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<ul><li><keyword id="10016051" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="PokerStars-India">PokerStars India</keyword> has announced a seven-day charity online poker tournament series ‘Play For A Cause’, which will take place from October 2 to October 8, 2020. </li><li>The ‘Play For A Cause’ series aims to support seven non-profit organizations over the week’s festivities. </li><li>The seven beneficiary non-profit organizations include <keyword id="6806699" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="goonj">Goonj</keyword>, Seva Kitchen, Bridge of Sports, Manjhi Development Foundation, <keyword id="10009800" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pad-squad">Pad Squad</keyword>, Involve Education and United Way of Chennai.</li><li>These funds raised over the week will be donated to several causes, including meals for hospital patients and relatives, sanitary pads for underprivileged women, athletics programs for underprivileged communities, among others. </li></ul> 2020 has not been an easy year and as we gear up for the festive season, it’s important to not only celebrate all that we have but also to give back to society. And what better way to kick start the festivities than with the celebrated week of giving – <a href="https://www.pokerstars.in/poker/tournaments/daan-utsav-week/?utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=imin">Daan Utsav</a>. "As we enter the festive season, there is no better feeling than the ‘joy of giving,’ and I look forward to seeing everyone join us in making this a huge success,” said Muskan Sethi, Responsible Gaming Ambassador, PokerStars India. Hosted with United Way of Chennai, the ‘Play For A Cause’ tournament series aims to support seven non-profit organizations over seven days of festivities and encourage players to enjoy a good game while also experiencing the joy of giving. The event will raise funds for a different charity every day of the series, with the buy-in for each game starting at just ₹550. The entire amount collected in the total charity pool will be extended towards the different causes. “We are humbled to work with United Way of Chennai and join in the joy of giving. It is inspiring to see the good work that each of these organizations continues to drive, and with the generous support of our players, we are happy to do our small part. <keyword id="2527158" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Daan-Utsav">Daan Utsav</keyword> inspires everyone to come together as one community to alleviate existing issues, and we will continue to find more opportunities to dedicate ourselves towards driving a change,” said Ankur Dewani, CEO, Sachiko Gaming. While we all look for fun and exciting things to do, <a href="https://www.pokerstars.in/">PokerStars India’s</a> initiative brings along the opportunity to do something good for the community while you are at it. So, what are you waiting for? Play for a cause to make a difference and spread some cheer this festive season. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in partnership with PokerStars India.

This Daan Utsav, ‘Play for a Cause’ with PokerStars India

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Reuters / Steve MarcusThe owners of PokerStars and FanDuel are merging in a $12 billion deal.</div></div></div><ul><li>The owners of FanDuel and PokerStars have struck a $12 billion deal to create the world's biggest online betting group.</li><li>Flutter and The Stars Group, which generated combined revenues of $4.7 billion last year, plan to offer gambling products such as online sports betting, fantasy sports, and online poker.</li><li>The pair expect the merger to generate about $170 million in pre-tax cost savings, and boost Flutter's underlying earnings per share by 50% the year after the deal closes.</li><li>Watch <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/flutter_entertainment-stock">Flutter</a> and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsg-stock">The Stars Group</a> trade live.</li></ul>The owners of FanDuel and PokerStars have <a href="https://www.flutter.com/sites/paddy-power-betfair/files/documents/Recommended-all-share-combination-of-Flutte-Entertainment-plc-and-The-Stars-Group-Inc.pdf">struck a $12 billion deal</a> to create the world's biggest online betting group.<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/flutter_entertainment-stock">Flutter</a> and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/stocks/tsg-stock">The Stars Group</a> have agreed an all-share deal to bring together their brands such as Paddy Power, Betfair, Full Tilt, and Sky Bet. They plan to offer a broad portfolio of gambling products including online sports betting, fantasy sports, online poker, horse racing, free-to-play and casino games.Flutter and Stars - headquartered in Ireland and Canada respectively - racked up a combined $4.7 billion in revenue last year. Together, they boast around 4 million active users across more than 100 countries.The two companies expect the merger to generate around $170 million in annual, pre-tax cost savings, and open up cross-selling opportunities. Flutter, which will own 55% of the combined group, expects the tie-up to boost its underlying earnings per share by 50% the year after the deal closes. It also anticipates a six-fold increase in its international sales.The proposed merger gives Fox Sports, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fox-sports-stars-group-to-offer-sports-betting-in-deal-2019-5?r=US&amp;IR=T">partnered with Stars in May</a> to provide sports betting in the US, the right to acquire an 18.5% stake in FanDuel in 2021. The option is an incentive for Fox to use its national media platform to grow the fantasy sports business, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fanduel-founders-likely-to-lose-out-from-paddy-power-acquisition-2018-7?r=US&amp;IR=T#targetText=Now%2C%20it's%20valued%20at%20less,investors%20at%20around%20%24465%20million.">Paddy Power bought for $465 million last year</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/10-up-and-coming-fintechs-2019?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=finance&amp;itm_campaign=10-up-and-coming-fintechs-2019"></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/animation-rise-partisanship-congress-house-representatives-60-years-2016-4">This 60-second animation shows how divided Congress has become since 1949</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

