Full Tilt pays overdue Alderney licence fees
£250,000 paid to AGCC, but licences remain suspended and no date set for resumption of hearing.
Full Tilt Poker has paid £250,000 in overdue licence fees owed to the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, according to a release on the regulatory authority’s website.
A frequently updated ‘Full Tilt statement’ on the AGCC site now contains the line: “The recent payment of overdue licence fees by FTP is also in players’ best interests since it allows commercial negotiations to take place that might result in a successful refinancing deal.
A spokesperson for the commission confirmed to eGaming Review that the overdue payments had been made, and that the annual nature of the fees means no further licence payments are required of Full Tilt until next July. The operator’s licences, however, remain suspended.
At the hearing over FTP’s licence suspension, held in London on 26 July, AGCC lawyer Jason Hill raised the subject of the unpaid £250,000. However, at the time, Martin Heslop QC “ representing the poker operator “ agreed that the overdue amount would be settled within seven days providing a pre-hearing request was held in camera, or privately. After that request was granted, it seems FTP has complied and settled the amount.
The statement also confirms that the hearing will resume no later than 15 September, giving the operator a timeframe which it believes is “Inthe best interest of the players using FTP’s services,” although no venue has been given for the resumption.
Negotiations between Full Tilt and an unnamed potential investor are believed to be ongoing, with recent suggestions from inside the company that said investor is interested in its UK and Irish assets only.
There was one positive development for the company last week, with the news that the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has renewed its Secondary Client Provider Authorisation, but it is unknown whether this affects the negotiations in any way.