Poker forum archive

From a development perspective, online casinos have stood still for years despite being the biggest revenue drivers in terms of both margin and turnover for most operators. The BodogBrand now intends to overhaul the online casino market in the same way it did with poker.

During the last couple of years the Bodog Brand Licensees took a fresh look at where the online poker market was heading and together agreed to make three fundamental changes, namely: a total restructuring of the rake back system, blocking data mining sites and player informationas well as a complete u-turn on the type of player that rooms seek to attract. Depositors, not 'pros', held the key to a successful and fun poker experience. These changes were quickly adopted by other major operators in the industry.

Equally, sports betting has seen in-play wagering and mobile apps give the genre a new lease of life to the extent that even the once all-powerful betting exchanges are now becoming traditional bookmakers themselves.

Now it's the casino's turn to shine. Bodog Asia is currently building itsown live dealer studio, allowing players a host of advantages that have been impossible to do before: tables tailored to specific players and player groups, the ability to choose your favourite dealer, random bonuses with live concessions and, of course, beautiful women.

This week the Bodog Brand's new casino lobby was launched by Bodog.co.uk, Bodog.ca and Bodog.eu as the first phase of a multi-tiered revamp of the entire online casino experience which it is hoped will, like poker before, become the industry standard.

Specifically, the new lobby will offer players the ability to find the games they want quickly via a dynamic search bar andsimplified navigation and also allow players a comprehensive overview of all games and their individual features before theyclick thanks to a brand new game spy preview feature.

OK, guys, when we play online poker, let's make sure we take care of the rest of our lives, ok? A woman in Lancashire, England has been tried and convicted for the squalid conditions of her home where food was left to rot and garbage piled high while she played poker on the internet. While that would be bad enough, the woman has two small children who have endured these conditions.

Talking to the local news paper, Detective Constable Jackie Wenn of the Lancashire Police public protection unit had this to say: “It was the worst home I’ve come across.

“There was a lot of input and intervention from other agencies, including the school, which used to wash their uniforms.

“The school did a really good job in caring for the children and reporting problems. Despite this, the children were still unkempt and socially isolated at school. The situation deteriorated, and the children were put on child protection plans. It’s so sad.”

Handing the mother a community sentence, the judge described the case as “neglect of an extreme kind”. The mother was charged with two counts of child neglect between January 1, 2009 and June 9, 2010. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to an 18-month community order and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

This was a very sad case and a reminder that while we can all enjoy online poker, it's important to make sure we pay attention to the real world as well. If your poker playing begins to negatively impact those around you, it's time to take a few hours or days away from the tables.

There was a time less than two years ago when the online poker community was used to seeing people win $1 million at sites such as Full Tilt Poker, since then it has been a long time, and in this time that has passed, Black Friday has come and gone. Since Black Friday, online poker pros have to settle for winnings around or up to $100000 only, which is a small prize as compared to one million. The action on cash-games online has cooled and the high-stakes have lowered the limit and these challenges now don’t seem so alluring. For the past few months since Black Friday, there have been several such events that have led to the downfall of the top most online poker sites like Full Tilt Poker and PokersStars. During these months the high-stakes action has not exceeded $25-$50 or $100-$200 pot limits on different poker sites. Rarely ever do pots exceed six figure prizes.

All this change and lack of action has led some of the best online poker pros to search for a new refuge in another nation where online poker is legal, for example, Canada is one of the most sort after nations for immigration post Black Friday.

Few examples of people who have chosen to move in order to play online poker are Andrew “Foucault” Brokos, Viktor “Isildur1” Blom, and Gus Hansen.

Brokos had been living and roaming in the US in order to play poker since before Black Friday and hence leaving the country was not as hard for him as for the others. He is a member of Team PokerStars Online, and has been invited to remain on the team if he relocates, hence it becomes and additional reason for him to move. Living within the natural surroundings of Canadian Rockies is working out well for Brokos and his girlfriend.

Viktor “Isildur1” Blom has not been doing too well after his massive win in 2009, although he is up by $140000 it does not compare to his $70000 winning last year. Gus Hansen has turned out as the biggest overall winner throughout since he has about $14 million in profits. Daniel Cates who has been trying to move to Canada and has not been successful yet has been up by about $2 million this year and would have done better if online poker had not seen a fall.

