Update: FTP Sends Advisory to US Players, Releases Info about Rewards Program

After sending an informational email to non-US players, the new Full Tilt Poker, now owned by Pokerstars and the Rational Group, addressed US players with a note that was supposed to show that the company cares about them even though it does not serve them at present.

In the message the US players were reminded that based on a deal between Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker and the US Department of Justice, neither Full Tilt Poker nor Pokerstars will offer real money online poker in the USA “…until it is permissible to do so under relevant law.”

In addition, the email reads:

“In relation to your account balance, you will have the opportunity to file petition with the DOJ through a remission process which will be administrated by the DOJ.

“In light of the above, only play chip games will be available to Full Tilt Poker players in the U.S. following re-launch, in the first week of November, 2012. Your Full Tilt Points balance will remain intact in your account.

“Please note that we are unable to answer queries in relation to your funds – all such questions should be directed to the DOJ in accordance with the procedure to be defined by them.”

In related news, an announcement came from Full Tilt&s poker room manager Shyam Markus about the company&s reward program which will be launched along with the revamped site, in November.

According to him, the Full Tilt Reward Programme is not a PokerStars initiative but an original Full Tilt idea, which was under development at the time of the Black Friday crackdown.

It now comes in a new and improved form than the initial concept, so it will offer weekly cash payments based on Full Tilt Points (FTP’s) earned that week, topping out at $2.50 for every 100 Full Tilt Points awarded.

Markus also said that the program will be available to eveyone and that it includes:

– “Unlike affiliate-paid rakeback, there are no deductions of fees (store purchases, promotions, etc, therefore, the 25 percent mentioned above will almost always beat the 27 percent that rakeback was giving,” he said.

– “Because the weekly cash payments are now based on points earned, FTP&s will now be earned using the Weighted Contributed method instead of the Dealt method.

– “The weekly cash payments don’t use up the FTP&s earned, so players can still spend them in the store. Depending on how they are spent, points add an additional 4-5 percent to the program, giving the top level of the new program a giveback of up to 30 percent.

– “Since there are no fee deductions, all FTP&s are worth more to former rakeback players than previously, which increases the value of promotions like Happy Hour and Take 2.

– “Full Tilt will have a transition from Iron Man and Black Card to this new program, so long-term players of both promotions will likely get a leg up in the new program from the start.

– “The top level of this program is significantly easier to achieve than Black Card was. The Black Card store will be changed so that anyone in the new top level can use it. This means that more players will be eligible to purchase cash bonuses in the store.

– “If player’s qualified for the 2011 Iron Man Mid-Year Bonus, they will still receive it when the site re-launches.

– “The Black Card program will return (not at re-launch, but eventually) in a brand new way. Expect a little news about that soon.”

Finally, he pointed out the following things about the site relaunch: that it will be available for download, install and even log in before November 6th, that the same log-in PIN will be in effect, that it will feature the same lobby, with a multi-currency cashier in the pipeline, that the .eu site is a top priority for the company and is expected to be one of the first updates after the re-launch, and that players will be able to pair Full Tilt and PokerStars accounts by logging in to both sites and using a pairing code to link them, with more info about the procedure coming soon.