Caesars Closes Poker Rooms Amid WSOP; Netherlands Cracks Down on Online Poker

Caesars Entertainment is closing the poker rooms at their Bally’s and Flamingo properties during the World Series of Poker. From September 26 to November 26 all of the staff usually dedicated to these rooms are expected to be on duty at the Rio. Bally’s also clearly posted that they would be opening their poker room every day from November 26, but speculation persists that the Flamingo might be mothballing their poker gear and possibly shutting down for good.

The Dutch government has ordered all unlicensed online poker rooms to cease operations in the country by November 1. Any company still offering these services after that date will be subject to fines as high as €600,000 and also possible penalties when it comes to applying for a license. Sander Dekker, Minister for Legal Protection, said: “I consider it important and obvious that providers who do not yet have a license terminate all their offers for Dutch players in the short term.”

PokerStars has paid out $200 million to the state of Kentucky, ending a decade long legal battle. The Borgata Poker Open Online failed to meet the $1 million guarantee last week, missing out by only $24,000. Orson 'Borgatcha' Young was the last man standing, collecting a cool $195,748 for his trouble and also having his name etched on the Mike Sexton trophy for what looks like his first ever live event victory. The British government is moving full steam ahead with bringing its already modern Gambling Act into the digital age. MGM Resorts has bought the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas from Blackstone for $1.625 billion.