The usually well-informed poker information website Legal US Poker Sites has flagged strong rumours this week that international poker ace Phil Ivey is to front for the southern California Pala tribal group – which operates land casino interests near San Diego – in a new Internet gaming venture.
Because online poker has not yet been legalised in California, it is presumed that the new enterprise is contingent on intrastate legalisation in that state.
The report notes that former Bwin.Party co-CEO and industry veteran Jim Ryan is involved in the venture through a company titled Pala Interactive, using software from Realtime Edge, said to also power ClubWPT and RocketFrog.