It’s been a year of changes for the Bodog brand. Three months after founder Calvin Ayre was indicted by U.S. authorities and the Bodog.com domain name was seized, the Bodog Poker Network has been sold to Bodog88. Additionally, Bodog Poker Network CEO Patrik Selin (pictured) announced he will resign his position.
Bodog88 is a new series of gaming sites launched in March aimed at the Asian market. Bodog88 Managing Director Robert Gustafsson will overtake the post vacated by Patrik Selin. Commented Selin about his departure:
“It is obvious that the best fit for the Network is a company that understands the power of the brand – especially in a growth area such as Asia. I also know Bodog88’s Managing Director Robert Gustafsson well and he understands the importance of the recreational poker model, which, again, is particularly strong for Asia, where trust is a much more important factor than concepts like rakeback that hold no meaning in the region.”
Last year, Selin launched Bodog’s Recreational Poker Model which included a switch to anonymous tables. The move was designed to eliminate any advantage players had from using data-mining software to track their opponents.
In March, the company addressed concerns by players that the anonymous tables were conducive to collusion by implementing a policy change that allows players to request hand histories 24 hours after a game ends. The hand history details include the hole cards of all players involved in the hand. Bodog founder Calvin Ayre has stated the anonymous poker games have, “the industry’s leading fraud and bot protection built into it.”
Selin has been viewed as instrumental in helping Bodog trigger an industry trend towards recreational poker models. The Microgaming Network quickly followed in Bodog’s footsteps by releasing anonymous tables of their own. This year, PokerStars introduced ‘Zoom Poker’ tables designed to appeal to recreational players.
Patrik Selin has long been an iGaming industry stalwart. He brokered the sale of the OnGame Network to bwin for €510 million in 2006. After working with Gnuf, Selin helped launch the Bodog Poker Network in 2010.
The Telegraph has pointed out that Bodog offered odds in February on which iGaming boss would step down next. Sportingbet’s Andy McIver was the favorite at 2-to-1 while their very own Patrik Selin was a longshot at 25-to-1. Selin became the first gaming CEO to step down since those odds were offered.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Selin after he departs from the Bodog brand. Said Selin:
“I will stand down as CEO of the Network to allow Robert [Gustafsson] and his team in Manila to carry on the progress made by the recreational poker model. From a personal perspective, it also makes sense to withdraw from the brand as a whole and therefore I’ll be looking to pass on the reigns of the BodogUK business over the coming months.”
New Bodog Poker Network CEO Robert Gustafsson wished Selin well on his departure stating:
“What Patrik has done for the Bodog brand, and I would argue poker as a whole, since he started the Bodog Poker Network has been phenomenal. His pedigree in the industry has grown further since he unveiled the recreational poker model and the fact that many companies have now adopted a similar focus highlights its success. We wish him well for the future in the knowledge that wherever and whatever he puts his mind to will be a huge success.”