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 One business day later, the poker natives are at peak restlessness, fuming over the delay in a concrete announcement by any of the parties that would confirm or bury the PPN bulletin.

 Last week’s PPN story stopped short of saying there was a done deal. While, my source was unequivocal in referencing a signed deal between the parties, the Deep Throat connection noted that the deal had yet to receive a final blessing – a signed order by the judge, approving the settlement.

Judge Keeps Up the Tension

 While not making light of this final piece in the process, you should know historically, judges generally are not inclined to withhold their seal of approval of a settlement that has been reached between the parties unless there are issues of competency, integrity, and/or sound mind regarding the dealmakers.

 In a case of this magnitude, filled with esteemed lawyers at center stage in the negotiations, it would be almost unfathomable for a judge to torpedo a deal signed by the parties – especially one that would assure prompt repayment of player funds.

July 27 News Bulletin and Follow-up

 Ergo, early in the morning of Friday July 27, after learning the deal between the parties had been completed a day earlier, I wrote my news report, deciding to steer clear of a pronouncement of a completed deal and taking care to avoid a date certain by which we might hear an announcement or find a public filing that would confirm the settlement.

 While poker forums nor the twitterverse are as active home turf for me as they are for many of my readers, over the weekend I was persuaded to provide some further details concerning the anticipated payout arrangements.

 Subsequently, I posted some responses to weekend reports regarding the bulletin and my tweets concerning the anticipated payout plans. That posting is linked HERE.

DOJ Cares about Player Funds

 One of the reasons the Tapie-DOJ deal had failed according to Groupe Bernard Tapie lawyer Behn Dayanim, was the Justice Department’s insistence that players be fully repaid within 90 days of completion of the deal.

 While FTP players around the world were unconvinced that the Justice Department was in their corner, I had long since learned through lawyers all around the courthouse that repayment of the players’ funds was an exceedingly high priority of the Manhattan–based US Attorney, Preet Bharara.

 Additionally, lawyers who have represented other potential suitors for FTP since Black Friday also confirmed their understanding that a timely payout plan would be mandated.  I received assurances that the payouts would be sooner than the bulletin suggested, but I opted to refrain from narrowing the timetable on that issue, choosing to address only a slightly accelerated timetable for the re-launch.

Updated Status Report

Today PPN goes to press without any announcement by the parties and with no evidence yet of a signed order by the judge.  Neither is there one scintilla of evidence in my possession from anywhere of a torpedoed deal. To the contrary, there appears to be mounting pressure for all concerned to bring the matter to a swift close. With this latest information in mind from previously rock solid sources,I’ll go out on a limb once more not only to stand behind our original bulletin, but also to predict we are talking about a matter of days before uncorking the champagne in celebration of a sealed deal.

 Without giving away the identity of a consistently impeccable resource, it is now safe to say announcements for public dissemination are in the works.  At this point I am ready to go out on a limb; FTP customers will see their monies well in time for Christmas shopping.

 Poker Player Newspaper’s print edition goes to press before I can provide further details, rest assured the story is a thriller that will be told.

Is There A Real Deal In The Cards?

There was still no official announcement on the anticipated deal that would turn over to PokerStars the assets of Full Tilt Poker (“FTP”) and no word on the concrete basis on which to believe that  Full Tilt customers were about to see  repayment of their locked up funds.

Is There Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

Following months of hot and heavy discussions with the US Department of Justice— after the Government’s civil forfeiture action and indictment in Scheinberg et al April 15, 2011—Poker Stars and FTP are still caught up in the crackdown on online poker.  A few short weeks ago, PokerStars and Full Tilt and their key executives seemed poised to breathe easier before the close of the 2012 WSOP— until the US Department of Justice caused more than a few new tremors.

Ray Bitar And Guy Laliberte On Different Stages the Same Day.

On July 2nd, Ray Bitar, the top honcho at FTP’s Dublin headquarters crossed the ocean to face the DOJ, surrendering voluntarily. The FBI swooped into Kennedy Airport for his arrival, greeting him with a superseding indictment. The expanded charges, if proven, could land him behind prison walls through the prime of his life, if not longer.  Apparently, Bitar was unaware of the blaring trumpets that awaited him.

The news of Bitar’s arrest came down on day two of the WSOP’s Big One for One Drop, the million dollar buy-in tournament with a huge charitable component; it was the brainchild of Cirque du Soleil founder and high stakes poker player, Guy Laliberte.

Laliberte’s rising chip stacks on day two kept spectators breathless , rooting  for the man behind the charity that drew 48 players who anted  up for fun,  and more fortune– and  the opportunity  to help quench the thirst of an impoverished population nearing two billion around the world.
But even with all of this WSOP-based fanfare, Bitar’s enlarged troubles were big news in the hallways beyond the Amazon room.  The wags got into high gear, debating the future fate for Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson and Rafe Furst, each of whom were members of the FTP Board of Directors when the DOJ brought the hammer down on online poker.

Poker Stars Was Expected To Take The Stage During The WSOP.

PokerStars, on the other hand, according to the tuned-in chatterers in residence was rumored to be in in far better shape.  From the beginning of the WSOP, Caesars personnel, professional players and poker media alike were hearing through multiple grapevines that PokerStars would announce it had acquired the assets of FTP and would take prompt responsibility for paying back the players, in full—thus trumping whatever else might be happening on the grounds of the WSOP.
Shortly before the main event of the WSOP, word began to leak uncontrollably around water coolers on both sides of the pond First there was certainty that day 1A would bring the news. Next came the naysayers explaining that Poker Stars did not want to be inundated with requests for cash outs for main event entries.  Next came predictions of an  announcement on day 1B, but the most reliable pundits close to PokerStars were saying for days that the company had a definite plan to announce the deal on July 11th , an off-day for half of the WSOP main event  Day 2  contenders.   One would be hard pressed to argue that PokerStars was looking to steal the WSOP’s thunder. The announcement did not come.

Months Of Progress Is Thwarted.

Early last week, lawyers for PokerStars were working late into the evening, as the WSOP was rounding the bend to its final days of the summer season.  PokerStars was still expected to complete the deal, momentarily, and make the formal announcement the poker world craved to hear.

At the 11th hour, however, the DOJ apparently threatened PokerStars’ bid to become the hero in the online poker fiasco of the past year.  So, lawyers for the company would have no choice but to shift their attention to the ongoing prosecution. They filed motions to dismiss the civil charges so as to assure their legal rights to do so within filing date requirements.  With the same needs, Lederer, Ferguson, and Furst filed similar motions in connection with their cases.  The filings created a frenzy of speculation as did the DOJ’s motion to dismiss charges involving Poker Stars and FTP in Kentucky, during the same period—which looked more favorable to the prospects of completing a deal.

According to two lawyers with close ties to the protagonists, the skinny was simple: new issues as well as details related to the ongoing negotiations had developed, raising questions—but no answers– as to whether PokerStars’ plans to take over FTP will come to a close.

While Vanessa Selbst, a top PokerStars player was still heading toward another record finish on day six of the WSOP and her fellow Poker Stars Team Pro, Jan Heitman stepped into place as one of the final 27 players in the poker world’s “Big Dance,” the mood at PokerStars last weekend reportedly turned   less than rosy.

A Quick Review is In Order.

Over the past year, it has been difficult, sometimes, to see the forest for the trees among the many players and multi-pronged negotiations in progress.  PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and key executives indicted in the clampdown by the DOJ have been involved in both combined and conflicting efforts to resolve their legal issues.

A quick review provides perspective on the recent events and non-events that kept the hallways of the 2012 WSOP full of whispers, in the shadows of the richest and most prestigious poker tournament ever staged.