While people have their problems with the Epic Poker League's Global Poker Index that ranks the top 300 live tournament players in the world, it seems that there may be something to the math. The rankings system came up with a top three of Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, Jason Mercier and Erik Seidel. Grospellier opted to not participate in the Epic Poker League’s first-ever $20,000 buy-in main event, but both Mercier and Seidel showed up and they're sitting across from each other at the six-handed final table, which begins at 2PM today at the Palms Ballroom.

The current chip counts are as follows:

Hasan Habib — 1,655,000
Jason Mercier — 1,495,000
Chino Rheem — 1,432,000
Erik Seidel — 1,109,000
Gavin Smith — 766,000
Huck Seed — 396,000

All remaining players are guaranteed at least $107,980. First place in the rake-free tournament pays $1 million.

It’s a loaded and recognizable final table, which is the exactly why there's an Epic Poker League in the first place. Poker pro Annie Duke and former WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack started the league with hopes that it could turn into poker’s version of the PGA Tour and with 137 pros showing up for the $20,000 event, they're well on their way.

For many of us, online poker is a place where we get to play in our pajamas and be a bit unshaven, but it looks like an ex-Apple developer has decided that shouldn't be the case anymore with his new iPad2-optimized app, Full Deck Hold 'Em. The game uses the iPad 2's front-facing camera for video chat during the game and while first-generation iPad owners can still play the game, they obviously won't be seen in the chat screen.

While it won't replace real online poker, there's a number of things that recommend the app. In addition to the multiplayer options, there are 16 different AI characters that you play against, and each one has its own personality and style and, believe it or not, they get better as they learn to itch you play. It's a neat little simulator that might help you identify your own problems without having to fae down another player.

As far as online play goes, there's auto matching and invite matching, plus public and private tables and limit and no limit tables. Achievements and leaderboards are supported, including ranking amongst your friends, and integration with Facebook. You can do a lot worse for a to-go poker solution than Full Deck Hold 'Em, which is in the App store for $2.99 (€2.39/£1.99)

It's official: Carbon Poker is returning in the USA!

This is undoubtedly amazing news for Americans who have been scrambling for weeks now to find a quality online poker site that is trusted, licensed and backed by a reputable gaming platform. Since coming into the market several years ago on the Merge Network, Carbon Poker was already one of the rising stars of the industry. Great software, unique graphics and features, as well as some of the softest competition out there got many players hooked on the site. Traffic, however, grew exponentially after an April 15th indictment of the owners and CEO's of PokerStars, Full Tilt and UB/Absolute, collectively known as the "Big 3" in the poker world.

After skyrocketing to the top 10 most trafficked websites in the world, Carbon Poker made a surprise announcement that they would be leaving the USA market for a brief period while they worked on their mounting customer service problems and cashout issues. After making the move official on June 1st, affiliate managers for all Merge skins went on a public PR spree to vow that they would be back within several months, something not even the most optimistic of poker players could have believed given the current legal climate of online poker.

However, after just being out of the market for just about 2 months, Carbon Poker reps have been quietly making it known that they're aiming for an August 15th comeback to the U.S. - with August 31st being the LATEST date that the site will be operating again in the states. It has been well documented by several unnamed Merge sources that Carbon has ramped up their customer service department to handle increased support loads and have also improved their processing and cashout timeframes, offering better options and decreased wait times on withdrawals.

Welcome to Carbon Poker

What was once the second largest poker site on the World Wide Web fell from grace

A mere six months ago Full Tilt Poker was sitting at the very top of the online gaming hierarchy. With hundreds of millions of dollars a year going through their books every year they were one of the very biggest online gaming sites in the world and second in the world of online poker. With a whole stable of online poker super stars both playing for them and representing them it appeared as though they were untouchable. All of that came crashing down on the 15th of April 2011.

When the United States Department of Justice decided to act to stop online poker they did so in a way that no one imagined. In an instant the rules of the game had changed and online poker firms all over the world were put on notice that if they chose to trade in the United States their domains would be frozen as would their bank accounts and their staff would be arrested and thrown in gaol. This is what happened to Full Tilt Poker, not only were they prevented from trading but they failed to return their US clients funds to them which set them on a collision course with their own gaming authority the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC).

