Sponsorship Out For Many Poker Pros

Part of the business model for many online poker operators has been marketing their brand through the sponsorship of professional players, most often at events taking place on land-based casinos. They wear the logo, and sometimes even participate in televised or online advertisements on behalf of the site.

With the “Black Friday” bust that involved their companies, Ultimate Bet (part of the same parent company as Absolute Poker, which was busted) let go of many of its “team,” in a purge that included Joe Sebok, Prahlad Friedman, Eric “Basebaldy” Baldwin, Maria Ho, Brandon Cantu, Tiffany Michelle, Scott Ian, “Hollywood” Dave Stann, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Bryan Devonshire.

Some of them understood that since they were U.S. players, and may have had no substantial marketing value beyond U.S. borders, that they were going to be rather unnecessary. It is expected that similar moves might come from Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars, the two other companies that were initially targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice.