October 30, 2008
The highly anticipated 60 Minutes online poker story is set to air November 9th, according to Wendeen H. Eolis, a legal consultant and one of the best connected insiders in the poker industry.
Eolis, says, “60 Minutes is wrapping up critical pieces for the blockbuster program that spotlight cheating scams that were discovered over the past year at online poker sites, Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet.”
Citing “impeccable sources,” Eolis reports, “This week’s game plan for the investigative team includes a visit to Las Vegas to reel in at least one more protagonist for a sizzling interview related to the Absolute Poker story and a full throttle effort to ‘catch up’ with Russ Hamilton, the 1994 WSOP Main Event Champion who is allegedly at the center of the Ultimate Bet scandal. “
In discussions with various gaming lawyers familiar with the development of the program, Eolis notes the general consensus: “Correspondent Steve Kroft will be very well positioned and hard hitting as he methodically peels the onion on every aspect of the scandals.”.
60 Minutes has interviewed a wide range of high profile player/ambassadors internet players-turned poker detectives and at least one poker media reporter who has served as a consultant on the project. Kroft is expected to applaud the dogged efforts of Internet players-turned poker detectives, in cracking the sinister cheating schemes and forcing Tokwiro and the regulators to take the matter seriously. It is not yet clear how much time will be allocated to the issue that unites many of the poker participants: support for legalized online gaming in an environment that is appropriately taxed and regulated.