The owners of FanDuel and PokerStars have struck a $12 billion deal to create the world's biggest online betting group

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">REUTERS/Steve MarcusPeter Eastgate of Denmark celebrates after winning U.S. $9.15 million during the World Series of Poker at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada November 11, 2008.</div></div></div>Hackers have found a way to cheat at online poker by using malware to take screenshots of players' hands.A <a href="http://www.welivesecurity.com/2015/09/17/the-trojan-games-odlanor-malware-cheats-at-poker/">report from ESET</a> (via <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/09/18/poker_spyware/">The Register</a>) has unearthed the practice, which has affected hundreds of players on poker websites such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. The malware infects the player's computer, takes a screenshot of their hand, and then sends the unique ID of the player to the hacker. From here, the hacker can then find the player in the online poker rooms and play against them with knowledge of their hand. ESET has been detecting the malware since March 2015 in various forms. Newer versions of the malware have an increased ability to access other parts of the computer, such as passwords.While hacking online poker tournaments is rare, it is far from unprecedented and there is very little online poker companies can do to prevent it, as the malware is usually contracted from an outside source, such as a torrent download. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/saber-champagne-bottle-iphone-2015-7">How to saber a bottle of champagne with an iPhone </a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZvdTBhdjq3Vd8IqGeiDiqJThSQbgVvXD" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Hackers have found a way to seamlessly cheat at online poker

<div class="image-container display-table"><div><div class="image">Andrew Seidman</div></div></div>
It was the beginning of the summer of 2006, when then-Dartmouth College freshman Andrew Seidman realized how good he was at <keyword id="23385" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Poker">poker</keyword>.
"I applied for a summer job at a pizza parlor in my home town. In the week while I waited to hear a response, I made $7,000 playing online poker. So I pretty much gave up the idea of normal employment at that time," he told us over email.
For Seidman, known online as BalugaWhale, that summer was the beginning of a wild ride into the world of professional poker, leading to big gains and "a surreal lifestyle - traveling all over the world, skipping class, seriously considering dropping out of college, clubs and bottles and Cirque du Soleil," followed by big losses, recovery, and a head-on collision with the Black Friday gambling crackdown of 2011. He still plays today, though new regulations and gambling fatigue have pushed him toward new things.
We asked Seidman, a college friend, to share some of his experiences over email [lightly edited for clarity].
The beginning:
I started playing recreationally with my friends in high school. I was the worst player at the table, and it frustrated me. In 2005 I read an article in Sports Illustrated about some Ivy League students (Jason Strasser &amp; Vanessa Selbst among a couple of others) who were making boatloads playing online poker and who were practicing at a website called TwoPlusTwo Publishing. So, I visited twoplustwo and quickly became immersed in learning the game. 
Making money:
Over the course of a few years I went from playing in $25 games to playing in $5,000 games. I realized somewhat gradually how much money I could win. Each time I moved up in stakes I was ecstatic about winning that amount, but I didn't really project into the future (i.e. "I'll be making a million dollars in 3 years at this pace!" never really happened). Instead, it happened in jumps. Summer 2007 I went on the first rush where I made more than $10,000. Spring of 2008 was when things got really insane and I started winning 40k+ per month. Basically, as I moved up in stakes I became more and more numb to the fact that the money was significant. I knew intuitively that when I won or lost 20k that that was the equivalent of a pretty good car, but I never processed it emotionally or thought about the money as anything other than a way to keep score of the game.
High times:
In 2008 I couldn't lose a hand and experienced a surreal lifestyle - traveling all over the world, skipping class, seriously considering dropping out of college, clubs and bottles and Cirque du Soleil.
One time, I was feeling claustrophobic in Hanover (it was one of the worst winters ever that year) and I impromptu bought a ticket to go to the Caribbean (and skip the last 2-3 weeks of classes; all of my finals were essays and I realized I could complete them from the beach). So, I went to Boston Logan Airport and played poker on my laptop while waiting to board. I made probably about $5,000. So, I thought to myself, "Trip's paid for". Then, I landed in Grand Cayman and played another pro online and booked what looked like my biggest all-time win; he quit playing me at around 5AM and I was up around $40,000. Then, as I was about to go to sleep, a famous weaker player sat to play me for $10,000. I got pretty unlucky and lost the $40,000 right back to that guy, then I went to sleep. 
