The Poker Lab Rat

Italy has apparently done a radical about-turn in its approach to online gambling. It appears that the Italian authorities are going from website blockades instituted with local ISPs through the AAMS, to a UK style regulatory and taxation regime.

Italy has had an interesting relationship with online gaming. In February, the country attempted to ban all IP addresses of online gaming sites - well over 600 in all - and then a few days later reportedly tried to set up an ‘exclusive’ relationship with an online poker room, allegedly for a piece of the action.

Now, Italy is moving toward regulation of the industry. As of January 1, 2007, it will be legal for Italian citizens to gamble online. The new law also clears the way for things like public sports betting as well.

This piece of legislation regulates all ‘ability based and fixed betting activities’. The Italian plan is apparently influenced by the U.K. initiative when it comes to how the entities that do business in Italy are regulated.

If a company does business with Italian customers, the government will stand to make a 3 percent tax on any gaming based revenues acquired by the company.

Finally mainland Europe is getting it’s act together - and recognising that online business - gambling and otherwise - is here to stay.

Here are a couple of links to poker room reviews for Italians wishing to chose an online poker site that best suits their play style:

READ poker room review of Poker.com (Australia-based with great, low bandwidth demanding poker software)

GO TO Poker.com

READ review of Spin Palace Poker (safe and secure - a leading Prima Poker Network poker room that is part of The Palace Group and traded on theLondon Stock Exchange as Fairground Gaming plc)

GO TO Spin Palace Poker

What are the odds of you or your opponent getting a Full House? What about odds on trips or quads?

The image below gives you an quick summary of the top hands in Texas Hold’em and the chances of each occuring (from 5 randomly dealt  cards). From watching heavily edited TV poker, newcomers to poker are convinced that some of these hands come up all the time! Real poker pros know better 

Mike

PS: Here’s some useful poker links:

>>Read the PokerLabRat.com team’s latest poker site ratings and reviews

>>Go to The Poker Room Showdown (1-page comparison of the top poker sites and networks)

>>Go to our latest Poker room bonus comparison.

While American legislators are still debating whether play at online casinos and poker rooms is legal, US based players are still online - but playing more gingerly than they have been previously. This is casting a shadow over the ultra-competitive online poker industry.

In the meantime, however, the Swedish Government has officially sanctioned online poker! A State-run poker room was launched in April 2006 based on Boss Media software (Svenskaspel).

Bosse Ringholm, until recently Sweden’s Deputy Prime Minister, was keen to ensure that Swedes playing poker online do so with organisations that are under the control of the Swedish State; “The goal is to transfer existing Internet poker players from the unregulated market to the regulated market.”

So what? Well the impact some are referring to as “The Stockholm Effect” has had significant flow on across the whole industry and may in fact prove to be a significant catalyst for more consolidation of poker sites.

Three of the poker sites recommended by the PokerLabRat.com team are squealing a little - and we are confident that many others - particularly those with lesser reputations - will also feeling the pinch. Here’s some media quotes from these 3 sites:

Betsson Poker (A key feeder site to the massive BWIN-owned Ongame Poker Network)

“For Betsson Poker the quarter was not satisfying. The number of registered poker players increased by 7 percent to 241,000, while the number of active poker customers decreased by 15 percent to 29,900 during the quarter. The primary reason for the decrease was increased competition in poker on several of Betsson’s core markets.”

32Red Poker (A Microgaming Prima Poker Network site and Part of specialist online gambling company Trafalgar Betting & Gaming Ltd, London SX listed)

32Red reported substantial growth in their Poker Room, with the first half of 2006 seeing revenues more than double, active players and new players more than triple, the company; “experienced a softer performance than anticipated with the 2005 growth path not continuing. Market factors such as the launch of the Swedish Government’s online poker room and aggressive rakeback offers from competitors have impacted revenues negatively from mid March onwards.”

