Poker News

Jennifer Newell

From the latter months of 2006 to early 2007, online poker websites could not get out of the U.S. market fast enough once the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed. Those that fled the uncertain U.S. environment contributed to the prosperity of the sites that remained, namely Full Tilt, PokerStars, Ultimate Bet, Absolute Poker, and Bodog. One of the sites that left the U.S. has recently returned, a move that came as a surprise to most in the poker industry. With little fanfare and only a sparsely-distributed press release, Doyle’s Room came back to America on October 19, 2007.

The release read, in part, “DoylesRoom.com makes a massive move by allowing US players to once again play in its online poker room. Returning players will not be disappointed with $4,000,000 in guaranteed tournaments monthly, huge bad beat jackpots and opportunities to play Doyle and other celebrities.” When Doyle’s Room withdrew from the tumultuous U.S. gaming market on March 1, 2007, it was one of the last to do so. Upon their final decision, a spokesman told PokerNews, “In view of the passage of the UIGEA and the cessation of operations by Neteller and other payment processors, the management of DoylesRoom.com has reluctantly decided not to permit online real money play by US-based players at DoylesRoom. com.” The official statement then urged U.S. players to transfer their accounts to Full Tilt Poker, where their points would be honored.

Though Doyle’s Room was not one of the most popular sites among online poker players, it was certainly one of the most reputable with Doyle Brunson backing it. And names like Mike Caro and Hoyt Corkins signing on to promote the site only added to its legitimacy. When the online poker entity with the Brunson name finally left the U.S., it spoke volumes to the fear that the UIGEA put into the hearts of online poker businesses across the board.

The fact that they are the first withdrawn site to reestablish their presence in the U.S. is heartening and provides hope that online poker will one day resume its growth trends that were seen prior to the passage of the UIGEA.

It seems that Doyle’s Room management has been poised for a return to the U.S. for some time after clearly hesitating to leave in the first place. After it did, it subsequently joined the Microgaming network in the spring of 2007, and the site and its new software launched a massive marketing campaign across Europe to correspond with WSOP Europe and EPT events. Doyle Brunson, who notoriously dislikes extensive plane travel, set off on a whirlwind European tour to promote the site in September. Rumors began swirling amongst Americans traveling in Europe that Doyle’s Room would reenter the U.S. market… and it did.

In an e-mail letter to former affiliate members, George Barahona of Doyle’s Room announced the intentions of the site to come back to the U.S. “Commencing October 19, 2007, all US-players are welcomed to enjoy our redesigned, faster and better poker tables. DoylesRoom.com US-players that moved to Full Tilt will be allowed to re-access their existing account.” While Doyle’s Room has yet to launch a major advertising campaign in the U.S., possibly wary of drawing attention from the U.S. Department of Justice, they are seeking affiliate advertising on poker-related websites. The site is now open to players residing in the United States with the exception of 11 restricted states: Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The features and incentives being offered by Doyle’s Room can be accessed by logging on to www.DoylesRoom.com.

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