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GOOD GAME: New GGPokerTV Twitch Stream Adds to Site’s Growing Media Platform

Multi-platform is the name of the game in today’s online poker world. As a growing operator making news, GGPoker now offers its own Twitch channel for viewing the action.

Dubbed GGPokerTV, company officials hope the new media option becomes much more than just a typical poker stream. GG offers poker fans a chance to check out the action online in some of the site’s biggest events.

The site is hoping to set itself apart from others in the medium and continued streaming final tables this week of the GGPoker WSOP Super Circuit Online Series.

GGPoker goes live on Twitch

John Scanlon leads the Twitch media efforts as GGPoker director of partnerships, ambassadors, and live events. He joined the fastest-growing online poker brand in early April.

He comes to the role from a live events background, most recently heading up Aspers Poker in the United Kingdom. The momentum for the GG stream was already underway when he came on board. But Scanlon hopes some recent key additions make it a player-friendly experience.

“Things really started to pick up pace once ElkY [poker pro Bertrand Grospellier] decided to join the GGPoker family,” Scanlon tells USPoker. “The project came together so fast, from concept to reality in a matter of days.

The original idea for GGPoker.TV came from James Barrett (JamesPkr), Gary Cunningham (UPAY4DINNER) and Andy Lowin (TwosNeverLose), longtime leaders within the GGPoker Discord community. They approached GGPoker management with this concept, and provided many of the core elements that were optimized into the final GGPoker.TV product.

“It was really quite remarkable to see how all the different departments worked together along with external resources to put this together, especially considering, we were also in the middle of $50 Million Guaranteed GGSeries.”

Something different with ElKY and others

With its new media offering, GG hopes to be more than an average poker channel. The goal is to focus on poker but also plenty of entertainment.

That includes analysis and insight from great poker minds. Grospellier brings plenty to the table in his role and is excited to grow the Twitch channel.

“Twitch is an awesome platform and I joined GGPoker as head of streamers, so I’m really glad to be fully implicated with the growth of GG on Twitch,” Grospellier says. “Joining GGPoker feels awesome. I really share their ambition and vision, about making poker fun again, and the importance of software excellence.”

That focus on fun is definitely part of the goal, Scanlon notes, and that includes promotions and prizes for viewers. The site’s software already features some unique features like the ability to stake other players.

“From the very first broadcast, we don’t want to just be another poker Twitch channel, we want to showcase what GGPoker is all about – the unique features and the fun we want to put back into poker,” he says. “As we progress we will be adding more and more content to the channel.”

That goes beyond traditional Texas Hold’em events and could include unique games like “All In or Fold” and entertaining high stakes cash games. 

Cards up, entertaining commentary crews, and all in at GGPokerTV

One of the highlights of televised poker has always been the ability for viewers to see players’ hole cards. For the first time, viewers could actually see how great players play their cards.

That has carried over to GGPokerTV. Players checking out the channel’s first stream noticed hole cards were visible

Along with ElkY, recent commentators have included Joe Stapleton, Matt Berkey, Christian Soto, and Felipe Ramos. Daniel Negreanu has also been a key signing for Team GG and served as a commentator as well.

For Negreanu, showing cards is a game changer for the new stream and makes it unique.

“Personally, I think this is incredibly cool,” he says. “Watching poker without access to hole cards is less entertaining as far as I’m concerned, so being able to watch the GG Masters with cards up, and great commentary in addition to that, makes for a great stream.”

Scanlon says more GGPoker ambassadors will be featured as well as popular Twitch streamers from around the globe.

The site plans to use the new medium to add some value for fans. GG recently gave away $10,000 to viewers over a weekend as part of the live streams. The stream also offers some options should GG begin offering live tournament events after the Coronavirus pandemic.

“We have many things in the pipeline, but unfortunately I can’t say too much at this time,” Snanlon says.

“We have some really massive announcements in the coming weeks and GGPoker Network will be the place to play and GGPokerTV will be the place to watch the action unfold.”

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BIG DEAL: GGPoker, WSOP Agreement Brings New Super Circuit Online Series

The WSOP and GGPoker recently announced a partnership on the new Online Super Series.

GGPoker continued its growth as a global brand by announcing a new deal with the World Series of Poker on Wednesday. The two companies will now partner on the new WSOP Super Circuit Online Series.

The series debuts in May and is expected to play out over three weeks with hundreds of events. Highlighting the schedule will be 18 WSOP Circuit championship ring tournaments.

“I’m thrilled to reveal that GGPoker will be hosting the WSOP Super Circuit Online Series in partnership with World Series of Poker,” head of GGPoker Jean-Christophe Antoine said.

“A GGPoker and WSOP partnership brings together two like-minded global organizations, and I can’t wait to see GGPoker players competing for WSOP Circuit rings online.”

A look at the GGPoker/WSOP Super Series

Players around the world will be pleased to see more major action coming online during the Coronavirus pandemic. The WSOP Circuit was forced to cancel several events because of the virus.

Online rounders now have a chance to battle online for a championship gold ring. The full tournament schedule will be announced at a later date.

WSOP officials were pleased with the deal and seeing the series launched on such a growing brand.

“We’re thrilled to partner with an operator on the rise who is both aggressive and passionate about growing poker engagement around the world,” WSOP executive director Ty Stewart said in a news release.

“It was unfortunate that we were forced to cancel so many offline WSOP Circuit events this spring, but with vast reach GGPoker plans to dwarf the prize pools of the suspended events all at once in one truly Super WSOP Circuit.”

What to expect from WSOP, GGPoker events

In March, WSOP.com held its own Online Super Series with a $1.24 million guarantee. That total was smashed, however, with more players at home and looking to play online. The series ended with more than $3.9 million awarded to players.

Numerous big-names also got in on the action. It’s a good bet that may continue with the GG series.

The GGPoker Super Series should easily shatter that US event total with players around the globe able to play. GG players can also qualify for events in satellites throughout the series.