Ladbrokes Poker (Online since 2000 and Part of Ladbrokes International Limited, one of the UK and Europes largest online gambling and sports betting operations)

Ladbrokes spokesperson stated that; “Growth in Poker has been less buoyant than last year, with competition challenges emerging, particularly in our important Swedish market, compounded by the distraction of the World Cup……Poker gross win grew by 15% to £21.3 million, impacted by increased competition, particularly in Sweden with the launch of the state lottery poker site. Average monthly active player days grew by 39% to 496,000 and yield per unique active player fell 28% to £161.”

Don’t we live in interesting times? Perhaps the potential player pool is not as big as many industry analysts had imagined? We suspect more innovative player inticements in the form of joining and loyalty bonuses will be a key feature of Q4. Check out PokerLabRat.com’s Best Poker Bonuses on a regular basis as we’ll keep it up to date with any changes!  

>>TO Betsson Poker Review
>>TO Betsson Poker

>>TO 32Red Poker Review
>>TO 32Red Poker

>>TO Ladbrokes Poker Review
>>TO Ladbrokes Poker

The word ‘Freeroll’ is fairly synonymous these days with Canbet Poker. Canbet runs Freeroll multiplayer poker tournaments every few hours so there’s no excuse for missing out if Freerolls are your poker preference.

Canbet Poker Room is one of the great Ongame Poker Network sites and is well worth a look if you’ve not visited before. The joining bonuses (if you play your cards right) are some of the best in the industry.

And in case you’re still holding out for entry into one of the biggest poker tournaments in history - ALL Canbet Poker Freerolls now offer tickets to Ongame Classic Qualifiers.

Get your chance at the million dollar first prize for free. This is the amazing tournament where the top 45 online players end up flown as VIPs to Barcelona to play off on real rather than virtual felt.

Freerolls run daily with $500 freerolls on weekends. Entry is open to all Canbet members. No deposit or play requirements! …and Canbet welcomes players from all over - (USA residents welcome but Aussies are not).
Here’s the LINKS: 
>>TO CANBET POKER
>>TO CANBET POKER REVIEW
>>LATEST POKER ROOM BONUS COMPARISION

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., tried to attach an Internet gambling ban to a defense bill last week but was rebuffed by two powerful senators, congressional sources said Monday.

Frist approached Sen. John Warner, R-Va., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and asked him to add an Internet gambling ban to a defense authorization bill, according to congressional staffers who requested anonymity.

But after checking with Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the ranking Democrat on the committee, Warner rejected the idea because an online wagering ban would not be relevant to defense legislation.

A source close to Frist confirmed the majority leader made the proposal to Warner, but declined to elaborate.

After hearing of Frist’s proposal, Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., sent Warner a letter urging him to reject any amendment that would ban online betting.

“We must not use this important (defense) bill as a convenient vehicle for political pet issues such as a ban on Internet gaming,” Berkley said.

Despite the setback, advocates said GOP leaders will keep trying to add an online wagering prohibition to must-pass legislation until Congress adjourns this year.  

——————

We say :

This is noting more than a self serving political attempt by the GOP as they desperately try to generate some positive press for themselves in rural heartland America.

The GOP is going to lose control of the senate this year - as they are significantly out of touch with the American people - and it’s not soon enough !!

Hi

At PokerLabRat.com we get lots of searches from online poker players looking for safe, high quality poker rooms that accept MAESTRO cards, Click2Pay - or other specific deposit and withdrawal methods.

Here’s links to some recommended poker sites that welcome payments by Maestro card:

>>32Red Poker (a top Microgaming Prima Poker site - excellent for Freerolls (4 per day) as well as lucrative cash games and tournament play)

>>Ladbrokes Poker (owned by the Ladbrokes Group, one of the UK & Europes’s biggest betting & gaming companies, also Microgaming poker software based, but not part of the Prima Poker Network)

>>BetFred Poker (a slick Playtech iPoker based poker room - Fred Done established BetFred Sports book in 1967 and has a good reputation for fair play. 6 Freerolls a day and plenty of real money action too)  