On April 15, 2011, the DOJ effectively brought down online poker in America.  On April 20th, the DOJ entered into “domain name agreements”  with PS and FTP in which the sites consented to end all US facing operations except for facilitating repayment of player funds locked out by the DOJ’s actions against the online sites. The Government’s press release was forceful, insisting that the players should be made whole—forthwith.    But the Government has never been forthcoming as to how it might assure such a result. Today, it is not clear that the DOJ is committed to making a deal that will insure such an outcome.

PokerStars’ History Since Black Friday is Worthy of Applause  

PokerStars for its part stepped up to the plate, unequivocally, during the late spring of 2011, responding to the DOJ’s expectations;  returning more than 100 million dollars due to its US players within four weeks  after the signing of its domain name agreement with the DOJ.  Full Tilt, however, began the dance of delay, soon proving itself as a prevaricator with respect to the safety of player funds.

In late June 2011, FTP was shut down by its regulators, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (“AGCC”).  The AGCC’s own conduct as overseers has been alternately defended and challenged in recent months while FTP customers have been left out in the cold, to the tune of more than 300 million dollars, awaiting the DOJ’s further actions.

Since last summer, PokerStars has been well-positioned to show itself more like victims of a misguided DOJ that was riding herd on a favorite American pastime, than as villains taking advantage of their players. PokerStars has acquired many new online poker licenses in Europe, has supported taxation on gambling winnings in the EU in a similar manner to US policies, and has praised tight licensing and regulatory requirements of online poke sites.

PokerStars Proves Itself.

From all reports available, PokerStars is prepared to make payment of a monumental fine estimated to reach over $700 million dollars to the US Government in consideration of a global settlement of its legal troubles.  And, apparently, the company stands ready to acquire FTP’s assets in a manner that will result in their customers being repaid their outstanding funds within 90 days thereafter.

Now, one might ask, “Will the players become the victims of a Government bound and determined to show beyond a shadow of a doubt the fullness of its clout? “ PokerStars has shown itself as a highly responsible business in its dealings with poker player funds. It remains to be seen if the Government will show equal concern for players by moving forward with dispatch, to perfect the deal.

In the interim, the WSOP’s plans to complete the 2012 tournament with the final nine is a sure bet from October 28, 2012-October 30th when the 2012 WSOP winner will be crowned.

 WSOP Director Ty Stewart says, “We all need to work toward the goal of doing better to move the needle way up on the participation of women at the WSOP.” Stewart is on the prowl for exciting suggestions from industry leaders who share this goal. Additionally, other WSOP personnel say they are mindful of the need to avoid the appearance of endorsement or partnership with organizations or individuals who may have more self-serving purposes.  Beyond the world of women players are women professionals in the poker industry; many have started their management careers in a casino card room, but have seen few opportunities to use their skills in their employers’ broader operations.

 In an upcoming article, I will address recent and ongoing research on women in poker. As a collective group, women with successes under their belts need to do a lot more to support the growth of participation of women in major competition and mobility on the upward ladder in casino management.

 The WSOP Magnet

 Women’s achievements are often a hot button topic around the time of the WSOP as competition is at its fiercest. Preliminary findings indicate that there will need to be a further unification of women to effectively address the penchant of men to refer to women as “catty girls.” Constructive improvements in the processes that identify and celebrate women as role models in the poker world are critical to upgrading the level of participation of women in major poker competitions. And more attention towards honors and kudos based on merit can assure unmitigated applause of women who are feted as the cat’s meow.

 JoAnne Liu and Kathy Raymond: Two Women of Exceptional Accomplishments

 Liu’s and Raymond’s documented qualitative and quantitative contributions to the growth of respect for women in poker are longstanding and well documented, but the most glitzy recognition of women’s achievements, afforded by a high profile clique of women that are currently positioned as the arbiters of whose time has come—have delayed their unconditional applause for these two ladies up until now. Liu and Raymond have finally scored, in their eyes.

 Author Statement

 In the course of research, I reached out to Women in Poker Hall of Fame regarding their operations and selection processes. To be clear, I admire the meaningful contributions of WiPHoF members, notwithstanding my personal decision (and disclosure of it prior to my probing inquiries), to put myself out of consideration as a candidate for a future WiPHoF class.

 Poker Player Newspaper Supports Articles that Call a Spade a Spade— Accurately!

 For anyone who may have been told (as recently reported to me), that this article will be scratched, suppressed, or sliced and diced by publishers of my material, they were misguided. The article will appear in August with my customary best efforts to assure accurate, fair, balanced and considered reporting. Meanwhile, I offer a preamble.

 Women’s Poker Hall of Fame founded in 1998

 Going back to the turn of the century (1999), Tina Napolitano, an enterprising woman, known as “the heart and soul” of pokerpages. com (with her business partner and husband Mark Napolitano) laid the foundation for later projects in the poker industry that have built on her pioneering efforts.

 Napolitano established a woman’s page and the “Women’s Poker Hall of Fame.” She said (in a telephone interview), “I saw nothing out there; I wanted to pay homage to women who deserved it.” Her list of 30 women was built over the years of her stewardship of the online site; it focused on her efforts to include as many women for whom she could find “documentation” of distinguished accomplishments. The Women’s Poker Hall of Fame page has survived three generations of PokerPages.com owners.

 Like Liu and Raymond, Napolitano herself had an enviable record of achievements notwithstanding her relatively short 10 years at the helm of the business with her husband. She produced the first online poker satellite for a seat in the main event at the WSOP, the first online poker school, the first podcast of a major poker event—at the US Poker Championship, a live video feed at the 2001 Tournament of Champions and put solid time into advocacy of charity in her poker world.

 Her time has come, but she has yet to be awarded her rightful place in the annals of poker history created by those who influence these matters, currently.

 Come June 30^th, Ivey will be the brightest poker star in a stunning galaxy of millionaires and billionaires that will take their seats in the biggest poker rumble of all time: the WSOP’s Big One for One Drop. The WSOP team is pulling out all the stops to insure that the media, the public and the rarified roster of players coming out to support this charity–minded battle royal will remember it fondly.

 Meanwhile the WSOP staff is doing the traditional daily count down to the end of the tournament, and thousands of less flush poker pilgrims are gearing up for the grueling hours it takes for the best tournament players to reach the money in the lowly $10,000 buy-in main event, that used to be “The Big One” until Harrah’s picked up the WSOP and moved the needle to include a regularly scheduled $50,000 “Players Championship.”

High Stakes Poker Player Guy Laliberte Dropped $35 Million to Push One Drop

 One Drop is the brainchild of Guy Laliberté, the internationally recognized founder of Cirque du Soleil and high stakes poker player who anted up bigger bucks than our everyday millionaires can afford to spend on a little fun. In 2009 Laliberte got himself a ticket for a ride to the International Space Station and hung out up there in large measure to publicize his One Drop charity. Now, here on earth he is flying high, calling on people of extraordinary means to take a seat in the biggest poker game to hit Las Vegas-ever: The Big One for One Drop at the WSOP.  The growing confection is in the management hands of the WSOP team led by Mitch Garber, CEO of Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE). Garber became a newly minted member of the One Drop Board of Directors last March.

 With a $1 million entry fee, The Big One is predicted to eclipse the largest payout ever previously made for a single poker event anywhere in the world; Jamie Gold’s 2006 1^st place ticket in the main event was worth $12 million. A chunky 11.11% of the prize pool for The Big One will go toward aiding an impoverished population of nearly one billion people worldwide who thirst endlessly for clean drinkable water.