Beyond that, the Super Circuit also offers a chance to qualify for the $1 million guaranteed WSOP Global Casino Championship. Winners of the Main Event and player of the series leaderboard earn free entries into the popular bracelet event.

GGPoker continues growing and making news

As a growing international site with significant reach, the new GG series brings more momentum for the site. GGPoker regularly ranks among the top five in the world in site traffic.

The Super Series also adds to its growing slate of events. The site is currently running the GGSeries through April 26, with a massive $50 million in guaranteed prize pool. 

The series includes an ongoing $300,000 leaderboard and features numerous daily events in four tiers:

  • Low
  • Mid
  • High 
  • High Rollers

GG also continues to offer huge Sunday GGMasters tournament guarantees. The events feature a $150 buy-in, a $300,000 guarantee, and a freezeout format.

In March, the site also restructured its Sunday lineup with 174 tournaments with $2 million in guarantees.

GG ambassador Daniel Negreanu comments on WSOP deal

Some of the biggest news for GGPoker came in November when it added six-time WSOP bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu. As the site’s ambassador, he sees the announcement as a huge opportunity for the brand.

“The WSOP is the most prestigious brand in poker dating back to 1970,” he told PokerScout. “Anytime you can be in a partnership with the WSOP, that’s a great opportunity and I was thrilled to see GGPoker partner with them.

“How does this help the WSOP? Well, I strongly believe that GGPoker offers the best software and player experience you’ll find anywhere online. Especially the mobile client which is in a league of its own.”

The poker star believes that quality software and efforts at keeping fun in the game add to GG’s growing popularity.

“Since signing with GGPoker I’ve had countless industry insiders, Twitch streamers, and casual players rave about the playing experience and the software,” Negreanu says.

“The goal was always to make the game fun and engaging with all the bells and whistles that help accomplish that. Whether it’s squeezing your cards or rabbit hunting, the focus is always on fun.”

For a complete GGPoker review including an exclusive new player bonus of 200% up to $600, click here.

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ONLINE POKER WEEK: A Complete Guide to This Week’s Tournaments (Updated 4/8 with GGSeries)

A look at poker events for the week of April 6.

Online poker players stuck at home have plenty to look forward to this week. Major player and prize pools have become the norm for online poker operators around the world.

That continues this week with online operators running numerous tournaments planned and more set for the coming weeks.

  • Partypoker Grand Prix 4 Dealers, Irish Poker Open, POWERFEST
  • PokerStars Turbo Series, SCOOP 2020
  • 888poker Freerolls, God of Arena PKO Series, The Dragon
  • GGSeries runs through April 26 with $50 million guaranteed

Partypoker

partypoker Grand Prix 4 Dealers to benefit poker dealers

With no live poker currently, many dealers are out of work. Partypoker is offering a new tournament series to support at least some in the poker dealing community.

The Grand Prix 4 Dealers runs on partypoker from April 26 to May 3. As part of the event, 100% of registration fees go directly to dealers who were booked to work at partypoker LIVE events that have been postponed or moved online. This includes partner and sponsored events in the Triton, WPT, and WSOP circuits.

“These are exceptional times and many freelancers and self-employed, in all industries, have got some tough months ahead,” partypoker LIVE President John Duthie said.

“Freelance poker dealers are no exception and hopefully our Grand Prix 4 Dealers tournament along with other initiatives may help. Come and play and know that you’re doing your bit to help the poker community.”

Partypoker officials hope to raise $100,000 in the effort. If the target is met, Dusk Til Dawn Poker Club owner Rob Yong will match the total.

The tournament buy-in is $55 and starting flights will run everyday for the first eight days. Qualifying players will advance to the final day on May 3. Satellites are running from just $2.20. Partypoker has also begun a JustGiving page to help in the cause.

Irish Poker Open online series begins April 6

The Irish Poker Open will now run the entire festival online from April 6-12. The Main Event on April 6 features a €1 million guarantee.

The good news about the online festival is that it will be available to players in all countries on the .COM site.

“Since our announcement last week regarding the postponement of Irish Open 2020, considerable efforts have been made to find an alternative date,” organizer JP McCann said in a news release. “However, as the uncertainty surrounding live poker events continues, we feel that the best decision to take at this point is to cancel the live festival for 2020.

“We would like to thank partypoker for taking the initiative to help ensure Europe’s oldest running Poker Festival goes ahead during these very challenging times.”

Here’s a complete schedule of events:

2020 Irish Poker Open

POWERFEST gets superpowered with series extension

The POWERFEST has been extended by partypoker through April 20. The series features more than $60 million in tournament guarantees.

Events start for as little as $1 but also feature higher buy-in events as well. Check back for more information coming soon.

$20K awarded daily in SPINS, SNG leaderboards 

Partypoker is awarding major prizes everyday as part of its SPINS and SNG leaderboards. That amounts to almost $20,000 daily to players of every buy-in level.

“We have been running SNG leaderboards for a number of weeks now, but we decided to switch these to daily rather than weekly in order to open up the prizes to a wider range of players,” partypoker managing director Tom Waters said.

“With daily prizes, players can compete without having to dedicate an entire week to grinding the leaderboards. The SPINS leaderboards are brand new and these also offer daily prizes across all buy-in ranges.”

Players can earn points at SPINS tables to claim up to $1,000 in cash. Five leaderboards are available for micro, small, low, mid, and high level players.

A daily prize pool of $12,500 is guaranteed across the five leaderboards. Players can also win up to $750 in cash every day at SNG tables. These have four leaderboards: low, medium, high, and high roller.

As much as $7,250 is guaranteed in prize pools every day across the four leaderboards. The site has also extended its $1 million Cash Game Leaderboard promotion for another month.

Partypoker is awarding $250,000 weekly across 16 separate leaderboards through April 27.

Poker Masters Series kicks off Sunday with $15 million guaranteed

Partypoker and Poker Central are teaming up for the new Poker Masters Online. The series is set for April 12-26 with 30 high roller events featuring $15.25 million in total guarantees.

