Club UBT offering "skill-based" online poker and blackjack

[TheEngineer]

www.clububt.com (http://www.clububt.com) offers online tournamant blackjack and poker (only tournaments). Prizes are cash and prizes. Money isn't wagered...rather, it's collected as a monthly membership fee. They claim to be legal in 38 states, plus D.C. They withhold taxes on WINNINGS (http://server.iad.liveperson.net/hc/s-35356455/cmd/kbresource/kb-8900387406917486076/view_question!PAGETYPE?sq=taxes&sf=101113&sg=0&st= 599086&documentid=234706&action=view).

Is this a model for our future play?

From their site:

Club UBT is the future of online play. It is an exciting new way to play poker tournaments and Elimination Blackjack tournaments online without risking a penny! It's fun, it's legal, it's EASY. Members pay a low monthly fee of $19.95 (or less!) and are awarded many perks and benefits:

Entry into over 1,000 cash-and-prize tourneys
Subscription to All In magazine
Subscription to the Las Vegas Advisor
Monthly newsletter
Tips from pros like Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Annie Duke, etc.
$1,000s in Las Vegas coupons
Live chat support

--------------------------------------------------

Eligible States:

Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
D.C.
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Illinois
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

[Nortonesque]

Similar B&M concept (http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1180668332195630.xml&coll=7) for poker.

[oldbookguy]

This is what for poker I have been advocating all along, use the UIGEA to our advantage.
This model fits the 'skill' games model.
I notice they are even in the United States!

obg

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]

This is what for poker I have been advocating all along, use the UIGEA to our advantage.
This model fits the 'skill' games model.
I notice they are even in the United States!

obg

[/ QUOTE ]

True, they can offer a game online. Unfortunately, they don't permit actual betting. Rather, they charge a monthly fee, from which the prizes come. I don't imagine any of us can make a living from any of the "legal" games the way they're structured today. After all, the fish at today's games lose more than $19.95/mo.

It appears we need legislation to get what we want...games where real money moves around.

[tangled]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

This is what for poker I have been advocating all along, use the UIGEA to our advantage.
This model fits the 'skill' games model.
I notice they are even in the United States!

obg

[/ QUOTE ]

True, they can offer a game online. Unfortunately, they don't permit actual betting. Rather, they charge a monthly fee, from which the prizes come. I don't imagine any of us can make a living from any of the "legal" games the way they're structured today. After all, the fish at today's games lose more than $19.95/mo.

It appears we need legislation to get what we want...games where real money moves around.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, but if it catches on, it will make the online poker experience more familiar to more people. Sooner or they will want to cross over to "real poker", which will keep the aquarium stocked and increase our position politically -- I hope.

[TheEngineer]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, but if it catches on, it will make the online poker experience more familiar to more people. Sooner or they will want to cross over to "real poker", which will keep the aquarium stocked and increase our position politically -- I hope.

[/ QUOTE ]

True. Anything to prime the pump is goodness. Hopefully we can use the fact that this much is perfectly legal to get a bill like Wexler's through.

[autobet]

If this is the best we can get, maybe we can join the $500 a month package and play for trips around the world and Austin Martins...or whatever (like the joyous opportunity to flog the Senator of your choice)

[schwza]

why is this any more "skill-based" than regular online poker?

[PBJaxx]

um...no minnesota?

[MiltonFriedman]

The problem is that the subscription model is very cumbersome. Look at the T&Cs.

This is not a way around the UIGE Act however, so good luck.

[oldbookguy]

[ QUOTE ]
why is this any more "skill-based" than regular online poker?

[/ QUOTE ]

It is not, the point is poker is no less a game of skill than the other card games that are considered skill!

obg

[MiltonFriedman]

This does not escape the UIGE. Their tournaments have no greater element of skill than any other poker tournament.

[oldbookguy]

[ QUOTE ]
This does not escape the UIGE. Their tournaments have no greater element of skill than any other poker tournament.

[/ QUOTE ]

It does not have to if the UIGEA does not apply to AOL Games, MSN Games and such via www.worldinner.com (http://www.worldinner.com) a U S Based company.

Poker only needs to be consider equal in 'skill' as say Solitaire, Free Cell, Hearts, Spades and such that are 'skill' games and not subject to the UIGEA.

By the way, world winner is 53% owned by Liberty Media. Both are U S companies and Liberty is in the process of buying the remaining 47% of Fun Technologies, the parent company of World Winner.

obg

[jackaaron]

Probably doesn't mean anything, but has anyone played these on here, and are there any table screen shots? Just curious.

[oldbookguy]

Same as Ultimate Bet.

obg

[MiltonFriedman]

Basically, in my view, the UIGE Act does not apply to poker. however, the Regulations' and the Banks' view is what will count.

This will be interesting, in terms of how "skill games" on AOL et cetera are to be exempted from the Regs. The definition for "skill" will be a bitch to write. My point is that, if this ClubUB scheme flies, so will any poker tournament site, US based or not.

It is very interesting that UB/Absolute came "onshore" by providing software.

[oldbookguy]

yes, most interesting indeed.

If poker is not allowed but the other 'skill' games are then there is real merit to at least a portion of the IMEGA or any other lawsuit.

Equal protection / consideration.

Additionally it will provide fire power to any other country suing the U.S. along with A-B.

I would hope Jerry in his talks with Antigua has at least made them aware of this other Interstate Gaming allowed in the U.S. besides Horse Racing!

I e-mailed the WTO and the UK trade office concerning this.


obg

[MiltonFriedman]

Forgive my ignorance, but who is Jerry ?

[oldbookguy]

Sorry, my typo, Jay.

obg

[JPFisher55]

[ QUOTE ]
yes, most interesting indeed.

If poker is not allowed but the other 'skill' games are then there is real merit to at least a portion of the IMEGA or any other lawsuit.

Equal protection / consideration.

Additionally it will provide fire power to any other country suing the U.S. along with A-B.

I would hope Jerry in his talks with Antigua has at least made them aware of this other Interstate Gaming allowed in the U.S. besides Horse Racing!

I e-mailed the WTO and the UK trade office concerning this.


obg

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that these sites offering these games show the vaguenesss of the UIGEA and the skill issue. I wonder if the DOJ considers these sites to be violating the Wire Act. How could they state that online poker is illegal, but not online backgammon, which has as much chance as poker.

[Landlord79]

Has anyone signed up for this yet?

Are the prizes at all decent?

I imagine the games will be so soft that it is sick and it will be worse than Party Poker was in relation to suck outs!