It's been more than three months since the US government launched its first shutdowns of online casino and poker sites (with a second round of domain seizures coming in late May), and the effects are still being felt.
Online sportsbook and casino site Bodog was the latest to change course from the aftershock, announcing that it was pulling its brand out of the US market by the end of 2011 to focus on its UK casino and international businesses.
Bodog had been a high-profile example of a company that thumbed its nose at US anti-gambling laws passed in 2006, but it has now subtly shifted tactics due to the pressure applied by the US government.
The US-facing site will still exist, but it will be re-branded by the Morris Mohawk Gaming Group, Bodog's US-facing license provider.
While PokerStars has not only survived being indicted on April 15 and refunded more than $100 million to US customers, it continues to thrive, holding down the top spot as the world's largest online poker site.
It's been a different story entirely for Full Tilt, which has been in limbo for nearly a month and working to close a deal to sell its assets to unnamed European investors.
Full Tilt's player base had been dwindling due to delays in refunding money to US customers but the situation took a turn for the worse when its gaming license was suspended on June 29.
The Full Tilt site went completely dark after its license was suspended and not a single hand has been dealt since.
A hearing on July 26 with the Alderney Gambling Commission that granted (and suspended) Full Tilt's license offered a glimmer of hope that the site might get back on track, but the company's lawyers successfully lobbied for a postponement of the hearing to give Full Tilt more time to close a deal to sell the company.
The AGCC has now set Sept. 15, 2011, as the deadline for a decision regarding the reinstatement of Full Tilt's operating license.
