New U.S based online poker enthusiasts have seen their options limited this week after Merge Gaming removed the capability for U.S based players to sign up and play on their skins, and poker players who use TeamViewer are advised to uninstall after several players report security breaches with PayPal accounts.

U.S based online poker enthusiasts cannot join the Merge Gaming Network according to John Mehaffey over at PokerNewsDaily.com. Mehaffey cites his sources as ‘players and two site representatives’. Carbon Poker, PlayersOnly, Sportsbook.ag, and SuperBook are the skins that have removed the ability for U.S based players to register.

Access to the poker network is only part of the story. Associated casino and sports betting verticals are also at arms length. Mehaffey is hesitant to believe the ban will be permanent citing a similar decision made in 2011 when Merge had donned the crown left in the salty dried up online poker lakes after so many networks ran to the hills.

The previous ban had lasted four months before Merge Gaming welcomed back U.S based players. It’s believed that Merge were not ready for the exodus of players who turned up at their gates after the big boys had left town. Payment processing, server, and customer service issues forced the network into the decision to stop the flow and put things right.