Microgaming Tusks Update

As reported yesterday Battlefield, Arctic Poker, Red Nine, Royal Card Club and two dozen other online poker rooms, all associated with Tusk Investment Corporation Limited (Tusk) were kicked off the Microgaming Network on Wednesday morning. While not much has changed since yesterday, we are releasing this update to help catch you up on the poker community’s discussions regarding this matter.

One thing that has come into light since yesterday is the fact that these 28 poker rooms acted merely as private label affiliates for Tusk, who held the agreements and relationships with Microgaming. The operators themselves were in charge only of marketing as customer support and financial transactions were the responsibility of Tusks. Apparently, weather or not players will receive their funds, which are currently held hostage, is entirely in the hands of first Tusks and then Microgaming. A representative from Battlefield Poker was the first to bring this to light in his 2+2 statement which included:

“Tusk (MPP) handles all the player purses for us. Cashouts, Deposits, etc. They do all the support, call center, affiliate software, upgrades to our poker clients. We are not able to do cashouts without them.”

At this time the best source for up to date information on this matter is this thread on 2+2. Here representatives from various affected poker rooms including Battlefield Poker, RedNines, Arctic Poker, Royal Card Club, CPT Gaming Poker have made statements as well as operators from several unaffected Microgaming Poker rooms have commented as well.

On page 22 of this thread you’ll find the most recent Microgaming comments on the matter, which read:

“Following the termination of the software license with Tusk Investment Corporation Limited (Tusk), players are understandably experiencing frustration with the lack of information about their accounts with Tusk.

“Microgaming has unfortunately heard nothing further from Tusk itself, and has yet to be advised of the details of the appointment of a liquidator for Tusk. Until a liquidator advises on Tusk’s financial position and ability to pay players and to pay Tusk’s white labels and affiliates, Microgaming is unable to assess the situation.

“This position is quite separate from the Microgaming Poker Network as a whole, which continues to operate as before. Microgaming will of course continue to keep people informed as the situation unfolds.”

**Most Items below this line include unconfirmed rumors and speculation.**

Some members of the poker community have speculated that rakeback rule violations are the foundation behind Tusk affiliated skins being shut down. One rumor circulating is that after losing their Ecogra seal, 2 weeks ago, Tusks was then shortly later informed that Red Nines and Battlefield Poker were being taken off the network as a result of their continuances to ignore warnings and requests regarding their violation of the networks rakeback policies. The rumor declares that the loss of these two large skins coupled with the loss of their Ecogra seal was two much for Tusks to handle and the company was forced to persue liquidation. When Microgaming got word of this liquidation they decided to pull the plug on all 28 skins rather than just the two which were planed.

A 2+2 member with over 550 posts, handle Fulzgold, claims to have intercepted a letter delivered to Tusks informing them of the removal of these two Microgaming skins. Fulzgold claims this letter was delivered to him by an insider to whom he has sworn anonymity to. Here are the contents of this letter:

As you know, there has been persistent contravention of the Rakeback Rules by both Battlefieldpoker and Red Nines, We have on a number of occasions communicated to Tusk our concern over this contravention of the Rakeback Rules

As you are no doubt aware all poker rooms operating within the Microgaming Poker Network must comply with the Rakeback Rules and all other network rules, in order to ensure fair and smooth operation with the Microgaming Poker Network
As discussed with you this morning the continued failure of both Battlefieldpoker and RedNines to comply with the Rakeback Rules leaves us with little choice but to notify you as we hereby do that Battlefield and RedNines will not longer have access to or be part of the Microgaming Poker Network with the effect from 08h00 GMT on Monday 3 March 2008

A related popular rumor is that RakeReduction/RakeUpdate owns Battlefield and RaketheRake and RakeRebate own Red Nines. Several posters have expressed that these parties are most to blame for what has happened while many others feel the biggest one to blame is Microgaming themselves for shutting down players accounts without warning. n.

RakeReduction has responded to these allegations clearly stating that while they have an excellent affiliate deal thanks to a close friendship with the owners of Battlefield Poker, they own no stake in the company.

Check back later for updates which will be posted as this story unfolds.