foxwoods launches real money online site

[GrannyMae]

the Catch is that you have to buy your credits at the casino.

i have not looked too hard, but you can play for free as well

http://foxwoods.casinoplayaway.com


interesting potential for US casinos

[OrangeHeat]

Wow if this goes through it has some real potential. Especially if they can link up the funding like they do the progressive slots. Fund from any casino would be the idea.

Orange

[GrannyMae]

i've been playing for free and the software is nice. just some base games, but very unique.

i think that they are ready to challenge the doj, cuz from what i see, that is certainly an online, real money casino.

[cianosheehan]

Why would in-house casino funding give an edge? And why would the casinos want that aswell? Poker is relatively non-profit for casino. Drawing people away from the BJ tables and encouraging them to stay at home playing online seems strange to me. Or is this simply a way of trying to cash in on the online explosion?

[ChristinaB]

Can I earn wampum points online?

[cthomer5000]

[ QUOTE ]
Why would in-house casino funding give an edge? And why would the casinos want that aswell? Poker is relatively non-profit for casino. Drawing people away from the BJ tables and encouraging them to stay at home playing online seems strange to me. Or is this simply a way of trying to cash in on the online explosion?

[/ QUOTE ]

1. It's gaming business they are doing even after you've left the casino. ($$$)

2. If you do win some dough, that assures Foxwoods that you'll be coming back at some point. ($$$)

[cianosheehan]

So you can only cash out at the casino?

[cthomer5000]

[ QUOTE ]
So you can only cash out at the casino?

[/ QUOTE ]


"Winning tickets can be redeemed at one of the Foxwoods PlayAway™ locations at Foxwoods Resort Casino."

[cianosheehan]

Woops...only realised now the site ISNT poker! Suddenly it all becomes clear!

[cthomer5000]

[ QUOTE ]
Woops...only realised now the site ISNT poker! Suddenly it all becomes clear!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, it does appear poker is one of the included games:

"Enjoy your favorite games — slots, poker, blackjack, and so much more — at home! Win big cash payouts!"

[cianosheehan]

Heh...leave me alone, its 4.30am here! I thought it was JUST poker.

[Overdrive]

Wow. This is very, very interesting. It could be a nice little way around the current legal insanity whirling around online gaming. I live 30 minutes from Tunica and if some of the casinos there opened poker rooms with this method I would sure try it.

As a little no content side note - there is also a legal dog track in my area and you can place bets there on horse races taking place all over the country. Now couldn't some people say that was violating the old wire act law? I'm sure they have some kind of exemption or whatever but it seems crazy you can do that but not other things....Anyway I'm pleased to see foxwoods doing this and I hope others will follow.

[jman220]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Woops...only realised now the site ISNT poker! Suddenly it all becomes clear!

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, it does appear poker is one of the included games:

"Enjoy your favorite games — slots, poker, blackjack, and so much more — at home! Win big cash payouts!"

[/ QUOTE ]

Are we talking about actual player versus player poker, or just house games? And how are they going to do the rake? No one is going to play their online poker room if they rake the same way they do live. ($5 every half hour for the $100 max no limit game, ridiculous).

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
So you can only cash out at the casino?

[/ QUOTE ]

or you can send the voucher to GrannyMae who will cash it for you and place in your NETeller account for a smallish (10%) processing fee.

wooo

btw, i was told that multi-player poker and many other games will be added. this was a soft launch to see how it works.

[jasonHoldEm]

It's a clever idea, but I think the limited funding options are gong to hamper its success. They're really going to have to pimp this up at the casino for it to work (for example instead of having only three special locations to buy the tickets, having signs at all the cages and allowing people to buy tickets when they're cashing out a big win would be a good place to start).

J

[jman220]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
So you can only cash out at the casino?

[/ QUOTE ]

or you can send the voucher to GrannyMae who will cash it for you and place in your NETeller account for a smallish (10%) processing fee.

wooo

btw, i was told that multi-player poker and many other games will be added. this was a soft launch to see how it works.

[/ QUOTE ]

Could you also buy-in for interested people this way, or do I have to be tehre in person to create an account?

[Rockatansky]

[ QUOTE ]
i've been playing for free and the software is nice. just some base games, but very unique.

i think that they are ready to challenge the doj, cuz from what i see, that is certainly an online, real money casino.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good for them. The DOJ has been saying that this would violate the Wire Act. However, the Fifth Circuit has explicitly ruled that the Wire Act does not apply to non-sports gambling. Of course, Foxwoods is not in the Fifth Circuit, but this will make for an interesting test case.