WSOP Head Honcho Consummates Big One on PokerStars Turf

 The deal for The Big One started, in earnest, in October 2011 during a hockey game attended by Laliberté and Garber, friends and fellow French Canadians. The brainstorming sessions proceeded smoothly during the fall. The most notable complaint was Laliberté’s assertion that the WSOP’s executive director, Ty Stewart was way too conservative. At the end of one of their meetings, the wickedly humorous Laliberté made off with Stewart’s tie, telling him to forget it next time. Stewart obliged. (Recently, Stewart went one better. For the 2012 WSOP employee event, Stewart showed up appropriately scruffy and in typical poker player garb—and cashed).

 Shortly after New Year’s Day 2011, the WSOP contingent, led by Garber, teed up the final talking points on his private plane (known affectionately by would be hitchhikers as Air Garber) en route to the Bahamas. They were ready to bring on the full-court press and tie the knot with Laliberté on Paradise Island.

 Before swooping in on their target, the WSOP’s Ty Stewart sent a courtesy message to a Poker Stars live event manager, alerting him to their impending arrival in the Bahamas—smack dab during PokerStars’ Caribbean Adventure. The PCA is nothing less than PokerStars’ annual flagship live event in North America. The Garber troops then took off for their appointment at Laliberté’s villa―where all manner of high stakes players in business, politics and poker have been known to congregate.

PokerStars  Made No Plans to Entertain WSOP Team

 A stone’s throw away from Laliberte’s compound PokerStars founder and patriarch, Isai Scheinberg, was shuttling from meeting to meeting inside the Atlantis Hotel planning deals to burnish the PokerStars brand and expand the Company’s stake in North America.

 Fit and trimmer than ever, Scheinberg was strutting his stuff a tad less modestly than was his usual style. He chatted up movers and shakers about the prospects of federal legislation to legalize online poker as just around the corner. He showed no apparent concern for hidden curves on the path, or of a doomsday scenario for online poker in America. And despite the upcoming arrival of the Caesars team, for reasons unknown, Scheinberg’s thoughts about the WSOP seemed to be focused only on how to give that organization a run for its money in America—soon.  He declined to post any welcome signs for Garber and his entourage.

 It didn’t take long for the two titans to cross paths. Just as Garber and Stewart were preparing to sit down for breakfast at the most lavish breakfast room in the Atlantis, they bumped into Isai Scheinberg with his son Mark Scheinberg, CEO of PokerStars. They all stopped in their tracks agreeing to have coffee, Scheinberg and Garber both told me.

 According to Garber, the rendezvous was not only unplanned, it was not anticipated. Garber reported the conversation as cordial, mostly about the lobbying efforts and the lobbyists pushing the one common denominator between them federally-based online poker legislation. Garber notes, “The whole conversation was over in less than a half hour and everyone went on their way.” While it is generally believed among knowledgeable lawyers who keep tabs on them that there has been no love lost between the two titans before or since that personal meeting, Garber says, semi-diplomatically, “They have not competed on a level playing field since 2006, but PokerStars clearly understands poker.”

AGA Chairman A lot Less Diplomatic than WSOP on PokerStars Operations    

 Frank Fahrenkopf, Chairman of the American Gaming Association, has been far less diplomatic than Garber when speaking about Isai Scheinberg and Poker Stars.  This past spring in an astonishingly candid and scathing audio/video interview with Marco Valerio of QuadJacks Poker Radio, Fahrenkopf called out PokerStars as arrogant about violating US law, dismissive of the potential consequences as strictly a matter of paying some fines and inaccurate in their announcement, just before Black Friday of an “agreement” with Wynn to work together.  Fahrenkopf claimed that in a conversation with Steve Wynn, he learned there were discussions, but no agreement had been reached.

Isai Scheinberg Might Prove to be Plenty Shrewd

 Recent word in legal circles around the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan is that Scheinberg’s criminal case is not going to trial, suggesting that a global resolution has in fact been reached. PokerStars’ deal to acquire Full Tilt Poker (FTP) under its umbrella is almost old news, but for confirmation by the parties directly involved. Insiders say, however, that Poker Stars is not quite ready to re-launch, among other reasons there is no useful purpose served in allowing FTP customers to process cash outs for use at the WSOP.

 Neither Garber nor any of his Caesars colleagues are prepared to guess as to the prospects of Scheinberg cutting a deal that averts prison time. But since Black Friday, they certainly have distanced themselves from offshore online poker operators who continued to operate in the United States, after the passage of a federal law in 2006, that was designed to ban online poker bets in America.

Garber is a Man in Control

 Generally, Garber’s style is open and more forthcoming than many high-level executives who take more pride in being secretive than in being straightforward.  Garber wears well, be it jeans with an open collared shirt and a sport jacket or perfectly fitted finely threaded custom suits. His physical build and dress-for-success strategy are reminiscent of Caesars’ former WSOP Commissioner, Jeffrey Pollack, who briefly enjoyed the title of President of CIE when Garber was “sworn in” as the newly formed company’s CEO in 2009. The resemblance between these two men, however, ends right there.

After Leaving the WSOP,  Pollack Rises and Then Falls on Hard Times

 Under Jeffrey Pollack, the WSOP began its transformation from the single most important poker tournament of the year to an internationally branded series of events worthy of a ten-year long contract with ESPN for televised coverage of its high jinx happenings. Pollack was front and center in this effort, promoting his image and his vaunted role as the WSOP Commissioner as studiously as the WSOP itself. Along with the rise of poker’s popularity, Pollack became the face of the WSOP. Some within the Caesars family insist that Stewart was the more productive marketing man between the two.

 In the years leading up to Garber’s reign over the WSOP, there can be no argument; the tournament saw a huge surge in popularity under Pollack’s stewardship. Pollack took the role of Commissioner with him when he left Caesars, bequeathing it to his new business partner Annie Duke for her oversight role of Federated Sports + Gaming’s (FS+G)  Epic Poker League.

Caesars-EPIC—Pinnacle: One Degree of Separation Among Them  

 Since Jeffrey Pollack’s departure from Caesars and his creation of the controversial Epic Poker League which went into bankruptcy there have been no shortage of darts thrown back and forth, behind the scenes. Last week, one of Epics biggest creditors, Pinnacle Entertainment, acquired FS +G’s most valuable asset, the Heartland Poker Tour, along with the far lesser valued remnants of the Epic Poker League and the Global Poker Index.  A growing gaming company with visions of expanding into the online poker gaming space, Pinnacle’s CEO is a former Harrah’s executive and its chief marketing officer, Ginny Shanks is another Harrah’s alumnus. While employed at Harrah’s/Caesars, Pollack reported directly to Shanks from his start date until she left to go to Pinnacle in 2008.

 Shanks says: “Jeffrey Pollack was one of the best hires I have ever made,” singing  his praises for creativity, branding smarts and effective leadership—during the period in which he reported to her directly. She demurs, however, on questions about Pollack’s involvement as Executive Chairman of FS+G and its Epic Poker League. Some of Pollack’s other former colleagues remember him as less than generous in crediting others’ contributions—especially in Pollack’s presentations to higher ups. One high level Caesars employee laments incredulously Shanks’ praise could be a signal suggesting, “He might be drawing live,” at Pinnacle with a newly created management role on the horizon for him there. Garber nixes any discussion of Pollack’s departure beyond acknowledging that the WSOP grew exponentially on his watch. Punto!

