Tony G Poker shuts down US Operations

Filed in archive on February 15, 2007

From Tony G's Poker Blog, looks like everybody's favorite smack-talking Lithuanian may have to fold his hand in the US poker market.

"It's a very, very sad day for Tony G. There are no options for me to keep the room open to USA players.

I feel very sad for all of you good folks in the USA but your government is very aggressive right now and is running loose. Neteller money has been seized from people that have done nothing wrong. Who knows if and when it will be returned to the people it belongs to. And where will the government stop in its quest to wipe out internet poker?

My legal advice is not to close, but the hosting company in Malta also wants to close the doors to USA players. I could still keep Tony G. Poker going, since I believe poker is a game of skill, but with the USA government on a rampage, happy to freeze the funds of players that only wanted to play poker, that will put everyone at great risk as we have no way to pay our USA players.*

I am just the face in front of the site and can't do what I would like to do. My hand was forced today and I have no say in this thing."

Tony G joins the ranks of Mansion, Party Poker, Empire Poker, Paradise Poker, Pinnacle Sports and a host of others to close their doors on the US market following the UIGEA.