[GrannyMae]

Could you also buy-in for interested people this way, or do I have to be tehre in person to create an account?

i'll bet they spent a fortune on this, yet the launch was *very* soft.

imo, if they do not run into trouble, it will just be a matter of time before you can buy gift certificates etc online. let's see how this plays out.

perhaps they are trying this under the protection of the indian gaming laws. perhaps doj does not even have jurisdiction here.

[jrbick]

[ QUOTE ]

As a little no content side note - there is also a legal dog track in my area and you can place bets there on horse races taking place all over the country. Now couldn't some people say that was violating the old wire act law? I'm sure they have some kind of exemption or whatever

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, off-track betting is legal under other bills. I'm too lazy to look it up right now and I've quit my legal rantings.

Good luck, Foxwoods. TY for the HU Granny.

[jman220]

[ QUOTE ]
Could you also buy-in for interested people this way, or do I have to be tehre in person to create an account?

i'll bet they spent a fortune on this, yet the launch was *very* soft.

imo, if they do not run into trouble, it will just be a matter of time before you can buy gift certificates etc online. let's see how this plays out.

perhaps they are trying this under the protection of the indian gaming laws. perhaps doj does not even have jurisdiction here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually now that I'm thinking about it, they might actually be cleverly skirting the wire act through this method. I believe the wire act deals with using electronic media to place wagers and wire money interstate. However, if all deposits and cashouts need to be made at Foxwoods, in the casino, then no money is being sent interstate and the wire act may not be applicable.

[GrannyMae]

well, that did not take long.

our esteemed AG blumenthal has determined that the online site is "absolutely unacceptable".

interesting thing is that he was more concerned that people will feel the need to play off all of their credits because the winnings will burn a hole in their pocket before they have a chance to go back to casino.

that's a good point actually. i bet there will be many that won't have the discipline to hold that ticket if they caught a win.

[memphis57]

[ QUOTE ]

Actually now that I'm thinking about it, they might actually be cleverly skirting the wire act through this method. I believe the wire act deals with using electronic media to place wagers and wire money interstate. However, if all deposits and cashouts need to be made at Foxwoods, in the casino, then no money is being sent interstate and the wire act may not be applicable.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jman, I bet you are right. They must feel like they have found a legal loophole by making all the cash transfers take place on site, and I wouldn't be surprised if that makes it legally like off-track betting. I, too, live between the tunica casinos and the West Memphis dog track, and one interesting thing about the off track bets is that you don't have to be there when the race is run - you buy your tickets today for tomorrows race and go back next thursday to collect your winnings. So, possibly they're arguing that is legally the same as placing a bet on a blackjack or poker game that will take place while they are away (evenif they are at home making decisions) and then they come back to collect winnings.

This is VERY good, and it's good that the AG so quickly opposed it. If foxwoods doesn't back off, we might get a court decision out of this that clarifies things quite a bit.

However, in line with my usual pessimism, look for dirty tricks by the AG. Like, leaning on the state of Conn (or whoever - is Foxwoods federal indian or state-permitted?) to revoke their casino license if the court cases go against them on the grounds that they would then be convicted felons. Foxwoods would have to back off then, as the risk wouldn't be worth the potential gain. Does anybody know if they can do that?

[Nalapoint1]

Can they take your land through eminent domain for private developement?

[jasonHoldEm]

[ QUOTE ]
well, that did not take long.

our esteemed AG blumenthal has determined that the online site is "absolutely unacceptable".

[/ QUOTE ]

Any indication if Foxwoods will be fighting the decision?

[GrannyMae]

Any indication if Foxwoods will be fighting the decision?

not sure.

funny thing is that i just caught the very end of the local news story. i was shocked that it made the news already. now i know why the launch was so soft, but that backfired. took the AG no time at all to realize it had been slipped in.

i am going to be there all weekend and will see if i can find out more. i'm also, OF COURSE, gonna buy a voucher. there is a slot machine with a fire breathing dragon!!!!! granny gotta play that for real $$

wooooo


http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/0/turok.gif

[Freudian]

[ QUOTE ]

i am going to be there all weekend and will see if i can find out more. i'm also, OF COURSE, gonna buy a voucher. there is a slot machine with a fire breathing dragon!!!!! granny gotta play that for real $$


[/ QUOTE ]

But... but slots are -EV. /images/graemlins/confused.gif /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[largeeyes]

This looks much less interesting than what this thread has made it out to be.

