Lock Poker Acquiring The Cake Network, Leaving Merge

http://www.gambling911.com/poker/wor...ge-050612.html

World Exclusive: Lock Poker Acquiring The Cake Network, Leaving Merge

Gambling911.com has learned exclusively from a very reliable source that Lock Poker, one of the largest rooms on the Internet, will be taking over the Cake Poker Network.

Lock, which is widely believed to be one of the top three largest rooms on the Merge Network, will be leaving that network to take control of Cake.

It was explained that as part of the deal, Cake and its current marquee brand, Intertops Poker, are believed to be continuing to operate as separate rooms and there are no plans to integrate them.

According to Gambling911.com sources familiar with the deal, Lock will be re-branding the network, driving technology, marketing, player rewards, implementing a more aggressive tournament schedule and incorporating a new company philosophy, essentially restructuring the entire Cake Poker Network.

Our sources also advise that the popular rakeback program previously offered by Lock Poker will be returning with an even higher percentage rate, though few other specifics were given.

Our source also advised that the Lock Pros will remain a pivotal feature of the network with others likely to come on board during the summer. Lock Poker recently signed on the first ever World Series of Poker Europe Main Event winner, Annette Obrestad.

It was not immediately known if or when the LockOPs Lock Poker Series will be reintroduced after abruptly being cancelled by the Merge Gaming Network late last month, though our source indicates this Series could be re-introduced over the coming months.

Series 2012 qualifiers and the Turbo Gold cards currently offered on Cake are expected to continue.

As Lock has their own stand-alone cashier, the move is expected to have no impact on players.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
Submitted by C Costigan on Sun, 05/06/2012 - 12:32

If true, and I believe nothing I read on the linked site above, it will totally suck. Cake's software is shit.

Supposedly confirmed by Fonzi.

Yeah, I'm not crazy about this either. Lock is my primary site where the bulk of my bankroll is at, since it's the Merge skin where I have rakeback. So either I move to Cake to keep RB and suffer their crappy software and even worse payout hassles (although it seems Lock may continue using their own cashier), or I lose RB and move over to another skin like BCP. Since I play so little volume these days I guess the RB won't be a huge loss for me, but I'll hate to see Lock go.

Lol here a Merge hater, so I don't mind. Don't like Merge Vip shit, bad promo's and many lucky Americans in MTT's who just seems to get lucky over and over again. <----- No and they aren't that good. BTW payouts at all Cake skins are much faster that merge skins for Europeans.

Probably because I am able to cash more often at Cake

PURE RUMOR THOUGHT UP AND STARTED BY ME, HERE, NOW !

Lock acquires the FT software from Stars for $400 million after Stars secures the Rush patent.

On another forum, a higher up employee of Lock didn't deny it.

cake + lock = Revolution Gaming Network = 6/1/12

Yeah pretty sure it's true now. I'll be withdrawing all funds and finding another Merge skin I suppose.

C'mon, isn't it obvious that Lock is going to change the software. Revolution Gaming Network has a nice ring to it. Also it no longer a rumor, check out Poker News Boy

Just submitted withdrawal request.

I'm going to at least wait and see what they offer, now that they've confirmed they will continue to run their own cashier (which has been better than both Merge and Cake for US withdrawals). But if they don't show me something on the software side damn soon, I'll bolt too.

God, I hope they at least integrate the freaking software & payouts. That would be a huge upgrade Cake has been needing for a long time.

This is pretty much a pile of BS for the folks using Lock/Merge as their main room. Does anyone know reasons as to why they are making the move?

Lock has there own cashier and is going to take over cakes cashier. so lock should still have the fastest payouts but, i'm not playing on cake until they improve there software.

Ahhh geez. I have a bunch of accounts across the Cake network. I hope there isn't too much trouble getting all the funds transferred correctly. We'll see how smoothly the transfer of skins goes. This will make things interesting in a few weeks! This is actually the first time I've been excited for online poker as a US player in the past 6 months or more. This could be great (or a flop) as a small stakes tourney player.

I always liked the Cake network, and Lock has always been one of the better Merge rooms. Lots of player liquidity there and better cashouts than other Merge rooms -- hopefully this carries over to the Cake network going forward!

Cake really needs the liquidity of some big rooms like Lock... between that and a potentially improved schedule -- hopefully with the network taking some shots at some decent GTDs -- this could be good.

Very Interesting. I have more money on Cake than any other site right now (except FT I guess...) but I hardly ever play there because I hate the software so much and the games aren't that good. Maybe Lock can change the software, implement better games, and speed up payouts!

Hopefully this doesn't significantly reduce the # of people on Merge. It would be nice if the Lock only people would both continue to play Lock on Cake and would also open Merge accounts at like Carbon or BCP or Hero, etc.

