Virgin Games aren't big on restricting regulations, but we still need a few rules to make sure our tournaments are fair as well as fun. Have a quick peek below to make sure you don't become an unwitting rule-breaker.  You should also bear in mind that our House Policies & Rules form part of our general terms of use, but in case of any inconsistency the Virgin games Terms & Conditions will prevail.

Server Crash or Game Freeze

In the event of a server crash that removes all players from the table or prevents the hand from continuing, the hand will be considered dead (void) and all the money will be returned to all players after an investigation is completed within 48 hours.

Please see the tournament rules section for information on tournaments that have been cancelled due to a server error or game freeze.

Errors that do not cause a dead hand

In the event the game pushes the pot to the wrong player or misreads the winning hand, certified poker support service members will correct the error by adjusting the players' accounts within 24 hours.

Cheating of any kind

If management suspects such an activity, the player(s) accused will be investigated. Players found to have been, or reasonably suspected of cheating in any form, will have their account privileges terminated throughout Boss Media's casinos indefinitely. Using the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt" to indicate cheating, Virgin Poker has the right to confiscate any funds won while cheating. Confiscated funds will be distributed to victim players. Boss Media/Virgin Poker will never keep confiscated funds. Any player who has funds confiscated for cheating will be told the screen names of the players who have received their money.

Team play or collision

Team play or collusion is the act of two or more players "teaming up" to gain a competitive advantage by signalling card values or making raises and re-raises that are intended to force a victim player out of a pot. If customer service receives a complaint about such an activity or management suspects such activity, the players accused/suspected will have their accounts and playing activity reviewed by management. Players found to have been acting, or reasonably suspected of acting as a team, will have their account privileges terminated throughout Boss Media's casinos indefinitely. If warranted, Virgin Poker has the right to confiscate any funds won while acting as a team. Confiscated funds will be distributed to victim players.

Violations of house rules

• Players may not chat about a hand while it is in progress (i.e., a comment like "I have a heart flush draw." General comments like "I'm going to get my revenge this hand" may be considered acceptable).
• Players may not offer advice to another player through the chat during a hand, or urge a player to take any kind of action;
• Only English and the table specific language may be written in the chat.
• Any foul, abusive or threatening language will not be tolerated on any game table.
• Players may not chat about any mucked cards they held during a hand.
• Players may not chat about any current cards being held during a hand. Management will judge the severity of a violation. Virgin Poker has the right suspend or revoke membership privileges.

House Rules

We don't mean to be pushy and we certainly don't want to make you feel that you aren't free to play your natural game but there are some house rules which need to be in place to make sure that the game is kept 100% fair. You can read more on the House in our House Policies and House Rake sections.

