On Friday, the FBI shut down three of the world’s most popular online poker sites, replacing their home pages with the screen above.

The three sites are: Poker Stars (based in the Isle of Man); Absolute Poker (based in Costa Rica) and Full Tilt Poker (founded in Los Angeles but relocated to Dublin after the US Congress attempted to shut down online gambling in 2006).

From Joseph Menn at the Financial Times:

US prosecutors have charged the founders of three of the world’s largest online poker companies with bank fraud and other offences, in the largest crackdown since Congress banned electronic gambling transactions in 2006.

In an indictment unsealed on Friday, the government accused the creators of Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars and Absolute Poker of illegal gambling, money laundering and bank fraud.

From Nathaniel Popper and Tiffany Hsu at the LA Times:

Eleven people, including the founders of the three largest poker sites open to U.S. players, were charged by a federal grand jury with bank fraud, money laundering and violating gambling laws. The government also is seeking to recover $3 billion from the companies.

Full Tilt Poker has since responded to the shut-down.

Dublin Ireland (April 15, 2011) – Full Tilt Poker is saddened by today’s charges against its CEO Raymond Bitar and offers its full support to Mr. Bitar and Nelson Burtnick.

Online poker is a game of skill enjoyed by tens of millions of people in the United States and across the world. And, Full Tilt Poker remains as committed as ever to preserving the rights of those players to play the game they love online.

Mr. Bitar and Full Tilt Poker believe online poker is legal – a position also taken by some of the best legal minds in the United States. Full Tilt Poker is, and has always been committed to preserving the integrity of the game and abiding by the law.

“I am surprised and disappointed by the government’s decision to bring these charges. I look forward to Mr. Burtnick’s and my exoneration,” said Mr. Bitar.

Unfortunately, as a result of this action, Full Tilt Poker has decided that it must suspend “real money” play in the United States until this case is resolved. However, Full Tilt Poker will continue to provide peer-to-peer online poker services outside of the United States.

Also: Poker Companies Face Online Fraud Charges (Irish Times)

Via BoingBoing