When the online poker craze was ignited in 2004 the media went "all in" and there were several new publications that began operations as it was believed that online poker was a "no limit" proposition. And while online poker has, in fact, had a meteoric growth the changing business model has left one of the better known publications in the dust.
Bluff began as one of the best known and most read poker publications but was folded by Churchill Downs, Inc. Churchill Downs, Inc. acquired Bluff in 2012 as part of its own effort to start online poker operations.
The founder of Bluff, Eric Morris, tweeted out that the company that he founded in 2004 would be folding all operations on August 15, 2015.
Churchill Downs, Inc. has been trying to take advantage of the new laws in which it is easier to launch online poker websites. The company that initially thought it would be a good idea to get involved with online poker has been increasingly frustrated by the slow pace of government regulation of the industry.
Churchill Downs, Inc. owns the Bluff name and intellectual property and could theoretically relaunch the publication someday.
Bluff received a great deal of hype in the halcyon days of the expansion era of online poker at its founding. However, ironically enough, just as Churchill Downs, Inc. has had to deal with the long decline of popularity in horse racing Bluff had to adjust its business model as online publishing only as print publications are going the way of the dinosaur.