 While Pollack is engaged in rising from the morass of the bankruptcy proceedings, PokerStars is still enmeshed in legal trouble in the US, and the Epic Poker League remains out of the limelight, Garber and his tripartite CIE team based in Montreal, Las Vegas, and Israel are moving briskly in pursuit of initiatives to broaden the brand of the WSOP, online social gaming, and mobile applications. As such, CIE currently maintains its position with unrivaled stature and growth potential—at least for the moment.

Garber Talks About the Shoulders On Which He Stands

 Garber, in the interim, has become a man of very considerable means, unabashedly comfortable in his Prada suits and his jet set lifestyle. He seems equally mindful, however, of the many shoulders on which he stands, offering a special tip of the hat to his good friend Mike Rumbolz, the former Chairman of the Nevada State Gaming Control Board who has worked for Trump, as well as an assortment of big players in e-commerce and online gaming. Garber also ticks off a list of lawyers, entrepreneurs, and casino executives that he credits with helping to build his skills as a lawyer and businessman.

 Above all, Garber treats information as power. He works assiduously on collecting useful data and validating it in assessing opportunities—not unlike the best poker players on the planet! In addition to talking to amateurs in the halls, regularly, Garber meets with pros frequently. Last weekend he spent a chunk of time with John Duhamel and he has had dinners with Hellmuth, Antonio Efandieri and Phil Laak, among others.

 After checking the latest information this morning, Garber called to assure, “There will definitely be more than 30 players (for The Big One For One Drop) and the capped number of 48 paid entries is within our reach.”

The WSOP remains a singular sensation in its 43rd year. Entrepreneurs, lawyers, government agencies, and players at felt tables, wrap themselves around their connections to the poker world, trying to make big news during the course of this six week-long annual event.  Behind the scenes stands Mitch Garber, the CEO of Caesars Interactive Entertainment (CIE), a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corp (Caesars).

Before stepping into Mitch Garber’s world, some special notes are in order:

Caesars Entertainment Corporation (Caesars) was formerly Harrah’s Entertainment (Harrrah’s): from 1995-2010.  In 2010, Harrah’s changed its name to Caesars, which it had acquired in 2005.  In 2009, it also formed a subsidiary that is now Caesars Interactive Entertainment.

In February 2012, Caesars came out of its private shell of the past few years with a small initial public offering that made a big splash.  It followed up with a second offering of $500 million in additional stock.  So, Caesars now operates under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Author Disclosures:  

My interview with Garber for this story took place on March 30, 2012, but it was not my first encounter with him. I have been familiar with his career through my legal consultancy for more than 20 years, as both a lawyer, and as a businessman.

During the summer of 2008, following Garber’s resignation as CEO of PartyGaming, Eolis International Group was retained by a client to provide a due diligence report concerning Garber. Questions were raised about him, for which we were unable, at that time, to provide useful answers.

Since his arrival at Harrah’s/Caesars, I have gotten to know Garber, and I have learned much more about his years in the E-commerce and I-gaming business. I regret that earlier, I was personally under-informed, both as to his commitment to corporate loyalty, and the soundness of his judgment calls in the role of a senior manager for companies he has served. I should have pushed our client to make a beeline to Garber’s door!

Garber, PartyGaming, and the U.S. Department of Justice

Garber served as CEO of PartyGaming for two years, beginning in 2006 and ending in 2008. He led the decision by the company’s Board of Directors to enter into negotiations with the United States Department of Justice after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, and becoming aware that the Government was investigating pre-UIGEA activities of public companies in the online gambling space, including Party.

Attorney Behnam Dayanim, a specialist in commercial and online gaming matters, and an expert litigator, has served as counsel to several companies at which Garber has been employed. Dayanim pulled no punches when queried about Garber’s role in what ultimately concluded a non-prosecution agreement for Party with the DOJ.  With respect to prior chatter on the internet, and among some online poker competitors, a material portion of Dayanim’s response follows:

“In the first instance, it was the decision of the PartyGaming board, not of Mitch alone, although Mitch certainly led the way in advocating for it. By the time the NPA was actually executed, Mitch had left the company. The assertion that PartyGaming was somehow trying to gain competitive advantage in negotiating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office is completely baseless.  It makes no sense.  Party had suffered a devastating blow when it voluntarily withdrew from the U.S. market after the enactment of the UIGEA.

Nothing about that agreement harmed Party’s competitors, nor did the agreement somehow spur the USAO to investigate others in the sector.  As a public company, Party could not, and would not, hide from the United States authorities in the way its privately held counterparts did – and, in some cases, continue to do.”

Garber Has a Good Story to tell  

This past February, Garber and I arranged to meet in Las Vegas, just to shoot the breeze. It was a personal get together without an agenda.  In talking about his life, his work, his philanthropic initiatives, his role at CIE, and his growing imprint, I came to realize that the poker world knows little about this powerful Caesars executive who significantly influences their WSOP experience.  I suggested a future in-depth interview for a story to be published during the 2012 WSOP.  After telling me he rarely gives personal interviews, he smiled, and announced he was game, for this one. Garber was so forthcoming and generous with his time, that the interview warrants two stories during the WSOP.

Administrator, Strategist, and Policymaker

Garber is the man at the top of the Caesars Interactive Entertainment subsidiary, with responsibility for growing the fabled WSOP brand in tandem with expansion of the company’s footprint in internet-based and social gaming initiatives. The company is primed for legalized online poker in the United States.

Garber notes, “The key factor in taking the job was the chance to work with Gary Loveman.”  He observes, “Gary has essentially done with interactive gaming what he did with loyalty.  He architected the establishment of a subsidiary that would focus on interactive gaming, hired me, and allowed me to hire a team that were experts in different areas of interactivity.”

He describes his strategic plan: “Our goals are to remain at the forefront of all forms of interactive and digital gaming entertainment, whether real money or casual virtual currency games, across all platforms. We were the first land-based company to establish an interactive company, to partner with online poker software providers, and to enter the mobile and social games space, and we expect to maintain that leadership spirit.”

Garber’s Big Deal!

Garber’s team is split between Las Vegas (WSOP), Montreal (Technology), and Israel (Playtika).  He is especially proud of the Playtika acquisition, noting that Caesars’ application, Slotomania, is among the top apps on both Facebook and the iPhone/iPad.
CIE has also forged a licensing deal with 888 Holdings Plc, and the video game development company, Electronic Arts, is working with CIE as the mobile app game developer for the World Series of Poker.

WSOP Team Cheers Garber’s Leadership  

Since his arrival on the scene, Garber has generally remained out of the limelight of the WSOP, but  according to Ty Stewart, WSOP Executive Director, “Garber’s lack of visibility at events isn’t due to lack of interest.  He’s the first guy to send a text at 2am from half a world away, commenting on event reporting or a player’s twitter feed.”  Stewart adds, “His energy borders on scary. He is going to work longer than you, work out harder than you, and have more fun than anyone else while doing it.” Caesars employees close to him agree with Stewart, who says, “He will challenge you behind closed doors and has high expectations.  But he is fiercely loyal and incredibly generous.”

Garber Predicts Legislation Favorable to Online Poker

Garber is also willing to stick his neck out.  He supports and expresses high hopes for federal online poker legislation, and he has confidence it will come to pass.  For starters, he emphasizes, “The legalization of online poker in the United States remains a key pillar of our strategy.”  He sees on the horizon a reversal of the UIGEA legislative action taken against online poker. Garber claims there is at least as much momentum toward making online poker lawful now as he saw in 2006 toward making it unlawful.  (He insured, as part of his deal with Party, that his employment contract would be subject to renegotiation, in the event of legislation adverse to online gaming in the United States).

