KAHNAWAKE gets thumbs down.

[KellyBlend]

I did some reseach and found inter alia this information:

Published: Friday, January 11, 2008 Online-Casinos.com

KAHNAWAKE APPLICATION FOR WHITELISTING IN UK FAILS

British Gambling Commission admits Tasmania but rejects Canadian First Nation and the Antiguans

The latest newsletter from Britain's Gambling Commission carries the news that the Canadian First Nation enclave of Kahnawake, licensing jurisdiction and server home for hundreds of online gambling companies, will not be white-listed for purposes of advertising in the UK.

No specific reason for the rejection is given, but the Mohawks of Kahnawake have been the target of player criticism regarding poor communications for years, and the jurisdiction has made some controversial judgements in its time. Antigua has similarly been accused of poor response levels to complaints from players, and has been centre stage for some time in the industry due to its public WTO dispute with the United States.

Reporting the rejection, the newsletter merely advises: "After careful assessment of their representations against the published criteria, the Secretary of State has also decided not to whitelist Kahnawáke (Canadian reservation) or Antigua."

The good news was for the Tasmanian government, as the UK government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport confirmed that Tasmania will be added to the ‘Whitelist’ of countries or jurisdictions allowed to advertise remote gambling in the UK as if it were an EEA state.

This decision follows a reconsideration of Tasmania’s application after the introduction of amending legislation to their tax regime. A full assessment of their application was made to ensure it met the Government’s ‘Whitelisting’ criteria published in January 2007.

Regulations have been laid in Parliament and will come into effect in 21 days time on 31 January 2008. After this date, gambling operators licensed in Tasmania will be able to advertise their remote gambling services in the United Kingdom.

The States of Alderney and the Isle of Man are the only two other jurisdictions to have previously been added to the whitelist. An announcement was made on this decision in August 2007.

The effect of these decisions is that only gambling operators licensed in EEA countries (including Gibraltar and Malta), Alderney, Isle of Man or Tasmania can lawfully advertise gambling in the UK.

The decision will undoubtedly cause online companies licensed by Antigua and Kahnawake to reconsider their position and perhaps join the trend which emerged last year whereby companies switched licensing to EEA jurisdictions.

One important additional information I found in the Internet.
Pokerstars has already a license of the Ilse of Man and is whitelisted in the UK.

[GaryWatson]

I did some reseach and found inter alia this information:


One important additional information I found in the Internet.
Pokerstars has already a license of the Ilse of Man and is whitelisted in the UK.

Pokerstars, like any other site have had cheating. Thats just an unfortunate side of online gambling. They take a hard stance on this. As a site, they get 100% respect. They could have probably swept a lot of things under the carpet to save their good name, but they took the stance and outed the players involved, probably at their detriment. I would feel comfortable telling any player about that site

[Rusty]

Maybe, just maybe informed and unbiased sites like this and others will dissuade enough players from playing at sites "regulated" by Kahnawake so that any online Casino that wishes to be respected will seek to be licensed elsewhere (not Antigua)
If not by morality then my market forces.

[lojo]

Maybe, just maybe informed and unbiased sites like this and others will dissuade enough players from playing at sites "regulated" by Kahnawake so that any online Casino that wishes to be respected will seek to be licensed elsewhere (not Antigua)
If not by morality then my market forces.

There was a statement the other day about Americans not caring...

Look at our lot, mohawks or bust.

Yanks don't have much choice these days.

Sucks

[jetset]

ABSOLUTE ONLINE POKER ACCEPTS KGC FINDINGS

Damage control on steroids as online poker site tries to regain credibility

Absolute Poker was perhaps predictably in full damage control mode in responding over the weekend to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission findings on its cheating scandal (see previous InfoPowa reports) In a statement released to carefully selected media, the troubled site acknowledged "...the completeness and accuracy of the KGC conclusions."

Judging by initial reactions on player message boards there are many that will argue that statement. Numerous posts have been made criticising the KGC for the lack of detail in its published findings regarding those responsible, how the scam worked and what action has been taken against the fraudsters.