The two companies have moved the series online because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Most events come in the $10,300 to $25,500 buy-in range. The $51,000 main event is set for April  26 offers players a guaranteed prize pool of $2 million.

The main event champion will also earn a $50,000 bonus and will be awarded a coveted Poker Masters purple jacket.

“We are pleased to be able to give players the chance to continue doing what they love and play the tournament in online format,” partypoker managing director Tom Waters said in a news release. “The Poker Masters brand carries significant weight in the poker community and we believe this innovative online format will be appealing for fans and players alike.”

Partypoker and Poker Central have previously partnered on the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Tour and Super High Roller Bowl events. The full schedule can be found below:

Poker Masters Online 2020

DateEventGuaranteeBuy-in
Mon 20-Apr-20Poker Masters #17: $500K Gtd [PLO, 6-Max]$500,000$10,300
Mon 20-Apr-20Poker Masters #18: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300
Tue 21-Apr-20Poker Masters #19: $1M Gtd [NLH, 8-Max]$1,000,000$25,500
Tue 21-Apr-20Poker Masters #20: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300
Wed 22-Apr-20Poker Masters #21: $1M Gtd [NLH, 8-Max]$1,000,000$25,500
Wed 22-Apr-20Poker Masters #22: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300
Thu 23-Apr-20Poker Masters #23: $1M Gtd [PLO, 6-Max]$1,000,000$25,500
Thu 23-Apr-20Poker Masters #24: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300
Fri 24-Apr-20Poker Masters #25: $1M Gtd [NLH, 8-Max]$1,000,000$25,500
Fri 24-Apr-20Poker Masters #26: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300
Sat 25-Apr-20Poker Masters #27: $1M Gtd [NLH, 8-Max]$1,000,000$25,500
Sat 25-Apr-20Poker Masters #28: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300
Sun 26-Apr-20Poker Masters #29: $2M Gtd [NLH, 8-Max, MAIN EVENT]$2,000,000$51,000
Sun 26-Apr-20Poker Masters #30: $250K Gtd [NLH, 6-Max]$250,000$10,300

WPT, partypoker move tour action online

Partypoker also recently teamed up with the WPT to offer the new Online Series. The festival runs May 10-26 and features $30 million in total guarantees including $15 million across 10 headline events.

The WPT and partypoker have teamed up for the new WPT Online Series.The highlight will be a $3,200 WPT Online Championship with a $5 million guarantee, set to begin May 10. The series becomes an official part of the WPT Main Tour.

The new series comes after the WPT was forced to postpone several events. Like a live event, the winner will have his or her name added to the tour’s Champions Cup trophy. Here’s the complete WPT schedule.

WPT Online Championship

DateBuy-InEventGuarantee
May 3$5,000WPT Grand Opener $2 million
May 10$3,200 WPT Online Championship$5 million
May 10$530WPT500$1 million
May 12 $5,200Bounty Hunter NLHE$1 million
May 14$5,200 PLO$500,000
May 18$1,1000 NLHE Six-Max $1 million
May 19 $5,200Mix Max$1 million
May 21$25,500Super High Roller$2 million
May 21 $2,100Turbo PKO$500,000
May 24 $10,300High Roller$2 million
May 25 $1,600WPTDeepStacks$1 million

For a complete partypoker review including an exclusive deposit bonus up to $1,000, click here.

PokerStars

Turbo Series action continues this week

The turbo action continues this week with the PokerStars Turbo Series playing out through April 19. The series features 114 events and an overall guarantee of $25 million.

As the name implies, the series will feature events all in the turbo format. Event buy-ins range from $11 to $5,200 and are available to play on the .COM site only.

The $1,050 Main Event is set for April 19 and offers a $2 million guarantee. There is also a $55 Low Main Event with a $1 million guarantee.

Events are mostly No Limit Hold’em with a few Omaha variants mixed in as well. Here’s a look at the complete schedule:

PokerStars Turbo Series 2020

DateEvent
13-AprTurbo Series 60: $11 NLHE, $50K Gtd
13-AprTurbo Series 61: $109 NLHE [6-Max], $175K Gtd
13-AprTurbo Series 62: $22 NLHE [Heads-Up, Progressive Total KO, Zoom, Progressive Total KO], $75K Gtd
13-AprTurbo Series 63: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO], $300K Gtd
13-AprTurbo Series 64: $109 PLO8 [6-Max], $65K Gtd
13-AprTurbo Series 65: $55 NLHE [8-Max], $175K Gtd
13-AprTurbo Series 66: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO], $75K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 67: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO], $150K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 68: $11+R NLO8 [6-Max, Splash], $35K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 69: $215 NLHE [4-Max], $200K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 70: $55 NLHE [8-Max], $250K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 71: $215 NLHE [Fat Tuesday SE], $125K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 72: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $400K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 73: $109 NLHE, $135K Gtd
14-AprTurbo Series 74: $11 NLHE [6-Max], $40K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 75: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $135K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 76: $530 PLO [6-Max], $100K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 77: $22 NLHE, $175K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 78: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO], $400K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 79: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Zoom], $100K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 80: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Daily Supersonic SE], $225K Gtd
15-AprTurbo Series 81: $55 NLHE [8-Max], $80K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 82: $215 NLHE, $125K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 83: $109 FLHE [6-Max], $25K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 84: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO], $400K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 85: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Win the Button], $75K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 86: $215 NLHE [Fat Thursday SE], $125K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 87: $530 NLHE [8-Max], $225K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 88: $109 NLHE, $175K Gtd
16-AprTurbo Series 89: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $40K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 90: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 91: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up, Progressive Total KO, Zoom, Progressive Total KO], $100K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 92: $22 NLHE, $150K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 93: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO], $400K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 94: $55 8-Game, $40K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 95: $55 NLHE [3-Max, Hyper-Turbo, 5-Stack], $100K Gtd
17-AprTurbo Series 96: $215 NLHE [6-Max], $100K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 97: $22 NLHE, $80K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 98: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Zoom], $200K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 99: $11+R NLHE [Splash], $125K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 100: $530 NLHE, $200K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 101: $215 NLO8 [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 102: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Daily Cooldown SE], $300K Gtd
18-AprTurbo Series 103: $109 NLHE, $80K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 104: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Deep Stacks], $150K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 105: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $150K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 106: $215 PLO [6-Max], $125K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 107: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Double Deuce SE], $275K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 108: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max], $750K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 109: $1,050 NLHE [Main Event – High], $2M Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 110: $55 NLHE [Main Event – Low], $1M Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 111: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO], $400K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 112: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Sunday Supersonic SE], $275K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 113: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Mini Sunday Supersonic SE], $150K Gtd
19-AprTurbo Series 114: $55 NLHE, $135K Gtd