Another time, I met up with a poker player in Boston as I was in transit en route to Costa Rica. We hung out for the night (I had a 4AM flight the next morning). He offered to drive me to the airport. While on the road, he said, "Costa Rica sounds pretty cool. I wish I could go", to which I responded, "Do you want to come?". Suddenly we U-turned, went back to his apartment, he packed specifically one (1) t-shirt, one (1) board shorts, one (1) laptop, bought an $800 ticket leaving at 5:30AM that morning, and we went back to the airport. When I left him to go through security, he was lying down resting his head on his bag in the terminal. I arrived in Costa Rica to a voicemail from him saying that he'd slept through his flight and that he probably wasn't going to make it after all. 
There are lots of stories like that; one guy I know played blackjack for $100,000 for his 20th birthday (he had to use a proxy player since they wouldn't let a 20 year old play); another friend asked me while I was at a club if I wanted to play blackjack and showed me 90k in chips (I declined, a great regret to this day). Another guy bought a brand-new Lexus with duffel bags filled with cash. We played credit-card-roulette for unbelievably expensive meals, paid in cash and never worried about it. I could honestly tell these stories indefinitely (I have begun working on a book that is actually a compilation of all of these insane experiences).
Low times:
In 2009 I had a massive losing streak and seriously considered quitting poker.
Primarily my own ego took control of my decision making processes. I started playing against some very good players in games where I was probably a losing player; I got extremely unlucky for a long period of time; I published<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Game-3rd-Edition-ebook/dp/B005WLP0J8"> my book</a> and had been creating lots of poker videos online so it's also possible my opposition was learning a lot about how I was playing. Also, the quality of opposition was improving rapidly and I'd become less focused on improving my game while I was comfortably winning the previous year.
 I took a lot of time off in 2010 before rebounding at the end of year and starting to make a lot of money again.
Black Friday:
On the Black Friday legal shutdown [April 15th, 2011] altogether I lost about $65k, though about $20k of that has been reclaimed.
Quick cliffnotes on Black Friday:
1) In 2007 the Congress passed the UIGEA which made it illegal for banks to process transactions related to illegal gambling (it was unclear whether or not poker constituted illegal gambling under the law). 
2) Behind the scenes, banks started refusing to process poker transactions for fear of prosecution. So, the sites couldn't get money online. So, they started lying to the banks: "We're not a poker site, we're a golf supplies store! That $100k is for golf supplies."
3) Despite the lying, the noose was still tightening. Of the three major US-facing sites - PokerStars (PS), Full Tilt Poker (FTP), and Ultimate Bet/Absolute Poker (UB/AP) - ONLY PokerStars [did not allegedly mix player funds with corporate funds]. So, despite the fact that FTP and UB/AP couldn't move money, they [allegedly] continued to use player funds for business expenses (read: executive salaries). [While FTP has admitted wrongdoing, UB/AP litigation is ongoing.]
4) When players tried to deposit money onto FTP, most banks wouldn't let the deposits go through. However, FTP granted these players "real money" deposits under the expectation that they'd later be able to reclaim the funds. They never were able; these became "phantom deposits" and were a primary reason why FTP ended up $330m in debt. 
5) FTP executives are on record instructing their customer service representatives to lie to customers and tell them that everything was fine and that their money was safe.
6) PokerStars was the only [company that] repaid their customers immediately (I had only about $5k on PS). In their settlement with the DOJ, they bought FTP assets for an additional couple hundred million with the extra money expected to be returned to the players. PS was in charge of non-US players repayment; the DOJ was in charge of US players repayment. Non-US players received their money shortly after the deal (I received $16k or so as a recently relocated "Canadian" player); US players are still waiting for a remissions process that is supposed to begin this September. In theory, we'll be allowed to apply to get funds from the DOJ.
So yeah, I feel pretty strongly that our money was stolen by FTP and UB/AP.
The new era:
Online poker in the USA (outside of Nevada &amp; New Jersey who have legalized and regulated it) has essentially been pushed to the shadows. There are a few active online poker networks still operational stateside, but they are small and under constant fear of federal prosecution. So, basically every serious player has either opted to play poker live at the casino, or, as in the apparent majority of cases, leave the country (generally to Canada or Mexico). I only play online poker when I leave the USA (in fact, I have earning potential outside the USA such that it's probably a mistake to stay here). I occasionally play live poker, but in general, federal action has caused me to move away from poker and search for other non-poker opportunities.
He can still make money:
It depends on the stakes I'd be playing and the hours I'd be playing. I imagine that at a $5/10 game (usually buy-ins running between $1000-$4000) a good regular in Las Vegas could make $100/hour; online a good 5/10 player could make $300/hour; 10/20 players may make $500/hour, etc. etc. Those are extremely rough approximations, though.
