Online Poker Site Ducks Network Failure

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Thursday, January 17, 2008 mgowanbo.cc

Maybe its third time lucky for Luckyhog Poker....

The apparent failure of the Dynamic Gaming Systems online poker network continued to cause players stress and anxiety this week as some of the estimated 24 small poker skins on the ailing network bugged out for more reliable homes, but player communication was scant.

One management that seemed to be doing more than most was that at Luckyhog.com, which produced a press release without identifying its originator but advising that the company was moving to an unspecified network and would look after its players where the requisite information was available.

The new network remained a mystery, as Luckyhog failed to respond to emails asking for its identity - not a good sign.

The statement went on to detail Luckyhog's remarkably unsuccessful record with its networks. The now notorious Futurebet operation was its first home, which failed leaving (or so the mysterious Luckyhog spokesman claims) the poker skin's management to sort out unpaid players.  Moving to DGS, it would appear that history is repeating itself as far as Luckyhog is concerned.

Unfortunately, many of these small poker rooms are unprofessional and underfunded from the get-go, and when things go wrong it is all too common for the anonymous managements to disappear faster than morning mist on a hot day....all with little if any concern for owed players. Luckyhog notes this in its statement, alleging that such managements often reappear with a new product and a new brand...but no payments for their erstwhile customers.

This is not the case as far as Luckyhog is concerned, notes the anonymous author of the statement.

The real purpose of the Luckyhog statement was clearly to try and retain players on its new network, and to this end it urges members to visit the site and register, and then email the poker room at [email protected] with a) new screen name b) old screen name c) Cash balance d) email address e) Name and Address

If this done, Luckyhog undertakes that within 24-48 hours the full outstanding cash balance will be placed in the player's new account

Unfortunately two network failures are not the only negative marks on the Luckyhog scorecard. There have been player warnings of hassles with the sportsbook operations of the company and a recent complaint on the Poker Analysis site of an unauthorised charge to a player account. Other players are put off by talk of the introduction of an online strip poker game.

The bottom line will, as always be how honestly and quickly the site's owed players are paid following the DGS debacle...paying owed monies into a new poker room account on yet another network is probably not the best way to satisfy players.

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Online Poker Network Acquired

Wednesday, January 23, 2008 mgowanbo.cc

But who is Cintaly Holding Corporation?

Controversy has swirled around the troubled Dynamic Gaming Systems online poker network recently as rumours of its imminent demise hardened into firm information from network members that indicated a halt to payouts and non-existent communications.

Operators on the network started to look for new homes with the reportedly fast-growing Merge Poker and Dobrosoft's Gold Chip networks, with operators complaining that they had been left in the invidious position of having to pay DGS-owed money to players out of their own pockets.

This week a press release signed off by "[email protected]" from DGS in Costa Rica announced that an agreement for the 'transfer of its network' has been reached with Cintaly Holding Corporation (CHC). Protectpal is a largely Eastern European secure email hosting outfit.

CHC, based out of the British Virgin Islands, but with the UK telephone number +44 800-011-2643, apparently anticipates having the DGS network back in full operation within 72 hours of the transaction being completed - a date not included in the announcement.

The blurb says that unidentified 'executives of CHC' are "excited by the opportunity to take over one of the finest poker software networks online today," apparently overlooking the serious allegations levelled against the network by operators, affiliates and players in recent times.

Breeding further suspicion is the lack of details on the acquisition and a paucity of information on CHC, whose website displays little hard information beyond a Tortola office address and the general advisory that the company was formed in 1999, incorporated in 2005 and is a "diversified media company involved in online business publishing and entertainment" with a group of (unidentified) companies that operate as independent profit and loss centres."

Those who are owed money by DGS may take some comfort from a sentence in the release, apparently penned by someone in authority at DGS, which claims: "....it is our understanding CHC intends to honour all verified existing Player Balances and Licensee Agreements." Apparently CHC's priority is to ".....get all remaining Players and Licensees back operational as fast as possible."

The new owners appear to be rather coy on who is running the company, what online poker network experience is available within it and how it intends going forward. Unnamed representatives have been posting reassurances on various online poker message boards that their intentions are honourable, but the lack of hard information strains credibility.

One representative at the Jungle Poker site wrote that the withdrawals which were in progress would be reversed and credited back to the players' accounts, and that the new owners will have a limited number of deposit and withdrawal options initially but will expand this over time.

Meanwhile G2G Poker has joined the exodus from DGS, joining the Merge network along with LuckyHog Poker. Other Merge poker sites include Carbon poker, Poker.com, Iron Duke Poker and Pokernordica.

CHC has not yet responded to a media enquiry addressed  to their email at [email protected].