Players and company representatives on various internet message boards have confirmed that the Merge Gaming network has once again halted the registration of new players resident in the United States.
The website shows that the US country option in the drop down registration list has been removed for Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly, Sportsbook.ag and SuperBook, indicating that the ban also embraces casino games and sports betting products.
Company spokesmen have emphasised that the move does not affect existing account holders, and have pointed out that this is not the first time that Merge has introduced such a ban (the last time it did this was in 2011, when the company experienced payment processing difficulties following an influx of players from Black Friday exiting operators – see previous reports). The ban was lifted later the same year.
In related news, it appears that Merge is also abandoning its US affiliates, advising them that it will stop paying commissions to partners at the end of June 2016. Merge Gaming affiliate programs have not accepted new players since May last year.