SWC Poker

Expert View of SWC Poker

SWC Poker Summary

SWC Poker is a poker site that only accepts Bitcoin.  It took over SealWithClubs in March 2015.  SealsWithClubs closed abruptly in February 2015 when Bryan Micon’s Nevada home was raided by state gaming agents. Micon was the site’s chairman. He was served with a search warrant pertaining to operating SealsWithClubs without a license and later pleaded guilty to a charge related to that.

SWC Poker honored all of SealsWithClubs’ obligations.  The transfer of the site was already planned.  The demise of SealsWithClubs sped up the process.

The traffic at SWC Poker is nowhere close to the levels it enjoyed at SealsWithClubs.  The widespread use of Bitcoin by popular sites is no doubt one of the reasons.

A Personal Opinion on SWC Poker

What Players Are Saying About SWC Poker

There was a lot of chatter about SealsWithClubs back when it was in business.  That was partly due to the presence of Bryan Micon, its chairman.  Once he left the group, promotion of it nearly ceased entirely.  Traffic collapsed and threads at poker forums dried up.  Here is what players say about SWC Poker these days:

“It doesn’t get any better than instant deposits/withdrawals and with no personal information required. If this site had more traffic no other site could touch it. SWCpoker needs more traffic, so come and play!”

– PokerScout User

“Connection is mostly fine, but there’s ridiculous server lag at times.”

– TwoPlusTwo User

“The lag can be worse when tournaments are going, but it’s an issue all the time. If you play any draw games it can be really obvious, as there are times when you discard cards and have to wait 4-5 seconds to get new ones. This happens even in the 4am doldrums.”

– TwoPlusTwo User

SWC Poker Deposits and Withdrawals

Making a Deposit

There is only one way to deposit at SWC Poker.  That is with Bitcoin.  Players must acquire Bitcoin on an exchange before depositing at SWC Poker.

Making a Withdrawal

There is only one way to withdraw at SWC Poker.  That is with Bitcoin.  Withdrawals are processed in less than 12 hours.  Some arrive in less than an hour.

SWC Poker Safety

Focusing on Bitcoin, SWC Poker offers players a unique experience as well as some unique challenges. With the rise of Bitcoin, the value of accounts have increased while funds are stored in Bitcoin.

Although cashouts in Bitcoin continue to be very fast, the traffic at the poker room has not risen above comfortable levels. While we think that SWC Poker will continue to be safe, they have already been scrutinized by authorities and we’re not sure they are as safe as higher traffic alternatives.

SWC Poker is legit as a Bitcoin only online poker option. Although some concerns are there, we think that SWC Poker will continue to be a reliable option for U.S. players.

SWC Poker Bonuses

SWC Poker does not offer a first deposit or reload bonus.

SWC Promotions

Players receive weekly rewards based on the amount of rake paid.  Players are awarded a Krill based on the formula of rake x 5 divided by the number of players dealt in the hand.  Players receive two Krill for every unit of rake paid when entering tournaments.  Awards include freeroll tickets and rakeback based on the following chart:

Krill	Title	Reward
50		Daily Freerolls
100		Daily Freerolls
500	Floundering Seal	Choice of Avatar & Chat Color
1,250	Baby Seal	Weekly OverKrill Bonus Tournaments
2,500	Daring Seal	1% Rakeback
5,000	Adult Seal	2% Rakeback
10,000	Tricky Seal	5% Rakeback
20,000	Journeyman Seal	11% Rakeback
50,000	Sly Seal	19% Rakeback
100,000	Cunning Seal	27% Rakeback
200,000	Boss Seal	33% Rakeback
500,000	Shrewd Seal	38% Rakeback
1,000,000	Baller Seal	42% Rakeback
2,000,000	Sage Seal	45% Rakeback
5,000,000	Iconic Seal	47% Rakeback
10,000,000	Grandmaster Seal	50% Rakeback

Players receive 50% rakeback when starting tables.  This is awarded to players giving action at a table with two or three players seated when there are six or more seats at the table.

The top 10 players in terms of Krill earned are awarded chips each week.  The leaderboard week runs from Monday to Sunday.  The payouts are:

SWC Poker Game Selection

There is very little action at SWC Poker.  Most of it is heads up.  There is usually a micro No Limit Texas Hold’em game running.  There may also be a Pot Limit Omaha game or a shorthanded non-Hold’em game.

Has There Ever Been a Scandal at SWC Poker?

SWC Poker has always paid players.  It picked up the balances owed by SealsWithClubs when it closed.  There has never been a scandal at SWC Poker but it is related to a few major problems.

SealsWithClubs had two serious denial of service attacks during its life that took it offline for a week or more. All balances were restored when the site came back online.

SealsWithClubs had a legal issue in February 2015.  Bryan Micon, the site’s chairman, had his home searched by Nevada gaming agents.  He immediately left the country for Antigua.  Micon was indicted and worked out a deal with Nevada prosecutors that saw him receive no jail time and the ability to have the charges reduced to a misdemeanor upon completion of probation.

SealsWithClubs closed at the time of the search of Micon’s home.  SWC Poker opened about three weeks later.  All balances and accounts were transferred.

SWC Poker FAQ