PokerStars Suspended From NJ Market Until Scheinberg Faces Charges

PokerStars’ hopes of entering the US online gaming market took a hit last week after the New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement issued a statement effectively suspending the poker room from the licensing process unless “significantly changed circumstances are demonstrated.”
The text of the statement then goes on to clearly explain just what set of conditions need to be resolved, namely the “federal indictment against Isai Scheinberg for the alleged violation of federal gambling statutes,” as well as “the involvement of certain PokerStars executives with Internet gaming operations in the United State following the enactment of UIGEA.”
In the event of PokerStars settling these issues with the US DoJ, it would seem likely that PokerStars would subsequently satisfy all the conditions necessary for joining the New Jersey market. If not, it seems highly unlikely PokerStars would be able to get approval anywhere else in the lucrative American online gaming market.
The question then remains whether or not Isai Scheinberg would be willing to strike a deal with the DoJ. However, if the rumors are to believed, it would appear Isai Scheinberg has already been negotiating a deal with the DoJ for several months now, with Scheinberg reportedly having retained the services of top Attorney General Michael Mukasey to represent him.
This all leads us to an assumption that since the New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement decided to announce PokerStars’ suspended application, in all likelihood the settlement process between the poker room and the DGE has hit a wall and so the body subsequently decided to release a statement to resolve any ambiguity for the New Jersey’s online gambling market.
After the DGE released its statement, PokerStars spokesperson Eric Hollreiser made the following comments to the press: “We are disappointed that the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement has suspended the review of our application at this time. We note that the DGE will resume the review of our application if our circumstances change. We will remain in open dialogue with the DGE and will update them on changes in our situation as they occur.”