Full Tilt Poker Deal in the Making

A solution could be on the cards for the countless poker players still owed money by Full Tilt Poker, after a French investment group announced it had reached an agreement with the US Department of Justice to take control of the controversial online poker site.

Possible Player Lifeline

Under the agreement, US poker players still owed a total of $150 million will be able to seek compensation for their money through the Department of Justice. However, sources close to the situation were quoted as saying that this does not guarantee they will receive their money.

Groupe Bernard Tapie, the investment group involved in the groundbreaking deal, will receive around $40 million of the money held in bank accounts US federal prosecutors seized from Full Tilt following the events of Black Friday in April.

Although PokerStars has returned money owed to players since that dramatic day, Full Tilt's operations were shut down in June, leaving thousands of poker players around the world unable to access money credited to them in their accounts. Hopefully this latest development provides a solution.

Full Tilt to Start Up Again?

In another twist to the story, the attorney for Groupe Bernard Tapie said the investor would try to restart the Dublin, Ireland-based Full Tilt's operations outside of the US. The loosening of European gambling regulations could be a new lease of life for the company, providing it stays away from the US.