Again, there is always significant risk though it's mitigated by skill advantages and bankroll considerations. If I was a favorite in a game and had an unlimited bankroll I could play forever and withstand any variance. However, it doesn't usually work that way. Usually people play with 20-40 times the buyin, well within a risk-of-ruin scenario in which a person could just get crushed by luck and bust out. Also, sample size matters. Can I go to Vegas and be assured of a winning weekend? No. Can I move to Vegas and be assured of a winning year? Probably. 
 Throughout this whole experience (from when I first started making real money around 2007 to present) I've done<a href="http://www.balugawhale.com/"> poker instructional videos, 1-on-1 poker coaching, and written and sold books</a>.
Here's how:
There are a lot of elements of playing poker well - first, you have to psychologically profile your opponent (everyone fits into one of three general profiles); second, you have to understand basic probabilities (e.g. if I have two pair and my opponent has a flush draw, I win 65% vs his 35% and these are relatively easy to memorize); third, you have to predict your opponents likely holdings (this is called a range; a range is all possible hands your opponent might play in exactly the same way. To explain slightly further, you can imagine that your opponent would definitely raise with pocket aces, and they'd also definitely raise with pocket kings, which means that those two hands are played exactly the same way--therefore, that player's "range" would definitely include both AA and KK when he raises). Once you know roughly who somebody is, what they're likely to be holding, how often your hand wins against what they're likely to be holding, and what they're likely to do with what they're holding, you can start to make predictions and exploit your opponents' likely behaviors. In rock-paper-scissors, you may guess that your opponent is going to throw "scissors" so you'd throw "rock"; you'd be following essentially the exact same process.
Good poker players go through all of that process and are really mentally engaged trying to determine those things. Weaker players really don't do any of that and make purely emotional decisions (conservative players never really bluff, crazy gamblers basically always bluff, etc.).
In general, there are strategic breakthroughs and emotional ones. The strategic ones are complicated; the emotional ones come with personal development. I remember exactly where I was the first time I lost $50 (I was working at the News Desk at <keyword id="6583407" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Dartmouth">Dartmouth</keyword>'s Baker Library as a freshman), but I have no idea where I was the first time I lost $5000. Getting over the money is a huge part of breaking through as a poker player.
Why not play poker full-time?
Two reasons: first, I love living in the USA and I don't really want to live the Las Vegas lifestyle full-time. Secondly, I've been playing poker for a really long time and I'm generally more interested in entrepreneurship and developing new businesses. I've been working on a couple of different businesses (non-poker related). Also, while poker is still pretty entertaining and is a great hourly, there isn't a ton of room for growth (there are a lot of very smart people competing for the highest stakes at this point). However, if online poker returned in full force to the United States I'd probably resume playing at least 15-20 hours per week.

Life Turned 'Surreal' When This Young Man Realized How Good He Was At Poker

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image">Julia La Roche for BI</div></div></div>The World Series of Poker (WSOP) was going on at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and we've been highlighting our favorite play every day. 
So of course we've got to set you up for the main event. 
According to the <a href="http://www.wsop.com/news/2014/Jul/4990/NOVEMBER-NINE-FEATURES-PLAYERS-FROM-SIX-NATIONS-INCLUDING-FIRST-TIMER-BRAZIL.html">WSOP</a> blog, the final table has officially been set with the "November Nine" - the last nine players left.
The players will be back in action come November for the conclusion of the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event, but for now let's meet the line up.
William Pappaconstantinou Unknown player prior to the 2014 WSOP Main event. He's actually a world-recognized foosball champion. Country: USA Chip Count: 17.5 million Total live tournament cashes: $16,379
Felix Stephensen Also unknown player. Has only earned two cashes prior to this tournament. Country: Norway Chip Count: 32.775 million Total live tournament cashes: $22,118
Jorryt van Hoof <a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/jorryt-van-hoof-2014-wsop-poker-player-profile-589784/">Winner of Utrecht Series of Poker</a> in 2013. Country: Netherlands Chip Count: 38.375 million Total live tournament cashes: $358,580
Mark Newhouse First player to make it to the November Nine back-to-back. Finished in 9th place in the 2013 WSOP Main Event. Country: USA Chip Count: 26 million Total live tournament cashes: $2.776 million
Andoni Larrabe <a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/andoni-larrabe-2014-wsop-poker-player-profile-589774/">Won PokerStars Caribbean Adventure</a> side event in January 2013. He's the youngest player remaining. Country: Spain Chip Count: 22.55 million Total live tournament cashes: $341,266
William Tonking Makes a living as an online cash game player. Country: USA Chip Count: 15.05 million Total live tournament cashes: $93,306
Dan Sindelar <a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/dan-sindelar-2014-wsop-poker-player-profile-589776/">Winner</a> of $1,080 No Limit Hold 'Em Championship Event at Canterbury Park Card Club in 2007. Country: USA Chip Count: 21.2 million Total live tournament cashes: $527,779
Martin Jacobson <a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/martin-jacobson-2014-wsop-poker-player-profile-589783/">Finished in 2nd place </a>in the European Poker Tour Main Event in Deauville. Country: Sweden Chip Count: 14.9 million Total live tournament cashes: $ 4.8 million<a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/martin-jacobson-2014-wsop-poker-player-profile-589783/"></a>
Bruno Politano: First Brazilian to ever make to the WSOP Main Event final table. <a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/articles/bruno-politano-2014-wsop-poker-player-profile-589773/">2nd place </a>in Brazilian Series of Poker Main Event. Country: Brazil Chip Count: 12.125 million Total live tournament cashes: $110,054
We'll be back in the action on November 10, 2014 to see who will win the guaranteed first place prize of $10 million.