SCOOP rolls on this week for European players

The Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) continues through April 9 for players in France, Spain, and Portugal. The series features €12 million in tournament guarantees across 19 days of action.

The series offers a range of buy-ins, including the €250 Main Event on April 5 with a €1 million guarantee. Players can win a seat for a fraction of the cost with hundreds of tickets given away through Depositor Freerolls. These run on March 21, 28 and April 4.

Players can also win their way into the Main Event with special €12.50 Spin & Go’s. Some other highlights of the series include:

  • March 22 – €250 Sunday Special PKO with a €200,000 guarantee
  • March 29 – €50 Special PKO with a €250,000 guarantee
  • April 5 – €50 Warm-Up guaranteeing €175,000

Here is at all events running this week:

2020 Spring Championship of Online Poker (Spain, France, Portugal)

EvDateBuy-InName
31213-Apr€30.00Deep
31313-Apr€5.006-Max PKO
31413-Apr€50.006-Max PKO
31513-Apr€30.00SuperStack 6-Max PKO
31613-Apr€5.00NLH
31713-Apr€30.00Deep PKO
31813-Apr€125.006-Max Super Monday PKO
31913-Apr€10.006-Max Bigger PKO
32013-Apr€20.00SuperStack
32113-Apr€50.00Split the Night PKO
32213-Apr€20.008-Max Turbo PKO
32313-Apr€50.00Deep Turbo
32413-Apr€30.006-Max Spring Time Hyper
32513-Apr€250.00High Roller PKO Turbo 6-Max
32614-Apr€30.00Deep PKO
32714-Apr€5.008-Max
32814-Apr€30.008-Max
32914-Apr€30.00SuperStack PKO
33014-Apr€5.006-Max
33114-Apr€30.008-Max Deep PKO
33214-Apr€125.00Deep PKO
33314-Apr€10.00Bigger PKO
33414-Apr€20.00SuperStack 6-Max
33514-Apr€50.00Deep Turbo PKO
33614-Apr€20.006-Max Turbo PKO
33714-Apr€50.006-Max Deep Turbo
33814-Apr€30.00Spring Time Hyper
33914-Apr€125.00PKO Turbo
34015-Apr€30.00Deep 8-Max
34115-Apr€5.00Ultra KO
34215-Apr€30.00Ultra KO
34315-Apr€30.00SuperStack 6-Max PKO
34415-Apr€5.008-Max
34515-Apr€30.00Deep PKO
34615-Apr€125.008-Max PKO
34715-Apr€10.006-Max Bigger PKO
34815-Apr€20.00SuperStack
34915-Apr€50.006-Max BigStack Turbo
35015-Apr€20.00Bubble Rush Turbo
35115-Apr€50.008-Max Deep Turbo
35215-Apr€30.006-Max Spring Time Hyper
35315-Apr€125.00PKO Turbo 6-Max
35416-Apr€30.00Deep PKO
35516-Apr€5.006-Max
35616-Apr€50.006-Max
35716-Apr€30.00SuperStack PKO
35816-Apr€5.00Rebuy
35916-Apr€30.00Deep PKO
36016-Apr€50.006th Sense
36116-Apr€10.00Bigger PKO
36216-Apr€20.00SuperStack 6-Max
36316-Apr€250.00Super Thursday PKO
36416-Apr€50.00Deep Turbo
36516-Apr€20.004-MaxTurbo PKO
36616-Apr€50.00Turbo Total KO
36716-Apr€30.006-Max Spring Time Hyper
36816-Apr€250.00High Roller PKO Turbo

For a complete PokerStars review including an exclusive deposit bonus up to $500, click here.

888poker

Get in the arena with 888 PKO Series

Players can channel their inner Roman God when the God of the Arena PKO Series, which runs through April 12. The series features 33 tournaments with the $109 Main Event on April 12 offering up a $200,000 guarantee.

Players of all buy-ins will be rewarded however. There is also a $33 Mini Main Event on April 12 with a $50,000 guarantee. The same day also features a $5.50 Micro Main Event with a $15,000 guarantee.

The series kick off this Sunday with five major events:

  • $44 Daily Kickoff – $15,000 guaranteed
  • $109 Tune Up – $150,000 guaranteed
  • $22 Mini Tune Up – $40,000 guaranteed
  • $55 Late Tune Up – $30,000 guaranteed

PKO stands for progressive knockout and the tournaments have grown in popularity recently. In this type of bounty tournament, a player’s bounty increases as they progress through the event.

When a player knocks out another player, he receives a portion of the eliminated player’s bounty. The other portion is added to the price on that winning player.

