Groupe Partouche has announced that they are closing their Partouche.fr online poker site, effective 1 June, 2013. Players have been advised to move to MyPok, a skin of the same network, and their loyalty points remain redeemable until 17 June.
French television channel Canal+ has aired a report on Partouche family members allegedly receiving thousands of Euros as a gift to play in the room, which is, in case it is true, is a major violation of the French gaming regulations. Officially, however, no one has been charged of cheating.
Patrick Partouche, who has been known for his passionate responses to allegations regarding his enterprise or family, reacted in his peculiar style via Facebook, announcing the closure after the broadcast:
“Groupe Partouche has tried everything in poker… the first to make a very good tournament, the first to make an online poker room on dot-com dot-Fr, the first to produce a TV show etc… But also the first to know all the possible shenanigans of the game, the players, and sometimes the government after the online gaming laws were introduced… To close this debate, we will be the first to close.” (Translation from French by Pokerfuse.com)
In fact, a number of rooms had already left the regulated French market: 888, Microgaming and iPoker skins have long since departed. In addition, Partouche was not even the strongest actor in the market, placing 7th out of eight in terms of cash game traffic. The French preferred Winamax, PokerStars.fr, PartyPoker.fr and even iPoker.fr over the Partouche skin.
French television channel Canal+ has aired a report on Partouche family members allegedly receiving thousands of Euros as a gift to play in the room, which is, in case it is true, is a major violation of the French gaming regulations. Officially, however, no one has been charged of cheating.
Patrick Partouche, who has been known for his passionate responses to allegations regarding his enterprise or family, reacted in his peculiar style via Facebook, announcing the closure after the broadcast:
“Groupe Partouche has tried everything in poker… the first to make a very good tournament, the first to make an online poker room on dot-com dot-Fr, the first to produce a TV show etc… But also the first to know all the possible shenanigans of the game, the players, and sometimes the government after the online gaming laws were introduced… To close this debate, we will be the first to close.” (Translation from French by Pokerfuse.com)
In fact, a number of rooms had already left the regulated French market: 888, Microgaming and iPoker skins have long since departed. In addition, Partouche was not even the strongest actor in the market, placing 7th out of eight in terms of cash game traffic. The French preferred Winamax, PokerStars.fr, PartyPoker.fr and even iPoker.fr over the Partouche skin.
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