If Lock is not embellishing their numbers, it probably will. They claim to bring 40% of Merge's traffic alone. That will be a HUGE hit to the Merge network. Their skins better churn out some big promotions and the network better look to add some more liquidity. All in all, more competition can only be better for us players!

I'd be surprised if 1/2 of the current Lock player base stayed with them through the switchover. As of today, I'm done with them. I requested a full cashout (except for about $50). Not even sure I'll play with the $50 but I didn't want to completely drain the account.

Any reason in particular? Is it just Lock's overall shadiness, or something else?

Personally, I don't have a devotion to Merge. I will continue to play on Carbon and Hero -- maybe one or two other Merge rooms -- but am very excited to check out this new network.

You say you done with them but you leaving $50. Try to make some sense

Lock's history (kind of scary if they're in charge of the network imo) + Cake's software blows and it'll be ages before they do anything more than throw a Lock skin on it.

I left $50 because of max withdrawal amounts. I'll probably trade it off when new suckers want to try out the "new" network.

On the first point -- no argument there. Lock has a shady past and I don't see them as the most reputable of rooms. But my biggest concern is with slow-paying and no-paying, which I am less worried about.

On the second point -- personally I don't really prefer Merge's software to Cake's. From an aesthetic standpoint, Merge's may look better, but from a practical standpoint, playing 4-6 tables, I think I prefer Cake. Either way, neither room's software is anything to write home about. You're right; it will be a while before we see any real software improvements, but from where I stand, that's not a HUGE deal.

Just wondering why you played there if you are worried about their history?

RIP Cake Network. The Revolution Gaming Network is kind of a mouthful. Will it be Rev Gaming or RGN for short?

Changeover scheduled for May 31st. Hope the faster cashout includes a reduction in the minimum check w/d amount for Cake and Intertops.

Good point, this would be great. Didn't think of this. I would have to think that -- considering Lock's size, they should easily be the biggest room on the new network -- Lock's $100 minimum cash out would have to carry over to the new network. Is Cake's minimum check withdrawal still $500? No way that will go over well with Lock's players.

Yes, it's still $500. I wanted to withdraw some but that wouldn't leave me enough there and considering the problems with paying U.S. players, I would prefer smaller checks in case the DOJ seizes something. Wouldn't be the first time a withdrawal got lost in the payment processor black hole.

Lock's min cash is $300 not $100. (for US players anyway).

I can say I am not excited about this..... last night Merge had 14k players on the network while Cake had 2200. I don't really believe the Lock poker players on Merge are as high as 40%, but they are one of the bigger skins on the Merge network.

Weakens the Merge network and really does little to strengthen the Cake network (until the software improves). How many cash players will be willing to put up with the Cake freezes??

The bolded is my concern. While I much prefer the Merge software it has it's issues too so that is not as big of a concern to me. After PS they all suck lol.

My concern is tournament entries - bad enough as it is and now it will be worse.

Personally I haven't ever had a 'freeze-up' on Cake network in past 6-12mos.
In the past I couldn't stand it (due to freeze-ups, etc.) but like I just said, it NEVER does that anymore.

I'm not sure how things will be affected with this purchase/move. But won't many of the players who play on merge via Lock just open accounts on other skins (on merge) now? & won't this just increase player traffic on Cake network? (I don't play much on either)

"Network Downgrade" IMO.

I'm guessing it must have something to do with Merge's cancellation of Lock's April Promotion at the last minute, after they supposedly gave them the thumbs up early on.

Didn't remember the name of the tournament, but I do remember they were running satellites for the series of tournaments. Just searched for it, it was called: LOCKOPS, and the tournaments were supposed to begin on May 6th, that is, yesterday. Coincidence?

Yes, I think the network's heavy-handedness in how the skins run their rooms has a lot to do with this decision. However many would argue that's a good thing because they keep the skins mostly honest.

But the way that Merge apparently approved and then changed their mind on the LockOps promotion is pretty crappy too. Lock was getting big enough that I guess they felt they were in a position to chart their own course and not be subject to Merge's whims.

BTW did anyone else other than me totally miss that Lock had signed Annette as a pro? Just discovered that while reading about this deal.

I had read that earlier. Wonder if this was in preparation for the buyout of Cake.

Cake's software has a lot of issues, but I don't have the "freeze" problem. The slow and non-existant updating of their tournament lobbies is unforgiveable. Seems like poker software has gotten worse instead of better over the last 7 years. I don't remember having any issues with software the first few years I played.

I never have the freeze issue either. And while overall I think Merge is better - Cake's tournament lobbies update 10 times faster than the Merge sites - and for both that is really unforgivable.