The deeper a player goes, the more the bounties are worth. The PKO format adds some extra fun to a bounty tournament. Here’s a complete schedule:

God of the Arena PKO Series

EventDateBuy-inEventGuarantee
5April 6$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
6April 6$558-Max$30,000
7April 6$8.80Mini 8-Max$10,000
8April 6$22Late 8-Max$10,000
9April 7$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
10April 7$1099-Max$40,000
11April 7$16.50Mini 9-Max$20,000
12April 7$55Late 9-Max$20,000
13April 8$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
14April 8$1098-Max$40,000
15April 8$16.50Mini 8-Max$20,000
16April 8$33Late 8-Max$15,000
17April 9$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
18April 9$1099-Max$40,000
19April 9$16.50Mini 9-Max$20,000
20April 9$33Late 9-Max$15,000
21April 10$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
22April 10$55Freezeout$20,000
23April 10$16.50Mini Freezeout$15,000
24April 10$33Late Freezeout$10,000
25April 11$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
26April 11$1096-Max$30,000
27April 11$16.50Mini 6-Max$20,000
28April 11$55Late 6-Max$15,000
29April 12$44Daily Kickoff$15,000
30April 12$55Warm Up$100,000
31April 12$109Main Event$200,000
32April 12$33Mini Main Event$50,000
33April 12$5.50Micro Main Event$15,000

Take a Galaxy of Freerolls rocket ride

Everyone enjoys free money and 888poker is giving players plenty of opportunities. The site’s Galaxy of Freerolls promotion runs through June 7 and features more than $500,000 in guaranteed giveaways.

888 offers two daily $2,000 Venus Freerolls Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, a $10,000 Neptune Freeroll will be run with one happy astronaut/champion.

The final freeroll on June 7, aka the Super-Saturn Freeroll, will feature a $100,000 prize pool. Additional surprises, rewards, bonuses, and exclusive freerolls will also be on tap during the Galaxy of Freerolls.

Those looking to earn tickets in the $2,000 Venus need to complete “Space Missions.” Some of those challenges include:

  • The Tournament Voyager – Simply play tournaments with buy-ins of $3 and earn a pair of tickets.
  • Ace-King Apollo Landing – Win a hand holding Ace-King in a cash game and earn two tickets.
  • Casino and Sports Atlantis Orbiter – Place bets totalling $5 or more on any casino game or sports bet and claim but two tickets.

Those hoping to land in a $10,000 Neptune need to complete two or more Space Missions in one week. Players can complete one Space Mission per day and will need at least one more during the week.

How do you play in the $100,000 Super-Saturn Freeroll on June 7? Simply become an 888 astronaut by completing 14 or more Space Missions.

Players can also enjoy a “Daily Spin” to win a ticket to a $1,000 Space BLAST Freeroll.

Slay The Dragon at 888 in April

Another multi-flight tournament series returns to 888poker in April. The Dragon offers plenty of opportunities for players to make a major score.

The $100,000 Dragon features a $109 buy-in with three starting flights daily from Sunday to Friday. Day 2 then plays out on Saturday.

There are two satellites to each flight with five seats guaranteed and sub-satellites with two seats guaranteed.

 The $50,000 Dragon features a $12 buy-in and three starting flights daily from Sunday to Friday. Day 2 then also plays out on Saturday for these events.

Two satellites run daily for each flight with 10 seats guaranteed and five seats via sub-satellites.

Starting flights and satellites to both Dragon events are already running. Grab you chips and slay the beast.

For a complete 888poker review including an exclusive new player bonus of $88, click here.

GG Poker

GGSeries now underway

The GGSeries continues through April 26 and comes with a massive $50 million in total guaranteed prize pools. The series also includes an ongoing $300,000 leaderboard for players to battle it out for some extra cash.

Players of all bankroll will find some tournaments to suit their tastes, with buy-ins ranging from $1 to $5,000. Events are separated into four tiers: High Rollers, High, Mid, and Low.

The daily schedule features five six-figure events and Sunday is highlighted by the $150 GG Masters with a $500,000 guarantee. Day 2 of the weekly Phased Tournament on Sunday comes with guarantees from $500,000 to $1 million.

Here’s a complete look at the GG Series Sunday events and daily schedule below.

GGSeries Daily Sunday Events 2020

Tournament nameBuy-inGTD
GGS-H: $200 Starter$200$75,000
GGS-M: $20 Starter$20$30,000
GGS-L: $2 Starter$2$4,000
GGS: $33 Sunday Special$33$40,000
GGS: $55 Sunday Special$55$75,000
GGS-HR: $2.5K$2,500$150,000
GGS-H: $250$250$150,000
GGS-M: $25$25$30,000
GGS-L: $2.5$2.50$5,000
GGS: $88 Sunday Special$88$100,000
GGMasters $150, $500K GTD$150$500,000
GGS-HR: $5K Omaha Main Event$5,000$150,000
GGS-H: $500 Omaha Main Event$500$40,000
GGS-M: $50 Omaha Main Event$50$12,500
GGS-L: $5 Omaha Main Event$5$3,000
GGS: $210 Bounty Special$210$150,000
GGS-HR: $5K Sunday Main$5,000$300,000
GGS-H: $500 Sunday Main$500$200,000
GGS-M: $50 Sunday Main$50$100,000
GGS-L: $5 Sunday Main$5$15,000
GGS: $1K$1,000$100,000
GGS-Phased: $$250~$1K [Day2]$250 to $1,000$500,000 to $1 million
GGS-High Roller: $5K$5,000$200,000

GGSeries Daily Weekday Events 2020

Tournament nameBuy-inGTD
GGS-H: $200 Starter$200$50,000
GGS-M: $20 Starter$20$15,000
GGS-L: $2 Starter$2$2,000
GGS: $33 Daily Special$33$30,000
GGS: $55 Daily Special$55$50,000
GGS: $88 Daily Special$88$80,000
GGS: $210 Bounty Special$210$100,000
GGS-HR: $5K Daily Main$5,000$150,000
GGS-H: $500 Daily Main$500$100,000
GGS-M: $50 Daily Main$50$50,000
GGS-L: $5 Daily Main$5$7,500
GGS: $1K$1,000$100,000
GGS-HR: $2.5K$2,500$80,000
GGS-H: $250$250$50,000
GGS-M: $25$25$15,000
GGS-L: $2.5$2.50$3,500
GGS-High Roller: $5K$5,000$150,000

For a complete GG Poker review including an exclusive new player bonus of 200% up to $1,000, click here.

