News Category: Poker Player Newspaper 1983-2016

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.”

Meanwhile, the sequence of recent events – since Dayanim’s disclosures last month of several players’ indebtedness to FTP and since PPN’s identification of substantial additional roadblocks to closing a deal — have been fast moving.

In my conversation this morning with Dayanim, he was mum as to any specifics of current negotiations explaining in his usual polite manner the reasonableness on my part in probing for information, and the reasonableness on his part in deflecting my invasive questions for another day.

Like an airplane delay, affected players are frustrated by the lack of updated information as to the real progress in getting them to their destination. The primary purpose of this update is to allow players a bird’s eye view of the current machinations, even if the ending is not 100% clear.

Lawyers not intimately connected to the GBT-DOJ-FTP negotiations but well informed for one reason or another (they prefer not to explain publicly), provide useful information and insights. The lawyers consulted have all proven themselves as knowledgeable resources in the past.

They generally concur in their analysis of where things stand, citing five major developments that have breathed new life into a deal that was primed to crater:

1. Necessary Investor money is now in place. Investor commitments at the time Dayanim announced the complications caused by the player debt were wobbly; Tapie was not persuaded to take the necessary risks of the deal with the broad array of uncertainties that had risen to the surface during the due diligence process. The player debt contributed to the angst but was not the most significant cause of it. The player debt was well known prior to completion of the due diligence.

2. A late arriving investor reportedly “close to Full Tilt” has stepped up to the plate since the announcement of the threatening crash of the deal in part due to the 16.5 million dollars of player debt.

3. There is a concrete understanding as to the breadth of the total liabilities it will inherit – beyond the player repayment requirements, and in a better position to work out a plan to address them. While FTP was in worse financial condition than anticipated, the breadth and depth of investor participation is expanded.

4. There is a better handle on the extent to which they will inherit troubled assets —namely player debt that will be hard if not impossible to collect. Tapie has a clearer picture as to which players will make arrangements to discharge their debt as well as those who lack the funds or the honor to do so.

Note: Given the reportedly sparse documentation for these loans, collection efforts through enforcement proceedings are now viewed as worse than unappetizing. This was probably the reasoning for the shaking of the leaves — to see if public shaming of indebted players by Dayanim last month might unearth some additional monies. The tactic was of little effect in inducing recalcitrant players to resolve their debt, but apparently it unexpectedly drew in one additional needed investor.

5. Tapie is developing a more definitive plan by which to assure proper and orderly repayment of rest of the world players. The smart money is betting if this issue is resolved, as is now anticipated, the final arrangements will fall into place.

Explaining that it is their understanding that the DOJ has discouraged discussions with media while negotiations of any kind are in progress, lawyers queried sympathize both with the Government’s concerns of disruption of progress and with players’ frustrations over being kept in the dark for so long.

Perhaps the most interesting comment was made by one highly regarded gaming law expert not in the mix of protagonists. He said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if the Government is in an end game to position itself not only as the power that has taken down illegal online poker in the US but also as the players’ hero in picking up the pieces,” in the United States and around the world. The smart money is betting that the DOJ has become more keenly interested in assuring that victims overseas will be repaid their funds and that an orderly process is in place to do so.

Extensive player skepticism in the US notwithstanding, lawyers consulted for this article, including Government affairs experts with ties to the DOJ in Washington, D.C. express increasing confidence that the Justice Department intends to use the money from the anticipated sale ($80,000,000) and more money if recovered through other efforts, for repayment to American players.

As they say, in some places — from their lips to God’s ears!

Judge Lewis Kaplan Has Plenty to Ponder

Last week Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, the law firm recently brought in to defend Chad Elie and John Campos at their upcoming trial, hit the ground running. Elie and Campos are two of the indicted defendants in the April 15, 2011 Black Friday indictments in U.S. v. Scheinberg et al and the related civil forfeiture actions.

Counsel has submitted a motion to the Court in limine, asking permission to present evidence to the jury concerning poker as a game of skill. Judge Kaplan, in charge of the upcoming trial of Elie and Campos, has thus far shown little sympathy to counsels’ arguments that poker is a game of skill; but, he did leave the door ajar.