Garber suggests that the right people are beginning to see the merit in having a regulated, taxed environment for something that is already being practiced in an unregulated manner. If licensed, regulated and taxed online gaming comes to the United States, knowledgeable observers of the scene suggest that there is no company better positioned to take advantage of it than Caesars.

Personal Background

Born in 1964 in Montreal, Garber attended a private Hebrew school through high school, adding Hebrew to French and English at his fluent command.

He earned an undergraduate degree in Industrial Relations from McGill University, and a law degree from the University of Ottawa in 1989. He says he appreciates his law school experience, but knew early on that he was best cut out for business.

Garber has roots, important connections, and commitments to significant philanthropic causes based in Israel. While he is not religious, he espouses Zionism.

In September, 2009, Global Gaming Business Magazine named him one of the 10 most influential people in the gaming industry. His accomplishments and clout in the industry have grown exponentially since then.

The day after our March 30th interview, Garber revealed he is a poker player, and that he had slipped into New York the day before to play in a 10K buy-in event for the Bill Clinton Foundation.  He acknowledged he “had a good finish.”  One of our mutual friends tipped me off about his modesty, reporting that Garber had placed a very respectable tenth in the competition.

Garber currently lives in Montreal with his wife, Anne-Marie Boucher, a tax attorney, and their two sons.

More Garber News Coming: In our online edition, pokerplayernewspaper.com, learn more about Garber’s management of CIE, and the impact of it in the new hotsy-totsy world of internet-based and social gaming. In the next print edition of Poker Player Newspaper, look for a further report on Garber’s complex relationships in the poker industry; the departure of Jeffrey Pollack from the WSOP, the deal with French casino company Barriere (that relocated WSOP Europe), the unplanned meeting with Isai Scheinberg during a PokerStars tournament, and the trip that clinched the deal for the “One Drop” million dollar buy- in tournament that will take place and be televised at the 2012 World Series of Poker.

Tapie Deal Goes South

As previously reported, Tapie’s repayment plan to refund non U.S. “Rest Of World” (ROW) customers was a bone of contention in Group Bernard Tapie’s negotiations with the DOJ during the past few months.

Enter PokerStars

It didn’t take long for the DOJ to turn one deal on its head and land right side up with another! In the early morning of April 24th, rumors which had already begun to circulate on a popular poker forum, gained heat when Chili Poker CEO, Alex Dreyfus tweeted, “PokerStars buys FullTilt for a consideration of $750 million, including settlement with the DOJ and full balances of players ($330 million). I’m impressed.”

By noontime, on the same day GBT went fully public with a statement that confirmed the collapse of their negotiations with the DOJ to acquire FTP’s assets, PokerStars’ corporate communications director, Eric Hollreiser, reacted to the rampant rumors by posting a response on the PokerStars Blog.

Acknowledging both the company’s legal problems with the DOJ and the massive inquiries (following Dreyfus’ tweet), Hollreiser stated simply that the company was obliged to refrain from any premature comments on the “chatter.” As a practical matter, however, PokerStars’ response added support to Dreyfus’ assertion of a bizarre twist in the FTP tale that might well end with the sale of FTP assets to PokerStars.

Tapie Rises to its Own Defense

For his part, Tapie relied upon GBT counsel Dayanim to respond to Poker Player Newspaper, about the extraordinary turn of events. Dayanim acknowledged the deal as going sour approximately two weeks earlier when the DOJ hardened its position on repayment terms to ROW players, requiring the full refunds within a period of 90 days. He said, “It was a deal breaker.”

Dayanim chalked up the cratered deal “to a business decision on the part of the DOJ.” On questioning, he acknowledged that under the Tapie plan, players with larger balances would have had to wait years for a substantial amount of their funds.

Morgan Stanley Fancied Online Poker Not So Long Ago

Before the DOJ’s shutdown of online poker at the three most popular online poker sites April 15, 2011, the online poker kings were poised for unbounded growth and several high powered investment banks, most notably including Morgan Stanley, had buzzed around the online poker industry with visions of acquiring a major stake in it. They all seemed to believe the hype of affirmative federal legislation to license, tax, and regulate this activity as being on the near horizon.

During the 2010 World Series of Poker, Gabi Campos took up residence on the Isle of Man, as a consultant to PokerStars and with a deal in hand to take over the reins as the new CEO of the Company, October 4th of that year.

Campos was reportedly hot to trot with a public offering, not bothered by a story in the Financial Times that had recently reported the existence of a grand jury investigation of online poker.

Stateside, at the same time, FTP’s most well-known director Howard Lederer and his wife were hosting their Annual World Series of Barbecue in Las Vegas, a lavish event that showcased Lederer’s status as a king in the online poker industry. Ambling around the pool at the Golden Nugget was as an investment banking king and a poker playing trust fund kid (“Trust Fund Kid”), talking about the just held meetings between Morgan Stanley and Ray Bitar and Lederer.

In the interest of full disclosure, EOLIS learned of certain discussions through Morgan Stanley’s investment banking division, but it was not in the context of EOLIS’ professional relationship with lawyers associated with the firm.

According to a Morgan Stanley senior executive, The Kid had donated big bucks in live poker games that featured Chris “Jesus” Ferguson and other FTP celebrity pros. The Kid had no trouble hooking up the banker with FTP directors for a serious discussion. And the banker did not shy away from offering The Kid the prospect of millions of dollars as a business broker, if a deal were to be made.

The Trust Fund Kid also moved the needle for the investment banker by arranging a conversation with PokerStars top brass, shortly after the WSOP festivities. The Kid made the connection with Mark Scheinberg, son of PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg, after securing an un-inked, but nevertheless reliable, agreement for a big payday if a deal were to fall into place, according to a Morgan Stanley money man.

Most of the protagonists in these high finance talks seemed to be oblivious to the DOJ’s sharp lens on the online poker industry.

Morgan Stanley Falls Out of Love

In the early fall, Morgan Stanley expanded its discussions of online poker beyond PokerStars and FTP and elevated its due diligence. The feedback indicated uncertainty as to whether Senator Harry Reid would bring about passage of a favorable bill in the Congress in the near future. Morgan Stanley’s appetite for online poker is said to have fizzled not only due to concerns over predicting the timetable for legalized online poker, but also because the Morgan Stanley managing director spearheading the initiative into the online gaming space was eyeing other options. He later set his sights on gaming interests in Macau; he left Morgan Stanley.

Reid Falters; PokerStars Hits Reset Button

At the end of 2010, Harry Reid suddenly halted his efforts to pass a favorable online poker bill during the last session of the Congress that year. According to some politicos, Reid made the tactical mistake of publicizing the planned gambling bill too far in advance of insertion into a broader must-pass bill, thus giving opponents of such a bill a wide berth to succeed in scotching any such attempt.

PokerStars’ political machinations continued in 2011 with continuing efforts in the spring on both the state (NV) and federal level. Meanwhile, Campos was actively contemplating grand online poker economics —including the possibility of going public—to make the company ever richer. Black Friday put an obvious brake on the astounding growth of the industry in recent years.

Insiders have said that Black Friday caused PokerStars’ to give up on a public offering for a second time; the first being in 2006 after passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (“UIGEA”).

The Company changed course, opting to make a big push for the customer base of public online poker companies that pulled out of the US market once the UIGEA legislation was signed into law. This move was key to growing the power and wealth of PokerStars over the next five years.

And since Black Friday the Company has continued, unabated in growing its footprint and services to customers outside the United States.

PokerStars Sees Full Tilt as a Catch to Throw Back

According to a PokerStars insider last summer, it was soon after arranging for repayments of account balances to its American customers—more than 100 million dollars was repaid within a month of the shutdown of the site in America—PokerStars got busy looking into gobbling up Full Tilt Poker.