Here’s links to the top online poker rooms that accept Click2Pay payments:

>>Spin Palace Poker (Part of The Palace Group - and a long established and leading Prima Poker network member with a massive player base and action on site 24×7)

>>Hollywood Poker (A member of the Ongame Poker Network and offering some amazing joining bonuses at present, especially if you are US-based as they include cool merchandise like iPods)

>>Poker.com (A stand alone poker room based out of Brisbane Australia. Great customer service, unique poker software with extra game features and a good ‘community’ feel. A freeroll every 3 hours! )

And… finally here’s a link to a page that has 25 DIFFERENT PAYMENT OPTIONS and which online poker rooms accept them (Neteller, Moneybookers, ECO card, ePassporte …and many more!)

I hope you find a poker room that proves lucky for you!

Elle 

Every now and then you hear a saying or a phrase that just makes you laugh before acknowledging that it’s true …

Here are some of our favourites …

 ”Your best chance to get a Royal Flush in a casino is in the bathroom.” … VP Pappy

A Smith & Wesson beats four aces.
 … American Proverb

“A dollar won is twice as sweet as a dollar earned.”
 … Paul Newman, in The Color of Money

 ”The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.” 
 … Kin Hubbard

“You don’t learn from smart people, you learn from idiots. Watch what they do, and then don’t do it.”
 … Minnesota Fats

 :-)

So you thought all online poker was the same? No way!

Here’s two great online Poker rooms that could not be more different in style and approach. In fact there seems to be only 3 things that they have in common:

1. stylish and unique purpose built poker software (no skin or Party Poker/Prima Poker clone here!)
2. they’re both licenced by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Canada - and so meet stringent ‘first world’ poker requirements
3. both sites offer you access to the biggest poker tournament in the Southern Hemisphere - The Aussie Millions**

POKER.COM

Poker.com is a Brisbane, Australia based poker room , their Flash-based poker software was  developed in house and is surprisingly playable! Poker.com offers fun play options and game analysis not available at the more ‘main stream’ poker sites. 

Heaps of freerolls - in fact $35K in freeroll prizes a week at present, a freeroll every 3 hours!

A Poker.com advertisement asks “Want to play with the pros? Why? When you can win $ off the rookies that play at Poker.com!” - this effectively summarises the level of competition at the Poker.com poker room. In general we have found play fairly soft and passive. Friendly too.

Current Poker.com join bonus - up to $100 100% first deposit match - plus you get auto-entry into a special freeroll on October 1 to potentially win a $12,500 Aussie Millions** Tournament package (incl entry to the main event of course).

>>LINK TO Poker.com

>>LINK TO Poker.com Poker Room Review

FULL TILT POKER 

…and then we have Full Tilt Poker
This online poker room is almost more renowned for the visibility of it’s pros than for the poker site itself. (The pros all hand out their table side banter decked out in Full Tilt merchandise - caps, T-shirts and those God-awful black, red & white singlets… you can’t miss ‘em!)

Full Tilt is actually Aruba based and have had phenomenal growth in player numbers since establishing in 2004. Play at Full Tilt at times is a little more like playing poker in a cartoon strip that in a poker room or casino, especially if your opponents are 2 frogs, a gnome and a bulldog - and you’ve chose the Tropical Island table backdrop! A personal taste thing.

Freerolls are not as common at Full Tilt. Players at this poker site play for keeps. No time wasters, and perhaps not a great place to learn to play - unless you’re happy to have ‘losing your shirt’ as part of the lesson!

Full Tilt is rated highly by the PokerLabRat.com team as THE place to play if you’re good. You can make really good money at cash games here!

Current Full Tilt Poker join bonus - up to $600 100% first deposit match
Aussie Millions - 20 seats being awarded via a series of satellite tournaments and freerolls. Have a look on site for details!

