PokerStars cracks down on US players betting on home soil

PokerStars cracks down on US players betting on home soil

Monday, 31 October 2011

PokerStars have made it clear that US players absolutely must comply with the Department of Justice’s desire to not play Internet poker from within the USA. There have recently been several suspensions and account freezings due to players attempting to play from within the US.

The PokerStars terms and conditions explicitly ban the use of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to re-route connections via a foreign server to mask your IP. However, this method is not infalliable and many players have faced the consequences, including one player who logged on during the WSOP and had his $24k account balance frozen.


“We are not sure what will happen yet,” said PokerStars’ VIP Manager Steve Day on his regular guest spot during the Two Plus Two PokerCast. “The accounts get frozen and then we wait for guidance from the independent moderator who was appointed by the Department of Justice what to do with the funds in these accounts.”


PokerStars are diligently enforcing the wishes of the DoJ with their updated, post-Black Friday FAQ and Terms of Service both banning VPNs for American players. “We don’t always catch every single person,” said Day. “Tell all your friends – it’s a mistake to try to do this. Many people are getting caught, and the consequences are severe.”


Of course on this side of the Atlantic we don't have to worry about using VPNs to log on to the world's largest poker site. Join PokerStars with a 100% first deposit bonus up to $500. Sign up here.


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Tags: PokerStars, regulation