by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Jul 17, 2012 | Updated on Jul 17, 2012If you’ve been playing poker on 888 Poker, William Hill Poker, or even PokerStars, you might be familiar with the Amateur Poker Association & Tour, or APAT. The group is known for running online poker leagues across numerous sites, with tournaments geared towards recreational players who weren’t interested in shelling out the big buy-ins for major tournaments. Now, the APAT is launching its own poker site, though many are questioning whether the move will be successful.Rather than launch a new room, the APAT decided to take over an existing brand. The group purchased Poker.co.uk, and plan to have their branding added to the site in due course. While the APAT is already in control of the site, for the time being the room will still feature the Poker.co.uk logos.However, having their own room will result in a new experience for APAT players. According to a press release about the move, the APAT will host satellites to their live and online events in the new room. In addition, they’ll be hosting some of their major events on the site, including the National Online League and a new event known as the National Online Cup.While few were surprised that the APAT chose to open their own poker site – their built in fan base should give them a good chance at success – some have already questioned their decision on how to enter the market. By taking over Poker.co.uk, the APAT site will be a part of the Boss Network. Boss is a small network, and while the Boss software is functional and has improved from when the network first launched, most players feel that it lags far behind the standards of most online poker rooms.The APAT bills itself as “the premier destination for non-professional poker players worldwide,” and primarily organizes live events in Europe, as well as online tournaments and satellites.
