Full Tilt Poker Adds Casino Games To Their Lineup

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Monday, January 13th, 2014 | Written by Shane Larson

In July 2013, Full Tilt Poker announced that in addition to offering real money online poker, it also intended to eventually add real money casino games to its core product. At the time, the statement was received with some surprise as it marked the first time Full Tilt and PokerStars’ parent company, Rational Group, expressed a desire to expand beyond just online poker.

Full Tilt test-running real money casino games

Just a few weeks into 2014, and Full Tilt Poker has already started rolling out real money casino games, albeit in a staggered order, with some customers reporting that they are now able to access roulette and blackjack tables through the site’s “quick seat” lobby.

According to PokerFuse, on Monday a software update introduced roulette and blackjack to Full Tilt customers, with others casino games expected to follow later at various intervals as the company tests and vets the new features. Commenting on the ground-breaking move at Full Tilt Poker, The Rational Group’s Head of Corporate Communications , Eric Hollreiser, said in an exclusive statement to PokerFuse:

“As we announced last summer, the Rational Group is expanding our offering to include casino style games on Full Tilt Poker. This week we began testing single and multiplayer play-money versions of Blackjack and Roulette in select markets. Following the test period we will provide real money offerings in current and additional test markets. As always, we will provide the high quality player experience, integrity, security, safety and support that players have come to expect from Rational Group brands.”

The good news for poker purists and PokerStars customers, however, is that a company spokesperson for the world’s biggest online poker room said PokerStars will continue to operate exclusively as a poker room, and will remain poker-only for the foreseeable future.

Adrenaline Rush Poker a bridge between poker and casino games

Interestingly, last week Full Tilt introduced its new high-octane poker game Adrenaline Rush Poker to an excited public, which is similar in format to its revolutionary Rush Poker, only with just four players at the table, each of whom can buy in for a reduced 5 or 10 big blinds. Furthermore, there is no post-flop betting, with all the bets placed before the flop is dealt.

Not surprisingly, all-ins occur with a frightening frequency making Adrenaline Rush Poker the quickest and most action filled poker variant yet devised. Nevertheless, it also introduces an extra element of luck to a game in which luck already plays a significant part. As a result, Adrenaline Rush Poker and gambling games in general have not gone down at all well with many poker purists, many of whom are uncertain whether they will attract new “fish” dollars to the poker ecology, or simply divert their money to the casino chain, never to be seen again.

However, the fact remains that online poker rooms are not the most lucrative businesses in general, and so pit games are seen as an essential way for these venues to continue to operate successfully.

Full Tilt Poker not available to US players

Unfortunately, Full Tilt Poker and its new roster of casino games will continue to be unavailable to US-based players as the popular poker room was forced from the US real money online poker market following Black Friday on April 15, 2011. That was the date when the US Department of Justice cracked down on the major offshore poker operators by raiding and shutting down the three most popular poker sites at the time, PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker.

Not only did the US government’s actions cause considerable distress for the sites’ online customers, many of whom were then unable to access their frozen online accounts, but the Black Friday indictments also had the effect of putting a halt to a booming, vibrant online poker scene.

Since then, PokerStars has settled its outstanding lawsuit with the Justice Department and agreed to pay it $731 million, which also included it acquiring the assets of Full Tilt. As part of the deal, $547 million of the money went to the Justice Department, whilst the remaining $184 million went towards overseas poker players who were owed money by Full Tilt Poker.

Meanwhile, Full Tilt Poker’s US customers are still waiting to receive their remuneration, although, the process is currently underway with players expected to see their money within the first half of 2014.

Nevertheless, despite PokerStars having settled with the DOJ, the amount of ill-will created towards the online poker room continues to remain high in the States with the American Gaming Association (AGA) opposing the company at every turn and accusing it of having “operated as a criminal enterprise for many years.”

In fact, it is believed the AGA was instrumental in having PokerStars excluded from obtaining a license to operate in the fledgling New Jersey online gambling market, and as the USA’s leading casino trade association explained at the time:

“Any action allowing PokerStars to be licensed would send a damaging message to the world of gaming, and to the world beyond gaming, that companies that engage in chronic law breaking are welcome in the licensed gaming business. That message would dramatically undermine public confidence in gaming regulation and could cripple the industry’s public image.”