Local News (http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3615729&nav=3YeXcKxF)

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
This looks much less interesting than what this thread has made it out to be.

Local News (http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3615729&nav=3YeXcKxF)

[/ QUOTE ]


gotta crawl before you walk. FW has tried to make it very uninteresting, but the intentions are almost certainly based on what they can grow it to, not what it is now.

[largeeyes]

It's a lottery ticket you buy at foxwoods and login to see if you won. It's like a McDonald's fry sticker, only you pay for it and don't get the yummy fries.

[krazyace5]

The AG is probably just worried it will cut into their lotto sales.

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

i am going to be there all weekend and will see if i can find out more. i'm also, OF COURSE, gonna buy a voucher. there is a slot machine with a fire breathing dragon!!!!! granny gotta play that for real $$


[/ QUOTE ]

But... but slots are -EV. /images/graemlins/confused.gif /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


i ignored my pager vibrating for an open seat at wynn because i was on a HOT, 1cent, $10,000,000.00 steve wynn-face progressive machine. my priorities are clearly ev+.

$10,000,000.00 !!!!! that's alot for a penny machine. who cares that you needed to bet about 6,000 pennies per spin to even qualify for it??

wooo

[GrannyMae]

McDonald's fry sticker

come to think of it, i think it is almost time for the 2005 mcdonald's monopoly game. yee-haw

[Benal]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

i am going to be there all weekend and will see if i can find out more. i'm also, OF COURSE, gonna buy a voucher. there is a slot machine with a fire breathing dragon!!!!! granny gotta play that for real $$


[/ QUOTE ]

But... but slots are -EV. /images/graemlins/confused.gif /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


i ignored my pager vibrating for an open seat at wynn because i was on a HOT, 1cent, $10,000,000.00 steve wynn-face progressive machine. my priorities are clearly ev+.

$10,000,000.00 !!!!! that's alot for a penny machine. who cares that you needed to bet about 6,000 pennies per spin to even qualify for it??

wooo

[/ QUOTE ]

I must of dropped 300-400 bucks on that game last week LOL. Fun times...

PS. 300 coins to qualify, $3.

[jasonHoldEm]

[ QUOTE ]
launch was so soft, but that backfired. took the AG no time at all to realize it had been slipped in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe foxwoods should hire me...I've been known to successfully complete a hard launch before anyone realizes it's been slipped in.

[GrannyMae]

i have not had a launch of any kind since... well, i will omit this duration because it is large and pitiful number.

the saddest part is that this suits me fine.

sigh

"please pass the chips honey" <----- as sexy as it gets here

[memphis57]

[ QUOTE ]
This looks much less interesting than what this thread has made it out to be.

Local News (http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3615729&nav=3YeXcKxF)

[/ QUOTE ]




An excerpt from the story:


[quote
A practice the attorney general says may be illegal.

"Under federal law in the compact with the tribe gambling can take pace within the reservation boundaries. Clearly this gambling is anywhere, any time. That is exactly their pitch and those circumstances make it severely problematic," says Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

However Foxwoods says Playaway is simply a game and not gambling.

Players buy tickets at Foxwoods that come with an access code so they can log in and play from home.

However the results are already predetermined by a computerized drawing at the casino.

A Spokesperson for Foxwoods, Arthur Henick, says, "Nothing the player does from his computer can impact the outcome of the game. Unlike illegal offshore internet casinos, no financial transactions of any kind ever take place on the internet. There is no betting...no pay out."


[/ QUOTE ]


I agree with Granny, they're starting off with the minimum they think they can get away with. They seem to bemaking two arguments here: (1) the part that goes on outside the casino is not gambling, but simply a game, like soccer or chess. Then, whilst in the casino, some people place wagers on those outside games. (2) nothing the player does outside the csino can influence the results. The gamble takes place when the wager is purchased - you merely find out the results from home. As if you put a coin in a weird kind of slot machine which took 4 hours to finish spinning, and then went home and called back on the telephone to find out if you had won.

If they buy #1, poker is in. If only #2, then poker is no closer than before. #2 is much safer, almost so safe that they can risk court battles with little fear of loss. But at the same time it gives them a chance to argue, and possibly get a court rulling on, #1.

gh, foxwoods.