There are pressing questions now center stage in Judge Kaplan’s courtroomnin the New York Federal District Court. Is poker gambling as a matter of law? Is poker a game of skill as a matter of fact? Is there an element of chance in the game? Is there a predominance of skill over luck required to be a winning player? Does an outcome depend to a material degree on chance?

Lawyers Weigh In

Several lawyers familiar with the cases say the recent appointment of Kramer Levin as counsel for trial makes eminently good sense, praising the new defense team as both highly intellectual in arguing the law and uniquely capable in resonating with a jury. Most lawyers queried for this article believe the defendants’ prospects for victory would improve dramatically if the judge rules favorably on this motion which gives poker its due as a game of skill. They explain the Government seeks to establish that poker is gambling as a matter of law.

Just days after the signing of UIGEA, the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media and Entertainment Law Journal published an article by Bennett Liebman titled: “Poker Flops Under New York Law” (2006, Volume 17, Issue I, Article 1 — available on the internet) which includes a comprehensive analysis of the skill v. chance arguments that swirl around poker.

At the time of publication, Mr. Liebman was the executive director of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School. He is now deputy secretary to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for gaming and racing. He is tasked with the broad review of all gambling issues with a view toward considering legalization of gambling in New York under sound policies.

Liebman’s Article: Must Reading for Laypersons and Lawyers

Gaming law experts consulted for this article, acknowledge Mr. Liebman’s treatise as undeniably thorough in its discussion of both the straightforward and garbled questions and answers that have become part of an ever-fattening book of poker cases in courtrooms around the country. For non-lawyers (you should know I am not a lawyer), it speaks in clear English about relevant poker definitions and points made in court cases with abundant references to these cases among the author’s 240 citations.

Unmasked only at the very end of the article is Mr. Liebman’s apparent disposition toward poker as a game that requires a predominance of skill over chance and a game that should be removed from criminal prosecution and the clutches of gambling (as a matter of law). It is as startling as it is refreshing for professional poker players in the United States.

The article presciently concludes:

“It may be possible for poker in New York to reach the levels W. C. Fields suggested for it in the 1940 movie My Little Chickadee. Fields’ character, Cuthbert J. Twillie, is asked about a poker game by the prototypical rube Cousin Zeb, played by the actor Fuzzy Knight: “Uh, is this a game of chance?” Fields’ character responds, “Not the way I play it, no.”

Billy Baxter: Ahead of the Times

Back in the mid 80s when most top poker players kept their winning strategies close to the vest and above all avoided publicity about their skillfulness, William (“Billy”) Baxter Jr., a highly successful professional gambler with enviable poker results, was on the same page as W. C. Fields’ character in the movie (see updated author note at the end of the article).

Mr. Baxter took on the Internal Revenue Service in a landmark case that determined he had “derived his gaming income actively from his expenditure of time, energy, and skill rather than passively from use of his property: thus his gaming income constituted ‘earned income’ at a lower tax rate than if it had been judged a lucky windfall.” The trial judge famously quipped, “I just wish you had some money and could sit down with Mr. Baxter and play some poker.”

Liebman Has His Eye on the Ball

Liebman’s research ends in 2006, but neither the many poker skill studies conducted over the past few years nor the more recent cases in state courts diminish his work. In the course of reading Liebman’s law journal article, one stumbles into an understanding of the Government’s vulnerability in pursuing gambling charges related to poker and possible reasons for the Government’s decision to prosecute online poker defendants in New York.

Without drawing legal conclusions the takeaways from Liebman’s article could be simply the following: the laws related to gambling and to poker in particular, are filled with riddles that make for unending confusion in determining the legal status of poker as gambling.

To make matters more complicated in the state of New York, the test of a predominance of skill over luck in determining if an activity is gambling under the law, as applied in many states, apparently is not necessarily applicable in the Empire State.

Liebman’s research indicates there could be a serious problem of overcoming Judge Lewis Kaplan’s apparent leaning toward the treatment of poker as a “gambling” activity as a matter of law and thus not a question of fact for a jury to decide.

