State of SkillBet (4/20/13)

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Hi all.

We have learned that we are unable to advertise the way poker sites have in the past (e.g., TV). While TV advertisers allowed Stars and Tilt to advertise in the past, they won't allow us today despite our legal status. Basically, we've been unable to persuade them to roll up their sleeves (e.g., spend $25K to hire lawyers, etc.) to confirm our legality.

So you wanted TV advertisers to pay YOUR legal fees to confirm YOUR legal status?

We have concluded that we can't reach scale necessary for success by advertising on poker sites alone.

You couldn't tell that based on your site traffic for the last several months?


So we stopped marketing about a month or two ago (other than what we'd previously paid for here and a few other places).This has caused much lower traffic.

So basically you had very little customer loyalty and repeat business. That should tell you something about your game itself.

Game Plan: We are going to spend the next 4-5 months developing (what we hope will be) an awesome social play-money game based on SkillBet (sort of a cross between SkillBet and Draw Something or Words with Friends).

So you don't think there are enough play money poker games already?

Our plan is to advertise this broadly and convert people to SkillBet (solving our current challenge) and re-launch SkillBet assuming this plan works.

"Assuming" is the key word in this sentence.

So for the time being, we are going to put very little effort into SkillBet.

And further alienate the people who actually tried your product.

We had props (i.e., people incentived to play and create more traffic like other poker sites and card rooms),

Which other poker sites had props?

but we decided to stop that program yesterday in response to some complaints about the program that surfaced to us yesterday (and our overall desire to put all our energies into this social game).

You mean you got caught and were outed and then ignored the issue for days.

That complaint prompted this post as well.

No. An email from the 2+2 mods prompted this post.

Similarly we decided to stop Live Chat, but support will continue to be available via email.

To stop any talk about your tactics.

Importantly, we have plenty of money

Sure you do.

(in addition to having all our players’ money segregated) so if you'd like to withdraw, no problem. We will turn around withdrawal request in a few days like we always have.

To avoid serious jail time.

We are going to put all our efforts into this new game so you won’t see much of me online until we relaunch.

So you are heading out of Dodge and not answering questions.

Thank you for your understanding.

No, we just see your company for what you are.

Hope to see you all again soon!

Are you serious?