There have been stories in the news since yesterday that Full Tilt has had their license suspended by their regulating body, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). While this is true, it is not a reflection on online casinos, online poker or online gambling in general. As an example, PokerStars is doing well and is rebounded from the April indictment.
It seems that Full Tilt’s suspended license has more to do with how they ran their business as opposed to any poor gambling practices. In a statement the AGCC said: “The decision to suspend these licenses follows a special investigation prompted by the indictments unsealed by US Attorney General’s Office in the Southern District of New York on 15 April 2011, during which grounds were found to indicate that these licensees and their business associates were operating contrary to Alderney legislation. The nature of the findings necessitated the taking of immediate action in the public interest.”
Such a statement alludes that operations were not up to par with Alderney laws, which is a separate consideration from whether or not online gambling and online poker is legal win the United States. But the announcement of ceasing all activities on Full Tilt’s site sent a wave of worry through the online poker and online gambling communities. After all it was only a couple of months ago that Full Tilt was one of the three online poker sites to be seized by the Department of Justice.
And while that indictment prompted a separate investigation on the AGCC’s part, it was only limited to Full Tilt. This means that players at other online casinos and online poker sites do not need to worry. PokerStars, one of the other sites indicted along with Full Tilt, issued a statement after the AGCC announcement to reassure their players: “PokerStars wishes to assure our customers that their funds are completely safe and that our operations are completely unaffected.”
To further reinforce that the AGCC’s announcement and action was an isolated, business related event, the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission made their own announcement: “The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission wishes to make it clear that the licensing status of PokerStars…remains unchanged following today’s statement from the Gambling Control Commission in Alderney. Alderney is a separate jurisdiction from the Isle of Man and the operation in question is separate from PokerStars. PokerStars continues to demonstrate compliance with its license condition.”
Given that both PokerStars and the IOM Gambling Supervision Commission issued statements to reassure their customers, those in the online poker and online casino communities should not be worried that there is a move against online gambling. As it stands other sites in under the AGCC are still operational. The Full Tilt suspension is limited to that site only. So play on, online poker players!