Winner of Poker Refugees Free Relocation Giveaway Announced

Congratulations go out to Brady ‘BAustinMC’ Austin from Mill Creek, Washington, winner of the Poker Refugees Free Relocation Giveaway.

Poker Refugees was founded in August 2011, inspired by the need of US poker players to move out of the country to continue their careers post-Black Friday. To celebrate the company’s 2-year anniversary relocating online poker players worldwide, owner Kristin Wilson want to give away a full relocation package valued at up to $2,500 to 1 lucky winner. Entrants from any country had to follow the entry rules located here in order to qualify to win.

Brady was on the road, traveling to a live poker tournament with his family when we reached him. He was naturally very excited to learn of his selection as the winner. In his normal, day-to-day life he runs a mattress company part time in the Seattle area where currently operates various stores, although poker is his passion.

Austin originally heard about the Free Relocation Giveaway through friends, and is looking to relocate with them to a place that's close to the border of the US - either Vancouver or Mexico.

Since Black Friday, Brady has only been playing poker part-time, mostly live tournaments within the United States. He has many online poker friends “living the dream” who have already relocated to places like Thailand, Singapore, Mexico & Panama.

He has been fortunate to visit his friends in these other countries for vacation and travel to such places like: Phuket, Thailand, Macau, Panama City for LAPT, and the Bahamas for PCA.

Brady says, "...My most favorite [trip] was The Bahamas for the PCA where my lifelong friend and famous online grinder Joel "JMPRODIGY" Micka placed 2nd in the Main Event for 1.2 million dollars. We can been see in the TV episodes drinking and getting pretty rowdy on the rail!"

Plans for poker: "I played mid stakes 9man SNG's on FTP and RUSH POKER and it's good to hear I'll hopefully been getting the money I had in my account they owe me in the next couple months. I don't see myself getting back on FTP [rather] just sticking with pokerstars where I'll play mid stakes MTT's and Sunday Majors, but mainly focus on ZOOM poker."

Brady is "definitely relocating" for online poker but doesn't know an exact time yet of when he'll be able to.

"I'm waiting on my friends who are currently playing and living in abroad in Australia to see where they are trying to move next which is probably going to be Canada but could also be Mexico or Costa Rica.”

Canada, Costa Rica and Mexico are all Poker Refugees Destinations and the company looks forward to helping him with his journey back to online poker when the time comes!

More updates can be found on the Poker Refugees Blog and Facebook Page

LOOKING FOR POKER ROOMMATES:

Poker Refugees is looking for poker players who have an open room in a house or apartment anywhere in Costa Rica or Malta between now and January.

Please let us know if you are traveling to either of these destinations and would like us to match you with a Poker Refugees client or if you have a roommate moving out and a space you need to fill.

Thank you!

Anyone looking for REALLY cheap rental option in Canada:

A landlord in Windsor, CA contacted us with a bedroom for rent for $250/mo. There is 1 other grinder living in the house.

Anyone interested, please PM us.

Your website lists four main locations for Canada, but do you accommodate other cities in SW Ontario, such as London, Windsor, Kitchener, etc? Or is it just on a case-by-case basis when a place becomes available?

Yes we do!

We have helped players in other places such as:
-Windsor
-Sarnia
-Whistler
-Calgary
-Fernie
-Niagra Falls
-Revelstoke
-Suburbs of Toronto & Vancouver

We don't have all the locations listed on the website but can accommodate almost anywhere!

^Kristin

I may be interested in looking into this room in Windsor ($250 month). What do I need to do to get more info.. ??

Please send us a PM or email info@pokerrefugees.com

I dont think am ready for this now, but soon I may seek this assistance. Thanks for posting.

Anytime!

Kristin from Poker Refugees is currently in Malta - if there are any players here who have questions about relocation services and would like to meet please PM

We don't brag much, so we figured it was time Here are some testimonials from the past month or so of the relocation grind - we work hard!:

Stan Silver - I just wanted to thank you for your help in relocating to Mexico. It’s nice to find someone so knowledgeable about what at first seemed like a maze!! To anyone thinking about making a move, I highly recommend making things easy on yourself and use her services. Nice to deal with someone who actually knows and understands the dos and don'ts. Thanks again!!

Brad Huddleston, Canada - Kristin was amazing. There were some technical issues (all from Pokerstars’ end) that kept them from approving my account. I am sure that without the help of Kristin and Poker Refugees I would still be waiting to get online. She not only provides a top notch service at a good price but if there are issues she knows exactly the people to call to get your issues resolved. If you play for a living and need to relocate this service is the only way to go. Thanks Kristin!

