It looks like there is huge news in the U.S. offshore online poker industry. Lock Poker shows all the signs of a site that has folded permanently. The server has been down for 48 hours as of the time of this report. Support is not answering inquiries and the casino is also not functional.
The news is better at most of the other sites. Payouts are made in a reasonable time frame at all but one offshore poker site still operating.
Our March report may be found here. Last month’s grades are in parenthesis.
Bovada A+ (A+)
As has been the case for over two years, Bovada takes our top spot. The largest U.S.-facing site continues to grow its cash game traffic. PokerScout estimates that Bovada averages 1,700 players at any given time and peaks at about 2,800 each day. It is now the third largest online poker room in the world behind only 888 and PokerStars. The incredible processing speeds are certain to be a big reason for this success.
Check speeds were a consistent seven days for the past month. The maximum amount is $2,500. Bank wires are available in amounts up to $5,000 and are also processed in about seven days. There is a Fast Funds Visa payout that returns funds to a debit card, which takes less than one week. There is a fee of $50 for each transaction. Bovada waives this fee once per month.
Western Union withdrawals are processed in one or two days. The fees and amounts are as follows:
Western Union
- $100 – $249 Fee: $50
- $250 – $499 Fee: $75
- $500 – $999 Fee: $100
- $1000 – $1499 Fee: $150
- $1500 – $2000 Fee: $200
Winning Poker Network A+ (A-)
The payment situation has always been fast at the sites using the cashier at the Winning Poker Network. These include Americas Cardroom, Black Chip Poker, and True Poker. The latest payouts were the fastest we have recorded in many months on the network.
Players can request a check in amounts up to $2,995. These are delivered in 7-10 days, about half of the speed of last month. The fee is $65 but players can receive one per month for free.
Players can receive funds by a debit card issued by Winning Poker. These payouts are processed in 1-2 days. There is a $25 fee to receive the card and a $4.50 fee for a payout. There are also fees charged when an ATM withdrawal is processed and a monthly maintenance fee.
Bitcoin payouts are made in about two days. There is no fee for Bitcoin.
Western Union payouts also take about two days. The fees and amounts are:
- $100 – $299 Fee: $60
- $300 – $499 Fee: $70
- $500 – $749 Fee: $85
- $750 – $999 Fee: $95
- $1,000 – $1,500 Fee: $110
BetOnline B+ (B+)
BetOnline is the main site on the Chico Poker Network. Checks are processed in amounts up to $2,500. The fee is $25. Players can receive one free per month if requested on Friday. These are delivered in about one week. Western Union cash transfers are processed in about 1-2 days. The fee is $50 and the maximum amount is $500.
BetOnline now offers Bitcoin withdrawals. These are available in amounts up to $2,500 and are processed in 1-2 days.
Intertops B+ (B+)
Intertops is a member of the Revolution Gaming Network. It has exclusive tables at higher limit tournaments and cash games that are only shared with Juicy Stakes.
Intertops does not offer any free withdrawal options. Players can request a check for up to $3,000 that arrives in about one week. A bank wire is available up to $2,500. These are processed in about two weeks. Debit cards can be credited in amounts up to $5,000. The fee is just $9.
Western Union withdrawals are processed in 1-2 days. The fees and amounts are:
- $150-$500: $70 fee
- $501-$1,000: $85 fee
- $1,001-$2,000: $180 fee
SWCPoker B (B)
SWCPoker is the second generation of SealsWithClubs. The site processes payments only in Bitcoin. This virtual currency must be converted into U.S. dollars in a separate wallet. SealsWithClubs pays withdrawal requests in less than 12 hours.
Juicy Stakes C+ (C)
Juicy Stakes is a Revolution Gaming skin that shares most of its tables with Intertops and no other skins. Players can receive a check in amounts up to $1,000 for $50. These are delivered in about one week. Cash transfers are also available in amounts up to $1,000. The fee is about $100, depending on the size. Cash transfers are processed in about three days.
Merge Gaming C- (C)
Merge Gaming continues to struggle after the Super Bowl. The cashier processes payments for Carbon Poker, Sportsbook.ag, PlayersOnly, and SuperBook. Checks are taking eight or more weeks at this time. The max is $2,500 and the fee is 3%. Players receive one free check per year.
Some players have cash withdrawals available if the option has been used for multiple deposits. These are only taking 2-3 days.
Lock Poker F- (F-)
It seems that Lock Poker has closed. The site has been offline for two days and the company is not responding to emails. Players lost an estimated $10-$15 million at Lock Poker. The scam site was the biggest scandal in online poker since Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker were exposed as underfunded after Black Friday.
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