebaum, the move involved activating some features that will go a long way in making their games “fairer and more fun for players.” The company prides itself on being customer-focused and this fairness is one of the biggest priorities.

The Changes

Perhaps the most notable change for people who love the anonymity that comes with some online casinos especially those that utilize crypto and blockchain is the anonymous cash game lobby. This change makes it impossible for malicious players to use seating scrips as they will not be able to track other players throughout the lobby. Seating scripts are usually used by some pro or hardcore amateurs to find and take advantage of weaker poker players.

To further add an extra layer of anonymity to the platform, the Pay to See Names feature has been included as part of the new changes. In essence, this keeps players from being tracked throughout the game lobby. This happens even when a player joins one of the site’s cash game tables – their opponents’ names will remain hidden until that particular player posts a big blind.

Ideally, some players would be very happy if iPoker made the table completely anonymous but this does not seem to be in the network’s agenda at the moment. Perhaps this is to ensure that even though new measures are added to the site, the experience remains just as good and familiar as it was before.

Another significant change is in the inclusion of a global sit-out function which essentially forces players to sit out all other tables once the hand they are in is over. This applies when players who multi-table cash games chose to sit out one of the tables. Like all the other changes, this one is also meant to prevent malicious players from sitting out, occupying a seat, and waiting for weaker players to join or the game to better in one way or the other.

WSOP-Online-2020

The 2020 Online World Series of Poker Is Finally Here

After a long wait following the cancellation of the 2020 World Series of Poker due to the coronavirus pandemic, poker lovers can now finally enjoy the action online. The 2020 Online World Series of Poker kicked off on July 1 and is set to run until September 6.

While the online tournament series may seem rather weird for people who were used to being part of the action in the land-based venues, the online tournament series promises a lot of fun for every poker lover. To begin with, the online poker series features a total of 85 WSOP gold bracelets all of which are up for grabs on both GGPoker and WSOP.com.

WSOP.com’s daily series poker action began on July 1 and will remain available till July 31. This will, unfortunately, be available to only New Jersey and Nevada players. GGPoker, on the other hand, will be kicking off its massive array of 54 bracelet events on July 19 and they will run till September 6.

Record-Breaking Events in Store

While it may have been a result of circumstance, there is a lot of optimism about the tournaments. Most notable, it is expected that the 2020 Online World Series of Poker will become the largest online poker event ever, that is, in terms of the prize pool. Speaking of the prize pool, the event has a massive guarantee which has certainly caught the attention of poker players and pros from all around the globe.

“With over $100M in guarantees during the WSOPC Super Series in May and more than $134M in awarded prizes, it’s clear that GGPoker and the WSOP make a good pair. We’re excited to create bracelet events that the worldwide poker community will embrace, as well as innovative programming with PokerGo.”

Steve Preiss, Head of Poker Operations for GGPoker.

The players will have the chance to participate in a ton of exciting events with very reasonable buy-ins. Even the “Main Event” which will go down on WSOP.com on July 31 will have a buy-in of $1,000. This might seem a little high but it is definitely low enough that a considerable number of players will be able to get in on the fun. To put this into perspective, the No-Limit Hold’em Championship “Main Event” will cost a whopping $9,000 less than the traditional Main Event. That said, if you have always wanted to participate in that particular event but the high buy-in has kept you away, this might your chance to be a part of it.