• In all disputes in which a ruling, interpretation, clarification or intervention is required, all decisions made by Virgin Poker management are final and binding.
• Management has the right to close any game at any time.
• Management has the right to remove a player for a time period to be determined by management for a violation of a house rule.
• In the unlikely event of a software error which subsequently rewards a pot to the wrong player, Virgin Poker has the right to adjust players' account balances to correct any and all errors. Virgin Poker will contact all affected players and present a hand history and detailed explanation of the error within 48 hours.
• If a player notices that an unlikely error of any kind has occurred during a game, the player is obliged to contact support services.
• In the unlikely event of a server crash that removes all players from the table, the hand in play will be considered dead (void) and all the money will be returned after an investigation has been conducted.
• In the unlikely event of an error, the hand will be dead. Please refer to "error" under our Virgin Poker General House Policies.
• All players have the right to request a hand history in the event of a dispute.
• Players may not act as a team. If team play (collusion) is suspected, Virgin Poker has the right to suspend suspected accounts and funds while an investigation is conducted. Players found to have been acting, or reasonably suspected of acting as a team, will have their account privileges indefinitely terminated at all casinos operated by Boss Media. If warranted, Virgin Poker has the right to confiscate any funds won while players were acting as a team. Confiscated funds will be distributed to victimized players.
• No "board talk" is allowed. Players may not chat about a hand while it is in progress. Although some comments may be innocuous, the presumption will be that any comments about the play of a hand are in violation of our rules, and the burden of proof will be on the violating player to convince us otherwise. To be safe, avoid making jokes about the hand you are holding or how you intend to play during a hand.
• Players may not use chat to offer advice to another player during a hand, or urge a player to take a particular course of action (e.g., it is a rule violation to use chat to say "Call him, he's bluffing!").
• Players may not chat about any folded cards they held during a hand.
• Players may not chat about any current cards they are holding during a hand.
• Only the English language and the table specific language may be written using chat.
• Foul, abusive or threatening language will not be tolerated at the gaming tables. Players may lose membership privileges for any repeat occurrences.
• In fixed limit games there is a maximum of four bets allowed in each betting round. A bet, a raise, a re-raise and a cap. A cap is the third raise in a betting round, after which no more betting is allowed. Pot limit and No limit games allow for an unlimited number of bets and raises.
• If there are only two remaining players, playing "heads up," then raises are unlimited.
• Players are allowed to Check and Raise.
• The determination of which player's hand will and must be shown first during the showdown will depend on which player initiated the action and/or which player initiated the last bet, raise or re-raise.
• Players who win a non-called pot are not obligated to show their cards.
• Players may not fold a checked hand.
• Cards "speak for themselves" when determining the winner of a pot. The universal poker hand rankings apply, and a list of these rankings can be found at the Poker Hand Rankings link.
• If two or more players tie by holding equally-strong winning five-card hands, the pot will be split between the tying players. If there is an odd chip, that chip will be broken down to the smallest value chips in the game. If the amount to be split is still uneven, the player who was in earliest position gets the odd chip in flop games. In high-low games, the high hand gets the odd chip.
• The house shall collect a "rake" not to exceed $3 per pot, except in games featuring stakes of 1-2 or lower, where the maximum rake is $1. Please see "house rakes" on our website.
• The Reserve-Seat and Sit-Out features are intended to allow a player to take a small break from the action without losing his or her seat. Players must return to the game within 10 rounds. If a player fails to return to the game, then the player will be picked up from the table.
• Short buys are not permitted. The only exception to this rule is if the player has already bought into the game for the acceptable minimum, and wants to add chips from his account, but does not have enough chips in his account to reach the minimum.
• That player will be allowed to add as many chips as he has left in his account.
• Straddle bets are not permitted.

Membership to Virgin Poker can be revoked at anytime for any reason. The funds in a player's account will be returned unless the player has been found to have cheated another player or players, in which case some or all funds may be distributed to the victimized players. In no event will Virgin Poker simply confiscate a player's funds and retain them for Virgin Poker.

Chat Rules

• All chat must be in English or the language specific for specially designed language tables.
• The User may only chat in a way that would be appropriate in a face-to-face meeting.
• Any foul, abusive or inappropriate language will not be tolerated and the User is not allowed to harass, threaten or embarrass other chatters.
• The User may not chat about a hand while it is in progress, offer advice to another player through the chat during a hand, urge a player to take any kind of action, chat about any current cards being held or any mucked cards the User held during a hand.
• The User is not allowed to promote any other gaming websites, post email address or any other private details.
• Promoting any kind of rakeback, bonus or any specific deal is not permitted.
• The chats for all Games will be supervised and in the case of Poker games also moderated.
• All conversations in the chat rooms will be logged and recorded and suspicious chats will be reported to the relevant authorities.
• The User is responsible for his/hers use of the chat and the User undertakes to comply with the IPN chat rules set forth in this paragraph and on the Company's gaming website.
• If the User breaches any of the aforementioned chat rules, the User will be locked out from the chat either for a period of time or permanently.
• Virgin Poker reserves the right to remove chat ban.

