PEAK GROUP MOVES POKER INTERESTS TO PLAYTECH

21 November 2008

Perhaps the Cryptologic move to Boss didn't suit....

 

Industry observers are speculating on this week's decision by the Peak Entertainment group in Malta to move its online poker action over to Playtech's iPoker network. The change will involve Sun Poker and the poker activities of the long-established CS Casino and Omni Casino, and is scheduled to take place next (December) month.

The consensus seems to be that the decision by Cryptologic - which currently powers Peak operations - to move its poker and network interests to Boss Media's International Poker Network did not resonate with Peak management.

Peak Group Malta announced Tuesday that its Sun Poker online poker site, along with Omni Casino and CSCasino.com, will be moving to Playtech’s iPoker Network effective mid-December. Players will be able to remain on the Cryptologic Network until January 31st, 2009. Players will have new accounts opened for them on the iPoker Network and will need to download new software in order to transfer their balances over and play.

They will join players across the world on the growing iPoker Network, competing against members of poker rooms like Titan Poker, Betfred Poker, Expekt Poker, Kiwi Poker, Noble Poker and VC Poker.

Loyalty points accrued by Peak players cannot be transferred over to iPoker, but the company is making alternative arrangements in the shape of a special promo once the switch to iPoker has been completed.

With a transfer date of mid-December, Peak players will unfortunately just miss the third edition of Playtech's European Championship of Online Poker, which last time around provided $2.85 million in prizes and pulled in some 44 000 players.

The loss of the Peak poker operations is a tough blow for Cryptologic's poker enterprise, following as it does the recently announced partnership of Playtech with long-standing Crypto licensee William Hill, and the more recent decision by the World Poker Tour to fold its online poker cards before its contract with Crypto is complete. However, on the positive side is the news that World Poker Tour's online operation, which is closing Thursday November 20th, is referring all players to Cryptologic's InterPoker.com.

InterPoker is offering WPT members a sign-up promotion that features a matchplay cash bonus of up to $500 as well as a Flip Ultra camcorder. Players will have to open new accounts at InterPoker, and must withdraw all WPT positive account balances funds by Thursday.