Do you think USA will have regulated online poker in 5 years?

[5thStreetHog]

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I think it will be within 1-2 years. Harrah's and other land-based casino companies are now foaming at the mouth to get into the online market. They also give First and Kyl & company good money. I think this is their plan.

1. Shut down online gambling (pre-emptive strike on the competition).
2. Legalize and regulate online gambling for American companies.
3. Profit big time.

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I agree mostly with your synopsis. I just hope they don't allow stupid casino games like slots and video poker etc. Those really are the big problem with compulsive gamblers online.

[/ QUOTE ]That comment bothered me.Seems to be the exact thought process and hypocracy that we have been fighting here.The selfish side of me would like to see a poker carve out,and obviously we all know that slots and video poker offer no chance at long term success.But there is a bigger issue here,personal freedom.

[solucky]

they close neteller within 6 month, 3-4-5-6 sites will screw there customers and dont pay there $$, than poker comes legal in the US and NO FISH trust the net

[Mroberts3]

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I think the Socialist Legislature in California would love to spend the added tax money on some new pet project.

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Yeah, you are totally right; already having no coal power plants in the most populous state (30% of US total is coal) and still trying to lower pollution emissions is unimportant. That stem cell thing we did, you know, possibly saving lives, totally bogus. Good thing 150 cells takes precedent over sick children. I wonder what "pet" project we'll think of next! Who knows, maybe we'll have the the best transit system in that nation... Wait! already did that too.

Why don't you go back to your pet projects like banning gay marriage, 1st amendment speech, or the separation of church and state?



Sorry, to the real topic at hand. I think that legal and regulated poker is an almost certainty eventually. 5 years is a bit of a rushed estimate though. It will take time for the demand to be so large the gov has no choice. Also, it depends on the effectiveness of the recent legislation.

[dikshit]

I reckon in 2 years time the UIGEA will cut the number of US players by 50% relative to those that would be playing in its absence. So partial success for the antigaming lobby, but Harrah's and the like would really like a piece of the action. In 5 years time they may be granted a 'privileged' restricted access dependent on state sensitivities. At the same time punitive legislation would be passed against any offshore sites.

[demon102]

100% in the long run, within 5 yrs though Id say maybe 70%. A lot of the world is embracing poker and we are becoming a global market. This will have a big impact in the long run as well as the demand and all the money involved in this business. There is no dought in my mind that it will be legal eventually but it might take some time. Id have to say look at Italy and what happened with there laws about online poker. America has so many more people that play poker that this law will just be like a boiling pot of water that boils over cuz \they put a cap on it.

[burningyen]

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The selfish side of me would like to see a poker carve out,and obviously we all know that slots and video poker offer no chance at long term success.But there is a bigger issue here,personal freedom.

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Let's fight fights we can win.

[NorthDakota]

If the 23 Million estimate is Correct you'd have to feel that Regulation in the US is a virtual Lock.

But... If those 23 Million simply are content to play poker and jump around the roadblocks when they can and are not motivated to show strength in numbers. Internet poker will not be regulated in the U.S.

The effort shown thus far is not encouraging.

[WooIsMe]

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It comes down to if Larry Flint has the will to get online gambling taxed and regulated. I think the Socialist Legislature in California would love to spend the added tax money on some new pet project.

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This is a ridiculous scenario. No politician in California is going to embrace an initiative that is led by pornographer Larry Flynt. Any law that he would promote would make him the lightning rod for attacks from the left (women's rights activists) and right (organized religion).

Can you imagine an ad sponsored by Larry Flynt and the California Teacher's Association? What other group? Organizations would run away to avoid the association with him.

[5thStreetHog]

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The selfish side of me would like to see a poker carve out,and obviously we all know that slots and video poker offer no chance at long term success.But there is a bigger issue here,personal freedom.

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Let's fight fights we can win.

[/ QUOTE ]Fair enough.But the reality is that there is only one fight.The majority of people who dont play poker will never understand that it is not gambling(in the same way slots and other games are)That being said,i was just stating that the real problem is the imposing of these so called "family values" and moral dogma`s upon others who have different standards.You want to use the logic i was replying to? Well congrats,because it just was applied in the recent legislation.Note the carve outs for horse racing and lotteries.Btw for the record,i would light of fire works if i woke up tommorrow and there was a carve out for poker!!!(My selfish side is large in this issue [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])