With FTP’s financial distress becoming more obvious by the day, PokerStars went into full throttle, deliberating carefully the possibility of investing in the site, according to the powerful insider at the time. He said, “Due diligence on a possible purchase of FTP is a high priority.”

Apparently soon thereafter, PokerStars became weary of FTP directors’ insistence on obtaining silent handcuffed investors who would allow management and control of the company to be left in FTP hands.

PokerStars Revisits Full Tilt

Less than a year later, PokerStars is now known to be back in the hunt to acquire Full Tilt Poker, in a more sophisticated game plan. Lawyers familiar with recent events say PokerStars seeks to make the Full Tilt Poker asset purchase part of a global settlement of the company’s legal problems with the U.S. government.

Most of the lawyers interviewed for this article believe that such a settlement would clarify that DOJ has no interest in interfering in any future effort by PokerStars to return to American licensing authorities in the event that online poker is legalized in America.

Since Black Friday, the poker industry has been kept in the dark by the Justice Department, both with regard to any incomplete negotiations with defendants and with respect to its intentions surrounding repayment of American player account balances.

But parties privy to the various talks between the DOJ and various suitors along the way say the DOJ is genuinely interested in seeing players refunded all of the monies due to them. Towards that end, these sources concur that DOJ made a raise on Tapie’s fourth street bet, once it was clear that Poker Stars would call. Tapie apparently made a crying call. In the next round of betting, DOJ made a continuation bet Poker Stars stayed in and and Tapie insta folded. Thus, the otherwise unfathomable current chapter in the tale of the highest stakes online poker competition played in the history of the game

DOJ is the Current King of Online Poker

In the interview with Tapie’s most active spokesperson, Counsel Behn Dayanim, he emphasized the sincerity of the GBT effort to reach a deal with the DOJ that would have resulted in GBT’s re-launch of the FTP site. The smart money around the Federal Courthouse in Manhattan took no bets on completion of the Tapie deal.

The chances of PokerStars taking down the pot are viewed with far more enthusiasm by the mix of lawyers interviewed, albeit with the caveat that it will take more than big bucks before the case against PokerStars is closed. They predict the departure of founder Isai Scheinberg as part of the company’s management.

As previously detailed, first, in Poker Player Newspaper, the credibility and timeliness of Tapie’s repayment plan to refund ROW customers became a bone of contention in negotiations during the past few months.

According to Behn Dayanmim, however, the DOJ did not show its hand–other negotiations in progress–while pushing Tapie to make full repayment of foreign “ROW” player account balances faster than desired by the company.

Dayanim was plainly annoyed by the DOJ’s sudden hard-nosed position on the timing of refunds to players, explaining that most would see their monies fully refunded almost immediately. On questioning, Dayanim acknowledged that players with larger balances would likely not have received full repayment for more than two years.

“The timetable for repayment of ROW funds had been a critical of concern to the DOJ for months,” say lawyers familiar with with the wrangling over this point between Tapie and DOJ. “Tapie ultimately showed its colors when push came to shove,” according to one lawyer close to multiple protagonists involved in the final weeks of the deal making process.

The poker industry has been kept in the dark as to the intentions of the Department of Justice regarding repayment of American player account balances, but knowledgeable insiders have been told in no uncertain terms that the DOJ is genuinely interested in seeing players refunded all of the monies due to them. “The United States Department of Justice has invested significant time in securing a reliable repayment process for players, both in the United States and abroad, ” says another source at one of the law firms representing Black Friday defendants.

Apparently, Tapie was raised by the DOJ, Poker Stars called and Tapie “insta folded”–thus creating a bizarre twist in the locked up FTP customer accounts. Several former government lawyers familiar with the complicated maneuvers involved suggest that Poker Stars’ patient and savvy play has been pure been genius, with the likely net result of FTP players seeing refunds of their monies at FTP coming to them from PokerStars timely, once all of the necessary paperwork is signed and sealed. This scenario is part of the new anticipated deal which will purportedly reflect settlement of the civil forfeiture actions by the DOJ against Poker Stars. Predictions come fast and furious these days, but concrete knowledge is harder to come by.

One European based lawyer who has represented FTP interests and has proven highly accurate in the past (but speaks only on the condition of anonymity) insists, “DOJ has cautioned the relevant parties against making public statements regarding the terms of the settlements until it gives the green light.” In an interview today, Tapie’s most active spokesperson, Counsel Behn Dayanim, emphasized the sincerity of the GBT effort to reach a deal with the DOJ that would have resulted result in GBT’s re-launch of the FTP site. The fingerprints of Dayanim, clearly resonate in the GBT company statement.

Note: This article appears in the online edition of Poker Player Newspaper.

The movie benefits from the delay, with a singularly realistic picture of poker, complete with coverage of the aftermath of Black Friday while retaining Tirola’s original vision — to reveal poker in all of its glory — as a pastime, a game, an avocation, a profession, a business, and “part of the rich history and culture of America, since its beginnings.”

Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson: More Spoken Words

Tirola notes proudly, “We believe we have the last real in-depth interviews with Full Tilt Poker directors Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson before Black Friday. At the time I was impressed with their love of the game and the thoughts they had about poker’s place in society and history.”

After Black Friday, Tirola went back and reviewed all of their interviews, only some of which made it into the film. He says, “We plan to release the rest of their interviews as extras when the DVD comes out this summer.” Triola stands his ground against all comers, who think Lederer and Ferguson should not have been “glorified” in the documentary. Triola says, “I still like them and believe in them.”  He adds, “I hope it is just a mismanagement issue.”  Several movie going poker players have mentioned there was heavy booing in response to Lederer’s now infamous line: “The heroes of poker don’t cheat.”

Poker Player Cast

Lederer and Ferguson are but two high profile players that make up a galaxy of starring participants. The cast was drawn from 150 interviewed candidates and whittled down to an estimated 60 speakers in the movie. The resulting lineup reflected a combination of pure genius, considerable research, several lucky breaks, and a few oversights and omissions that are inevitable in such a massive effort.

Tirola beams about the quality and quantity of interviews conducted over the years. He notes “the gravitas and credibility” that was produced from his biggest “gets”; the   counterpoint pairing of Academy Award winning actor Matt Damon and Pulitzer prize winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin who are among the eclectic mix of voices.

The film prominently features poker pros who hit their stride as marketable commodities between 2003 and 2006. Chris Moneymaker, a rank amateur when he won the main event at the 2003 World Series of Poker, leads that parade. Moneymaker’s personal story is given a complete overhaul; the treatment is impressive for the candor and completeness elicited in his interviews. His journey is the thread that ties the film together. Tirola respects Moneymaker’s journey as much as his unlikely arrival at the destination of an American dream.

Beyond Moneymaker, the slew of highly regarded poker stars that put in appearances, generally have just a few lines, often to hammer home a point or perhaps as a thank you from Tirola for the generosity of  time and information they provided for the film.  The film also features highly credentialed journalists who have been fascinated by poker and have written eloquently about it, notably including a trio that has recently been united in support of a poker association business venture – Anthony Holden, James McManus, and Peter Alson.

Offering uniquely special appeal is Nolan Dalla, media director of the WSOP and Alexandra Berzon of the Wall Street Journal. They are natural, vibrant, and just tell it like it is. Dan Michalski, the lone almost daily poker media reporter, shows that he understands the politics of poker.

New Yorkers are Represented in the Cast

In addition to the sizzle provided by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Matt Damon, and Ira Glass, colorful narration is served up by John Marinacci, a New York poker player/poker consultant who has also appeared on the Sopranos. Fellow New York-based poker consultant and longtime friend Jay Colombo notes Marinacci’s “Soprano-like charm and understanding of the ways of poker—old and new school.”

