Poker News

Jennifer Newell

The Absolute Poker cheating scandal was front-page news when it came to light in September 2007. Cheating was alleged by numerous online poker players, an investigation was launched that found nothing, and when the poker community cried foul, an official audit was initiated.

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which has an ownership stake in the Absolute Poker online gaming site, found cheating by a high-ranking employee. However, no names were disclosed and many questions remained unanswered. Would the culprits be prosecuted? How many players were affected, and was the reimbursement process complete? Would any Absolute Poker officials be held responsible? What safeguards would be put into place to ensure the integrity of the site in the future?

The last bit of news from Kahnawake came on November 22 when a press release stated that the investigation is ongoing and that the audit was in the process of being completed, at which time a report would be sent to the Commission. ?The Commission expects to receive a final copy of the audit report by December 7, 2007.?

As I write this, it is December 20. No word. No press release. No response to my inquiries.

My sincerest hope is that no one?not Kahnawake, Absolute Poker, the poker media, or poker players?has allowed this scandal to be swept under the proverbial felt. This is still very much an active story that is without resolution.

Kahnawake, part of the Mohawk territory in Canada, issues numerous gaming licenses to online gaming sites and approximately 60 percent of the world?s online gaming traffic runs through the Kahnawake servers. The Gaming Commission has a responsibility to follow through with the results of the audit in a timely manner and reveal its course(s) of action.

Absolute Poker has never taken full responsibility for the security failures and owned up to its faults. Their first reaction when cheating allegations arose was to utterly deny it. After cheating was all but proven?sufficiently enough to provoke the Kahnawake audit?AP?s second reaction was to minimize the severity of the situation.

AP allowed its lone spokesman, Mark Seif, to take the heat publicly and did not come to his defense when his own honesty and integrity was questioned by the poker public.

Is this the way a company should treat its customers, spokesperson, and reputation? Absolute Poker should feel obligated?even pressured?into making a full disclosure and public apology.

And the poker players of the world should hold AP?s feet to the fire. Until the site has come clean and upgraded its security procedures, people might want to explore the numerous other online gaming options on the market. Yet, as of December 20 at 2 p.m. PST, there were more than 10,000 players logged in to Absolute Poker. So much for any type of boycott until AP responds appropriately. So much for principles.

Numerous members of the poker media have also requested an update from Kahnawake to no avail, and the lack of information to report leaves a void in the press. While outlets like ABC, MSNBC, and the New York Times were paying attention two months ago, the story seems to have disappeared from the news pages.

Hopefully, by the time this issue of Poker Player Newspaper is in your hands, there will be a statement from Kahnawake.

If not, it is time for the poker public to speak out. Let Kahnawake and Absolute Poker know if you object to the cheating, the denials, and the lack of communication. It is time to demand that AP take responsibility.

Filed under: Poker News