Absolute Poker Could Become Safest Poker Room - Not

[Rollo]

I think not only Absolute Poker should be blacklisted, but their image handlers masquerading as journalists at Gambling911 should go right in there with them. This is pathetic.

I love this line: "The best news of all," O'Brien points out, "is that our announcement to bring Absolute Poker back onto Gambling911.com has been met with zero resistance from the online poker community."

I guess if complete and total disgust doesn't count as resistence, then ok.

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Absolute Poker Could Become Safest Poker Room
Gambling911.com expressed its commitment to premiere poker room sponsor, Absolute Poker, this week. It announced bringing that online poker site back onto Gambling911 as early as next week or Mid-November, even sooner than initially intended.

Despite some initial blunders in dealing with what many now believe to be a rogue consultant who was able to access the Absolute Poker backend, engaging in a tournament cheating scheme over nearly a two month period, Absolute has since reimbursed those players even remotely believed to have fallen victim; they've invited customers down to their Costa Rican-based operation, which employs a few hundred people; and most importantly of all the company has been working diligently to ensure such a security lapse never happens again.

"The reality is that Absolute Poker is probably going to be the safest online poker room around because of this incident," expressed Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of the Gambling911.com website. "Sometimes it takes a debacle like the one we witnessed last month to add that extra layer of awareness and accountability."

Absolute Poker is prepared to do whatever it takes to show it is commitment to the online poker world and for customers this will likely mean bigger tournament prizes and bonuses than ever before.

"There are going to be some extraordinary positive announcements coming down the road," an Absolute Poker representative told Gambling911.com on Wednesday in regard to the unveiling of some new promotions.

Inquiries related to Absolute on the Gambling911.com website have been unsurpassed according to O'Brien.

"Most people just want to know their money is safe and that Absolute is a poker room in which they can feel secure."

Right now, many believe Absolute is taking a chapter from Post-9/11 airport security. An outside firm has been brought in to oversee what could be the most thorough audit of an Internet gambling enterprise ever.

UltimateBet, which does not share the same software platform as Absolute but functions as a partner company, has already been welcomed back to the Gambling911.com website.

The two poker entities comprise one of Gambling911's most lucrative advertising campaigns.

"Since 2000, our readers have come to trust Gambling911's judgment in these matters. We are extremely confident that Absolute Poker will be bigger and better than ever before," says O'Brien.

The poker room continues to flourish. Absolute Poker was one of the biggest hiring employers in Costa Rica over the last 12 months and a vital source of that nation's massive online gambling industry.

"The best news of all," O'Brien points out, "is that our announcement to bring Absolute Poker back onto Gambling911.com has been met with zero resistance from the online poker community."

O'Brien also expressed fury over a public relations firm allegations to the New York Times that Absolute Poker had reneged on a deal.

"Business disputes do not need to be aired in a public forum. Absolute Poker has a reputation for paying advertising venues and affiliates in a timely fashion. Absolute Poker has been nothing but meticulous in their business dealings with Gambling911."
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[Keyser]

This is an extremely irresponsible decision and reeks of greed. In fact, the press release itself says that it is a lucrative deal for the website. It can't be any clearer than that.

A responsible website would wait until the external investigation was completed, digest the findings, wait until AP made changes to their business practices and software in response to the findings, then institue a probation period, and only after a successful probation period consider reinstating an endorsement.

A greedy website takes the cash without even waiting to find out the full story, is satisfied with some vague "rogue consultant" explanation, and not bother to even ask what changes have been implemented to prevent such occurences in the future.

[jetset]

[QUOTE=Keyser;199031]A responsible website would wait until the external investigation was completed, digest the findings, wait until AP made changes to their business practices and software in response to the findings, then institue a probation period, and only after a successful probation period consider reinstating an endorsement.QUOTE]

I would have to agree with that - this is not a good decision imo and it is too premature to properly protect the players. All the facts are not in yet by a long chalk, and Absolute's tendency to be economical with the truth thus far doesn't inspire confidence.

It's hard to believe that the poker players on Pocket Fives and 2+2 did not react to 911's "tester" item a couple days back hinting that it may be considering allowing Absolute Poker back in.

