eGaming Review April 2012 | Page 15

PRODUCT REVIEW X FACTOR SLOTS WHAT THE PLAYERS SAY From a player perspective, what are your initial thoughts on what you see? Player 2 Things move pretty fast, which is good as I get bored. Player 3 The missions were really good fun and made me talk to people so made it more fun than I expected it to be. Player 4 I don’t really understand poker and I still don’t, but I have some more friends now! The RW brand crosses all demographics, but he does have a female appeal that most poker sites will never attain The American Gaming Association (AGA) will not support Congressman Joe Barton’s internet poker bill and will instead push new legislation in the autumn which would favour Nevada and New Jersey as licensing and regulatory authorities in a future US egaming market. The AGA-backed poker-only bill would also di?er from the Barton dra on how resulting tax revenues would be split between federal and state level. “Taxes would be divided between the state where the bettor is, with the state where the regulator is. The federal government would only receive the income tax on winnings,” said Frank Fahrenkopf, chief of the powerful US land-based casino representative organisation (pictured). In a keynote address at the Gaming Executive Summit in Madrid earlier disagreement among US land-based casino andthis month, he a lot less macho than normalgroups over this issue is the chat was said: “Joe Barton of Texas w h a t Explore chatrooms on introduced a bill biggestwas caused the Reid/Kyl lame [recently] poker sites. As the that selling duck bill the product and let UK modelled on the dra the RW brand crosses allto fail. “Because of some solo artist in history, that was worked on d e a l s us n u t e demographics, but he does have a Kyl in the that were made at the last by Senator Reid and Senator female appeal m iknow your thoughts: What that mostduck session. We are not supporting by Full Tilt and PokerStars, primarily lame poker sites will never attain. works well? Ifit. We are was to create it, social pokernot withStation Casinos and Wynn, the 1 At all the tables the aim not opposing a but we are game, industry Player with every aspect branded by Robbie Williams,was split, and [this bill] didn’t go anywhere. really supporting it.” everyone seemed Player 1 Good fun. Great to play poker with lots of other women so the conversations weren’t Campbell – states would haveblokey! in too to opt to any regulatory regime emerging from but Player 2 Not bad the whole Robbie the AGA-backed poker-only bill. “States thing a would not automatically in bedressing gown is a included bit weird. as states where you can gamble online Player 3 I know it’s with online poker. State legislators and in beta but the tables go governors would have to take a?rmative offline too often, so the action to say, we want our people gameplay is just too to game.” slow for me. Third, said Fahrenkopf, Player 4 I like be way it re would the delineation between those companiesthings and it’s introduces that got out of thethe one with UIGEA’s passage, She's market not just poker, there’s a Reviewers did not. bit more too it. and those thatcommented I don’t know exactly on the high number Player 5 would what that would be, but assume thereLooks similar of female players to other poker sites be a ‘penalty box’”. Fahrenkopf said his understanding was that if aI have played. The company had difference would be stayed in the US post-UIGEA, they would the Robbie Williams be barred from any federal licensing angle. The tables are process for a minimum of all names of his songs, two years. The AGA’s president and CEO said that a which is funny! What could be improved? Player 1 Inviting friends to play is by email – there’s no Facebook Player 2 The tables don’t work as well as I would like, need to be more reliable Player 3 Robbie Williams in a dressing gown is a bit odd – scrap that! Player 4 Well, poker is too hard! Player 5 Nothing really. It works well. What is missing? Player 1 Different variants of poker as well as a speedier version of the game. Player 2 Because it's fun poker you always play every hand and do crazy things, so it can be annoying when some people come on and mess about. then RWFP has certainly achieved it. Non-fans andFahrenkopf said may be put off, but that would serious players the AGA was “hopeful be athat a er it is a decent skin. a bill will shame as the summer break, RANKING AVERAGE USER SCORES be introduced” which would provide the following: “Number one, it would give oversight to the Congress department of the United States but they would delegate L L OVERA the licensing and regulatory authority to USABILITY 16/25 those states that have the longest history DESIGN 20/25 ENGAGEMENT 20/25 in gaming regulation, that have the law PLAYABILITY 20/25 enforcement on sta? and the ?nancial wherewithal to do tough regulation. Probably, that only means Nevada and New Jersey.” O contrast Second, added Fahrenkopf, in V E R A L L USABILITY 23/25 bills such as that introduced to earlier DESIGN 24/25 last year by ENGAGEMENT 23/25Barney Frank – re-introduced PLAYABILITY 22/25 in March this year by Congressman John friendly. I even heard that Robbie plays some tables himself, so the chat is good. 76/100 RANKING USABILITY 21/ 25 ENGAGEMENT 24 / 25 Something DESIGN 22 / 25 stupid A player avatar PLAYABILITY 24/25 92/100 91/100 15 OVERALL www.egrmagazine.com