Drew J, Rosarito, Mexico - I just want to thank you for all your help the past few months. I can’t imagine how I could have done any of this without your help.

aggie69, PokerStars - Kristin - Ready to go! Thanks so much. I must say, not sure you charge enough money [at Poker Refugees], you really made the impossible possible.

Tyler Phillips, Budapest, HU - From securing an apartment, to helping us with Stars document verification and setting up bank accounts, Poker Refugees was a huge help with virtually every facet of the relocation. About three weeks prior to the move, I communicated with Kristin almost daily and she answered all of my questions. In addition, she did heaps of research to ensure our relocation was as seamless as possible.

Jason Goldfinger - I used Poker Refugees to setup my bank accounts. I was hesitant at first to give money to a company just to setup my bank
 accounts, but it is truly the only way to get things done. They are
 professionals in every sense of the word and took care of everything that I 
needed. I have three more friends that are accompanying me here and they
are also using Poker Refugees because the process of setting everything up
is so tedious and virtually impossible to get through even if you know
Spanish at a conversational level. They have every step planned and
prepared to get everything done as efficiently as possible. Relocating can
be very frustrating and time consuming, and Poker Refugees is definitely
the best asset you can have while doing it.

Ron Phipps, Panama - I recently moved to Coronado, Panama and Poker Refugees was instrumental in getting me online quick. I chose to use their accounts activation and Neteller service. I would have been up even quicker if I didn't have other things to take care of during the move. Kristin provided a lot of information before I arrived and followed up with me often to see how things were going. She provided detailed instructions so there would not be a hold up on the accounts. She also spoke with my property manager to request the docs I would need. Their Neteller VIP service is great as well and it was the only solution I could go with here in Panama unless I wanted to spend the time and money to get a local bank account. I only play poker part time, but the small fee I paid for the help was worth it for sure, I would have wasted a lot of time trying to do this on my own. Thanks!

Mike Sanchez, Costa Rica - ur service is number 1 thanks for everything!

Alejandro Duque - I wanted to say that I am really grateful for your help in getting my account back with Pokerstars. Without your help this move wouldn't even be happening to begin with. Thanks again, literally changed the course of my next few months, hopefully for the better!

Andy Taylor, CR - Your company, and YOU Kristin, have definitely provided a valuable service over the past years!!! I appreciate your help!!!

From Anonymous Feedback Surveys:
• Thanks again, Kristin. You did a great job helping me with the relocation. I suppose I owe you some beer.

• Very knowledgeable and friendly staff; highly recommended

• I was impressed with PR's communication throughout the whole process. I had a lot of questions come up over the course of my transition and Kristin was always there going out of her way to answer them.

• Everything was excellent … Kristin and team went above and beyond on helping me with everything.

• I was glad to have Poker Refugees in my corner for the many steps a relocation requires

ANNOUNCEMENT:

If you are a US citizen abroad with a NETELLER Net+ Debit Card and planning to use it in the US during the holidays, please contact NETELLER or your account rep before your trip to let them know you are traveling. Otherwise, your account may be blocked.

wow damn did you guys exist right after black friday? i was really thinking hard about moving out of the country back in 2011. i was in between. I was not a pro but no ameatur player either. i had a 10k bankroll with + 30k profit. in 1 year. i actually might have gone through with it if i had help or knew what to do.. now though that option is sadly not their for me. bad investment decisions

Yes we did! I started helping poker players pretty much on the day of Black Friday. I was living in San Jose, Costa Rica working in real estate and relocation and saw everything going on that resulted from the indictments (AP/UB were based in CR and Stars has offices there).

Poker Refugees was in development for a few months and we launched with the help of Pocket Fives on August 16, 2011. ESPN was the first news outlet to pick up the story: http://espn.go.com/blog/poker/post/_...-united-states

We have relocated PokerStars pros, WSOP ME champs, bracelet winners and other well-known players, however the majority of our clients are just normal people or like to keep a low profile. Many of them were in school, had other jobs or played live before deciding to move offshore. We estimate there are probably a few thousand American players in other countries, but European and poker players worldwide move around as well.

We've helped players with rental budgets anywhere from USD$300/mo and up. It's possible to live very frugally in some foreign countries, so even if you're on a downswing it can help to be in Mexico where cost of living is low.

It's been a truly life changing experience to be able to help make it easy for people to move to a new country so they can continue their online poker careers.

