UK / Non-American Poker Pros

[sdunsmb]

OK, so the forums are filled up with a load of posts from american citizens speculating/panicking about the law which passed(which I would be if the same thing went down in the UK, so fair enough).

But I thought I would start a thread non-US players. Does anybody have any usueful/important information about what the effects will be for us as online poker pros.

Obviously, this is a huge blow, since USA provides the majority of the poker market, so we will lose tons of fish, and games will be harder. But I was thinking more along the lones of how worried we should be that similar actions will take place in the future in the UK, for example.

As far as I see it, the UK, European, australian etc online poker is still pretty stable and there should be no MAJOR problems for us to continue making an income.

Comments/gossip appreciated??

[Zele]

You guys seem to be heading in the other direction. IIRC, i-gaming becomes legal and regulated in 2007 (with sites doing business in the UK having to register with the gov't).

The real question is will they allow you to gamble on the internet while wearing trainers? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[KikoSanchez]

And yet are nancy short-bus politicians have sent us back into the stone age. Maybe we'll see you guys again in another lifetime. For now, our puritan leaders will lead us to the green pastures of absolute moral truth. THANK THE LORD

[sdunsmb]

Yes, I'm glad I do not live in the USA, since poker is my income and I never want another job. Hopefully our government will never turn crazy and decide playing cards on the internet is a deadly sin and must be banned.

[ACW]

I can see one benefit. On sites like VC, the fixed payout freerolls should have fewer players if the americans disappear.... Also sites like Ladbrokes which only accept European players could grow if some of the global sites fall.

I think the real issue here though is how this plays out in the public perception. Will the wife of a typical fish, who loses 100 quid a month, start to panic that her husband might be breaking the law because she's seen it on TV or read it in the Daily Mail... Will Mr. G.B. Fish stop playing?

[Phil123]

I think online poker is very safe here in the UK. The government can see a big pile of cash coming their way from the sites they are going to licence soon. Gambling laws for B&M casino's have just been relaxed as Zele says we are going the other way. Anyway if a bill was introduced to parliament it would have to go through as one bill not be attached to another un-related bill as that type of thing in the UK would be classed as totaly un-democratic and would never be allowed. Infact I thought it was only Banana republics that allowed that sort of thing to go on.

[tufat23]

if online poker in the uk got banned I would be totally screwed. However thankfully we seem to be moving the other way, especially when the supercasinos come in, its gonna be a free-for-all and i just hope I have a large enough BR to play the largest games offered

[passthesuga]

From Australia here.

Our government is great when it comes to gambling. All legal and no tax. They pretty much turn a blind eye to offshore gambling. Heck, it's a free world/country/whatever. There are a number of Australian based, Australian licensed gambling firms as well.

My only concern is the effect this legislation will have on the juicyness of the games.

I just can't believe the hypocrisy that is the U S of A. All talk of freedom and liberty, and people can't even play poker........sheesh, it's a disgrace. Your government are a shameful organisation who do not care for you as citizens only for their own interests.

[daveymck]

[ QUOTE ]
The government can see a big pile of cash coming their way from the sites they are going to licence soon.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are any sites planning on licencing though? I dont see why they would have, and even less likely too now.

They are licenced in Gibralter and dont have to pay taxes I cant see any reason why they would come back to the UK and pay taxes.

[Richas]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The government can see a big pile of cash coming their way from the sites they are going to licence soon.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are any sites planning on licencing though? I dont see why they would have, and even less likely too now.

They are licenced in Gibralter and dont have to pay taxes I cant see any reason why they would come back to the UK and pay taxes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, the Party CEO was quoted just before the law passed saying that they were in discussions with the UK government and that the only issue was the "competitiveness" of the tax take.

This law makes it vital for Party to have the EU and UK onside as it is such a large chunk of their remaining market and only the EU can make progress for them via the WTO. They will pay the tax to ensure that the EU market remains open to them and to have the chance of getting back into the US. Having Gib or Antigua is not good enough for them in terms of consumer trust and political clout.

The UK has set the laws up pretty much how the respectable firms wanted (no kids etc etc)it would be a bit stoopid not to move into the safe harbour.