Wide Range of Experts Tell It Like It Is

In recent years numerous academic studies are virtually unanimous in their conclusions that skill is the predominant factor in distinguishing winning players over losing players. These collective findings are more than sufficient cause to ask jurists to visit anew and with open minds, the role and extent of skill in modern day poker with a view toward removing it from the status of conventional gambling games to be played in casinos. A non-exhaustive but significant representative list of relevant and publicized studies since 2006 is provided at the conclusion of this article.

In addition to serious academic studies and empirical data produced by the poker community, esteemed gaming lawyers and professors including the likes of Harvard Constitutional law giants Lawrence Tribe and Alan Dershowitz and even Louis Freeh, the former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have weighed in on the skill argument for poker as a matter of fact.

Poker Pros Prove Their Skills

Professional poker players, generally regard any contentions that poker is gambling as not only misleading but factually unsupportable and therefore outdated legal drivel. The poker community has mobilized in making a direct contribution to the arguments for poker as a game of skill.

Epic Poker League: Annie Duke, a co-founder of Federated Sports + Gaming and Commissioner of its Epic Poker League sought the help of professionals in information systems and software development to create the Global Poker Index. The GPI is arguably the first poker ranking system to be taken seriously — both by professional players and the mainstream press. The League is a “members only” organization, designed to include the top 300 performing poker players in major tournaments worldwide, in accordance with the GPI ranking formula. The rankings are published weekly in the pages of USA Today.

International Federation of Poker: The International Federation of Poker, led by acclaimed British journalist and recreational poker player Anthony Holden was launched in 2009 with a mission that combines a commitment to poker as a mind sport and a skill game. The website flashes its poker mantra boldly: “No gambling! It’s a game of skill.”

Holden spent a full year on the international tournament trail observing the variable skills of his opponents for his poker memoir “Big Deal” in 1990 and followed up with a sequel, “Bigger Deal,” in 2007 before founding the IFP.

Germans Prove Most Skillful: In 2011 The IFP held a “duplicate” poker tournament that attracted top performing poker players from around the world, teasing, “Time has come to find the most skillful nation in the world.” It would seem that the IFP did just that! At its inaugural “Nation’s Cup” last November, Germany emerged victorious, following up on top performances by German players Pius Heinz, main event winner at the 2011 World Series of Poker, Benny Spindler at the European Poker Tour’s London stop last September, and Martin Finger at EPT Prague, thereafter.

United States Poker Federation: The nascent United States Poker Federation is a member nation of the International Federation of Poker; it is headquartered in New York within walking distance of Wall St. USPF President, Peter Alson, points to Wall Street as “one of the biggest institutions in the country and the biggest casino in town.” A Harvard graduate and regular poker warrior with substantial writing credits in gambling subject matter, Alson labels as a “hypocrisy” any scorn toward poker as a mere gambling game against the backdrop of accepted professionalism of stockbrokers and traders who make dicey bets, daily, at far higher stakes.

Black Friday: Rubber Meets the Road

Would proof that poker is a game of skill make any difference in the current cases? To get to first base, the defendants will have to convince Judge Kaplan to take a step back from his previously stated initial inclination to view poker as gambling — as a matter of law. In this regard, online poker sites were apparently at far more peril than any of the online companies considered—and more peril in the state of New York, than most anywhere else in the United States.

Be that as it may, many legal efforts to push the skill argument in the US have been made in state courts over the past five years in one way or another and to almost no avail in the upper courts. At present, one case could become timely in Judge Kaplan’s courtroom; Town of Mt. Pleasant v. Chimento. A mid-level appellate court in South Carolina ruled poker to be a game of skill in a bizarre case where a raided home game led to the arrest of 20 poker players. The State Attorney General has appealed to the South Carolina Supreme Court which heard arguments in the fall of 2010 but has yet to report a decision.

Several gaming lawyers queried for this article say but for the charges of bank fraud and money laundering that emerged as part of the online poker cases, it is questionable as to whether the Government would have proceeded. They cite the motion before the Court as predictable and of enough potential significance to have caused the Government pause.

