Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007

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PokerTek continues to upgrade poker rooms

Phil Laak tries out the PokerTek Heads-Up table at the 2007 WSOP.

By Arthur Crowson

PokerTek's electronic poker tables are quietly becoming more and more prevalent in casinos around the world.

Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Palm Springs, Calif. is the latest casino that can lay claim to having a PokerTek-equipped poker room.

"PokerPro is a great addition to our casino," said Lou Crescenzo, vice-president of operations for Fantasy Springs. "Removing our manual tables to put in PokerPro was an easy decision for us considering the system's capabilities and benefits to us and our players. The response so far has been great, and we're just getting started."

PokerTek has been selling electronic poker tables since 2005. The tables negate dealer error and also increase the number of hands seen every hour. This summer at the 2007 WSOP the company organized a heads-up match between Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak on one of its new Heads-Up Challenge entertainment machines. The Heads-Up Challenge machines are seen primarily in bars while the full-size machines, PokerPro tables, are used in casinos.

The company has slowly been automating numerous poker rooms around the country. The Fantasy Springs upgrade marks the ninth 100% PokerPro poker room that PokerTek has completed this year.

PokerTek CEO Chris Halligan said the company thought Fantasy Springs was a good location for PokerPro tables.

"Fantasy Springs is an ideal venue for PokerPro and they've been a good partner in all respects," he said. "We seek properties that understand the player benefits and fundamental economics of automated poker and Fantasy Springs fits that description."

Fantasy Springs is the fourth California property to install PokerPro tables and the first 100% PokerPro property in Southern California.

Earlier this year PokerTek unveiled the first fully automated poker room at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Michigan. The room features 15 PokerPro tables along with four Heads-Up Challenge tables.

Related Articles:

• PokerTek Expands Poker Table Production
• PokerTek Distributed to a Bar Near You
• PokerTek Goes Heads-Up With WSOP
• PokerTek Heads Out to Sea
• PokerTek Signs with Carnival Cruises

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