*** Those playing online poker in the US can find a complete list of online poker sites and events for the week of April 6 by clicking here. ***

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Partypoker Kicks Off KO Series with $10 million Guaranteed

Players around the world have the chance to be the knockout king when the partypoker KO Series debuts Feb. 2. The series runs through Feb. 16 and features $10 million in guaranteed prize money.

Knockout tournaments seem to have been gaining in popularity in recent years. Partypoker’s KO Series will feature 230 tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $2.20 to $2,100.

A look at the partypoker KO Series schedule

Partypoker is offering players a bit more than traditional bounty tournaments. Instead, every tournament will be in the popular progressive knockout (PKO) format.

In a PKO, the winning player doesn’t get to keep all the bounty bonus he collects after eliminating an opponent. A portion (usually 50%) is added to his own bounty, and the player progressively becomes a bigger target.

The series will feature a host of game types to satisfy all poker tastes including:

  • 8-Max
  • 6-Max
  • Mix-Max 8-6
  • Mix-Max 6-4
  • Battle No Limit format
  • PLO – 6-Max and Big Ante

“The KO Series gives players a great chance to get off to a winning start in 2020 and is a series I always look forward to,” Team partypoker Kristen Bicknell said.

“The knockout style format means you win more money for every elimination you make, favoring an aggressive style of play.”

A chance to win some KO cash

Those looking for something a bit different may enjoy jumping in the PKO action. The tournaments offer some extra action with bonus bounty bucks on the line.

As part of the series, partypoker waives the fee on the bounty element of PKO tournament buy-ins. That means greater value for tournament players. 

In addition to its regular satellites, the site will also be offering special edition KO Series SPINS qualifiers. Players can earn a seat in the festival for a fraction of the price with a chance at some nice returns.

“I’m excited to play the upcoming KO Series, which provides something for everyone with lots of tournaments available in a range of buy-ins and different game types on offer,” Team partypoker’s Joao Simao said.

Looking to get in the KO action? Check out PokerScout’s review. Get $30 of SPINS tickets for £/$/€20 when you create a new account and deposit for the first time.

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Phil Galfond Discusses Run It Once Year 1, Luring PokerStars Players

Phil Galfond spoke with PokerScout about the future of Run It Once Poker.

Launching a new online poker site is no easy task. But that’s the scenario poker player Phil Galfond faced when he launched Run It Once Poker almost a year ago.

In a Jan. 6 Twitter video, Galfond discussed the company’s future. Run Ir Once focused on software in 2019 and now hopes to increase its player pool. The video included a direct appeal to PokerStars cash game players.

The direct appeal to poach Stars players offered a glimpse into the company’s new efforts at growth. RIO is offering several bonuses for new players. Galfond spoke recently with PokerScout about the company and its future.

A look at Run It Once after its first year

Building a player pool and marketing a new online platform is a herculean task. After a beta launch in February, there were some bumps along the way. Galfond says it was a long road to get to the launch point.

That first week went well in terms of traffic, but Galfond admits the software wasn’t as ready as his team hoped. RIO struggled to sustain traffic through the first half of the year because of that. Things improved through the second half of 2019, he says.

“Our software is much stronger now, and we have new updates coming soon with a number of exciting additions,” Galfond says. “The story lately has been more about getting those players who had a bad start with us back to see all the progress we’ve made.”

The site added to its Legends rewards program in November, which helped. Galfond expects traffic to continue growing with the platform and rewards improvements.

Poker promotions and unique features

Run It Once is available in numerous countries around the world including those in Europe, Asia, and South America. What sets it apart from a plethora of online poker sites?

As a player himself, Galfond hoped to build RIO with unique features to solve some problems the industry faces. He notes that most industry standards were created 15 years ago. A few RIO features include:

  • Table Alias and Dynamic Avatar systems – This ties in with the site’s no-HUD policy and protects casual players from feeling preyed upon. It also brings a sense of live poker with avatars that change based on a player’s style at the table.
  • Splash the Pot rewards program – This offers up to 75% rakeback with 30% going to the table in random pots. Galfond believes this adds an exciting element to the game while also serving as a bot deterrent.
  • Legends rewards program – This new program offers generous rewards for high-volume players and us still accessible and fun for casual players.

“In total, I believe we’re giving out higher rewards than anyone by a nice margin,” Galfond says.

“This is another thing that we do to set ourselves apart – I make myself accessible to the community and explain exactly why we’ve made the decisions we have for our poker site and what we’re hoping to accomplish.”

Marketing the Run It Once poker brand

Creating unique features and top-notch software is one thing, attracting players is another. The site isn’t among the PokerScout worldwide traffic leaders, but Galfond is hoping to get closer. Some of its recent promotional efforts might help.

What are some challenges to finding space in the online poker market?

“We have an advantage given that the RIO brand is well known and trusted, which is a challenge for many other new sites – getting seen and being trusted,” Galfond says.  “Even with that advantage, the most difficult thing for a new site in a crowded market like this is getting liquidity.

“Having a large player pool makes your product better – the availability of games and stakes at all hours of the day is something that players want, and therefore leads to more players playing.”

It’s a catch-22 for poker sites – the need for a regular group of players to get more players.

“You could have the absolute best software and policies, but if you don’t have players in your games,” Galfond says, “then your product can’t compete with the big guys when it comes to game selection for your players.”

In the first year, almost all RIO marketing was word of mouth. Galfond didn’t feel the product was ready for traditional marketing.

The company has also used its StreamR program as a promotional vehicle. The program offers additional rakeback to players who stream their play on RIO. The site also has an active Discord community of players.

“One big challenge has been that people assume because the RIO brand is associated with expert poker training that our games must be terrible, which is not at all the case,” Galfond says. “Our ambassadors, especially our streamRs, shed some light on that truth.”

Chasing PokerStars players and growing the player pool

Galfond made some waves with his new video directly appealing to PokerStars players. What’s the goal and what does RIO offer them?

“The primary goal is simply to grow our traffic, which I think we’re seeing is working so far over an extremely limited sample,” Galfond said shortly after the effort began.

