Full Tilt Poker NJ Casino Preview
There was a time when the Full Tilt Poker brand was synonymous with reputability. Then Black Friday happened, followed shortly thereafter by the arrest of CEO Ray Bitar for operating the site as an elaborate Ponzi scheme.
For all intents and purposes, Full Tilt had gone the way of the dinosaur, or at least so we thought.
But then, in July 2012, PokerStars‘ parent company the Rational Group would acquire Full Tilt’s assets as part of a $547 million settlement with the Department of Justice. In return, the former would be cleared of any wrongdoing.
Fast forward a few months later, and Full Tilt Poker was once again available in European markets, only this time its management team was committed to doing things right.
The new Full Tilt would in many ways resemble the product New Jersey players originally fell in love with. Yet the residual effects of what went down still resonated with players, and traffic numbers would reflect their hesitation.
Thus, the decision was made by Rational to expand into previously uncharted waters, namely virtual slots and casino style table games and later live dealer games.
Shortly after casino games went live on Full Tilt, the Rational Group was acquired by Amaya Gaming, paving the way for both PokerStars’ and Full Tilt’s reentry into New Jersey. From the get, it’s been presumed that PokerStars will launch as a poker only product in the Garden State, with Full Tilt offering casino games.
And here we are, 41 months post-Black Friday, ready to welcome back our old friends. Let’s take a quick glance at what New Jersey players should expect from a Full Tilt Casino.
Playing at Full Tilt’s online casino:
What casino games could be offered at Full Tilt Casino?
Full Tilt Casino has not reached full maturity yet, and as a result its selection of game offerings might not be as comprehensive as New Jersey players have come to expect.
Currently, the European site offers a myriad of BlackJack variants, Roulette, slot terminals and a live casino, although the latter will presumably not be available in New Jersey at launch.
One unique facet of Full Tilt Casino is that its BlackJack and Roulette offerings boast Multi Player modes, which allows players to enjoy a more social environment typically unheard of in the online gambling world.
Also unique is the Full Tilt slots lobby widget; a handy tool that displays pertinent information regarding a selected game.
How will I make a deposit on Full Tilt NJ?
Currently, it’s difficult to predict what deposit methods will be available at launch. What we do know is that Full Tilt offers its ROW players a variety of payment processing options including credit cards, e-wallets such as Neteller, bank transfers and checks by mail.
Based on what other NJ sites are currently offering, I’ll go out on a limb and assume that players from the Garden State will have access to many of these options, plus cash at the Resorts cage. Less likely to make their way to New Jersey are transfers to and from PokerStars.
Will Full Tilt’s NJ casino have a player rewards program?
It’s likely. Full Tilt’s ROW casino rewards players with Full Tilt Points based on the amount of real-money wagered. BlackJack currently offers the best rate, followed by Roulette and slots.
Accumulated points can then be redeemed at the Full Tilt Store.
Whether or not Full Tilt Points earned from the casino will be eligible for Edge tier status and cash back rewards is currently unknown.
Full Tilt Casino – Software details:
How will I access the casino client?
Full Tilt Casino is available via the site’s poker client. Simply navigate to Options -> Lobby View -> Standard View and select the “Casino” tab.
But what if Full Tilt doesn’t launch a poker product in New Jersey? Assuming it doesn’t, the casino product will likely be available as a separate download or playable via web browser.
Who knows, maybe it’ll be integrated into the PokerStars NJ client.
Can Full Tilt’s online casino be played from mobile devices?
Not yet, although there are inklings that this might change in the near future. Its poker product however, is available as an app for both iOS and Android devices.
I own a Mac? Will I be able to play on Full Tilt’s online casino?
To date, Macintosh support has not been added.
Full Tilt Casino safety and security:
Full Tilt has a shady reputation. How do I know I can trust it?
Full Tilt is not the same brand it was prior to Black Friday. Yes, its poker product looks almost identical, and Gus Hansen is still losing millions at the high stakes table, but that’s about where the similarities to yesteryear end.
Since being acquired by the Rational Group, PokerStars’ biggest former rival has now become its sister site. And although FTP hardly brings in the same level of traffic it did prior to the whole Ponzi scheme fiasco, its association with the Rational Group has done wonders to restore its reputation.
Factor in that Full Tilt Casino will be subject to the same rigid regulatory processes as any NJ-based online casino, and players should feel confident knowing that their deposited funds are safe and secure.
Other resources:
To read more about Full Tilt Casino, head over to the site’s dedicated page.
And for a detailed overview of Full Tilt’s online poker room, click here.