Circling Back to Bennett Liebman

Bennett Liebman may have the clearest vision of all. His Fordham Law Journal article explained not only how and why the online poker sites could get into such sticky wickets in their gambling business, but more importantly, his last words may soon help lead the way out of such trouble for both online and live action poker players who have turned one of America’s favorite pastimes into hardworking livelihoods.

Mr. Bennett concluded in 2006, while at Albany School, “New York now has the potential to make Fields’ view of poker the correct one.” Now as a senior advisor to the Governor in gaming matters, could Mr. Liebman actually be in a position to influence needed change?

In the Government’s April 15, 2011 indictment, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York finally honed in on the former “Big Three” online poker companies — Poker Stars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker/Ultimate Bet — in a bid to end online poker in the United States and put key executives of these companies in jail.
The Government trumpeted its penetrating years-long strip search and invasion of the most private parts of their operations. Poker Stars was the largest and most popular online poker site when the Government tore into the industry and remains the only one of the three online poker companies attacked currently operational.

Basic Results of Research
It should come as no surprise to Poker Stars that broad segments of the poker world are fascinated by the company beyond the carefully spun historical perspective found in the 10th Anniversary brochure of the 2012 Poker Stars Caribbean Adventure. Not uncharacteristically, Poker Stars customers have developed an insatiable appetite for details about the inner workings and the operations of a company that has made a few of their corporate officials fabulously rich.

Reports from current and former employees, consultants, business partners, Team Pro players, and media brought many verified vignettes that highlight the secretiveness of the company. The various accounts share a common theme; they all indicate a core value of camouflage that permeates so many of the company’s significant initiatives. For the uninitiated, here are a few eye-openers into the enigmatic world of Poker Stars operations and management.

Isai Scheinberg controls the presentation of Poker Stars’ image
While Poker Stars is officially overseen by several senior executives, Isai Scheinberg, the company’s founder is the boss of bosses, ever present at the top of the food chain. Generally affable and low key among colleagues, he is also known to have a stubborn streak on points that matter to him, be they large or small.

As the chief architect of their image, Mr. Scheinberg promotes the company’s mantra as a “players are first” type of organization. He also promotes the concept of business partnerships where meeting the spirit of a contract is as important as the letter of the agreement. One company consultant kids, “Isai Scheinberg’s last name might as well be Poker Stars!”

Corporate Communications
When it comes to communication between Poker Stars and the media, Scheinberg has always been reserved, but since Black Friday, PokerStars’ position toward media is clear: the best press coverage is none. This past spring the company brought in public relations specialist Eric Hollreiser; he serves as communications director. He brings extensive public relations experience to Poker Stars, including stints at Guitar Hero, Microsoft, and Disney during the past decade.

A personal comment about the appointment of Hollreiser as Communications Director: Following publication of an article in Poker Player Newspaper not to the company’s liking, Hollreiser emailed me in a manner that plainly suggested internal pressure from the very top. Demands for deletion of copy were summarily dismissed. Lawyers who reviewed the email cringed at its imprudence. Although I have not heard further from Hollreiser, there has been limited communication between Scheinberg and me since then.

Mr. Hollreiser’s experience was decidedly less stressful with a high profile reporter in the mainstream press who calls him professional and helpful. He gets mixed reviews, however from upper level employees of Poker Stars; a barrage of calls to this reporter came in from Poker Stars personnel shortly after they were directed not to talk to Poker Player Newspaper.

Legal Affairs
These days PokerStars legal affairs are complex. The in-house legal department is led by Paul Telford as General Counsel. He was previously at Party Gaming. One lawyer who has known him since his earlier career at a big English law firm says, “Paul brought high value as an independent thinker.” He observes, “In recent years, Paul seems more focused on his boss’ directional signals.” One Poker Stars executive comments that Telford keeps a steady gaze on the activities of competitors and beats the drums for Scheinberg, making him the ultimate loyalist but a less fierce consigliere. As an example of this latter issue, an outside lawyer who has done work for Poker Stars says, “The five legal opinions obtained by Poker Stars supporting the company’s continued US-facing operations might have benefitted from a tougher, more independent in-house final review than they apparently got.”