Source: <a href="WSOP">WSOP</a>, <a href="http://www.pocketfives.com/">Pocket Fives</a>

Meet The Final Table At The 2014 World Series Of Poker Main Event

LIVING THE DREAM: Meet The American Poker Exiles Who Gamble All Day And Party All Night In Playa Del Carmen

<div class="image-container float_right"><div class="image"><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=online+poker&amp;safe=off&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=A9LJUeP7F8PS0wHPu4CICQ&amp;ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&amp;biw=1439&amp;bih=831#facrc=_&amp;imgdii=_&amp;imgrc=ndck0Sje2RJJyM%3A%3B0p_J616I7rmqRM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fvictorshaw.files.wordpress.com%252F2010%252F03%252Fsnapshot3.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fvictorshaw.wordpress.com%252F2010%252F03%252F07%252Fonline-poker-in-california%252F%3B794%3B579">Google Images</a></div></div>JASON SOMERVILLE, a professional poker player, could see that all the cards had been dealt and the final board was 3, 4, 5, 6, 3. Mr Somerville had an ace and a king. His opponent paused. He was down to the final five seconds of his time bank before he finally bet. That could have meant one of two things. Either it was a hard decision, or he was distracted.
Had the game been in a casino, Mr Somerville would have been able to see which. But it was online, so he couldn't. Instead, he took into account how quickly the game had progressed previously, and called. He was right, and he won.
The best online poker players learn to decipher betting patterns as shrewdly as their offline peers read faces. Mr Somerville, for example, has won $2.3m over the past decade. But he has lost a packet, too: not only from losing but also because, until recently, he had little recourse when the people he beat did not pay up.
America tends to ban <keyword id="908658" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="online-gambling">online gambling</keyword> rather than regulate it. Since the Justice Department indicted popular gambling websites such as Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars in 2011, millions of Americans have turned to illegal betting sites. An estimated 1,700 offshore sites handle bets worth more than $4 billion a year. They offer scant safeguards for players; nor do they effectively keep out children.
Some states are trying to fix this mess. In February Nevada legalised online gambling. Within three months UltimatePoker.com, currently the only legal real-money online poker site, was open for business in the Silver State. New Jersey and Delaware have also approved online gambling in the past two years. Several other states are following. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Texas are working to legalise online gambling this year.
At the federal level, not much will change. In June Peter King, a Republican congressman from New York, introduced a bill to legalise most online gambling and set up a federal regulator, but it is unlikely to pass. No matter: the American Gaming Association, a casino-industry group, noted in a recent report that "all of our industry experts foresee the US market increasing in size over the next five years"as a result of some states legalising online gambling.
Mr Somerville, meanwhile, has moved from his native New York to Nevada. He says he finds the regulations there reassuring "after all the years of basically wild wild West [online] poker".
