iGaming Business – Social gaming company Zynga has launched its Zynga Plus Poker product on social networking website Facebook, according to the Pokernews.com website. The product, which is currently only available to Facebook users in the UK, utilises the network and software of Partypoker, the internet poker brand of online gaming company bwin.party. Zynga announced plans to launch the application on Facebook when it unveiled web and download versions of its ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino brands for UK players back in April 2013, as reported by iGaming Business. Zynga, which struck its original deal with Facebook to launch real-money games in…

Poker News – Online poker has struggled mightily in France over the past few years, and a recent financial report released by the France’s gambling regulator ARJEL showed that revenues took another significant hit in 2013. This week’s report by the ARJEL revealed that gross gaming revenues from online cash games dipped 13% to €258 million in 2013, with revenues in the fourth quarter of the year down 12% to €65 million. iGamingBusiness reports that stakes for online poker tournaments were up 5%, but it was not enough to make up for the drop in cash game numbers. Many licensed…

iGaming Business – Trends for France’s igaming verticals were confirmed on Tuesday when the country’s online gaming regulator ARJEL revealed that fourth quarter stakes for online poker cash games dropped 23% to €1.2bn, with gross gaming revenues down 12% during the final months of 2013 to €65m. Annual figures showed gross gaming revenues and stakes for online poker cash games had dropped 13% and 18% to €258m and €5.5bn respectively during 2013. Stakes for tournaments were up 5% to €1.4bn, although this was not enough to make up for the drop in cash game figures. Online betting continued its upward…

M Live – State regulators say they’ve reached a compromise on charity poker rules, but not everyone is happy with the restrictions. The Michigan Gaming Control Board on Thursday announced a proposal to limit poker rooms or other locations to hosting charity poker games up to four nights a week. While that’s less restrictive than a previous proposal, some say it could put poker rooms out of business that had been operating seven days a week. The board has for months weighed different options for dealing with so-called “millionaire parties” that allow nonprofit groups to raise funds by hosting casino-style…

Online Poker Report – Iowa lawmakers will not take up the issue of online poker in 2014. Instead, the state’s gambling industry is committed to monitoring states where online gambling in already live with an eye toward working up a bill for 2015. That’s per Wes Ehrecke, President and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association, in an article for Casino Enterprise Management. Ehrecke told CEM that there will be “no discussion in the 2014 legislative session” regarding online poker. Citing the short legislative session , Ehrecke sketched an alternative plan for Iowa’s gaming stakeholders: “Rather, the industry will closely watch…

PRESS RELEASE – The European Poker Tour (EPT) today announced that it will stage Europe’s largest-ever poker festival in Barcelona this August to celebrate its 100th event. Poker players and fans will not want to miss this historic celebration which will likely set European prize and attendance records from August 16 – 27, 2014 at the Casino Barcelona. “The EPT was born in Barcelona so it’s very fitting to celebrate EPT’s 100th event in true style and with unforgettable poker,” said EPT President Edgar Stuchly. “EPT Barcelona is one of the most popular tour stops and attracts players from all…

Poker Fuse – The major operators of online gaming in the regulated New Jersey market are sending free wifi adapters to their customers to fix geolocation issues that are preventing some from playing. The small USB hardware devices strengthen wifi signals, and reportedly fixes problems in the vast majority of cases. In order to comply with the regulations of New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, poker rooms must ensure that players are located within the state at all times to play for real money. Third party geolocation providers, like xyVerify and Locaid, gather data from wifi signals, as well as…

Poker News – Back in October, Bloomberg Television aired the “Poker Night on Wall Street” hosted by Trish Regan. The $50,000 buy-in single-table tournament took place at the Borgata in Atlantic City and featured six Wall Street heavyweights playing for charity. Earlier this week, Bloomberg continued its poker coverage as Kobi Partners Managing Partner Greg Rayburn and Regan talked about the economic opportunities of online gambling on Street Smart with Alix Steel and Cory Johnson. The discussion was inspired by Sheldon Adelson’s well-publicized objection to online gaming on “moral” grounds, a position that did not sit well with the panelists….