Tirola and Marinacci became fast friends early in the casting research, thanks to a chance meeting in Atlantic City.  Marinacci offered to help Tirola, mentioning his poker consulting assignment for the Rounders film a decade earlier. Tirola was looking to expand his connections in the poker world. Marinacci was Johnny on the Spot in the right place at the right time for a good gig. Tirola and Marinacci became a mutual admiration society. Each does the other proud in All In: The Poker Movie.

An established filmmaker, Tirola’s intellectual commitment and passion for his subject matter have been demonstrated time and again over a range of artistic platforms as a writer, producer and director; more than 35 projects to date. His interest in poker pre-dates research for this documentary.

A small time recreational poker player, Tirola became increasingly informed about poker in 2002 when he began to film poker tournaments for Richard Anthony, a successful options trader who played poker in his spare time at the popular Play Station Club which was owned by Colombo. Colombo and Anthony are included in the film’s cast. Anthony calls Tirola “a man with great vision, high intellect, intense dedication, and a good friend.” Anthony then smiles cheekily, saying, “That doesn’t mean I agree with every creative decision in the movie. I thought it was too long overall and repetitive in parts. I also wish there had been more substance than complaining shown in the treatment of Black Friday material.”

Who Missed WPT’s “Grand Pooh Bah”/Poker Hall of Famer?

A few players key to the growth in popularity of the game and critical to the evolution of the poker boom were missed in the movie. Chief among them was Lyle Berman, Chairman of the World Poker Tour and responsible for the WPT coming to life. Berman is also Chairman of the Board of Lakes Gaming which owned the WPT before its sale to Party Poker. Berman is unfazed by the oversight, but Tirola does not get off the hook by saying Berman was “on the list and we tried to reach him.” Berman says, “I was not contacted about the film. I’ve ordered the movie and look forward to seeing it.”  Berman’s autobiography is titled, “All In.”

More Noteworthy Oversights and Omissions

Apparently the Binion family, host of the WSOP for decades (the WSOP grew in size and prestige from a “house vote” for best player to thousands of runners for the company’s last main event), missed Tirola’s radar screen as well. Jack Binion in particular, was the true architect of poker tournaments as a powerful modern day marketing tool.

Doug Dalton Poker Director of Bellagio was invited to participate but begged off as did Doyle Brunson, the acknowledged “Godfather of Modern Poker.”  Two-time WSOP winner Johnny Chan, the winning poker player in the Rounders film backed off as well.

Curious Exclusions

While the documentary goes far in probing poker history and acknowledging the many shoulders on which the poker boom was built, curiously the movie disregards accomplished women poker people – players/industry activists/writers/card room executives – over fifty, who have contributed to the growth of the game and have helped to pave the way for other women.

Everyone Wants to Be Invited

Tirola generally fights criticism like a papa bear on behalf of his brood, but he acknowledges to this reporter there were some misses and suggests he is mulling over the possibility of “extra” interviews.

Then, deflecting attention away from this conversation, he notes his gratitude to a broad array of sources/cast members that provided cooperation and time, beyond what could have been reasonably asked.

Some of those contributors’ names rolled of his tongue, instantly: “Nolan Dalla and Mori Eskandani, Frank Deford and Ira Glass, Brian Koppleman and Phil Hellmuth, James McManus and Jon Miller from NBC Sports, Peter Alson and Bernard Lee” among them.

The Scenes Tell the Story

Setting the scene is invariably a linchpin to telling a good story; Tirola is on top of this production value with a vengeance! The scenes for the documentary are filmed at locales across the breadth of America. The images often prove the adage: “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

Tirola’s commitment to show poker in all its permutations, and  most definitively as a social activity, was evident through the collage of venues across the country more than through individual dissertations. Tirola and his team traveled endlessly, often in crisscross fashion shooting footage he recalls from memory,” in Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Nevada, California, New Jersey, Kansas, Ohio, Illiinois, Kentucky  Indiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Florida, and Wisconsin.”

Tirola’s many location shoots infused the film with respect for the far flung multi-pronged business of poker and equally for poker warriors, serious poker enthusiasts and recreational players, alike.

Director Tirola’s Defends and Explains

Tirola is direct about his views concerning criticism lodged about the film.   He seemed particularly bothered by the New York Times’ criticism explaining: “A couple of the reviews of our film have suggested that the film and the poker players in it are comparing the government seizure of online poker sites to the Kennedy assassination. I don’t think poker players are saying that there is some moral equivalent to a man being shot and a business and its funds being seized.“ Instead Tirola says,”What I see from this type of attack, is the negative view held by many people of poker players and a pre-disposition against poker and gambling in general.”

Tirola also talks about his probing into the financial ups and downs that so many poker players seem to face, explaining, “There is a scene in the film that talks about poker players being broke and in many cases broke more than once. The point of this scene is to show that for professional poker players being broke is part of the experience and lifestyle of being a player.”

Poker People Critics

Though generally supportive of the endeavor, NY based poker consultant Colombo was not a full-fledged fan of the movie; he echoed widespread chatter around town suggesting that the movie should have been further edited both for length and content, in particular in the Moneymaker story. Nevertheless he saw the film as valuable and successful in enlightening people about poker on many levels.

Several New York poker players concurred in Colombo’s additional observation: “The true metamorphosis of poker from a feel game to one that emphasizes math could have been made more clear. Those raised on the internet insist that things have changed dramatically with books and poker boot camps and long hours of study now defining many of the very best players on the planet.”

Tirola’s Final words

Asked what he hopes viewers will take away from the film, Tirola separates his potential audiences into two groups — “poker players and non-poker people.”

Tirola observes, “Everyone who picked up a deck of cards and played in their basement or logged on to a website to play or attended a once a week tournament or ventured to a casino to play poker is as much a part of the story of the poker boom as the players who won a bracelet or that we know from TV. The story of poker belongs to everyone who plays and I hope when poker players see our film they will say that is my story, I can relate to so much of this story.”

As for non-players, Tirola urges: “Watch the film and try to understand why people who consider themselves poker players are so passionate about the game.” He says, “I hope they are inspired to take up the game for themselves but at the very least see what a great social activity poker is and understand that is still why the majority of people play poker.”

Download and DVD Coming

The financing for this undertaking did not include any poker people. Tirola notes, “No one from the poker community or industry was part of the financing of the film.” A downloadable version of the movie will be available April 24, 2012 and a DVD will come out later in the summer. The DVD will include additional interviews.

Online Poker Chatters Turn Out for Live Poker Party

A fan of online poker forums, PokerStars has long been a supporter of such events. This year — without any US – facing operations, however, there was no obvious “ROI” for the online poker behemoth in bankrolling the ATLARGE dinner gala. “Chalk it up strictly to an act of kindness,” says one PokerStars associate who fears going on the record with PPN.

ARG events feature live meetings, networking, tournaments and cash games for online poker forum participants around the country. In addition to ATLARGE, the others have names like MARGE, FARGO and BARGE, the mother of them all. Pappas’ gig at the ATLARGE banquet was the hand-picked choice of Stevan (Goldie) Goldman, the organizer of the annual east coast “ARG” gathering at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

“Argers” Are Sociable

My date for the ATLARGE dinner was longtime fearless friend Nolan Dalla, an avid poker forum contributor and a semi-regular at the ATLARGE festivities. He was in town to preside as the head communications honcho at the WSOP Circuit Event at Caesars. He could not resist an invitation to the dinner after Goldman assured him it was OK to trot into the proceedings with yours truly in tow. We were both downright curious as to exactly what Pappas might have to say about the state of affairs of online poker in America and the PPA’s continuing plans to advocate for poker players’ rights.

