Online poker room company Playtech is ready to take advantage once US poker laws change. The gaming company has signed deals to provide online poker to players in California. A poker site for California poker players has long been on the table for discussion, and renewed attempts to bring it to pass have come along since the US federal government has started shutting down poker rooms. While online poker is legal in the US in most states, many poker rooms have been shut down because they were not in compliance with the US UIGEA law passed in 2006.

Despite not playing in the 2011 WSOP, Isuldur1 still won big this weekend. The younger- than- 21 year old poker player made his winnings online. The online poker games took place at online poker room PokerStars, which is still running its SuperStar Showdown, where Victor Blom, aka Isuldur1, plays against all comers that can handle the deposit. The players compete over four tables of NLHE at the $50 / $100 stake level with $150k of their own cash. Blom won against pro Cao, but he is running down $350k for the year.

In 2008 Connie Gowan filed a suit against Titlware that was dismissed in 2010. This year the decision was overturned and now the poker pro's suit against Tiltware is back on. Tiltware owns online poker room Full Tilt Poker, and Gowan was an official pro for them starting in 2004. She was offered 1% of the company in return, and when they tried to pay her $250k she refused, saying that it was not the right amount. They let her go and she filed suit. Now, amid all their problems with the US Government, the online poker room will have to deal with this lawsuit.

One online poker room has signed on a soccer playing legend. Poker site 888Poker now has Santiago Cañizares as part of their crew. The football legend will be a brand ambassador for 888.com, which owns 888poker. The arrangement will last at least a year, and the online poker room hopes that it will “ bolster the 888 brand presence in Spain and beyond”. Cañizares is a former Spanish national goalkeeper and has a Champions League title as well as two La Liga medals and a UEFA Cup.

In the face of the US's apparent war against online poker a world away some are moving to make the past time legal. In Australia an online sports betting operator is pushing for legalizing poker. Andrew Twaits says the current legislation is not working in regards to online poker. Twaits is the owner of Betfair, which also owns a poker room. He would like to see poker players in Australia be able to visit is poker site without any fear of repercussion from the government.

Ira Rubin has been denied bail by the US Government. Rubin is one of those detained by the US Department of Justice for breaking anti online poker laws. Rubin, who was arrested just before leaving the country, had his lawyer point out that he is willing to stay in the US. The US war on online poker rooms could mean decades of jail time for folks like Rubin, who stands accused of funneling payments to and from poker rooms despite the poker law clearly showing that has been illegal since 2006.

Online poker room PKR has announced it will host at Summer of Music. The PKR Summer of Music will allow players to attend music events in London and elswhere. The online poker room will host events in Hyde Park in London as well as events in Sweden, Germany and France. Players can visit the online poker site for more details on how they can attend such events as the Berlin Festival for just €24, where they might find music from The Killers, Arcade Fire and Moby among others.

One poker network has decided to be proactive and block US players, at least temporarily. With major online poker rooms getting shut down by the US, Merge Network has decided better safe than sorry. As of June 3 the poker site will not allow US players to sign up, although current players from the US can still play for real money. Merge Network has poker rooms like Iron Duke, Hero Poker, Carbon Poker, Poker Nordica, PDC Poker, and Lock Poker, all of which will be affected by their decision.

The home of 888 poker has secured a gaming license in Italy. 888 Holdings, the parent company of one of the first online poker rooms, has expanded to allow Italian players. This move comes as good news for poker players in Italy, who will be able to play on the popular online poker room now that the required licenses have been secured. 888 Holdings may offer an online casino in addition to an online poker room, both of which would be open for play for players from Italy.

Online poker room Full Tilt Poker is not yet paying back its customers. The poker room had announced that some funds had been unfrozen but are not yet available. The poker site was one of many targeted by the US federal government when they seized poker sites and shut them down temporarily. US players are not allowed on these sites and are looking for their money back, and till now the funds at Full Tilt Poker were frozen. Just recently at least one major account was unfrozen, but the site said in an official statement “We still do not have a specific timeframe for this.”