ShareKevin Mathers has launched a new subscription product for poker news. Best known for running a Twitter account that has become a key news source, he is now branching out with a substack that promises to recap what happened in the poker world during the previous week and also take a peek into what might be coming up.
Mathers is perfectly placed to source news having previously worked for the World Series of Poker and a whole host of respectable poker news outlets.
“Over the years, players and fans alike have asked how they can show their gratitude and support. Becoming a subscriber to The Kevmath Report newsletter is the easiest way to do just that. Subscribers get weekly emails with links to important information, tournament schedules, the best stories, podcasts, and vlogs of the week.”
We look forward to seeing stories that he might not want to publish on Twitter.
Flutter Entertainment to Limit Deposits
Flutter Entertainment has announced plans to limit deposits for the youngest customers across its Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Bet brands. Under 25s will soon be limited to ÂŁ500 net deposits every month in a drive to promote more responsible gambling.Flutter entertainment is also the owner of PokerStars, which will have many wondering if this new policy could soon be arriving on that platform.
There will, however, be some exceptions to the rule but for a customer to be considered as such they must demonstrate affordability by jumping through a lot of hoops.
For the small number of customers who can demonstrate income to sustain an increased level of spend, they will need to go through a detailed process before an alternative limit is set. The deposit backstop is part of Flutter’s Affordability Triple Step, a risk-based framework which uses real-time data to monitor player activity and behaviours to ensure that gambling remains safe and enjoyable for customers.
Flutter also recently joined the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA). This move is a positive step that sees a gambling industry behemoth join the trade association that represents EU-based online gaming firms.
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the EGBA, said: “...its membership will enable us to strengthen our existing efforts to encourage and deepen industry cooperation and participation at European level. We are determined to ensure Europe’s online gambling sector is more united and coordinated in its objectives and responsibilities, and we continue to invite Europe’s other reputable online gambling companies to join us in this mission.”
Jamie Kerstetter to Team up with Norman Chad and Lon McEachern
It has been confirmed that Jamie Kerstetter will be in the commentary booth with Norman Chad and Lon McEachern when the WSOP kicks off at the end of the month. The American makes a welcome return to providing expert analysis alongside the sports-style commentary that makes the game incredibly exciting to watch.Some will remember that this isn’t the first time Kerstetter has teamed up with Chad and McEachern. Last year there was a major fall out after she accused Daniel Negreanu of having her removed from the role.
Speaking on The Rake podcast with Norman Chad and Marle Cordeiro she said: “He has hurt my career. I want to commentate, I enjoy commentating. He had me removed from a commentary that I was already signed up for because I speak my mind about him and I’m not going to kiss his ass.”
Hopefully during the WSOP 2021, Negreanu won’t publicly implode as he did so often in 2020.
WPT Online Borgata Poker Open Sets Guarantee Record
The Borgata Poker Open is to take place on partypoker NJ after a surge in Covid-19 cases in the region left the organisers with no choice but to cancel the live event. They must still be confident in drawing a crowd, though, because the current $1 million is a record-breaker.Ever since the regulated market launched in the US we have never seen a guarantee that large, until now.
The $3,500 buy-in WPT event will run from September 12 to 21 and the eventual winner will have their name engraved on the prestigious Mike Sexton trophy.
Covid-19 Restrictions Cause Fall in Macau Gaming Revenue
An increase of Covid-19 restrictions has caused casino revenue to plummet in the gambling paradise of Macau.Following a tightening of the rules to fight against the highly contagious Delta variant casinos have suffered heavily during the last two months.
Travel restrictions for moving between Macau and the Guangdong province all but killed off tourism in what is usually a massive source of traffic for the region. All that said, there is still hope for a quick return to normal after case numbers didn’t explode as predicted.
Figures show that the first eight months of 2021 brought in 70.1% more revenue—$7.7 billion—compared to the same period last year, but that still pales in comparison to the $24.75 billion in 2019.