A mere 2 months after the Black Friday fiasco in the United States the AGCC suspended Full Tilt’s gaming license citing allegations of fraud and money laundering as they did so. A full and public inquiry into the activities of Full Tilt Poker was promised and even more players lost all of their money. To add insult to injury what was promised as a public hearing was immediately sent behind closed doors preventing players from knowing what was going on.

The World Poker Tour announced (very) late on Friday that they're adding a stop on Season Ten of the popular tournament series, this time at the Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. They made the announcement before they've announced the complete schedule for American players, so there may well be additions to be made.

“We have put an emphasis on finding the right partners for expansion. Parx was an immediate target for WPT and have been wonderful business partners in getting this deal done,” said WPT President Adam Pliska. “The ability to crown a WPT champion in a town that has recently seen the Flyers in the Stanley Cup, the Eagles in the Super Bowl and the Phillies win the World Series will be tremendous for both Parx and WPT.”

Parx has earned praise with its new casino facility featuring a large, open poker room that became an instant attraction for locals and visitors alike. With sixty poker tables and room for dozens more, the room is perfect for large tournaments like the World Poker Tour.

They'll have more details on the new stop in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime you can play online poker at Bodog and sharpen your skills in case you'll be on the East Cast.

The Epic Poker League just wrapped up its first Main Event with an impressive lineup, but controversial poker pro Daniel Negreanu is telling everyone it's doomed, and we can't help but wonder if maybe it's his well-publicized disdain for Annie Duke that's at the core of it. In a blog post, Negreanu went through a step-by step list of reasons why he wouldn't participate in the Epic Poker League, including the name. One of them, however, needs addressing.

In the post, Negreanu writes: There are only so many "I dropped out college because I was making more money 24-tabling online" stories you can do. There are certainly some really great, interesting young players in the game that the public will be drawn to, but that's the exception not the rule. While the 2+2 crowd may love a featured table with online pros they adore, the mainstream public wants to see Sammy Farha bluff Phil Hellmuth and watch him go on a tirade!

Players with the ability to participate in the Epic Poker League have been ranked by the Global Poker Index for their live earnings, not their online poker winnings. The 300 players in the GPI are a broad swath of poker culture, from known names (like the very same Phil Hellmuth he mentioned) to the current generation of online pros that are making the transition to live poker play.

In addition, here's still plenty of drama and Cinderella stories to be had: David Rheem (who was at #130 on Friday's update to the index) took on a final table featuring pros ranked higher than him and beat the odds. Negreanu is a great player, no doubt, but we wonder how much of his argument is based on logic versus the fact that he really, really doesn't like Annie Duke.

This is undoubtedly amazing news for Americans who have been scrambling for weeks now to find a quality online poker site that is trusted, licensed and backed by a reputable gaming platform. Since coming into the market several years ago on the Merge Network, Carbon Poker was already one of the rising stars of the industry. Great software, unique graphics and features, as well as some of the softest competition out there got many players hooked on the site. Traffic, however, grew exponentially after an April 15th indictment of the owners and CEO’s of PokerStars, Full Tilt and UB/Absolute, collectively known as the “Big 3″ in the poker world.

After skyrocketing to the top 10 most trafficked websites in the world, Carbon Poker made a surprise announcement that they would be leaving the USA market for a brief period while they worked on their mounting customer service problems and cashout issues. After making the move official on June 1st, affiliate managers for all Merge skins went on a public PR spree to vow that they would be back within several months, something not even the most optimistic of poker players could have believed given the current legal climate of online poker.

However, after just being out of the market for just about 2 months, Carbon Poker reps have been quietly making it known that they’re aiming for an August 15th comeback to the U.S. – with August 31st being the LATEST date that the site will be operating again in the states. It has been well documented by several unnamed Merge sources that Carbon has ramped up their customer service department to handle increased support loads and have also improved their processing and cashout timeframes, offering better options and decreased wait times on withdrawals.

Poker can be played in person or on-line. Currently, making money through poker websites in the US is illegal, but Senate Bill 40 would make it legal in California.

The bill is authored by California Senator Lou Correa who said legalizing on-line poker would be a massive money-maker for cash-strapped California.

Correa pointed out that billions of dollars are made through people playing on un-regulated off-shore site, and none of that money stays in California.

He added SB 40 would change that.

An economic impact study done by Blue Sky Consulting Group about SB 40 showed about $117 Million would be generated in the first year of full operation. Over ten years the study estimated $1.4 Billion would be generated.