That includes double Legends rewards for three weeks, followed by 1.5X rewards for five more weeks. Galfond notes that Splash the Pot and Legends give most players between 40-75% rakeback. That could even be higher through short-handed play multipliers.

“The Legends reward multiplier means that reasonably high-volume players will likely be playing near rake-free to start their journey at RIO Poker,” he says. 

New players receive free lifetime access to RIO Training’s “From The Ground Up” course and up to three months of RIO Essential membership.

Every site needs casual and recreational players. Galfond sees RIO’s efforts as a way to keep recreational players in the game and working on their skills. Building a thriving player pool is the focus, not necessarily higher-limit players.

“Through these resources and policies that can protect losing players, we’re hoping to give these players a much better poker experience,” he says. “We’re primarily targeting recreational players, but of course, all players are welcome.

“I don’t think RIO reaches a lot of pure beginners – the type who see a PokerStars ad on TV and play poker for the first time. But I think we do very well attracting recreational players who are already involved in poker. This is a more knowledgeable, sophisticated category of recreational player, who loves the game but doesn’t play it primarily to earn money.”

The efforts have created an ecosystem focused more on sophisticated recreational players than professionals. Galfond sees professional players as less likely to join a new site. Many don’t want to adjust to new software, he says, or leave consistent stakes on sites they’re used to.

“The players who love what we’re doing and who love poker but don’t depend on it for income,” he says, “those are the players who more often jump to Run It Once without hesitation.”

The future of online poker

As a poker player and proprietor of popular training and online poker sites, where does Galfond see the industry? Bringing in more players is obviously important to the health of the industry.

But Galfond also believes in having regular poker players involved in the process is critical.

“I think the future of online poker will be much brighter if there are more poker sites led by poker players,” he says. “Poker players understand the challenges facing the industry, of which there are many.

“I believe they can come up with creative solutions better than anyone. RIO isn’t the only poker site led by a team of people who truly care about online poker, but there aren’t that many others in my opinion.”

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PokerStare Live Releases Schedule with Platinum Passes on the Line

PokerStars released its live tournament schedule this week.

With events set for Europe, Brazil, the Philippines, and Russia, PokerStars announced its 2020 live tournament schedule this week. Players around the world can play for big money and qualify online for PokerStars Live events.

The packed schedule also features 24 Platinum Pass packages up for grabs throughout the year. The €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC)  is set for Aug. 20-24, 2020, in Barcelona. A Platinum Pass includes a buy-in for the event and a complete travel getaway Barcelona.

Qualifying for a PokerStare Live event online

PokerStars will be offering players plenty of opportunities to qualify for live events by playing online. Qualifiers are already running on the site with some completely free on the site.

Qualifiers offer a route to a live tournament and possibly even a Platinum Pass. Players can qualify for these events by playing in online qualifiers:

The Road to PSPC events offer a great route for poker players hoping for a chance at a once in a lifetime experience. Each of the tournaments held across France and Spain will award two Platinum Pass packages.

Qualifiers for these two events are available online at PokerStars for free. 

 A look at the complete PokerStars Live schedule

There are plenty of options for poker fans looking to plan a PokerStars Live getaway. With stops all over the world, there is something for everyone.

Here’s a complete look at the complete 2020 schedule:

Tour/SeriesEventDatesPlatinum Passes
EPT
SochiMarch 20-291
EPTMonte CarloApril 23 – May 21
EPTBarcelonaAug. 12-300
Road to PSPC FranceParisDec. 16-222
Road to PSPC FranceLe Harve Jan. 15-192
Road to PSPC FranceSt. AmandFeb. 11-162
Road to PSPC FranceLa Grande Motte March 10-152
Road to PSPC FranceCannesJune10-142
Road to PSPC SpainBarcelonaJan. 13-192
Road to PSPC SpainValenciaMarch 4-82
Road to PSPC SpainMadrid Gran ViaMarch 31 – April 52
Road to PSPC SpainMadrid TorrelodonesJuly 1-52
Brazil Series of PokerBrasiliaJan. 30 – Feb. 41
Brazil Series of PokerSao PauloMarch 19 – 242
Brazil Series of PokerWinter Millions Sao Paulo July 15-221
PokerStars ManilaRed Dragon Manila Jan. 4-111
PokerStars ManilaOkada Manila MillionsMarch 9-150
PokerStars ManilaManila Megastack 14May 22-311
PokerStars ManilaManila Super Series 14July 6-120
PokerStars ManilaAPPT Manila 2020July 31 – Aug. 90
PokerStars ManilaManila Super Series 15Sept. 22-280
PokerStars ManilaManila Megastack ChallengeDec. 6-130

In addition to these events, Reward Circle members have until May 31 to win a Platinum Pass with the Okada Manila Cash Game Promotion. There will be several qualifying rounds at the PokerStars Live event.

To get in on the action, check out PokerScout’s review and unique bonus offer for PokerStars.

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Partypoker Product Overhaul Shows Industry’s Move Toward Mobile and Social gaming

The focus on mobile poker and social gaming continues to grow in the industry.

Just 15 years ago most players wouldn’t have imagined how big a role cell phones would play in online poker. Mobile gaming is now a major part of the industry and operators are catering to this growing segment of players.

Partypoker recently announced a new mobile experience for its players. A more social gaming experience is also included – also a growing trend in the industry.

“The new SPINS product shows our commitment to improving the mobile experience for our customers,” partypoker head of product Ross McQuater said. “The new lobby and portrait table for SPINS with new and exciting features … aims to provide our customers with a more fun and engaging playing experience.”

“This is just one of many updates that will be delivered in the coming months as we overhaul our mobile proposition.”

Partypoker brings new landscape design for social gaming

The new partypoker app offers significant changes and appeals to those accustomed to already using a mobile device for gaming. Partypoker SPINS are three-handed sit and go tournaments. A multiplier randomly determines the size of the prizepool before the first card is dealt.

