STOCKHOLM, Sweden –- (PRESS RELEASE) -- With the growing popularity of online
gaming, particularly poker, PokerRoom.com is pleased to announce it has earned
the Play it Safe seal from eCOGRA (eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation
Assurance), an international online gaming regulator. This seal indicates to
players that PokerRoom.com has met stringent requirements to protect its
members in areas such as player security, fair gaming, responsible operator
conduct and responsible gaming. With the Play it Safe seal, PokerRoom.com is
now part of a regulatory framework of 55 top online gaming sites.
With more than four million players from more than 140 countries,
PokerRoom.com is the fastest growing online poker site in the world, growing
twice as fast (323 per cent) as the entire online poker industry (154 per
cent) in the past year. Canadians represent more than 10 per cent of the
players on PokerRoom.com.
"With the increasing popularity of online poker, now, more than ever,
online gamers are looking for reassurance that their online gaming
transactions are safe, secure and fair. This is what eCOGRA strives to provide
players worldwide," says Andrew Beveridge, CEO, eCOGRA. "PokerRoom.com is a
welcome addition to this industry. Our Board of Directors was extremely
impressed with PokerRoom.com's approach to corporate governance and
responsible gaming. In addition, as the first online gaming operation to
achieve accreditation from the Global Gaming Guidance Group (G4) -- the
world's largest organization focused on preventing problem gambling -- we know
that they are committed to putting players first."
Application for the eCOGRA initiative and the Play it Safe seal is open
to any organization in the gaming industry. To earn the seal of approval,
PokerRoom.com underwent an intensive inspection by eCOGRA's Board of
Directors. Within this board, three independent directors -- with experience
in the areas of business development, regulatory affairs and legal affairs for
the gaming industry -- determine which operators are awarded the Play it Safe
seal. The directors conduct inspections over several days, which are then
followed up with random monitoring. Areas under review include the monitoring
of all gaming transactions, payout efficiency, responsiveness of the Customer
Support Team, checks on financial stability and fair and honest operational
conduct. In addition, eCOGRA includes a Fair Gaming Advocate to whom players
can appeal if any disputes cannot be settled with an online gaming site.
"We take the safety and security of our players very seriously," says
Patrik Selin, CEO PokerRoom.com. "As leaders in the online gaming industry,
it is our responsibility to provide our players with the reassurance that we
are taking steps to provide them with an enjoyable and safe online gaming
experience. By earning the eCOGRA Play it Safe seal, we demonstrate that we
are making our members a priority."
In addition to the eCOGRA Play it Safe seal, Selin encourages online
gamers to look for other indications of a site's commitment to ensuring safe
and secure gaming transactions. These include accreditation from an
organization such as Global Gaming Guidance Group (G4); a Thwate SSL
Certificate, which ensures secure communications by encrypting all data to
and from the site; and a site that prohibits players under the age of 18.