Click <a href="https://subscriptions.economist.com/nwcd">here</a> to subscribe to <keyword id="425741" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="The-Economist">The Economist</keyword>

Better Days Are Coming For Online Gambling In The US

As More States Legalize Online Gambling, It Will Become Safer

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div>A plan to bring one of the world's largest online gambling companies to Atlantic City has seemingly stalled, and some critics are pointing their fingers at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino mogul who is one of the GOP's most influential donors.Adelson has a reputation as a man whose money can make or break a presidential campaign, and Christie is widely seen as a likely 2016 hopeful. Their relationship <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christies-luxury-travel-and-private-flights-2015-2">made headlines last week</a> after revelations showed Adelson had lent the governor his plane.Christie's office told Business Insider it's "nonsensical" to say he interfered with the deal, which a local union leader claimed would bring about 1,000 desperately needed jobs into the troubled Garden State gambling destination. However, one influential Democratic lawmaker suggested the legislature should potentially consider investigating the issue. <h3>'Christie put a stop to it'</h3>The company in question is PokerStars, which announced a partnership with Atlantic City's Resorts Casino Hotel in July 2013. PokerStars planned to <a href="http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/pokerstars-plans-to-add-million-poker-room-at-resorts-casino/article_7c32b5ec-decb-59a0-9478-5c7623ae966b.html">open a $10 million poker room at the casino</a>, but the company has been unable to obtain a gaming license in New Jersey. State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, a Democrat who sponsored the bill that legalized online gambling in the state, blamed the company's inability to get licensed on Christie."It's apparent that Christie has held back on PokerStars," Lesniak said.As evidence that the process was derailed, Lesniak pointed to comments from the director of New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement and other officials indicating that they were ready to move forward with licensing."Christie put a stop to it," said Lesniak. "With a high degree of confidence it's apparent that's exactly what has happened."Bob McDevitt, the president of Unite Here Local 54, the union that represents Atlantic City's casino workers, told Business Insider he believes the PokerStars license is being tied up by Christie."My impression was that PokerStars should have been already up and operating long before this point," McDevitt said. "My understanding is that it was the attorney general's office and the governor who are holding up the approvals."The office of New Jersey Attorney General John Jay Hoffman did not respond to a request for comment on this story. Lesniak suggested it's common knowledge among those in Garden State gaming and political circles that the governor interfered with PokerStars' license."It's pretty well known," said Lesniak, adding, "But I don't think anyone's going to go on the record to confirm it."Indeed, multiple sources familiar with the negotiations who said they did not wish to be named due to the sensitive nature of the process also told Business Insider that Christie was blocking the company's license. "There's no reason that the deal shouldn't have gone through. But the government's holding back," one source said. "I think <keyword id="6358883" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Politics">politics</keyword> has played a role in it," said another. A third source with knowledge of the transaction cited Adelson as the primary reason for the delay. "There is no question in my mind that Sheldon Adelson is the reason why this hasn't moved forward and that's the only reason," they said. <h3>'A good story for New Jersey' </h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div>PokerStars first attempted to gain a foothold in New Jersey almost immediately after Lesniak's online gambling bill was passed by the Legislature in December 2012. The following month, the company<a href="http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/alerts_breaking/online-gambling-giant-moves-to-purchase-atlantic-club-casino-in/article_fe7a7a5c-5f62-11e2-b907-001a4bcf887a.html"> made a deal to purchase the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel</a>, which was one of Atlantic City's most vulnerable casinos.That plan was contingent on PokerStars receiving approval from New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement. PokerStars' plan to buy the Atlantic Club ultimately fell through after the casino's original owners bowed out of the deal in May 2013 following delays in the company's efforts to obtain approval from the DGE. The Atlantic Club ultimately shut its doors last January after a bankruptcy sale. It was <a href="http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2014/09/closing-the-atlantic-city-casinos/#1">one of several Atlantic City casinos that closed last year</a> amid falling revenues and hotel occupancy. PokerStars' initial failure to get the DGE's approval was hardly shocking. When the Atlantic Club deal was first unveiled, <a href="http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/alerts_breaking/online-gambling-giant-moves-to-purchase-atlantic-club-casino-in/article_fe7a7a5c-5f62-11e2-b907-001a4bcf887a.html">the Press of Atlantic City reported</a> the company was "expected to attract intense regulatory scrutiny in New Jersey." In December 2013, the DGE suspended PokerStars' license application citing concerns about what NJ.com described as "unnamed individuals" associated with the company and its founder, Isai Scheinberg. The company's difficulties stemmed from the fact it was hit with a slew of federal charges in 2011 for allegedly illegally doing business with American customers. At the time, PokerStars was headquartered in the Isle of Man. Those charges were dismissed in 2012 after PokerStars made a settlement deal that involved <a href="http://espn.go.com/poker/story/_/id/8218085/pokerstars-reaches-settlement-department-justice-acquires-full-tilt-poker">paying more than $500 million to the government</a>. After the unsuccessful effort to purchase the Atlantic Club, PokerStars <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/resorts-casino-hotel-and-pokerstars-to-launch-igaming-in-new-jersey-214177511.html">announced a plan to partner with Resorts Casino Hotel in July 2013</a>. The company also made another deal that was specifically aimed at addressing the regulatory concerns that previously prevented PokerStars from obtaining DGE approval. Last June, it was announced that a Canadian firm, Amaya Gaming, <a href="http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1372281/amaya-agrees-to-acquire-rational-group-owner-of-pokerstars-and-full-tilt-poker-for-4-9-billion">would acquire PokerStars' parent company, Rational Group Ltd., for $4.9 billion</a>. According to NJ.com, as part of that deal, Scheinberg, his son, and another cofounder <a href="http://www.nj.com/onlinegamblingnj/index.ssf/2014/06/nj_dge_talking_with_amaya_abou.html">would "step away from the company 100%."