Carbon Poker has long been an industry leader in online poker promotions and that hasn’t changed in 2012. Through putting on two Poker Maximus’ series, countless VIP points promos, Last Man Standing contests and many others, Carbon Poker has rewarded thousands of poker players at their site. The final three months of the year are no different as here are some of the things currently going on there:

The Punta Cana Classic

The Punta Cana Classic is a live poker tournament that takes place in the Dominican Republic in late October and has numerous big name pros from all over the world enter. Carbon knows that not all players can afford to travel down there, put up the $1,500 entry fee and give it a go. Yet, they also know that almost everyone would love a vacation to such a beautiful place like the Dominican Republic in late October and that is why they have a Steps promotion going on where players can win their way to the big show. The 5-step tournament process allows players to enter Step 1 for as little as $1.10 and work their way up through the steps en route to the $5000 grand prize by winning Step 5. The Carbon Poker prize package not only includes the airfare and tournament entry, but puts you up in accommodations, $1,500 resort credit, all-inclusive food and drinks for two and much more.

Now what poker player couldn’t get behind a fall vacation in the sun for as little as $1?

Happy Hour VIP Points

VIP points are a big part of Carbon Poker as players can use them to buy in to tournaments, redeem them for prizes and many other things. But for those that opt in to the Happy Hour VIP points promo get themselves double VIP points when they play during 11:00 and 3:00 pm server time on Wednesday’s, Thursday’s and Fridays, boosting their account and cashing in big time down the road. This is one of their most popular promos and if you have any desire to boost your rewards for playing poker at Carbon, this is the way to do it.

Earlier this morning, the Alderney Gambling Commission known as the AGCC suspended the licenses held by Full Tilt Poker under which the online poker site operates. All operations have been suspended effective immediately.

The AGCC released a statement that included the following: “The decision to suspend these licenses follows a special investigation prompted by the indictments unsealed by US Attorney General’s Office in the Southern District of New York on 15th April 2011, during which grounds were found to indicate that these licensees and their business associates were operating contrary to Alderney legislation.”

Preliminary reports conclude that Full Tilt Poker tables worldwide came to a halt early this morning.

This is a direct result of the April 15th Black Friday indictments, which suggest that Full Tilt Poker was not operating under the terms of their Alderney licensure. A hearing venue and court date will be announced as the investigation proceeds. Full Tilt Poker subsidiaries including Vantage Ltd., Oxalic Ltd., Orinic Ltd., and Filco Ltd, collectively operating as Full Tilt Poker must “cease to exercise their eGambling licenses.” This means that until further notice, they can no longer register new players, accept deposits from existing players, allow any withdrawals from player accounts, or allow any gambling or poker transaction or participation via Full Tilt Poker.

Executive Director of the AGCC André Wilsenach said, “The decision to suspend the eGambling license was in the public interest and, because of the seriousness and urgency of the matter, it required that immediate action be taken ahead of the regulatory hearing.”

There has been no word from Full Tilt Poker other than a message on their site that states: “Scheduled Maintenance In Progress – The system is currently down for maintenance. Please check back soon!”

PokerStars has issued a statement though, assuring players that they have been operating under the terms of their license that is issued out of Isle of Man, which is a different jurisdiction; therefore, PokerStars players are allegedly safe.

Since Black Friday, online poker in the US has never seen worse days, even after the 2006 UIGEA went into effect and the biggest US poker site, PartyPoker, pulled out of the US market. From the casual online poker player, all the way up the chain to the high stakes online pros and everything in between have had to adjust to life with fewer and fewer US poker sites.

Online poker pros who reside in the US and made their livings playing poker online are now struggling financially, especially since much of their bankrolls where and some still are tied up in their seized online poker account. Relocating to Europe is as hard as it sounds.

One such online poker pro Brian Mogelefsky, who had moved his family to North Carolina after having to shut down his mortgage company due to the national financial crisis, he is now facing another crises as his only means of income—online poker—has been eradicated by the US government.

Head of the Poker Players Alliance John Pappas says that Mogelefsky’s story is not rare, as 50,000 online poker players who made a living playing online poker are now out of work since Black Friday when PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker were all shut down to US players. Now this sector of the US public has now joined the unemployed Americans group.

Some players whose cash is tied up in an account at one of these online poker sites that no longer accepts US players may or may not get their money back. If they had a PokerStars account, their chances are better, as PokerStars has paid out some players; therefore, it seems likely they will continue to make pay outs.

It may be months if ever before Full Tilt or Absolute pays back any of their former US players. Most have already accepted the fact that their money is gone.

