PokerFuse.com released an article last week rumoring the return of PokerRoom.com to offering real money poker online. Their article was based on a tweet from bwin SEO Manager Josef Rantamäki. Rantamäki tweeted “Wow! www.pokerroom.com will be relaunched and once again offer real money poker games.”
PokerRoom "Under Consideration" for Reopening
A few hours later, he recanted that same claim and said that he “jumped the gun” after seeing some changes on the website. Someone tweeting as PokerRoomBlog on twitter would not confirm or deny that the site would be coming back.
According to James Guill of PokerNewsBoy.com, the above is partially true. He reported that bwin sources confirm that they are considering reopening the online site. When asked about the changes to the website, the sources said that the site was due for an overhaul and even if the site was not used to reopen PokerRoom, it would support other sites on the Ongame Network. Sources also confirmed that Rantamäki had jumped the gun as he had claimed.
For those that don’t remember PokerRoom, it was one of the first online poker sites to offer cash poker games. By the time the poker boom hit in the mid 2000′s, PokerRoom had established itself as a premier site. Unfortunately, the site had to pull out of the US market in 2006 due to the UIGEA and revenue steadily decreased. The site was finally closed in 2009 and has redirected players to bwin and partypoker since.
PokerRoom was a trendsetter for years in the online poker industry. It was the first site to receive eCogra’s seal of approval and the first online poker site to offer a Mac compatible poker client. For years, it was one of only a handful of sites online to offer Five Card Draw poker.
With the recent developments with Full Tilt, PokerStars, and Absolute Poker, the reopening of PokerRoom would be a welcome site to players that have been displaced since April 15th. Unfortunately, it will not be available for US players, but with the potentially changing legal climate in the US, PokerRoom would be in prime position for growth if they were to legalize poker.