PokerRoom.com, the international online poker giant with over 3.8 million players from all over the world, has just been awarded the eCOGRA “Play it Safe” seal of approval. Andrew Beveridge, the eCOGRA CEO, says that PokerRoom.com’s accreditation is significant not just for the online poker industry but for his organization as well: “PokerRoom.com is a highly respected brand handling a significant proportion of the international online poker market, and their commitment to player protection and responsible gaming through the G4 organization is well-known.”

Patrick Selin, the CEO of PokerRoom.com added: “This is the culmination of tough, detailed, on-site inspections and probity checks, but we believe it is an important step forward for our PokerNetwork and partners, and for the industry as a whole. Real and practical regulation such as eCOGRA offers has benefits for everyone, protecting the players and at the same time enforcing high levels of professional and business conduct at both the software provider and poker room level.”

PokerRoom.com’s eCOGRA accreditation comes shortly after eCOGRA’s accreditation of poker software provider, Ongame, and means that the large number of players at PokerRoom.com’s site will now be protected by eCOGRA regulations, which govern every aspect of the game. The seal comes after weeks of intensive onsite inspections. The inspections, which are carried out by an independent professional services group, is a continuous, ongoing process that reviews and monitors business activities as well as central clearing house operations and anti-collusion measures.

Once an online gambling operation has successfully passed the initial inspections, it is awarded the “Play it Safe” seal by three independent directors on the eCOGRA Board who control the organization’s operational activities.

The online gambling regulatory body initiative is open to all and provides practical player protection through a carefully developed set of regulations. There is also a Fair Gaming Advocate to whom players can appeal whenever any disputes arise between the player and an online casino that cannot be resolved at the casino level.

PokerRoom.com, owned by Ongame, was one of the first poker rooms on the Internet and it offers a variety of poker games including Texas Hold ‘em, in addition to other casino games. PokerRoom.com’s accreditation by eCOGRA has great relevance to the expanding online poker industry as a whole because it signifies an effort for real and enforced self-regulation measures. eCOGRA’s regulations for the online gambling industry cut across political and geographic barriers and address all aspects of the game including fair gaming, efficient customer service, money handling procedures, and responsible gambling.