</a>With the acquisition of PokerStars, Amaya almost immediately began licensing talks. In an article published on June 18, 2014, David Rebuck, the director of the DGE, <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jun/18/licensing-talks-pokerstars-buyer-may-signal-online/">told the AP</a> discussions about the license would begin the following day. Rebuck also said he was "encouraged" by the sale and indicated it would have a positive outcome. He also noted Amaya was already licensed in New Jersey for some of its other operations."I think in the long run it will be a good story for New Jersey," Rebuck said. "I'm optimistic that they know what the rules are, and I fully expect them to be very aggressive because they want to be here."Six days later, <a href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jun/24/new-jersey-starts-review-pokerstars-buyer/">the AP reported</a> Amaya had met with DGE officials "who voiced optimism that Amaya could get approval for PokerStars to join New Jersey's Internet gambling market by this fall."Almost eight months after that meeting, however, the company has yet to receive transactional waivers that essentially would function as a temporary license for it to do business in Atlantic City. This is the delay that has critics pointing at Christie.Kerry Langan, a spokesperson for the DGE, declined to comment on allegations the governor was involved in the licensing process in a conversation with Business Insider on Thursday. She described the division's review of Amaya's license application for PokerStars as "ongoing.""We don't give out details about it except that its ongoing," said Langan.A spokesperson for Amaya and PokerStars declined to comment on this story. However, Marie Jones, an attorney representing the company told Business Insider they expected the approval process for PokerStars would have moved faster since Amaya already has been cleared for other businesses in the state. "We, of course, had hoped that we would be able to get transactional waivers rather quickly, especially in light of the fact that Amaya already has transactional waivers for other business it's conducting in Atlantic City," Jones said.Jones declined to say if she believed the governor was interfering with PokerStars."I'm not going to comment on that," she said with an audible laugh. "That's not something that I'm comfortable commenting on."The licensing delay comes at a time when Atlantic City urgently needs investment - which McDevitt, the casino workers' union leader, described as another sign something is amiss."PokerStars is one of the only gaming companies that has been actively committed to pursuing a position in the Atlantic City market. Everybody else is running away," he said. "So, why would we rebuff a company that wants to make a major investment in Atlantic City while everybody else is sort of backing off? I just don't understand it. It doesn't make any sense at all."McDevitt also noted Christie has made revitalizing Atlantic City a priority including <a href="http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/08/christie_convenes_summit_to_discuss_atlantic_citys_future.html">holding a summit on its future</a> last year amid the streak of casino closures."They spent so much time talking about Atlantic City with the summit and all this energy. ... For the attorney general's office and the governor's office to stop the development of this PokerStars deal with Resorts is just unfathomable," said McDevitt. "I totally believe that the PokerStars deal is one of the biggest gamechangers that you could bring to Atlantic City."According to McDevitt, PokerStars' deal with Resorts Casino Hotel would bring around 1,000 jobs to Atlantic City. When PokerStars initially unveiled its plan to build the $10-million poker room at the casino in 2013, <a href="http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/pokerstars-plans-to-add-million-poker-room-at-resorts-casino/article_7c32b5ec-decb-59a0-9478-5c7623ae966b.html">a company spokesperson told the Press of Atlantic City</a> it would initially result in about 400 jobs. Along with the room at Resorts Casino Hotel, the spokesperson also stressed PokerStars remained "interested in buying an Atlantic City casino."In addition to jobs that would be created by the Resorts Casino Hotel deal, McDevitt also argued PokerStars' presence in Atlantic City would have a transformative effect on the local economy."This is a catalyst kind of thing. This is really unique," he said. "They have a whole different book of business they could bring to the city that no one else has. It's critical. It really is critical."