Bodog to Exit U.S. Market at End of 2011
On Tuesday, Bodogannounced that it will no longer serve the U.S. market as of the end of 2011. One of the industry’s longstanding sites, Bodog was recently granted a gaming license by the U.K. Gambling Commission and, consequently, will let its U.S.-facing agreement with Morris Mohawk of Canada expire at the end of the year. What will happen to players on the Morris Mohawk site come January 1st? Read on to find out.
In a statement posted on CalvinAyre.com, Bodog officials explained that U.S. players will likely have a Morris Mohawk-backed option come the beginning of the year: Morris Mohawk “will launch under its own brand in 2012, licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. All Bodog.eu clients’ funds will remain safe and they will have the option to switch to a new MMGG brand should they wish, but MMGG confirms it’s business as usual.”
U.S. residents won’t be able to access Bodog.eu or any other Bodog domain names beginning on January 1st. Bodog officials charged that the change represents “a new chapter in its history” in the internet gaming market: “This decision presents a fresh direction for the BodogBrand.com as it looks to create a new chapter in its history. The move will enable the Bodog brand to continue its growth and expansion and maintain its position as the world’s largest gaming brand.”
In a thread in the Poker Sites forum on PocketFives.com, reaction was mixed to today’s news. One poster speculated, “I think it will hurt the current Bodog poker crowd quite a bit. It seems like MMGC will launch its own software and players will have the option to transfer Bodog funds to MMGC.” Whether a “bank run” will occur given today’s news remains to be seen.
Another player assessed that the news of Bodog’s egress from the American market further highlighted the need for legislation and regulation in the United States: “More bad news for U.S. online poker players. We really need to support the PPA and get some legislation passed quickly.”
While some users of PocketFives.com quickly asked for cashouts from Bodog, others guessed what the composition of the player pool would be come the turn of the calendar a few months from now: “Unreal. Probably one of the softest fields out there, and going off the U.S. market. Any ideas for the next step?” Another PocketFiver echoed, “There are no soft fields left in the U.S. market. All remaining sites are moderate at least.”
Bodog has been in the gaming business for 10 years, during most of which Calvin Ayre served as the site’s front man.
According to PokerScout.com, which tracks online poker room traffic, Bodog is the 16th largest site in the land, with a seven-day running average of 970 real money ring game players. Its cash game traffic is up 76% year-over-year and the room will, up until the end of 2011, continue to accept U.S. players.
