Merge Gaming Network
| Size | #29 |
|---|---|
| Launched | 2006 |
| Major Markets | |
| Flagship Room | |
| Number of rooms | 4 |
| Traffic | 160 |
Merge Gaming quickly became the largest U.S. online poker network after Black Friday. U.S. players flocked to Carbon Poker and other Merge Gaming skins after PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker left the U.S. market. While Merge Gaming held the number one ranking for many months, they eventually lost the title to the Revolution Gaming Network. The Bodog Poker Network is now the largest U.S. facing online poker site.
Merge Gaming fell to the fifth largest offshore online poker network. Even WSOP.com, a site that only draws players from Nevada and Delaware, has more cash game players than Merge Gaming.
In May 2016, Merge Gaming stopped accepting new U.S. players. Those with an existing account were permitted to play for real money.
- Large player traffic
- Above average quality of games
- Social, recreational player focused
- Third largest U.S. facing poker room with growing traffic.
- Excellent and consistent payment processing.
- Relatively juicy games.
Merge Gaming Was Top Choice for U.S. Players after Black Friday
Merge Gaming went from just a few hundred peak hour players to thousands of peak players almost overnight. This occurred because of the Black Friday indictments against the top 3 U.S. online poker rooms, PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.
Merge Gaming was caught by surprise. They were burdened with server issues and processing problems. The network was forced to stop accepting new U.S. players six weeks after Black Friday. The network welcomed new U.S. players again four months later after they were able to catch up with the demand.
The Revolution Gaming Network did not even exist on Black Friday. That is because it was called the Cake Network until Lock Poker moved to the network in May 2012. Part of the reason Revolution Gaming was able to leap over Merge Gaming in terms of traffic was because Lock Poker was one of the largest Merge Gaming skins. These players all left Merge and moved to Revolution.
Carbon Poker is the best known Merge Gaming skin. Jazette Enterprises reportedly owns some of the network’s equity. Jazette skins include Sportsbook.com, Sportsbook.ag and PlayersOnly.
Lock Poker Disputes
Lock Poker launched in 2011 just before Black Friday. Lock Poker angered many skins with their unapproved deals. The network forced the issue and Lock Poker was stuck in a situation where they had to move their promotions into their casino. This promotion backfired as players were forced to wager their promised bonuses into a casino promotion that was unbeatable.
Lock Poker continued to promise promotions to players that the network had not approved and eventually they had to leave the network. They eventually resolved all of their issues with the unapproved bonuses that were converted into casino free play.
New Carbon Poker Business Plan
Carbon Poker had to do some repositioning on their own. The company launched Carbon Sports. This included moving to a new cashier. The Carbon Poker family moved their cashier to the same one used by Jazette. This includes adding sports software managed by the same sports betting company as Sportsbook.com.
Merge Gaming FAQ
Does Merge Gaming accept US players?
Merge Gaming stopped accepting new U.S. players in May 2016. Existing players were permitted to remain on the site.
Does Merge Gaming have a Bad Beat Jackpot?
Merge Gaming brought back the Bad Beat Jackpot on April 9, 2014. It is funded by the network. A player that loses four of a kind 2’s or higher will release it. The losing player wins 38% of the pool, the winner 20.5%, and the rest of the table splits 20.5%. The other 21% reseeds the next jackpot. Both players must use both hole cards. Only No Limit Texas Hold’em cash games with three or more active players are eligible.
Which states are banned on Merge Gaming?
New players in Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Utah, Washington State and Washington D.C. are not accepted. Existing players in these states may continue to play they they signed up before the restriction. Aced, Carbon Poker, Sportsbook.ag, PlayersOnly and SuperBook also do not accept players from Delaware and New Jersey.
Which Merge Gaming skin is most recommended?
We do not recommend Merge Gaming at this time for U.S. players because they are not accepted.
Where is Merge Gaming licensed?
The Curacao eGaming licenses Merge Gaming. It is located just outside Montreal, Quebec.
Do all Merge Gaming skins use the same cashier?
Carbon Poker, Sportsbook, PlayersOnly and Super Book all use the same cashier. All other skins were kicked off the network in 2013 and 2014. It was the fastest cleansing of online poker skins in the history of the internet.
How do I make a deposit at a Merge Gaming room?
The main Merge Gaming skins accept Visa and Western Union from US online poker players. Most US credit cards will get declined. We suggest using an international prepaid debit card. These include Green Dot and Netspend.
How do I withdraw from Merge Gaming?
The main Merge Gaming cashier sends winnings by check via FedEx. The maximum amount is $2,500 and there is no fee for the first withdrawal each month. Additional check withdrawals have a 3% fee. Checks arrive in about three months. Some players have Western Union as a withdrawal option to VIP players. These arrive in 1-2 weeks and have a 10% fee. Bitcoin is available to some players in amounts up to $5,000 with a 5% uncapped fee. Players outside the US can withdraw by bank wire or bitcoin. Both have a 3-5% fee, depending on the player and transaction.
What is the maximum withdrawal amount at Merge Gaming?
The maximum withdrawal per check, Bitcoin and ewallet is $2,500. There is no monthly cashout maximum. Players receive one free cashout each year. Additional ones have a 3% fee per withdrawal.
How are VIP Points earned at Merge Gaming?
Players earn 10 VIP points for every $1 in contributed rake paid.
What is contributed rake?
The formula for contributed rake takes the percentage of the pot contributed by each player and divides the rake credit by the same percent. For example, if a player contributed 25% of a pot that had a $1 rake then they would receive $.25 in rake credit and earn 2.5 VIP Points. Only legacy players will have any reason to be concerned about this. Most Merge Gaming players have no access to VIP offers.
Where can I get Merge Gaming rakeback?
Merge Gaming does not allow any skin to pay its players rakeback.
Does Merge Gaming have a VIP program?
There are no VIP programs in Merge Gaming.
Who owns Merge Gaming?
This has never been publicly announced, although some industry observers feel Jazette Enterprises is the owner. They are the parent company of Sportsbook.com, PlayersOnly and Super Book. They also manage the cashier used by Carbon Poker.
- Large player traffic
- Above average quality of games
- Social, recreational player focused
- Third largest U.S. facing poker room with growing traffic.
- Excellent and consistent payment processing.
- Relatively juicy games.