PokerStars has partially resolved its mobile woes in Australia by restoring service to iOS device users that were knocked offline earlier this month. Both Stars’ and 888 iOS apps were unceremoniously purged from the Aussie App Store after someone apparently reminded the ghost of Steve Jobs that Aussie laws prohibit online poker. iOS users who already had the app installed were also affected, and while these users have since had their access restored, it’s only a temporary fix, as no future updates will be available for download and any iOS users that hadn’t already downloaded the app remain out of luck. Android users remain smugly unaffected by the kerfuffle.
Sticking with their tandem routine, Stars and 888 also swelled their ranks of sponsored pros this week. 888 managed to poach 2013 World Series of Poker main event ‘last woman standing’ Jackie Glazier from Ivey Poker, while Stars’ subsidiary Full Tilt Poker added ‘tour ambassadors’ Martins Adeniya, Sinem Melin, Dermot Blain and Ben Jenkins.
MPN skin 24hPoker has ditched its bespoke fast-fold Fast Poker product in favor of Microgaming’s Blaze Poker. The change will be effective July 31. Meanwhile, Curacao-licensed mobile-only poker outfit Mobile Poker Club has followed up its January launch of real-money play by launching an in-house fast-fold product it’s calling Next! Poker. The product will be accessible via iOS, Android, Symbian and Java platforms.
Stateside, the South Point Hotel Casino and Spa is so embarrassed at having failed to honor its vow to become the first active Nevada-licensed online poker site that it’s decided to hide its shame by changing the name of its as-yet-unreleased product. Formerly known as South Point Poker, the Zen Entertainment software-powered site’s new moniker will be Real Gaming. (Was Real Lame already taken?)
Finally, three-dimensional UK poker site PKR has entered a fourth dimension of SHT following its decision to retroactively alter the terms of its affiliate program. In an email originally brought to light by PokerEagles, PKR told affiliates that unless they brought in at least one real-money player every three months, their commissions on previously referred players will be cut from the current rate of 20-30% to just 10%. Failure to bring in at least one real-money player every six months will result in commissions on past players ceasing entirely. The changes will go into effect Sept. 1, the 74th anniversary of Germany’s sneak attack on Poland. We’re sure the timing is entirely coincidental.