<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div><h3>'Sheldon Adelson is the reason'</h3>According to Lesniak, the state senator, the timing of the delay in PokerStars' licensing process has benefited Sheldon Adelson's fight against internet gambling. "All I know is PokerStars was ready to go and then, all of a sudden when Adelson started his campaign to ban online gaming nationally ... they put it on the backburner," he said.Adelson has made banning online gaming one of his top priorities. In 2013, he launched the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, and he is one of the most prominent backers of a bill introduced in the House of Representatives last week that would ban online gaming nationwide. Adelson's company, Las Vegas Sands Corporation, operates physical casinos, and his critics have argued his attempts to battle online gambling are <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/congress-revives-sheldon-adelson-backed-plot-to-kill-online-gambling-20150204">an effort to eliminate his digital competition</a>. Lesniak claimed Adelson would be interested in keeping PokerStars out of New Jersey because the company's influence there could lead to the state's congressional delegation fighting any federal online gaming ban."If PokerStars comes into New Jersey, because they're the biggest and with our delegation, it would make it very difficult for Congress to do what Adelson wants to do," said Lesniak. The bill to ban online gaming was initially expected to be introduced in Congress late last year. Lesniak suggested Christie is trying to stop PokerStars from getting licensed before the legislation is approved."It was apparent that Christie held back on PokerStars being approved to give Adelson that time," Lesniak said.A spokesperson for Adelson declined to comment on this story.In a statement sent to Business Insider, Christie's office vehemently denied the claims it has intervened with PokerStars' attempts to set up shop in New Jersey. Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for the governor, pointed out that Christie signed the law allowing online gambling in New Jersey in February 2013 when asked about the accusation."It's a totally nonsensical argument, as Governor Christie signed the law to legalize online gaming in New Jersey. The DGE licensing review is an independent, technical process, the length of which varies case by case," Roberts said.However, Lesniak and others have suggested Christie didn't actually have the ability to stop the legalization of online gambling in New Jersey even if he had wanted to. Lesniak, who sponsored the bill in the state senate, said Christie would have been overturned if he tried to veto the legislation. "Christie had no choice but to sign that bill," said Lesniak.While Christie's vetoes have <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/frustrated-with-christie-new-jersey-republican-lawmakers-weigh-overriding-veto-1423100869">never been overridden by the Legislature</a> during the governor's more than five years in office, Lesniak argued McDevitt's union would have put unique pressure on lawmakers to pass online gambling."Bob McDevitt, who is the president of Unite 54 which represents the casino workers, was going to bring thousands of workers, busloads, from Atlantic City to picket the governor," Lesniak explained.McDevitt confirmed his union would have aggressively fought for the law."I would have absolutely brought members, not just to picket, but to testify in support of it," said McDevitt. "I think that the veto would have been overridden if he did it and we would have been a part of it. We would have absolutely been active in that." Adelson himself suggested the governor told him he had no ability to stop the legalization of online gambling in New Jersey. In a 2013 interview, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christies-relationship-with-sheldon-adelson-2015-2">Adelson discussed his conversations with Christie</a> about the legislation."I talk to him," Adelson said. "He said he was about to be overridden anyway. He said it was about to be overridden or over-vetoed or whatever you call it. I like Governor Christie."<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div><h3>'He's not going to fall on that sword' </h3>Christie's ties to the casino mogul made headlines last week after the New York Times <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christies-luxury-travel-and-private-flights-2015-2">revealed Adelson loaned the governor his private plane</a> for a 2012 trip to the Middle East. Adelson also donated more than $3.5 million to the Republican Governors Association while it was chaired by Christie.The governor's office defended Christie's flight on Adelson's plane by saying regulations allow him to accept gifts from personal friends. Nevertheless, Democratic opponents of the governor have <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christies-relationship-with-sheldon-adelson-2015-2">suggested his acceptance of gifts and RGA donations from the casino mogul raises ethical questions</a>.Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D) is a longtime critic of the governor and a co-chair of the Legislature's special committee dedicated to investigating the administration that was created after the so-called "Bridgegate" scandal. Wisniewski told Business Insider the questions surrounding Christie's relationship with Adelson could lead to the Legislature broadening the scope of its investigation - or even a criminal probe."Is it in the Legislature's interest to create a permanent, standing investigatory committee? Would we be doing that in suggesting that we continue an investigation into the Adelson issue?" Wisniewski asked. "Or, are we better served by at least continuing to focus on the Port Authority and allowing law enforcement to look at that?"Wisniewski described the situation as a "question of resources." He argued the Legislature would need to look at the "financial commitment" of broadening their investigation, particularly since the budget for the rest of this year has already been set. Still, Wisniewski suggested a larger probe is something he would consider."If there weren't the allegations of inappropriate behavior on certain peoples' parts, then none of this would be necessary," said Wisniewski. "So, the question we have to ask ourselves is, yes, it's expensive, but if we weren't enforcing the laws and standards that everyone is supposed to abide by, then what are we doing?" For his part, Lesniak predicted an investigation would end with Rebuck, the director of New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement, confirming the governor interfered with PokerStars."One thing about Rebuck is, if he's asked by law enforcement authorities, he's going to tell the truth," Lesniak said. "He's not going to jump on that sword." Additional reporting from Colin Campbell <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-facts-putin-world-controversy-2015-1">11 Facts That Show How Different Russia Is From The Rest Of The World</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RtbDU1bDra7DfSubgs0WuD4Pg0DTxjxx" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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