Author Jennifer Newell's poker week in review for June 24-30.

Our consolidation of the week's news is quick and to the point — seven stories, to be exact — for the week ending June 30. Let's go.

No. 1 — Barton to Introduce Online Poker Bill to Senate

Congressman Joe Barton, a vocal supporter of legalized online gaming in the United States, stated that he will introduce an Internet poker bill to the House in the next few weeks. His last attempt at a bill did garner a hearing but went no further, though he hopes this session will provide more positive results. He believes that states' actions to legalize online poker and gambling, along with the Justice Department ruling, will make the process of passage easier than in the past. "It's not a question of if my bill passes as much as it is a question of when," he said.

Meanwhile, Brad Polizzano wrote for QuadJacks that his recent attendance at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States produced commentary on the recent House of Representatives bill introduced by Rep. Peter King. The National Indian Gaming Association and others continue to oppose it, while others in the casino industry see no possibility that there will be enough support in the House for passage of the bill.

No. 2 — Ultimate Gaming Partners With Trump in New Jersey

This happened today (July 1), but it deserves a mention instead of waiting until next week's column. Ultimate Gaming, home of Ultimate Poker in Nevada, announced an agreement to provide real-money online gaming to Trump Taj Mahal Associates in New Jersey. The agreement seemed to just beat the June 30 deadline for partnerships in the state to be eligible for the first round of online gaming site launches. The next deadline is July 29 for the submission of completed licensing applications.

Ultimate Gaming CEO Tobin Prior said in the press release, "Our proprietary software has been proven to meet regulatory requirements and allows for continuous investment and product development. The technology was acquired in 2011 and developed by a U.S.-based company with a completely clean regulatory profile." Trump Entertainment Resorts' CEO Robert Griffin noted that Ultimate Gaming is a pioneer and trusted partner with a proven track record.

No. 3 — 888poker Climbs in Cash-Game Traffic Rankings

The latest PokerScout numbers released over the past week showed that 888poker has surpassed PartyPoker to take its place as the fourth-largest online poker network in the world. The cash-game traffic is based on a seven-day moving average at online poker tables, which showed that PartyPoker's average was 2,025, but 888poker was 2,062. The move is evidence of continued growth for 888.

In addition, over the past year, 888poker showed seven percent growth in cash-game traffic, while PartyPoker and iPoker's numbers declined by more than 15 percent. A recent Flushdraw article asserts that the rise for 888poker is due to its embrace of and promotions for recreational players, as well as its global expansion that includes a reentry into the United States market.

No. 4 — Black Friday Parties Released from Jail

Chad Elie was one of several individuals pursued by the U.S. Department of Justice in Black Friday indictments, and his role in online poker payment processing earned him a sentence in a federal prison facility. He served his five-month sentence and was released last week, though he remains on a two-year supervised release program. Meanwhile, Elie pushes forward with a civil lawsuit against his former attorney, Jeff Ifrah, for malpractice.

This release comes less than a few weeks after Absolute Poker executive Brent Beckley was released from his sentence for Black Friday charges. Though he has not been as vocal as Elie about his release, reports state that he was allowed to leave custody early, only 10 months into his 14-month sentence.

No. 5 — More Changes at Revolution

The Revolution Network reportedly removed its "Fair Play Technology" from all skins, with the exception of high-stakes cash games on Lock Poker. The technology was originally implemented to segregate players by skill levels to protect recreational players from pro players who may prey on them and discourage them from continuing to play. However, most players were taken by surprise with the new policy, and many responded by leaving the site.

Revolution skin Zetpoker was reopened only a few days after suspending its operations. Pokerfuse noted that withdrawal delays were settled by working with the independent cashier system, and the problems have been resolved. Previous statements regarding settlement problems with the Revolution network as a whole have been retracted, but no further explanation was made available.

No. 6 — Lock Players Receive Mixed Messages

Lock Poker continues to experience problems with its image, reputation, and message to players. While many sponsored pros have stood by the site throughout many months of complaints of players unable to cash out their balances, some like Chris Moorman, Paul Volpe, and Brett Jungblut have cut ties with Lock. Now, reports from Two Plus Two forum readers reveal that sponsored pro Greg Tiller is trying to sell $10,000 of Lock money caught up in the site for $.33 on the dollar. Jared Hubbard is attempting the same — at the same discount — for his $25,000.

As most players, including their own sponsored pros, are experiencing extreme cashout delays, reports have surfaced that CardsChat forum members are able to bypass those delays for more immediate cashouts. Online Poker Report's website revealed that CardsChat has long taken advertising money from Lock Poker, and players who used the CardsChat forum to complain about their funds being stuck were given priority, with e-mails forwarded to Lock management and requests processed within hours.

No. 7 — Sheldon Adelson Enrages Poker Community

The CEO of Las Vegas Sands, Sheldon Adelson, has furthered the rift between his company and the poker community with a recent article in Forbes. He blames online gambling for the potential eventual demise of land-based gaming and calls it a plague and a toxin. He mentions the negative impact on children and young adults, saying it is a "threat to our society" and must be stopped.

His commentary has again raised the eyebrows of the poker community, as many have called for a boycott of Las Vegas Sands properties, such as the Venetian in Las Vegas. There were also many rebuttals penned over the past week, though Adelson does not seem to be open to hearing other opinions. Most gaming enthusiasts continue to pursue the legalization and regulation of online gaming around the world, while Adelson continues to rail against it.