Poker Stars’ mounting legal problems — failure to get the North American Poker Tour firmly off the ground, repetitively seized funds from its payment processors, public warnings from the FBI and leaks of a grand jury convening in New York to consider online gambling matters — never resulted in any lawyer convincing Scheinberg to take a step back until the DOJ pounced. To the end, the public message was all’s well for online poker in the US even if no concrete progress was made in passing favorable legislation in the Congress.

PPA is beneficiary of PokerStars Funds via the IGC
PokerStars’ fascination with politics and the political maelstrom in Washington and elsewhere has never waned. The company has persistently put forward various political initiatives and fund raising activities that some of the lobbyists surrounding Poker Stars understood to reflect strictly corporate, not player, objectives. Few poker players are sophisticated politicos, even among those active in the Poker Players Alliance. Indeed, very few of the million plus members are believed to have any clue as to how they became enrolled.

The PPA was set up by the founders of Party Gaming to avoid legislation adverse to their online poker business around the end of 2005. Over time, Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker became equal partners in contributions made to the PPA through the Interactive Gaming Council. The IGC earmarked their contributions for that purpose and transferred them over to the PPA accordingly, explains a well-informed member of the IGC. The funds that were sidetracked did not go unnoticed for long. In no other part of PokerStars activities have their intended secrets been more compromised.

Members of Congress and their staffs were never in the dark about how PPA’s membership grew, or who called the shots — but the poker world has been mostly left in the dark. Much was made of the election of Alphonse D’Amato as the Chairman of the PPA, but wiser folks later confirmed Senator D’Amato cut his deal with Sheinberg.
The PPA was long on secrecy and short on transparency for years. The online sites that controlled the organization used to conduct free roll tournaments that provided players with free memberships, ostensibly to create the appearance of a wildly swelling grass roots movement. Those efforts have more recently paid off, as poker players are far more interested in the PPA today than they were before Black Friday.

More Mixed Messages
The skill vs. chance argument swirled around in the hallways of the US Congress and went nowhere. Now, in Europe however, there could be a disaster in the making for live tournament players and PokerStars casino partners. While former American customers still rave about Poker Stars’ fast refunds to their player accounts after Black Friday, French players are beginning to bristle over new income taxes on poker tournament winnings.

The Company has been cozying up to French regulators, arguing for poker as a game of skill rather than one of chance. In doing so, winning windfalls may be taken out of a tax free category and instead considered as ordinary income as is the case for other professionals.

Will Poker Stars seek to reduce the Company’s taxes in return for great advice provided to European regulators on how to extract more from online poker, at player expense?

Poker Stars casino partners may also be in for a rude awakening, if this skill argument persists. The ideal scenario for Poker Stars would be to prevail on the “poker as a game of skill” argument, thus taking poker out of the legal class as a gambling activity. That would disengage these casinos as necessary partners so that Poker Stars could put on tournaments in hotel ballrooms of their choosing instead of in licensed gambling halls or elsewhere under a casino partner’s license, where the casino makes money on the buy-ins. Imagine the entire European Union following in the footsteps of Poker Star’s French regulatory connection.

Mandate for Media
The three pronged takeaway from recent research: Poker Stars’ mastery of the art and science of camouflage is at the heart of its unfathomable success; the use of such tactics may be at the heart of the DOJ’s charges and continuing investigation of online poker.

For the time being, media is more dependent than ever on cultivating reliable insider sources—and digging deeper each time a nugget is unearthed. If the media persists and perseveres, walls of secrecy inevitably come tumbling down.

Ms. Eolis, CEO of Eolis International Group, once called called the plan “one of the most creative business deals ever — if it works; now she comments on the bizarre chain of events that have turned  the proposed deal into “a cliffhanger” – at best. This breaking story appears at Poker Player Newspaper.

Two of the well-known players who owe significant monies are in negotiations with GBT in apparent good faith efforts to to resolve their debt, according to Dayanim. He has not made these names available for publication, at this time.