Blue Sky co-founder, Tim Gage, explained that money would come from taxation and job creation.

However, Rev. James Butler, executive director of the California Coalition Against Gambling Expansion, said the numbers aren’t as good as they appear on paper.

"Although there is a short bump in employment, in the three to five year window employment evens out or decreases," he said.

Butler believes SB 40 will be extremely dangerous both economically and socially.

"An increase in gambling there's an increase in crime, unemployment, homelessness," he said. "For every one dollar of revenue studies show it costs the state three dollars."

However, supporters of the bill reason since on-line poker is still happening the state should capitalize on it.

Who came out on top in the weekly $100,000 guaranteed online poker tournament held this past Sunday, August 14th? Sirocko took first place this week, earning $23,600.00 They were followed by 1×2x3×4x5 ($13,600.00) and cribrink , who rounded out the top three spots while earning a very tidy $9,100.00. Here's the rest of the final table results: Gooooal2 ($7,000.00); BROWNDOGMAFIA ($5,700.00); JohnnyD22 ($4,500.00); Gomertime ($3,300.00); Checkraz0r ($2,200.00) and 1RobYou ($1,300.00).

In addition to our show-stopping Sunday events, Bodog hosts its regular weekly tournaments to players, and here's the winners of last week's events!

August 8 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: tokenjay ($3,795.00)
August 9 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: StaxAtax ($$3,808.75)
August 10 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: stew01 ($3,533.75)
August 11 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: drdoggy ($3,705.62)
August 14 • $10k Guaranteed Double-Stack: whatever877 ($4,125.00)
August 147 • $10k Guaranteed Turbo Double-Stack scorpion007 ($4,500)

Bodog's guaranteed tournaments mean that there's always a big cash pool and with more players getting in on the action every week, that means there's more to be won Play poker online at Bodog and get your share!

Momentum appears to be building behind a movement to regulate online poker and other gambling in the United States, raising hopes that a bill that would allow Americans to play online casino games may be passed by Congress before the end of the year.

In recent weeks, more and more influential figures in the USA government have come out in support for some kind of online gambling regulation, with allowing online poker being the most widely-supported initiative.

However, details on how such regulation would work are far from clear. While many sources are reporting optimism in regards to getting a bill passed during this session of Congress, there are few details on exactly what that bill would look like.

Among the recent converts to online poker regulation are Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) and Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio), who join Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) as influential leadership figures who support at least some forms of online gambling.

In additional, many industry figures who were at one point opposed to the competition that would be introduced via online gambling have now become supporters of online poker – or have at least softened their resistance to the idea. For instance, the New York Post quoted Global Gaming Business publisher Roger Gross as saying that Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson is now willing to go along with federal legislation regulating online poker. In another sign that the industry anticipates such a move, several major American casino corporations, including Caesars Entertainment, have made arrangements with online poker software providers that could allow them to quickly develop sites for American players when the opportunity arises.

Many credit budget issues at both the federal and state levels as a critical motivator for the increased support. Online poker is seen as a way to increase revenue without taking the unpopular step of increasing taxes. However, some oppose such measures, believing that they will lead to a higher incidence of problem gambling.

Have a stack of Bodog poker points and don't know what to do with them? Check out our poker freerolls, where you can exchange your points and get a shot to win real money in our twice-monthly $7,500 tournaments. Qualifiers are run every day or you can buy in directly, meaning that we've made it easier than ever for you to earn free money playing the game that you love.

All day, every day, we're running $7,500 freeroll qualifier sit and go tournaments with a 150-point buy in. First place at each table wins a tournament ticket to a $7,500 freeroll of your choosing. You can up your odds with a 200-point buy-in with our nightly events where one in five players gets in on the big show. These tournaments take place every night at 6:10pm ET.

Of course, if you think you've got the skills, you can buy directly into the $7,500 freeroll with 1000 points. The $7,500 freerolls are held at 2:20pm ET on the second and last Saturday of each month.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Internet poker legislation "will get done." This is the first time the Nevada senator has spoken so assuredly about the future of online poker. Whether Reid's prediction happens sooner rather than later likely will depend on the debt super committee.

The joint select committee on deficit reduction has been tasked with finding at least $1.5 trillion in debt savings over the next 10 years. Licensing and regulating Internet poker is a way the committee could identify billions of dollars with little effort.

