Last week, the online poker world was thrilled to hear that Full Tilt Poker was officially sold to Groupe Bernard Tapie. This deal was in the works for several months, as the investment firm was required to negotiate the finer details with the US Department of Justice.
With the deal finally complete, there is one question on the mind of poker players and affiliates all over the world: What does the future hold for Full Tilt Poker?
Most importantly, it should be noted that payout plans are in the works for both US based and international players. Those who are owed money from Full Tilt Poker should be ecstatic with this news. There was a time when it looked like these players may be out of luck.
New ownership can take the site in one of two directions:
- Continue to use the Full Tilt Poker name to ensure brand recognition and hopefully keep past players and affiliates onboard
- Start fresh, using nothing more than the assets purchased from the former Full Tilt Poker
While both options have benefits, there are drawbacks that the Groupe Bernard Tapie must consider.
For example, will players be able to trust the Full Tilt Poker name in the future? Things got really bad after Black Friday, with some players having tens of thousands of dollars frozen in their account. Is it reasonable to think that these players, as well as others who are aware of the situation, would once again trust a service with the same name?
On the other side of things, Full Tilt Poker was one of the biggest names in the online poker industry. In terms of brand recognition, there are not many in the gaming industry that can keep up. If new ownership decides to stick with the name, it is essential that they rebrand all other aspects of the company to ensure that players and affiliates are 100 percent clear that the old regime is no longer in charge.
There is no denying that the “new” Full Tilt Poker is nothing like the old operation, but perception is everything. If players and affiliates don’t feel like they can trust the brand, it will fail miserably – making the $80 million dollars spent by Groupe Bernard Tapie appear to be nothing more than a waste of time and money.
What do you think will happen with the Full Tilt brand? Let us know in the forums!