Mr. Dayanim also acknowledges the existence of additional hurdles, but for today, he is more focused on the players that the Company finds uncooperative in turning over monies due to Full Tilt. These monies had been treated in the deal as real and viable assets. Unpaid, they are assets that Tapie would have to make part of enforcement proceedings. Tapie is said to have little appetite for that scenario.

According to numerous sources, some of the indebted players are also now known among their peers as being in deep financial trouble and are not expected to pay back these monies which were loans to them, any time soon. The company is presumed to have made the loans from corporate accounts that co-mingled player funds.

More information is coming in on additional hurdles that threaten to topple the deal. Look for further PPN updates.

A lawyer close to one purported investor says, “The deal should get done.” He estimates the time table for a relaunch of the FTP site as before the end of the first quarter.” Another lawyer, with strong ties in the current Full Tilt brouhaha says; “The die is cast; Full Tilt is effectively out of control; the deal is now unstoppable unless Tapie fails to deliver the necessary checks to the Court.”

Still there are plenty of Doubting Thomases who say the proverbial fat lady will not ever sing as part of a harmonized Tapie – Full Tilt DOJ chorus. The cynics point to the fact that no additional investors have yet been identified, publicly. And they remind us, as if we didn’t know – the process by which American based customers will have to seek compensation is yet to be resolved.

We do know through one source with direct knowledge that “At the end of the day, reimbursement of player funds is an issue for the Department of Justice in Washington, not the US Attorney in New York.”

“The Government does care about players who have been victimized by Full Tilt’s insolvency, says one very well connected former federal prosecutor. He adds, “To the extent they are owed monies and there are monies that can be made available for reimbursing them, I fully expect the DOJ  to do the right thing, here.”

Unless there is a deal, Full Tilt customers could be completely out of luck. With a deal, the smart money is betting large that the Justice Department is prepared to pay out proven claims, at least up to the 80 million dollars it receives from the “sale” of Full Tilt.

Updated (01/20/2012)

The Parade of Unsung Departures

In a personal email to this reporter one day after publication of the breaking news,  PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg confirmed “Gabi’s (Campos) departure.” Hours after Poker Player Newspaper broke the story, PokerStars gave an exclusive statement to Poker News, attributed to “top officials” of the Company:

“PokerStars announced today that Gabi Campos has decided to step down from his position as Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2012, to pursue other opportunities. The company thanks Gabi for his hard work and commitment and wishes him the best in all his future endeavors. A search for Gabi’s replacement is under way.”

PokerStars’ Public Relations Strategy

Now that the cat is officially out of the bag, it is worth noting that PokerStars was provided more than a reasonable opportunity to get out in front on this story. The Company was provided substantial notice prior to publication of the breaking news by PPN; initially by a call, then by a bullet point outline of the subject matter with invitation to discuss/comment and – one more time, with a draft copy for last-minute fact checking, comments, or any quotes it might wish to present. PokerStars remained silent until after the PPN report of January 17th.

Gabi Campos in Transit

Last Friday, PokerStars apparently presumed that the impending separation could be kept under wraps until the Company would decide otherwise. Gabi Campos, as he is known throughout the PokerStars family, was keeping himself scarce; his whereabouts were unclear. Mr. Campos — an enigmatic figure with an eclectic personal and professional resume — had crossed the Rubicon to ‘splitsville’ with his bosses — before last Friday. And the buzz of Campos’ anticipated departure which emanated from the Isle of Man offices of PokerStars was a function of more than three people in the know! The buzz quickly became loud and clear.

Campos bears a family name that might be Polish and a surname popular in Portuguese speaking countries. He talks happily about his Argentine connections and speaks fluent Spanish. His LinkedIn account indicates strong ties in Israel, and at one point in his career he worked for a telecommunications company in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. He settled into his role in PokerStars in 2010, a stone’s throw from Isai Scheinberg’s office in the Isle of Man. His next office address is not known.

Management Under Campos

Over the course of his tenure at Poker Stars, Mr. Campos has been known to work long hours, holding conferences and conference calls well into the wee hours of the morning. Colleagues and business partners say he dealt timely with matters he considered crises in the making or immediately consequential. However, from time to time they have also called him disorganized, dismissive, or unresponsive in matters of lesser interest to him.