>> LINK TO Full Tilt Poker

>> LINK TO Full Tilt Poker Room Review

Elle

** The Aussie Millions Poker Tournament plays 6-19 January - what a great way to celebrate the New Year!

Many of the best poker players also like Blackjack. I guess its because to be successful at either game you need a combination of skill, luck and sheer bloody mindedness.

MANSION is has an interesting offer on the table for September. Play Blackjack to gain entry to Poker Freerolls.

Play 25 hands of Blackjack at MANSION Casino a week (dates below) and you’ll get a seat at the weekly MANSION Poker Freeroll - It has a base prize pool of $3000 but can get up to $6000.

MANSION are featuring some celebrity bint who we’ve not heard of (apparently a blackjack and poker pro, yawn…) but if you knock her out you get an extra $1000 free! OK.

MANSION Casino’s Blackjack is actually a bit different anyway - and well worth a look - it’s played with 6-decks on strange beige tables and you can play single or multi-hand Blackjack - and even place ’sweet sixteen’ bets.

     >> GO TO MANSION Poker

     >> GO TO MANSION Casino

Back to the Poker Freerolls:  There are four Poker freerolls in MANSION’s September promo. To qualify for a seat, you must have played 25 hands of Blackjack at MANSION Casino in the qualifying week. To take part in all four Poker freerolls, you’ve gotta play 25 hands of blackjack in each qualifying week. OK?

Oh yeah, you also must have downloaded the MANSION Poker software and played poker during the qualifying week too (ie not just the 25 hands of Blackjack).

Freeroll 1: Wednesday 6 September 2006
Qualifying Blackjack week at MANSION Casino: 28 August – 3 September 2006

Freeroll 2: Wednesday 13 September 2006
Qualifying week at MANSION Casino: 4 – 10 September 2006

Freeroll 3: Wednesday 20 September 2006
Qualifying week at MANSION Casino: 11 – 17 September 2006

Freeroll 4: Wednesday 27 September 2006
Qualifying week at MANSION Casino: 18 – 24 September 2006

>>Here’s the link for MANSION so you can find out more . . . (look under PROMOTIONS).

Elle

PS: MANSION Casino has a great join bonus at present - a 100% deposit match up to $1000 and both Casino and Poker play counts towards meeting your wagering requirements. (See here to see how this bonus compares to other online recommended poker rooms) 

Is it possible that some players have hands that are simply lucky and/or unlucky in their hands?

Consider today’s evening freeroll at Prima - where I was signing on at Bet365 battling it out against 7,000+ other eager participants over about 90 minutes.

During the course of the action I was dealt “pocket kings” four times - and despite doing the “right thing” and bidding them up and being able to isolate the play down to one other player … I was beaten three times by inferior hands.

This is not a “Bad-beat” sob story - rather an investigation into the phenomena where you just know what is going to come on the river.

Consider :

Hand 1 : KK vs A8o - early in the tournament half stack before the pot - all in after a low flop - as I’ve got a bigger stack. He gets a river ace and wins the pot.
 :-(

Hand 2 : KK vs 74o - I called the big stacks all-in - and based on those cards he was obviously bluffing. Nothing comes up as a danger and this time pocket kings actually do win.
 :-)

Hand 3 : KK vs A10 - Blind 200, I bet 1000, and Tiger Lilly goes over the top to 3000 - I push all-in for 7,000 as bigger stack and she calls. A ten on the flop gives here more outs - and an ace on the river wins it for her.
 :-(

Hand 4 : KK v J4c - Mortally wounded and down to just 1500 chips (4xBB) I wait for a hand - get KK again and have to try it. All-in and I get called by the big stack who does have much. A Jack on the flop gets me nervous and a four on the river means I’m out of the tourney.
 :-(  

So I get good fortune to get dealt KK four times - and play them (as you surely must) yet by the fourth hand I just “knew” that Lady Luck was making sure they were not going to hold up.

RELATED LINKS :

Bet365 Review at PokerLabrat.com

Bet365 Download link

Has that ever happened to you? Do you have a lucky/unlucky hand?
Send in some feedback in the comments section and let me know.