PokerTableRatings removes Stars profiles
Move follows a cease and desist letter issued to the tracking site by Isle of Man-licensed operator.
Poker data tracking site PokerTableRatings (PTR) has agreed to remove the profiles of PokerStars players from its site following a legal dispute with the Isle of Man-licensed operator.
The company was initially accused by PokerStars of resurrecting its site with a new ISP, but has agreed, according to a statement, to “Fully adhere to the cease and desist notice by Stars, though we do not believe that we are a disservice to the online poker community.”
It said: “The current management team of PTR has been in place for just under a year and since day 1 we have been exploring ways to compromise with brands in order to create positive relationships for the betterment of the community.”
PokerStars chief legal counsel Paul Telford explained yesterday that “Our cease and desist notices were issued after repeated unsuccessful attempts to ensure PTR only supplies information on players who have opted in and agreed to have their playing statistics made public,” adding that “PTR never took up this offer.”
Telford also said the ISP change from PTR “Indicates the nature of the people we are dealing with and the lengths they will go to continue their infringing activity.”
A number of other poker operators have sought to steer clear of the impact of poker tracking sites in the recent past in attempts to appeal more to recreational players. Most recently Bodog introduced anonymous tables across its poker offering in its November software update, to prevent players obtaining data on their opponents.
MarketZero, the team behind PTR, began working with Zynga one year ago with the aim of “[building] out cutting-edge features and further [enhancing] Zynga Poker.”
Commenting on the dispute with PokerStars the company has stated: The latest events, though a disruption in our plans, do not derail them.”