In the crunch, Mr. Campos was known to assert his acumen and charm and a gutsy determination to get to the finish line of a deal. Although he seemed to treat offline tournament fare as a distraction to his global responsibilities, Campos never hesitated to get into the trenches when the going got tough.

For example, he moved stalled negotiations between PokerStars and Casino Gran Madrid off the dime and onward to a completed deal in a matter of hours. He graciously offered to revise the contract in Spanish and sealed the deal with Poker Stars business partners for EPT’s Season 7 championship — in the nick of time to assure smooth sailing for the grand finale.

Warning Signals

Mr. Campos’ absence at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure earlier this month was shirked off by Poker Stars event management. However, recalling his presence both at the PCA and at the Casino Gran Madrid last year this reporter was puzzled by Campos’ absence at this recent crown jewel event.

During the PCA festival last January, the rarely exuberant Mr. Campos crowed about his plans to model more PokerStars live events in the image of the PCA – at fun resorts, with increased profitability as much as overall marketing value part of the agenda for these events. It was incongruous that Campos would choose to be a no-show at this venue.

As the early buzz turned to a persistent hum on both sides of the Atlantic, Campos’ rumored exit plans grew legs. Expanded reporting brought more certainty of the story’s validity. Campos’ reign at Poker Stars has lasted less than two years.

Keeping an Eye on the Ball – Not the Flak

Yesterday some poker media took note of Campos’ LinkedIn profile which suggests his current employer is Dragon-fish, the 888 subsidiary where he turned in a sterling performance while employed there prior to joining Poker Stars. Needless to say, his LinkedIn employment profile may simply be dated and should not be read as gospel.

Recap of Earlier Campos Report

The initial report of Campos making a beeline to the exit door was provided Friday, January 13, by a highly reliable insider during the PCA festivities, and corroborated later the same day by an additional proven source; both said the departure was a fait accompli.

The handwriting was on the wall for months, both parties reaffirmed during a fact–checking exercise. Speculation among several generally informed sources is divided as to whose handwriting surfaced first in the exit talks, but shortly after publication of the Poker Player Newspaper story, Poker Stars was reportedly pressed by senior executives for guidance as to what should be said to their minions. The Company turned away from rapt attention on the leaks to face the error of leaving others to announce departure decisions.

Poker Stars PR Issue

Now that Poker Stars has acknowledged Campos’ departure plans are a reality, media and players alike are curious as to the nature of the adios conversations. There has been a parade of recent personnel changes involving four high profile executives – notably, three associated with live event management and the fourth – Campos, who had responsibility to oversee that management. To be clear, there is no evidence of linkage among these parties in the parade except to the extent that they reflect the significant tumult in the management of live events during the past year, and longer.

Thomas Kremser’s Departure

In recent months, PokerStars live event management has become a fast-paced band playing musical chairs with increasing visibility to live tournament players. First there was Thomas Kremser, EPT’s longtime Tournament Director. He issued a press release noting his decision to leave for greener pastures after deciding to walk away from contract talks for an eighth season. His departure had nothing to do with rumors that were posted on a website affiliated with PokerStars — and PokerStars quickly thereafter made clear, publicly, that Kremser left in good standing. Along with the departure of Kremser came an end to a seasoned, professional, and cohesive PS tournament personnel team under the umbrella of Kremser’s company, TK Poker Events. Some dealers and floor persons previously associated with TK Poker Events now work for Poker Stars’ Global Poker Tours Limited, which has taken over the staffing of PS live tournaments since Kremser’s departure. For their part, several dealers are reporting that Poker Stars has reduced tournament personnel costs at their considerable expense.

John Duthie’s Resignation

Moving along in the parade of departures is John Duthie. He was a Poker Stars team pro and founder of the EPT. At the end of 2011, he also parted ways with Poker Stars. A well respected player, Duthie is even better known as the man who created the most prestigious poker tour in Europe.