The main penalty imposed by the Commission requires Absolute Poker to pay a fine of US$ 500 000 within 60 days, and the firm has to foot the bill for the investigation by Gaming Associates triggered by the Commission. It will also be required to place a deposit, the value of which is not disclosed, with the Commission for 2 years against future conduct, and will be randomly audited at its expense. Other more precautionary restraints include a requirement to implement a "continuance compliance program" which is not detailed, remove permanently from office those responsible for the debacle, and activate a remedial program.

The Absolute Poker statement accepting the KGC findings and penalties says: "After reviewing the published report, we recognize the completeness and accuracy of the KGC conclusions, and we accept without reservation the KGC’s findings and sanctions. Most importantly, we are pleased, after these many months, that Absolute Poker can finally put behind it a most distressing and regrettable experience for the Company, its employees, and its customers."

The company goes on to use the opportunity to reiterate that it has paid off those players prejudiced by the cheating, repaired the vulnerability in its systems which it claims made the scam possible and has appointed a team "to improve controls and install safeguards."

The statement lays emphasis on the findings that "there is no evidence to indicate that the impugned activities were initiated or sanctioned by AP…or were intended to benefit AP, as a corporate entity" and the "inadvertent deletion of certain gaming logs and records during the course of the investigation."

Absolute Poker also uses the statement as a platform to announce that it is to introduce a series of "poker security summits" starting January 18 to which "respected and independent members of the poker community" will be invited in order to "focus on innovative and cutting-edge ways to further improve AP’s security and enhance its transparency."

Concluding with a general apology, Absolute Poker's statement says it regrets the damage done to its players and to its reputation by the incident.

"We acknowledge that the Company did not act with sufficient speed to uncover the fraud; however, once we were convinced of the veracity of the allegations, we moved quickly to inform the KGC and to reimburse affected players. While AP is paying a severe penalty for the fraud perpetrated upon the Company and its customers, we are gratified that we can now close the book on this sordid affair.”

The KGC findings released Friday included the following:

* From August 14 2007 over a period of 6 weeks certain player accounts were used to cheat other players in live games at Absolute Poker using software that enabled the cheaters to view the hole cards of their opponents, resulting in unfair play.

* The accounts responsible for the cheating are named as Graycat, Payup, Steamroller, Potripper, XXCashmoneyXX aka SupercardM55, Doubledrag and RonfalcoXXB aka Romnaldo. AP has been directed to remove the individuals behind these account names from playing any role in future AP affairs.

* Persons "associated with Absolute Poker's operations" deleted certain key gaming logs after the cheating, a move which hampered but did not preclude a finding being reached. Other than this, AP cooperated during the investigation.

* Gaming Associates found no evidence that AP as a corporate entity was involved in the cheating either at director or "principal ownership" level.

* However, the unidentified principals behind Absolute Poker failed to contact the KGC within 24 hours of discovering the incident as required by licensing regulations.

* Gaming Associates found that AP made "expeditious efforts" to appropriately reimburse those players prejudiced, with interest. KGC urges any aggrieved player not yet paid to contact the Commission, which will ensure the complaint is addressed by AP. There is a 60 day window for this, commencing 11 January 2008.

* The finding certifies that Absolute Poker has taken appropriate but unspecified action to address the vulnerability in its systems.

[Rusty]

Anyone know where the $500K fine goes and what is done with it?

[KellyBlend]

Yanks don't have much choice these days.
Sucks

I understand this.

But it makes also no sence to sweep a lot of things under the carpet if the poker site or the Gaming Comission does not take up the stance to clean the business.

[KellyBlend]

Anyone know where the $500K fine goes and what is done with it?

From lefthand pocket to righthand pocket or vice versa !!!

Nobody of us knows the truth I think.

[GrandMaster]

Anyone know where the $500K fine goes and what is done with it?

New luxury snowmobiles for the members of the KGC.

[lojo]

* Persons "associated with Absolute Poker's operations" deleted certain key gaming logs after the cheating, a move which hampered but did not preclude a finding being reached. Other than this, AP cooperated during the investigation.

Death knell for Absolute Poker. Permanent and perpetual Rogue and the KGC should be as well for allowing this.

"Executives attempted to shred all documents but forgot a couple in the secretaries desk. That's okay by us."

So it really is the foxes guarding the chicken coop.