Tournament Rules

• All multi table tournaments will begin at the time stated in the lobby.
• Registration times for all tournaments are shown in the lobby.
• Seats are randomly assigned and there will be no changes allowed.
• At the start of the tournament, players will be randomly seated at each table.
• The tournament ends when one player wins all of the chips in play.
• A player may play on only one account during a tournament. Violation of this rule may result in disqualification from the tournament as well as both accounts being frozen.
• When a player loses all of their chips, they are eliminated from the tournament unless during a re-buy period.
• If two or more players are eliminated in the same hand, the player with the most chips at the start of the hand will be placed higher. If the chips are tied then the player closest to the button will be placed higher.
• Raises are not capped in no limit or pot limit tournaments but during limit tournaments there is a maximum of a bet and 3 raises before the pot is capped except when the play gets heads up.
• When play is heads up, (only 2 players remain) the player on the button will post the small blind and be first to act.
• Tables are automatically balanced during a tournament.
• Players may be moved to other tables to maintain the balance. If the player is moved into the big blind position, this position is live and is in play immediately. Players who are moved into the small blind or button position will not be dealt into the hand until the button has passed them.
• The button acts as a dead button when players are eliminated in blind positions and will not move until both blinds have been paid.
• There are no deals between players allowed in any tournaments.
• All prizes will be distributed according to the specific details of each individual tournament. All details concerning a tournament may be found in the tournament lobby.
• Hand for hand dealing will be operated when player numbers approach the prize money positions, and for each subsequent change in the prize money until the final table are reached. This means that all hands will start at the same time and a new hand will not be dealt until all hands on all tables have been completed.
• If a player has registered for a tournament and is not present at the start they will be blinded off and be deemed to have played in the tournament.
• Players or railbirds (observers) may not discuss hands until a hand is over. Anyone discussing their discarded cards or hand possibilities may be subject to disqualification.
• Any play that is deemed unethical, such as team play, soft play, or chip dumping, will result in a player(s) being disqualified from the tournament and the account(s) being frozen with all funds impounded.
• Normal tournament rules apply to all tournaments.
• English is the only language allowed at the tables.
• Players and observers are expected to use the chat feature in a courteous manner.
• Any chat or action to help another player is unethical and is prohibited.
• By participating in a tournament the player accepts the risk of internet disconnection between their computer and the servers, or lag and freeze due to the player's computer. Poker Heaven does not accept responsibility for any player disconnections except in the event of a server crash.
• Poker Heaven reserves the right to cancel or reschedule tournaments at their discretion.
• If in the event of a dispute, Poker Heaven management decision will be final.
• Poker Heaven reserve the right to amend the tournament rules at any time without notice to the players.
• A player who is disconnected during a tournament will be marked as sat out and blinded off until they reconnect to the tournament and uncheck the sit out box.
• Our normal all in/ disconnections policy applies to all tournaments.
• Players can only win one satellite entry to any tournament, there is no cash alternative and seats are not transferable. Should any player win two seats he or she will forfeit one of them. Should a player be unable to play for any reason then they will forfeit their entry. No refund will be given and players cannot transfer their entry to another date.
• By participating in a tournament the player consents to be bound by the tournament rules.
• In the event of a server interruption or tournament crash, players will be compensated according to our interrupted tournament pay-out policy.
• Players who participate in any PHTV.com tables may be used for broadcasting.
• In the event of a Satellite tournament concluding after the registration period for the main event has closed, all winning players will receive the buy-in as cash into their account instead.

Scheduled Tournament Refund Policy

There are occasions when a tournament is cancelled. In these circumstances the following refund policy will be adhered to:

1. Prior to Start
2. Before 20% of the Field are Eliminated
3. After 20% of the Field are Eliminated
4. When Prize Positions have been reached
5. Satellite Tournaments

1. Prior to Start

If a tournament is cancelled prior to start all players are refunded their buy-ins back, irrespective of any guaranteed funds in the tournament. (In some cases a tournament may be re-run, this is at the Poker Manager's discretion)

2. Before 20% of the Field are Eliminated

If a tournament is cancelled before 20% of the field are eliminated then all players are refunded their Buy-ins back, irrespective of any guaranteed funds in the tournament. (In some cases a tournament may be re-run, this is at the Poker Manager's discretion)

3. After 20% of the Field are Eliminated

a) If a tournament is cancelled after 20% of the field are eliminated (and before the prize positions are reached), then the tournament is refunded in the following Manner:-

• 50% of the prizepool is distributed evenly to all remaining players
• 50% of the prizepool is refunded based on the % of chips each player has in play

b) If a Rebuy tournament has not completed the Rebuy/Add-on period then the tournament will be refunded.

4. When Prize Positions have been reached

If a tournament is cancelled once prizes have started to be paid out the following refund policy is used:-

• All player's credited the next bottom pay-out position
• 50% of the remaining funds are distributed equally to all remaining players
• Remaining funds are refunded based on the % of chips each player has in play

5. Satellite Tournaments

Satellites as always will be Poker Management decision dependant on number of seats and prize being played for.