| In light of the recent negative media in regards to | | | | follow through with this because an external audit |
| online poker and the security issues at several | | | | will go a long way in drowning out the bad beat |
| major poker sites, the minds that run these | | | | drama found in so many poker forums about full |
| operations need now be taking a more serious | | | | tilt hands that went terribly wrong. |
| approach to the issue that has begun to define | | | | Next is the enforcement and crackdown on the |
| the trust a player has in his chosen poker site. | | | | data-mining activities of third party software like |
| Suffice to say that Party Poker and Poker Stars | | | | Poker-Edge. This software has always been the |
| have consistently led the way with the tightest | | | | nemesis of Poker Stars and Party Poker where |
| security on the market and have certainly gone a | | | | those sites actually scan your hard-drive now to |
| long way in actually defining the safety that its | | | | determine if you are using such software. You will |
| players should expect when depositing and then | | | | get a warning of account deletion and confiscation |
| playing with their own money online. | | | | in about a New York minute if you are actually |
| Up until now, the other major internet poker site, | | | | using it. |
| Full Tilt Poker has lagged behind the two power | | | | Only recently Full Tilt actually put up a list of |
| units in the market in its security policies. One of | | | | prohibited software that included Poker-Edge. Now |
| those policies is certainly being a public external | | | | it is one thing to have a list of prohibited software |
| audit whereby anyone who is interested can | | | | and actually do something about it, which up until |
| analyze the card distribution and hence being able | | | | now Full Tilt didn't really "prevent" its use. That all |
| to determine if the randomizer program in use at | | | | changed when operators of Poker-Edge actually |
| Full Tilt is actually fair. The other major security | | | | boasted on their own forum that Full Tilt doesn't |
| issue is the lack of policy with regards to third | | | | even care about using the Poker-Edge on their |
| party "black hat" data mining software being used | | | | tables and cited mockingly that "Poker-Edge does |
| for profit on the Full Tilt tables against | | | | have a b2b affiliation with fulltilt such that if you |
| unsuspecting players. | | | | signup with fulltilt through the poker-edge link... |
| Full Tilt experienced a bonanza of business last | | | | you'll get poker-edge for free (for three months). |
| year when Party Poker (being a publicly listed | | | | So I truly doubt that fulltilt cares very much |
| company on the London Stock Exchange) was | | | | about that prohibited list." |
| forced to pull out of the American market to | | | | Well that tidbit irked the sleeping giant to the point |
| avoid getting into a potential legal battle with the | | | | of identifying Poker-Edge as being in breach of |
| Government of the USA. Within weeks of the | | | | their affiliate agreement and have now cut off |
| legislation, Full Tilt became a major player in the | | | | association with that software, and further as |
| market leaving behind many other poker sites of | | | | stated by the Full Tilt rep "As far as the |
| its comparative size like Ultimate Bet, Absolute | | | | data-mining issue is concerned, we are currently |
| Poker, and Bodog for example. Those sites now | | | | reviewing our options, which may include the |
| are suffering in their own right with "soft" security | | | | introduction of countermeasures that will deter |
| and need to make some big decisions if they can | | | | and prevent the use of such programs and/or |
| expect future growth. | | | | databases. The integrity of our site and the |
| So given that Full Tilt may have had some | | | | security of our players are of paramount |
| growing pains, it could be argued they had other | | | | importance to Full Tilt Poker, as they have been |
| things on their mind than security. In a recent | | | | since our inception." |
| communication with the company however, I | | | | Given that Full Tilt Poker has now deemed these |
| have been informed of at least these issues | | | | issues a priority as well, I should think that would |
| which are now being addressed at this point. | | | | be a wake-up call to Bodog, Ultimate Bet, |
| An external audit is now being considered as a Full | | | | Absolute, and the rest of the aspiring poker sites |
| Tilt company representative stated - "As for a | | | | that want to progress in this game of capturing |
| third-party independent audit of our shuffling and | | | | new players and deposits. You are simply going to |
| dealing processes, we are currently considering | | | | need the highest security standards and policies as |
| our options in that area and hope to have a | | | | part of your infrastructure. |
| related announcement soon." I really hope they | | | | |