Earlier this month, Vanessa Kade announced on Twitter that GGPoker officially closed her affiliate account, citing violations in the terms and conditions of her affiliate partnership with the site.
This al stemmed from comments Kade made back in December 2020, when GGPoker hired Dan Bilzerian as a brand ambassador. Now, Kade’s name is the talk of social media once again, this time due to a more positive development — the Canadian poker pro just secured a sponsorship deal with Americas Cardroom (ACR). ACR recently shared the good news on Twitter, directing players and fans to her onsite bio.
Kade’s Accomplishments Attract ACR
In her profile page, ACR showcased Kade’s recent accomplishments at the 2020 WSOP Online Series, during which she cashed in eight events, as well as her performances in the live felts and in multiple regional live events across Canada, though she only began playing poker full time in 2014. Kade also has a huge following on Twitch where she streams her games.
Kade’s previous stint in the gaming industry, having worked as producer for Lucasfilm, BioWare, and Disney Interactive Studios, and her experience in programming and graphic design, also add to her impressive credentials.
ACR also describes Kade as a strong advocate for women, being someone who is not afraid to publicly share her views on subjects that affect the overall growth of poker. Her strong stance against misogyny and bullying will help change the game “for the better”, according to her onsite bio.
Not A Publicity Stunt
While many welcomed Kade’s signing with Americas Cardroom, the Canadian poker pro made it clear that it wasn’t done as a PR stunt. It’s inevitable to connect Kade’s sponsorship deal to her recent spat with GGPoker, but according to her, negotiations about the partnership had been going on for a year, and started long before her dispute with GGPoker.
Many are delighted with Kade’s new journey as a member of Team ACR, with the likes of Irish poker pro Dara O’Kearney sending his congratulations on the latest partnership. Kade herself considers it as a personal achievement, providing her with a bigger platform to connect with her fans and followers, and the poker community as a whole.
Kade’s initial plans are to return to streaming regularly, and from there she’ll be able to travel to different locations, link up with fellow ambassadors, and take part in live events donning the ACR logo.
ACR Aspires For More Growth With Brand Ambassadors
Kade is the latest high-profile player to join ACR. Back in February, the US-facing site also welcomed Chris Moneymaker as one of its brand ambassadors, describing it as the “biggest online poker news of 2021”. Moneymaker’s epic victory in the 2003 WSOP Main Event was mainly credited for the online poker boom of the 2000s.
Moneymaker was the first player to win a major international event by qualifying via an online poker site, which happened to be PokerStars. He served as ambassador for the site for 17 long years until the COVID-19 pandemic made him reassess his priorities. He announced his departure from PokerStars in January 2021.
ACR’s latest high-profile signings will help it achieve more growth and success as an online poker operator. Apart from Moneymaker and Kade, ACR Team Pros also include top online poker pro Jon Van Fleet, seasoned vlogger Jeff Boski, winner of ACR’s inaugural $1,000,001 GTD Million Dollar Sunday Michal Loncar, WSOP and WPT champ Robert Kuhn, as well as WSOP bracelet winner and social media sensation Ryan Depaulo.
Drew Gonzalez, well known as one of the hosts of Bill Perkins’ Thirst Lounge on Twitch, reality TV star Jon Pardy, and top female poker pro Ebony Kenney also joined ACR in late 2020.
The first sign of Kade’s partnership with ACR will appear at the upcoming World Poker Tour in Florida where she and her fellow Team ACR pros will take part in some events. Kade will also be playing at ACR using the screenname “Niffler”.