how long before PS UB and FT drop?

[satya]

Well, I guess you can fight the PPA (the only group I know of doing anything - whether we agree with tactics or not) at every turn and take this wait and see attitude.

What happens in August if there aren't any rooms left open to US players?

It's hard enough to get people to take action now - even if it's dialing a phone or pushing send on a prefab online letter to Congress. Do you really think people will be motivated to do anything once there's nothing left to fight for?

If there are no rooms to play at - there will be no point (in the minds of most) to taking any kind of action. By then UIGEA will be a done deal. Goodbye online poker. Forever.

Aside from perhaps a handful of online pros (e.g. those with no political clout whatsoever), the only potential "players" left with an interest in a carveout or whatever else, will be the rooms and CP etc - those you feel the PPA is working too hard for now. But by then the market will have been obliterated and even they may determine fighting is would be -ROI. No way to know for sure. I guess we should just wait and see.

[olivert]

The message that governments in the US, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Russia, Israel, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and even parts of Canada (notably Ontario Province) are sending is very clear:

Either the government owns the online poker room or the government issues an explicit license to an online poker room to operate in a country/territory, or the government will do whatever it takes to block off the flow of cash to that offshore online poker room in order to protect government-owned or government-licensed gaming monopolies.

The governments around the world will each have a HEAVY hand on determining who is allowed to run legal online poker rooms in each country/territory.

Remember that in most countries, being able to gamble legally is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. The government can decide who gets to gamble, on what a person can gamble, with whom a person can gamble, how much a person can gamble, and how much "juice" the government will extract from gamblers.

Get used to this trend.

Even PartyGaming, the biggest bully on the block, has figured out that governments hold ALL the "aces" when it comes to explicit licensing.

[CrazyEyez]

Oliver,
I completely agree. I think the fight to save poker as we know it is a waste of time. The fight should be for US Gov sanctioned sites, even if that means full disclosure, 1099s, etc. That's the only long term possibility. Let's just get on with it.

[olivert]

[ QUOTE ]
Oliver,
I completely agree. I think the fight to save poker as we know it is a waste of time. The fight should be for US Gov sanctioned sites, even if that means full disclosure, 1099s, etc. That's the only long term possibility. Let's just get on with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

With the way the UIGEA is worded, the gaming commission or lottery authority of each U.S. STATE can legally start up its own online poker site that is limited to state residents ONLY.

I would not be surprised if the likes of Progressive Gaming (PGIC for you NASDAQ home gamers) is pitching its software to each of 40+ lottery commissions around the U.S.

As for Nevada: I do know that Stations Casinos has applied for an intrastate online gaming license with the Nevada Gaming Commission for online sports betting. One should not be surprised to see other casinos in Nevada applying to launch intrastate online gaming sites, including online poker, in the next 24-36 months.

The future of online poker, even in the U.S., will likely be government-owned or government-licensed sites serving each state. The potential licensees will also have to be SQUEEKY CLEAN if they want a shot at getting the licenses.

[BluffTHIS!]

[ QUOTE ]
With the way the UIGEA is worded, the gaming commission or lottery authority of each U.S. STATE can legally start up its own online poker site that is limited to state residents ONLY.

[/ QUOTE ]


olivert,

Your legal interpretation is slightly off here. The states don't possess the right to allow intra-state online gambling because of the permissive largesse of the federal government through the IUGEA, but rather constitutionally already possessed that right which the federal government cannot take away even under the broadest interpretation of the commerce clause. Indeed, the IUGEA depends for much of any effective force it might have upon state law regarding gaming.

[vinyard]

[ QUOTE ]

With the way the UIGEA is worded, the gaming commission or lottery authority of each U.S. STATE can legally start up its own online poker site that is limited to state residents ONLY.

[/ QUOTE ] From my understanding several states could joing together offering something whose best analogue is Powerball which is in 60% of all states. Is there something in the UIGEA that would prohibit such co-operation between states?

[Kneel B4 Zod]

olivert is right. the wild west days will be soon be ending.