[pokeraddict]

Gambling911 has been AP's little puppet through this whole thing. If Sting thinks adding AP will result in a favorable opinion of their site by the poker community then he has no grasp of the community's feelings on things such as:

1. AP not filing criminal charges against the cheats. This only tells insiders in the future "IT's OK to cheat, we won't send you to jail".

2. The fact that some records seem to have been destroyed.

3. The blatant coverup attempts and lies.

4. The fact their resident pro Mark Seif is making public threats at one of the victims all the while protecting the cheats.

Well those are just the first few off the top of my head.

To say AP is going to be the safest online poker room is a complete joke. As far as we know the cheats are still involved in some sort of ownership and maybe even management. If they aren't going to send the thieves to jail how can we trust them? How can we really be sure this won't happen again? How can we really believe the 2 have been removed of their duties? How do we know there were not others involved who were better at cheating? After all one of them still appears to have family still involved in AP.

[Rollo]

How could a poker room become the safeset if it's management's first and sustained response to insider cheating is to try to cover it up? CM pointed out how long it took them to admit something was amiss and the chronology of events - they only acknowledged cheating took place after things got to the point where there was zero plausible deniability left.

As long as the same people are there, you can expect the same policy with respect to future problems: denials, stonewalling, scapegoating, cover-ups, culminating in full damage control none of which offers transperancy or proper restitution to those harmed... I'm sure they will never let us know how much money has been stolen from their players, who it was stolen from, and over how long a period of time.

If there is an award for the worst investigative reporting, it should go to Gambling 911 for it's AP scandal coverage. Just pathetic. I guess I'm making the assumption that they are trying to be a news site that serves the community rather than just a spin room for their paymasters. They should be embarrased. They've certainly done irreperable harm to their reputation if creditibility means anything to them.

[pokeraddict]

I guess I'm making the assumption that they are trying to be a news site that serves the community rather than just a spin room for their paymasters.

This is exactly right, nothing but gossip and disguised spam from their advertisers. They do have some use though as they seem to be able to get the scoop before others.

It is no surprise they would brong back AP. I'm surprised they took them down to begin with. They have never removed very low grade sportsbooks. They actively promote Sportsbook.com and family when they are in the middle of their own scandal. In fact the top 4 sportsbooks on their sportsbook page are all graded D+ or worse. Why should it surprise anyone they would put AP back?

I've said it plenty of times this year. AP is a rogue, they were a rogue before this ever happened. They lied to affiliates and players time and time again long before they got caught cheating their players. Even if the cheating was their only offense in the last year it would be hard to trust them but their constant lying about the scandal and all the issues earlier this year leaves their reputation as being complete liars. There is no way giving half ass responses and coverups is a step in the right direction.

[bromo98]

Originally Posted by jetset

It's hard to believe that the poker players on Pocket Fives and 2+2 did not react to 911's "tester" item a couple days back hinting that it may be considering allowing Absolute Poker back in.

My guess here Jetset is that the poker communities don't really care about 911 all that much.

[Casinomeister]

Oops, missed this thread. Pardon me for a moment...




Ah, yes. I feel much better now.

911 has lost whatever value it had as a "news" site. Its tabloidish journalism has shifted from funny ha-ha to irresponsible spin. There is no way in hell that this poker room is now the safest. 911 should hang its collective head in shame for being a tool of this rogue outfit.

I have pointed out countless times that AB pooh poohed the sound of alarm from players for WEEKS. This is an indicator of bad business ethics - and ethics don't change. Ethics are the backbone of any business.

What a shame to see 911 become a puppet to the "paymasters".

[gerilege]

PlanetPoker was unable to recover from a similar, but obviously unintentional issue in 2001, which got even less publicity.

I would be very surprised and disappointed if AP could ever get out from their own trap.

[bromo98]

I would actually be surprised if they don't recover. As much as we can all look down our noses at 911, there is a nugget of truth in the business theory. Jack in the Box recovered and was considered 'one of the safest' places to eat after the e-coli issue that they had some years back. Exxon is still shipping oil in tankers after Valdez.
There are several examples of companies that have made huge blunders but have been able to turn them around and survive.
I'm more removed from it now, so I don't know if they are genuine about fixing this or if they are in pure CYA mode - but if they are open and really honest about what is going on, and if they handle the mainstream media correctly, I can see how they could make it work. I would certainly give them a 50/50 shot at it just based on all the refunds they have been giving out.