With rumors swirling that PokerStars had reportedly purchased Full Tilt Poker, settled with the U.S. Department of Justice on its Black Friday charges, and provided for the repayment of players for a total sum of $750 million, the world’s largest online poker site stayed quiet on Tuesday. In a post on the PokerStarsBlog entitled “PokerStars’ Statement Regarding Settlement Discussions,” the site’s Head of Corporate Communications, Eric Hollreiser, claimed that he was “unable to comment on rumors.”

Hollreiser’s fairly abbreviated PokerStars Blog entry, which popped up just before 2:00pm ET, read, “We’ve had a lot of enquiries and there’s lots of speculation on the forums, so I wanted to address the PokerStars chatter. As you know, PokerStars is in settlement discussions with the U.S. Department of Justice. As such settlement discussions are always confidential, we are unable to comment on rumors. As soon as we have information to share publicly, we will do so.”

While PokerStars was unable to comment publicly, and calls and e-mails placed to Full Tilt Poker attorney Jeff Ifrah went unreturned, plenty of other individuals and organizations were willing to add their two cents. Among those entities weighing in on Tuesday was the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a 1.2 million-member strong lobbying voice for the poker community.

PPA Executive Director John Pappas (pictured) told PocketFives on Tuesday afternoon that his group’s focus was on players being paid back after a one-year separation from their funds: “PPA is aware of speculation around a possible deal for PokerStars to purchase Full Tilt Poker. We remain optimistic that any deal will result in the full reimbursement of player funds; the players deserve nothing less. The PPA is attempting to gather as much credible information as possible and we will keep the players informed of new developments.”

The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, or iMEGA, was also tuned into the fallout on Tuesday. For iMEGA Chairman Joe Brennan (pictured), the rumored deal, if true, exemplified PokerStars’ status as one of the top Web-based companies on the planet: “For a long time, a lot of people have remarked that not only is PokerStars the best-run company in i-gaming, it’s also one of the best run e-commerce companies in the world. They’ve always run what amounts to a very proper corporation.”

Others in the poker community have discussed the downside of having one poker site – PokerStars – with a considerable amount of market share. To address what size a combined PokerStars and Full Tilt player base would be, PocketFives sought out Dan Stewart from PokerScout, a traffic watchdog site.

Just before Black Friday, PokerStars held a 35% cash game market share, while Full Tilt had a 20% stake. Combined, the two sites accounted for about 55% of worldwide cash game traffic, although that number could be lower given that many players have accounts on both sites.

In late June, just before the Alderney Gambling Control Commission suspended Full Tilt’s operating license, PokerStars held a 32% cash game market share, while Full Tilt was at 13.5%. Combined, the two sites accounted for about 45.5% of worldwide cash game traffic just before the bottom dropped out on Full Tilt.

Meanwhile, a Bodog representative commented on Facebook that PokerStars could ultimately be trying to leverage Full Tilt Poker’s software in the United States and elsewhere: “I think it has to do with the software. I think they will keep the Full Tilt software ‘clean’ and license it to new operators in regulated states and jurisdictions looking get into the online poker space.”

Finally, we turn to Wicked Chops Poker, which speculated as to why the DOJ’s deal with Full Tilt and Groupe Bernard Tapie fell through at the last minute: “GBT had no desire (or financial capital) to cover U.S. player balances. This move appears to be a DOJ-led effort to ensure U.S. players are paid back, get as big of a fine paid as possible, and in return, potentially let Isai Scheinberg and PokerStars walk from their charges.”

Check out our other related headlines:

Rumor: PokerStars Buys Full Tilt, GBT Says Statement Coming Shortly
GBT: Issues Surrounding FTP Purchase Proved Unresolvable
Analysis of Alleged Full Tilt Buyout by PokerStars
Poker Community Reacts to PokerStars Rumored Purchase of Full Tilt