More Trouble for Absolute Poker

As if the whole “superuser” scandal wasn’t enough, Absolute Poker now finds itself in the midst of another controversy.

Publicity Guaranteed, a Fairfax, Virginia marketing firm, sent a statement to dozens of newspapers this week stating that the online poker room owes it $43,000.  The firm was hired by Absolute to hype its poker tournament series in which it gave away college tuition to the winners.  Nat Kurok, senior vice president of Publicity Guaranteed, said that he did not initially want to deal with a gambling company not located in the U.S., but he felt that the promise of college tuition was a noble one. 

Over 2005 and 2006, the marketing firm placed articles about the promotion in more than 40 newspapers and charged Absolute $90,000 in total for the work.  Absolute Poker did pay $37,000 but, according to Publicity Guaranteed, has not paid the remainder. 

Normally, said Kurok, his company does not publicly call out clients who have trouble paying.  In fact, they understand that sometimes clients do have cash flow issues and the two parties work out an arrangement.  In this case, however, Publicity Guaranteed feels that it is being slighted by Absolute Poker and feels it necessary to make it known.