MERGE NEGOTIATING LOCK POKER ISSUE WITH L.G.A.

Thursday September 1, 2011 :  Online poker operator has provided all necessary documentation, says network
 
The seemingly discriminatory action by Malta internet gambling regulator the Lotteries and Gaming Authority (LGA) in singling out Lock Poker in a warning that it is not entitled to carry an LGA licensing seal is now the subject of discussion between the Merge Poker Network and the licensing jurisdiction.
 
Earlier this week the LGA published a statement distancing itself from Lock Poker and asserting:
 
"Lockpoker.eu is not licensed by the LGA
 
"The Lotteries and Gaming Authority would like to inform the public that the website http://lockpoker.eu/ has no connection whatsoever with the Authority and therefore any mention of the Authority or licence issued by the Authority on the mentioned website is false and misleading.
 
"The Authority advises the public to play responsibly with companies licensed by jurisdictions that have sound remote gaming regulations."
 
The statement caused some confusion, because the Merge network to which Lock Poker belongs was recently awarded a category 4 operating licence by the LGA, an approval that encompasses platform operators and software vendors "hosting and managing other remote gaming operators".
 
Lock Poker was the only Merge operation singled out, despite several other sites on the network displaying the LGA logo.
 
In the latest development, Merge has revealed that it is currently discussing the issue with the LGA. The network has confirmed that Lock Poker has provided it with all the information required by the LGA.
 
The LGA has so far made no further comment on the situation.