These types of tournaments have become extremely popular since their debut on PokerStars in 2014. They include an added element of luck. That and such a low number of players make them perfect for mobile play.

Along with the focus on SPINS, partypoker players will find a new portrait layout meant to emphasize ease of use. With more players now betting and bluffing a small screen, supporting one-handed gameplay was a major focus.

“This app brings poker on your phone into the modern age,” partypoker Team Online member and Twitch streamer Jaime Staples said. “The experience of just being able to play with one finger is something I have never had the chance to experience before. It’s so simple and intuitive.”

Players will also notice improved table tiling to easily cycle between games. The new platform is pleasing to the eye with easy to use action buttons, graphics, and icons. A player’s hand is easy to see as well as the flop, turn, and river.

Partypoker has taken a minimalist approach to make mobile play simple and efficient. Players won’t need to search among numerous small icons — finding what a player needs is easy.

The company plans to seek player feedback in the coming months to further improve the mobile product.

New mobile poker features include social currency

With 750 million players utilizing social games worldwide, it serves operators well to move in that direction with poker. Zynga Poker boasts hundreds of millions of users around the world.

Partypoker seems to be adopting that approach with hopes of continuing to grow its player base. The first phase of the mobile product overhaul includes a new SPINS interface with some innovative features. 

Gameplay now introduces a new social-friendly currency, known as Diamonds. App designers hope it “offers a more immersive playing experience.”

Diamonds are earned based on the number of hands played. They can be spent on in-game benefits such as rabbit hunting for cards cards or even throwing a variety of animations at opponents.

As an example, throwing an item at a player will cost one Diamond and comes with animated sounds adding to the experience.

Other features designed to provide a social element include:

  • bubble chat
  • emojis and animations
  • enhanced dialogues such as announcing tournament winners, aimed at generating greater excitement among players
  • new hand re-player
  • easier SPINS tournaments search tool
  • a redesigned and more user-friendly lobby
  • a redesigned multiplier animation

Mobile and social are huge parts of online poker’s future

Party certainly isn’t the only operator heading in this direction. PokerStars has emphasized social gaming and mobile poker. Daniel Negreanu mentioned GGPoker’s emphasis on mobile poker this week in his announcement about becoming an ambassador for the site.

“The mobile client is cutting edge,” he said. “It’s super user friendly, fun, and engaging.”

GG has even included a staking feature. Players can offer others the opportunity to buy their action or choose to back others.

While mobile and social has been a focus for years, that appears to be ramping up even more.

“Mobile gaming – on phones and tablets – has been the center of online poker for many years now, and it will likely increase its dominance in the future,” says longtime industry insider Michael Josem, who has worked as senior manager for game security and then as head of public relations for PokerStars.

“We can expect online poker operators to slowly de-prioritize their Windows and Mac downloadable software in the near future as the industry focuses on mobile clients and some sort of online HTML5 client for desktops and laptops.”

Mobile may be a priority now, but laptop players won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Operators remain open to reaching players on any medium.

“I’m surprised that recent online poker entrants like Run It Once even bothered creating a desktop client,” Josem notes, “but that shows a remarkable commitment to the legacy model of online poker.”

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Partypoker Continues War on Bots, Suspends 57 Accounts

Partypoker suspended 57 bot accounts in October.

Partypoker announced this week that it shut down 57 bot accounts in October as part of ongoing fraud detection efforts. The crackdown included the confiscation of $15,627 in account funds.

The site announced the October efforts by its online  poker fraud team in a news release. That included 50 fraudulent accounts on its two main partypoker url sites and seven on its European networks.

In detailing these latest moves, partypoker noted that suspending these accounts was part of the latest figures in its “ongoing war on fraudulent bot accounts.”

Partypoker battles bots, returns funds to players

A poker bot is a software program written to play against other players. The bots make use algorithms and mathematical formulas to play against human players.

Some bots are successful in siphoning away funds from other online poker players. Unscrupulous “players” may make use of several bots on differing platforms with hopes of regular profits. Bots usually violate a site’s terms of service.

As part of partypoker’s bot-busting efforts, the full amount seized in October was redistributed to all affected players.

“Partypoker encourages players to continue reporting all suspicious activity at its tables,” the site noted in a news release. “Partypoker promises to investigate all incidents reported.”

As with other poker sites, party invests in resources at safeguarding the safety of its players. That effort is spearheaded by a special poker fraud team made up of former poker pros.

This team investigates suspicious activity and aids in uncovering unscrupulous accounts. In the coming months, partypoker will continue updating players on the account closures made every month.

Part of a continued crackdown on bot usage

The latest moves by partypoker have been part of an industry wide effort to curb bots being used on online poker platforms. PokerStars and others have made attempts to rid sites of them.

With the prevalence of bots and artificial intelligence, Morgan Stanley even listed that as a reason to downgrade online poker stocks.

“This may be the first time that the investment world has taken a serious look at whether AI poses an existential risk to the business of online poker,” Online Poker Report noted in September. “It is, however, a problem that players and operators have worried about since the boom years.”

Some in the industry fear that the fear of bots and AI will deter players from getting in the online poker action. That could hamper efforts to grow the industry just as Pennsylvania has legalized online poker in the US.

Also in recent months, underground offshore sites have also revealed efforts to elimination of bots

PokerStars outlines security efforts in expanding into US

In August 2018, PokerStars gave a presentation to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as part of its efforts to launch in the state. The company touched on the issue of bots as part of its licensure efforts.

PokerStars noted that its protocols and safeguards are able to catch 89% of collusion efforts and 90% of bots. While these operators’ efforts may not be foolproof, they point to an industry trying to keep the game between humans.

More than 172 billion hands have been dealt on the PokerStars platform. The company outlined some of its security efforts and employs more than 240 security personnel at six offices around the world.

That personnel make use of proprietary fraud management systems to make sure the games are secure. The company employs another 65 employees to monitor for game integrity.

With money on the line, however, those efforts will need to continue. Player safety and security will be important caveats of growing the game beyond the four legal US states of New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.