^Kristin

Celebrate the Season by Giving Back:

We're giving away free poker orientation guides to the city/country of your choice for players who donate to a charitable cause this holiday season.

The idea is for poker players ("poker refugees") to make a donation to benefit actual refugees of war or natural disasters who desperately need help.

As some of the lucky few with the luxury to work online or play poker for a living, we are better off than most people on the planet! The holiday season is the perfect time to give back and try to help others.

Details here: http://blog.pokerrefugees.com/2013/1...rom-poker.html

We are looking for 5 poker players who bet on sports and reside outside of the US to beta test an opportunity. Please PM for details

now that skrill is no longer accepting transactions in canada what would be the quickest way for a player on merge (myself obv) to go to another country to cash out my entire roll as quickly and cheaply and safely as possible?

Time: It depends where you are going and how long to find a place to live. In any Latin American country for example, you need a utility bill from your house and address documentation in order to open a bank account (and also a NETELLER account). We recommend that players sign up with Poker Refugees at least 1 month before their arrival date but can expedite the relocation services if required.

Cost: This varies widely by your rental budget, point of origin, destination and airfare. Either way, it's still probably substantially less to set up in a new country compared to paying conversion rates on checks/wires in CAD or swapping money long term.

Security: There aren't any additional safety risks outside what you would have already encountered traveling to Canada or other countries. The destinations we serve at least are all generally considered safe.

We can't give a uniform step-by-step guide on what to do and how that would apply to everyone, as choosing the best country and banking option for your lifestyle and needs each depend on considering multiple factors. Every player is different and has a unique situation that should be addressed individually before making a recommendation. If you'd like to set up a consultation with us please click here: https://www.timetrade.com/book/7BF9H

contemplating between Panama, Costa Rica and Playa del Carmen/Cancun (Mexico)

I'm from Europe and would like to (temporarily, half a year or a full year) move to central america.

The thing is I don't need visa for the first two and I need for Mexico (which is a bit of a hassle), what do you people think? I like Panama best here...but Playa is so beautiful and there is a strong poker community, Costa Rica is also very beautiful country..however I could go there from Panama when I want to so I don't need to live there permanently to visit it.

It's really a personal choice depending on various lifestyle and budget factors. Here are some blog posts to help get insight on each location:

• Costa Rica/Panama: http://blog.pokerrefugees.com/2013/0...osta-rica.html
  
• Playa del Carmen, Mex: http://blog.pokerrefugees.com/2013/0...playa-del.html
  
• Rosarito, Mexico (Katie Stone): http://blog.pokerrefugees.com/2013/0...mexico_21.html
  
• Costa Rica/Panama/Mexico: http://blog.pokerrefugees.com/2013/0...rview-dan.html

If you want a close-knit poker community, Playa del Carmen and Rosarito have the most players in the smallest concentrated area.

Panama has very few players spread out but a low cost of living and everyone likes Boquete over the city. Beaches have marginal internet.

Costa Rica has pockets of players around the country and offers a lot of ecotourism at a slightly higher cost of living than Mexico & Panama. For Panama it can be possible to stay up to 6 months at a time and re-enter (depending on your citizenship) and Costa Rica 3 months before renewing (for US and EU citizens), so you'd need a mandatory vacation every 3 months. Also, re-entry is at the discretion of customs/immigration agents.

thanks! That was very helpful.

Anytime!

Are you living it up in a foreign country with your online poker friends?

If so, we may be interested in interviewing you for a future online poker reality TV show.

Requirements:

• Must live outside the US
• Must live outside your home country
• Must speak fluent English
• Must be at least 3 poker players in your home
• Ideally you live near other online poker players (Playa, Rosarito, Malta etc)
• You can be from any country as long as you have "relocated for online poker"

To apply, please send the following to: info@pokerrefugees.com

• Photo or Facebook link
• Location: city/country of your house
• # of people in the house
• Names of your roommates
• How long you've lived there
• Any other info about your poker house you want to share

"When I realized I needed to move out of the States to take my poker game to the next level, I had no idea where to begin as far as moving.

Poker Refugees got my move coordinated and everything set up in a matter of weeks, something that probably would have took me months. They cover everything. The massive amount of time and hassle saved allowed me to focus solely on poker.

This alone makes an investment in Poker Refugees pay for itself. I can't thank Kristin and everyone else enough!" - Casey Goodin, Windsor, CA

New Locations on Pokerrefugees.com: http://pokerrefugees.com/outposts

New Video/Interview about moving to Playa del Carmen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwSzx9e4r84