POKERSTARS WEEDING OUT VPN USERS

Monday, October 31, 2011 : Play banned for anyone situated on U.S. soil
 
A post and its replies on the respected 2+2 poker forum over the weekend indicate that PokerStars is clamping down on customers utilising Virtual Private Network's (VPN's) that effectively mask the players’ geographical whereabouts by re-routing their connection through foreign servers.
 
The popular poker site is sticking to its side of the bargain and complying with the U.S. Department of Justice's requirements by not accepting play from the United States and its territories regardless of whether the player is a resident or a visitor.
 
A PokerStars representative replied to an aggrieved poster who had accessed their account via VPN contrary to the online poker site's terms and conditions as follows:
 
"Consequently, your account balance will remain indefinitely frozen pending further legal review of this situation.
 
"We regret that we cannot be the bearer of better news. You will not be permitted to return to PokerStars in the meantime."
 
Steve Day, VIP Manager at PokerStars, commenting on the issue during a 2+2 PokerCast, said: "We are not sure what will happen yet, the accounts get frozen and then we wait for guidance from the independent moderator who was appointed by the Department of Justice what to do with the funds in these accounts.”