Before he cut his deal with Poker Stars, Duthie consulted with Thomas Kremser and considered five online companies that were chomping at the bit to jump on the Duthie bandwagon. The concept of branding a gaming company with televised live poker events was started by the World Poker Tour in the US and refined by Duthie for European consumption. Broad distribution agreements for the televised coverage has given PokerStars massive exposure to new customers and opportunities to enter new countries.

Duthie resigned last month. PokerStars treated his decision as a non-event – sans grand public thank you. Mr. Duthie insured that news of his resignation would spread like wildfire. Shortly after notifying the company, he posted on a popular poker forum his decision not to renew his contract.

Two weeks later PokerStars stepped up with a press release announcing that Duthie and Poker Stars had “parted ways” and offered up a solid thank you.

Jeffrey Haas’ Transfer

During the PCA there was proof of yet another seismic shift in the management of live tournament fare. Jeffrey Haas, the managing director of Global Poker Tours Limited since its beginnings, welcomed the huge crowd of players who knew nothing of his status change. Mr. Haas’ welcome message in the PCA magazine ended with his name and the GPTL company name, but without any title associated with him.

According to two members of the PokerStars personnel team at the PCA, Haas enjoyed a last hurrah at the PCA as part of GPTL. They noted that Campos had revised Haas’ responsibilities months earlier by taking him away from GPTL to concentrate on developing social media initiatives in a job that the company has called “new and important.”

Campos Departure Caps a Parade

As for Gabi Campos, his reign at PokerStars is virtually over, whilst the proverbial fat lady is singing her song. But Isai Scheinberg and Gabi Campos, the almost X-CEO, have yet to complete their final dance.

PokerStars Remains Stand Out Success

While Gabi Campos fades in the PokerStars sky, the Company has its eye out for a replacement and pushes ahead as the largest online poker room in the world.

In the next edition of Poker Player Newspaper, look for a story that expands on the informative history provided in the polished PCA Magazine, that was provided to PokerStars customers at the recent PCA event.

The initial report was provided last Friday during the PokerStars Carribean Adventure and corroborated on the other side of the pond later the same day by another well-informed insider.

Both sources said the departure is a fait accompli. “The handwriting was on the wall for months — on both sides — say the two parties who know the upper echelon of PokerStars management well. Speculation by others queried is divided as to whose handwriting surfaced in the exit talks.

If Mr. Campos’ departure is a reality – and the smart money is betting big on the substantive veracity of the adios conversation – then he is one more person in an expanding list of curious personnel changes. In recent months Poker Stars live event management has become a fast-paced band playing musical chairs with increasing visibility to live tournament players.

First, there was Thomas Kremser, EPT’s longtime Tournament Director. He issued a press release, rather than direct notice to the Company, of his disinclination to continue contract talks for an eighth season. Along with the departure of Kremser came an end to the seasoned and collaborative dealer and floor staff team under the umbrella of TK Poker Events.

Next, at the end of 2011 John Duthie, the founder of the Euro Poker Tour, parted ways with PokerStars. Mr. Duthie had been responsible for developing and executing with flair, the concept for a prestigious poker tour in Europe – one that would allow an online company massive exposure through sponsorship of televised live events. Noting his desire to ensure the news went around, Mr. Duthie posted on a popular poker forum his decision not to renew his contract.

During the PCA there was proof of yet another seismic shift in the management of live tournament fare. Jeffrey Haas, the managing director of Global Poker Tours Limited since its beginnings (this is the PokerStars-related company in charge of live events), welcomed the huge crowd of players that descended on Paradise Island for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. His welcome message ended with his name and the GPTL company name, but without any title associated with Mr. Haas.

According to two colleagues, Mr. Haas has enjoyed a last hurrah at the PCA, as part of GPTL, but they noted that Mr. Campos had revised Mr. Haas’ responsibilities months earlier – taking him away from GPTL to concentrate on the development of social media initiatives.

As for Gabi Campos, his reign at PokerStars seems to be over – all but for the proverbial fat lady singing her song. PokerStars and Gabi Campos were called separately for comment. Both sides remained silent.