It was a fun and interesting evening, with animated discussion over dinner followed by Pappas’ remarks, and then adjournment to an after-dinner notorious pink chip mixed games poker table with the ATLARGE crowd. By the end of the evening, even a previously confirmed skeptic of online poker forums would be hard put not to rethink their positive value.

Pappas Is Educational

For his part, Pappas’ remarks were refreshingly free of hysteria but replete with facts that make a dramatic case for PPA membership, if you care about the future of online poker. His speech resonated as an honest, clear “state of the union” presentation that described the chaotic landscape and the relevance of the PPA in taming it.

A new hard look at this organization is instructive. To its considerable credit, the PPA is increasing its visibility as a serious player-based organization, rocking the boat and shaking the leaves and the shoulders of recalcitrant politicians, as heated legislative debates on the future of online poker continue.

The takeaway from a two-hour interview with Pappas is crystal clear: the PPA is in transition, committed to the goal of unquestioned legitimacy as a genuine and capable grassroots organization of poker players intent on securing the rights of adult Americans to play poker online in America.

Pappas speaks like a proud parent about the dedication of his staff and the accomplishments of the organization, particularly noting the recent kudos bestowed upon the PPA by PC World Magazine as an online campaign that is “sparking political change.” Pappas crows over the PPA’s success in harnessing social networks, like Twitter and Facebook. He chuckles over frequent references made by members of Congress about a barrage of communications from poker players.

PPA and Their Patrons

Over the past several years, PokerStars has been among the PPA’s most significant patrons. Currently it is the primary funder, a fact the PPA now discloses, even though these donations are provided via payments forwarded from another organization, the Interactive Gaming Council.

The funding of the PPA did not begin with such transparency. For years, the big gun online poker entrepreneurs responsible for most of the funding of the PPA carefully avoided calling attention to their contributions and influence on the organization’s efforts. The evolving policy of fuller transparency seems to be strongly supported by the PPA Board of Directors as part of the metamorphosis of the organization.

PPA Transition

Once the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) became law in 2006, the PPA immediately sought to overturn or overhaul the federal statute so as to exempt poker from its clutches. UIGEA was designed to ban online bets by American players.

The PPA’s position has matured over the years to emphasize advocacy of federal legislation that provides for licensed, taxed, and regulated online poker. In addition, the PPA now boasts a real infrastructure in all 50 states, making it a force to contend with as a credible grassroots player-based organization throughout the country.

PPA and Pokerstars

Pappas does not mince words in responding to questions about the organization’s ties to PokerStars. He says, “We are not lobbyists for PokerStars and we are not a grassroots organization for them. Not once have I brought an executive from PokerStars to meet a member of Congress, but I have brought dozens of poker playing constituents who want the freedom to play online. He asserts, “And thanks to PokerStars the PPA has been able to advocate on behalf of the players.”

Pappas-D’Amato Teamwork

Initially an outside consultant to the PPA, Pappas went in-house as the organization’s vice president of government affairs once former New York Senator Alfonse D’Amato was elected to the titular chairmanship of the PPA in 2007. A few months later, Pappas became executive director.

From time to time, D’Amato takes center stage as master of ceremonies to wind up the online poker loyalists and to further their cause on Capitol Hill, but it is Pappas who holds the true PPA operations baton. Both men are politicos and poker aficionados versed in the ways of power poker, though D’Amato is known to be more talkative about his talents as a winning player in all manner of poker games.

D’Amato Has Taken Down Big Bucks from the PPA

D’Amato has a bifurcated contract for his services; he is chairman of the board of the PPA and his lobbying firm is also paid as consultants to the organization. According to a member of the IGC in the know (IGC transmitted the relevant donations to the PPA), the aggregate compensation topped $700,000 per annum in the early days. Without going into specifics, Pappas insists the total compensation has been adjusted downward over the years.

The value of the former Senator’s services has been hotly debated in the poker world. Critics have pointed to failure in getting a favorable bill passed. It should be noted, earlier this year, longtime anti-gambling Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) asserted publicly, “Quite possibly something can be done.” He was reportedly referring to discussions with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on the development of suitable online gambling legislation that might allow for online poker.

D’Amato Wins High Praise from Pappas

Meanwhile, Pappas responds to any rolling of the eyes over D’Amato’s performance with unequivocal praise. He opines, “The poker community is getting a lot out of Senator D’Amato’s chairmanship, and I believe he will continue to play an important role in the future of the PPA and the future success of this issue.”

Pappas declined to speculate on exactly how D’Amato might fit into the picture if PokerStars at some point were to cut off funds to the PPA, as have other online sites no longer holding online gaming interests in America.

Linda Johnson and Greg Raymer Are Pros

The PPA was founded near the end of 2005, when PartyPoker’s owners saw the coming of vigorous legislative efforts designed to topple the rapidly growing online poker business. Popular poker industry leader Linda Johnson was asked to take the reins as the PPA’s first chairman. In 2007, she stepped aside as Chairman to make way for D’Amato to assume that post, while remaining ever since an active board member.

Johnson says, “I originally got involved with the PPA because there was a need for an organization to fight for the rights of all poker players.” The WSOP bracelet winner and former CardPlayer publisher emphasizes, “We have a lot of work left to do since we still don’t have the same rights to play poker in our homes that people in most other countries have.” This year, Johnson’s longstanding credibility with the wide range of players and lawmakers she visits around the country is further enhanced by her election to the WSOP Hall of Fame.

Greg Raymer, winner of the 2004 main event of the WSOP is a board member of nearly as long duration as Johnson. Formerly a member of the Pfizer legal department, Raymer is a highly regarded public speaker on poker strategy and equally at ease in the political maelstrom. He mingles with players on both sides of the aisle and engages easily in a room full of CPAC Conservatives at their yearly conference in Washington.

Special Talents of Muny and Fleming

Pappas says of his current board, “We have cut the fat and added people who could serve specific functions.” Pappas has paid close attention to the forums, drawing from their ranks to the PPA board both Richard Muny and Patrick Fleming.

In describing Muny, who serves as the vice president of player relations, Pappas states, “Whether it is his daily action plan, or responding to questions from players and members on the forums and email, Rich is undoubtedly the biggest reason we have been able to become a true grassroots organization.” Muny notes that he is a moderator on two sites that hold 20,000 posts between them. He says, “The forums are home to very critical thinkers who are highly motivated to advocate for the game of poker.”

Patrick Fleming serves as the legal eagle and as PPA’s Litigation Support Director. He explains his diverse role as “three basic responsibilities: providing general legal information important to the poker community, providing specific legal information directly to PPA Premium Members regarding their individual legal issues related to poker, and providing direct legal assistance to lawyers and litigants in cases that raise issues which have a national impact on poker.” Pappas quips, “If this were the Godfather, he would be my Tom Hagen.” The PPA solicits lawyers interested and knowledgeable about poker issues for referral lists but does not take responsibility for in-depth vetting of their credentials and legal expertise.

Pappas Overview

Pappas concludes, “The heart and soul of the PPA is the poker playing community, and in particular the PPA members who are our real grassroots advocates. He nails the new evolving message: “If not for an organized association of players the only messengers to lawmakers are companies who are looking to pad their bottom lines. And in this political environment, that is not a very inviting messenger. The future of online poker in the U.S. needs the PPA and we are doing all the right things to ensure we can best represent the players while also helping to establish a U.S. industry.”