Due to the state of affairs in the US online poker market, those professional poker players who quit their jobs, shut down their businesses, and depended on online poker for their income base are now facing depressing times financially and will have to figure out a new way to make ends meet, whether that be returning to their original careers or finding a new one.

The World Series of Poker has seemingly been synonymous with big brand online poker sites advertising, but that’s just not the case this year, and yet, the WSOP still goes on. The Nevada Gaming Control Board is happy that WSOP officials have kept the advertisement of most online poker sites out of the tournament series this year. The Board made it perfectly clear that they did not way any commercial tie ins between the WSOP and online poker sites, specifically those that had been targeted by the US Department of Justice over the past few months.

The Board warned WSOP authorities about any activity that would negatively reflect on the US gaming industry, including free advertising on TV and other online poker site promos. Therefore, the WSOP is on the search for new interested sponsors. Current WSOP partners are longtime sponsor Jack Link’s Beef Jerky, and new sponsorships Dearfoam Slippers and GoDaddy.com. The GoDaddy logo will appear on all televised WSOP tables this year.

GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons says their Internet loving fans are happy about the partnership, though there were some issues pertaining to specific Gaming Control Board rules and regulations that were not specified as required. However, all this has been worked on, and while the WSOP cannot control what players where when they come to the tournament to play (logos on their clothing), as this would be a personal choice. But the usual host of big online poker site advertisements are not present this year. Most of the focus now is on the action, though the issue of Internet poker advertising crossing over into the WSOP may come up again prior to the Main Event.

Poker players will be heading for Cork today for the start of the next leg of the Pokerstars UK & Ireland Poker Tour. The tour, now in its second season has proved to be a resounding success for PokerStars attacking many new players to their online poker tables.

The full schedule for the Cork leg of the tour is as below:

Wed 18 May – € 100 + 10 No Limit Holdem Six Max

Wed 18 May – € 50 + 5 Super Satellite to Main Event

Thu 19 – Sun 22 May - € 500 + 60 No Limit Holdem – Main Event

Thu 19 May – € 100 + 10 No Limit Holdem

Fri 20 May – € 100 + 10 Poker Triathlon

Sat 21 May – € 100 + 10 Super Satellite to High Roller Event

Sat 21 – Sun 22 May – € 1,500 + 120 No Limit Holdem High Roller

Sat 21 – Sun 22 May – € 300 + 30 No Limit Holdem

Sun 22 May € 100 + 10 No Limit Holdem – Charity Bounty Event

Sun 22 May - € 50 + 5 Super Satellite to UKIPT Newcastle

It is rumoured that Cork aim to break the record for a UKIPT event which is currently held by the Nottingham card club, Dusk Til Dawn. DTD managed to seat 1,058 players for the Nottingham leg of the tour.

As well as the drama and tension that goes with high level poker competition, there are other factors that have led to poker becoming one of the fastest growing and most watched spectator sports in the World. One of the interesting sub plots that has sprung up around poker since it became one of the most glamorous sports around is that of the personalties of the sport’s biggest stars. With poker now televised around the World, the games highest profile players have become superstars away from the sport as well. Here are some of the more famous players that have graced poker’s top table over the years…

Chris Ferguson

Nicknamed “Jesus” because of his resemblance to our Lord and Saviour. “Jesus” is sometimes compared to “Van Wilder” from the famous film after being enrolled at UCLA for 18 consecutive years: five years as an undergraduate and 13 as a graduate student. Ferguson was awarded a Ph D in Computer Science when he finally left.

Howard Lederer

Lederer is another player awarded a nickname and is thought of as the “Professor” of poker. Lederer is also considered to be world class in other sports, having won a World Championships in chess. His sister, Annie Duke, is also a professional poker star.

Antonio Esfandiari

Known in poker circles, and by his fans as “The Magician,” Antonio Esfandiari is the guy can (and does!) flare up to 8 chips with both hands. True to his nickname, Esfandiari also performs a series of other card and magic tricks when playing!

Phil Ivey

Phil was warned as a child by his grandfather about the evils of poker and other forms of gambling, but despite this he went on to become the youngest poker player ever to reach professional status. Phil has won 8 WSOP bracelets.

Phil Gordon

After finishing in 4th in the 2001 World Series of Poker Phil Gordon shot to worldwide fame and became rather rich, winning £400,000. Gordon is multi talented though and has supplemented hiss poker income, having written several books.

Why don’t you check out online poker at http://www.skypoker.com/? They’ve got cash games, tournaments and a friendly poker community if you’re new to the game.