The Final Nail for Full Tilt Poker

On the 15th April 2011, the USDoJ and the FBI surprised poker fans and online poker enterprises throughout the US with the seizure of multiple online poker rooms and online casinos for contravening the UIGEA. That news has now resulted in the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) pulling FTP’s license.

News of the suspension of FTP’s license has sent shockwaves throughout the gaming world. Poker fans trying to log on to their FullTilt Poker accounts on Wednesday 29th June were met with astonishment and dismay. The message is seemingly innocuous ‘Maintenance In Progress: We apologize but the system is currently down. Please check back later’ but it has been independently confirmed that Full Tilt Poker has had its operations suspended by the AGCC.

The Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has posted the following notice on its website:
‘Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) has today issued Hearing Notices under Regulation 46 of its Regulations to Vantage Ltd, Oxalic Ltd, Filco Ltd and Orinic Ltd, collectively trading as FULL TILT POKER. In addition, AGCC has issued Suspension Notices under Regulation 47 to the above named companies requiring them to suspend all operations with immediate effect. The decision to suspend these licenses follows a special investigation prompted by the indictments unsealed by US Attorney General’s Office in the Southern District of New York on 15 April 2011…’

All is Not Lost Just Yet Though

The USDoJ and the AGCC have certainly upped the ante, but it’s not all lost for Full Tilt Poker just yet. In what is going to be billed as a showdown of note, the owners of Full Tilt Poker will get to present their case to the AGCC on the 26th July 2011. Provided their legal team can deliver a convincing argument, the suspension may or may not remain in effect.

Poker Players Scramble to Withdraw Funds from FTP

News of the shutdown and suspension of all FullTilt Poker activities has sent poker players into a frenzy. With scores of registered players scrambling to withdraw their cash, FTP is certainly playing in the biggest contest of its life. The suspension of operations notice that FullTilt is subject to means the following:

• There can be no more fund withdrawals by existing customers
• There can be no more poker gaming or gambling activity
• There can be no more new player registrations
• There can be no more new player deposits

If Full Tilt Poker should happen to get its house in order by the 26th July 2011, the terms and provisions herein may indeed change. But for now, it’s looking particularly ominous for the former poker titan.