B&M player reaction to "The Ban"

smoore · #1 10-04-2006, 04:04 PM

I talked to four tables of players last night and nearly EVERYONE had the perception that this ban is making online poker illegal. I'd explain that there was rampant speculation but that the overall view was that this really wouldn't change anything legally or financially for the bulk of online poker players.

The one guy who admitted to playing online said he got his money from PP via check and he was concerned that he wouldn't be able to cash them anymore. That's certainly a real concern. I told him about neteller.

In any case, I found it disconcerting that these casual players thought the legislation criminalized the act of playing poker online. My very unscientific "poll" shows to me that the big problem with "The Ban" is the loss of the casual playing public, just like a lot of people have been speculating. I know I'll still be playing online in 6mos but I'm wondering if I'll just be trading chips with you guys.

edit: The guy who claimed to get checks from PP was probably lying. His play was that of a clearly losing player.

HSB · #2 10-04-2006, 04:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
The one guy who admitted to playing online said he got his money from PP via check and he was concerned that he wouldn't be able to cash them anymore. That's certainly a real concern.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it really isn't. Even if they wanted to monitor cashouts which they don't, they wouldn't be able to put in a system to monitor paper checks.

smoore · #3 10-04-2006, 04:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The one guy who admitted to playing online said he got his money from PP via check and he was concerned that he wouldn't be able to cash them anymore. That's certainly a real concern.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, it really isn't. Even if they wanted to monitor cashouts which they don't, they wouldn't be able to put in a system to monitor paper checks.

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, I've never gotten a check from a poker site. I have no idea what banks they are written on or who they are written by. I edited my OP to indicate that the guy was probably a losing player anyway.

4_2_it · #4 10-04-2006, 04:08 PM

HSB,

You missed the point. The 'concern' is that the fish will believe they cannot cash out due to this law. Perception becomes reality.......

swarm · #5 10-04-2006, 04:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
HSB,

You missed the point. The 'concern' is that the fish will believe they cannot cash out due to this law. Perception becomes reality.......

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the whole crux of the issue. So much had been done to remove the "illegal" tag from internet poker over the last 2-3 years and it has now been absolutely trashed. Sites are going to have to work very hard overcome this once again.

Checks by the way are actually exempted from the bill, banks have said they will not regulate payment with checks or received checks.

Honestly cashing out of a poker site will probably never be a problem. US is happy to have the money come into the country, just don't want it going back out. Depositing on poker sites and having access to poker sites is the concern.

djames · #6 10-04-2006, 04:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
HSB,

You missed the point. The 'concern' is that the fish will believe they cannot cash out due to this law. Perception becomes reality.......

[/ QUOTE ]

...and until the regulations are set forth, we won't know whether it is in fact perception or reality. Perhaps the regs will be worded a little more air-tight than the bill.

TimTimSalabim · #7 10-04-2006, 04:38 PM

It will be more than just perception once Bush signs the bill and sites start closing accounts.

BufordD · #8 10-04-2006, 04:43 PM

Before I opened a neteller account, I used to get checks from party poker and each one was from a different bank, and never said party poker on the check.

Pokeraddict · #9 10-04-2006, 04:49 PM

I was playing in Deadwood last night. Many of the people know I am involved in this industry. Nobody had even heard about this ban attempt passing at either of the two tables I played. Several people were shocked that Party will be closing their accounts in the coming days/weeks and I do not think they really believed me.

stormy455 · #10 10-04-2006, 04:52 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Checks by the way are actually exempted from the bill, banks have said they will not regulate payment with checks or received checks.

[/ QUOTE ]This is incorrect. The bill specifically says that checks are to be prohibited. It does go on to say that the regulations should not be overly burdensome on the banks and it is widely assumed that asking the banks to monitor paper checks would be overly burdensome. We'll have to wait and see what the regulations actually say.