"I think there's a very good chance we're going to get in the discussion," Poker Players Alliance executive director John Pappas said about online poker. "Whether it makes it into the final recommendation is the question."

The super committee is a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011, the debt-ceiling agreement signed into law by President Obama on Aug. 2. The law created the bipartisan committee, which has been called super because it has the unprecedented authority to craft a bill that may not be amended or filibustered. The bill, as written by the committee, will get a majority vote in the Senate and House. If passed, it will go to President Obama for final approval.

If online poker is put on the bill by the committee, it is there to stay. Whether or not the bill passes will have little to do with poker and be all about politics, but poker will be along for the ride. If poker is put on the bill, the second hurdle will be for the committee itself to come to an agreement. With six Democrats and six Republicans, the committee will be in a 6-6 deadlock unless at least one member is willing to break party lines. The 12 members were picked by the leadership of their party, presumably with loyalty in mind.

The 12 members are Democratic Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.), Max Baucus (Mont.) and John F. Kerry (Mass.), Republican Sens. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Rob Portman (Ohio) and Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.), Democratic Reps. James Clyburn (S.C.), Xavier Becerra (Calif.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.), and Republican Reps. Dave Camp (Mich.), Jeb Hensarling (Texas) and Fred Upton (Mich.).

The lineup doesn't give particular reason for optimism on poker's prospects. Upton, Clyburn, Becerra and Van Hollen all have grades of "B" in the PPA's congressional ratings, Kyl and Camp have grades of "F," and the rest are unknowns.

"The people holding the cards I think will be Kyl and Reid," Pappas said. "Even though Reid is not on the commission, he appointed people who are. If Kyl and Reid can compromise on a deal to include online poker, I think it can happen. It's handing Congress revenue without raising taxes, which is exactly what they're looking for."

Kyl blocked Reid's attempt to attach an online poker proposal to must-pass legislation during last year's lame-duck session. However, he wrote on his official website earlier this year that he would consider efforts to legalize online poker if other aspects of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act are strengthened. Then Kyl and Reid combined on a letter last month to Attorney General Eric Holder that wasn't at all favorable to online poker but indicated that the two Senators were working together on the issue, sparking speculation that they were approaching a compromise that would allow for licensing and regulating the activity.

One has to wonder about the timing of Reid's statement that Internet poker legislation will get done coming as the super committee approaches. The optimistic among the poker community might look at that as a sign that Reid and Kyl have reached an agreement.

There is no official word on when the super committee will begin its work. The Budget Control Act requires that the committee vote on a proposal by Nov. 23. Any poker legislation discussed is likely to be a not-yet-released Reid proposal rather than the bill introduced by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) in the House. It would also have to include tax language in order to estimate the amount of money licensing online poker could take off the deficit. There never has been poker-only tax legislation introduced, though the proposal floated by Reid at the end of last year did include tax language that could be adapted.

Although Pappas thinks the decision on whether to include poker will be made by Reid and Kyl, the PPA is recommending that poker players go all out in sending emails to members of the committee and posting on their Facebook pages in support of licensing and regulating Internet poker. Usually, the PPA recommends that players only contact their specific representatives. Since the committee is tackling a national issue, it is appropriate for players to contact all the members.

"If we're able to get a lot of PPA members tuned up to contact members of the committee and say to include online poker, I think when it comes up in their discussions that it will be much more palatable to them than if they go into this without any understanding that there are a bunch of people out there who care about this," Pappas said. "We don't want to put all our eggs in one basket but, if we're looking at something between now and the end of the year, this is our best shot."

It's where the World Series of Poker* started back in 1970 and now Binion's Horseshoe is celebrating 60 years of business with a major remodeling and reopening its tower of hotel rooms. Binion's Horsehoe was founded after Benny Binion bought the old Eldorado Club and Apache Hotel back in 1951 and while the casino has seen better days, it still maintains a lot of cachet with a certain generation of poker players and gamblers.

"[Our] No. 1 priority is to find a way to reopen the tower completely remodeled,” general manager Tim Lager said.

For the last two years two years, according to a local newspaper, the casino, now under different ownership, has been planning renovations to its 285-room tower, which was closed in late 2009 because of poor conditions. The casino is hoping to use the $35 million investment to reopen the rooms in the near future.

As mentioned, casino has a long and storied history in Sin City and is probablys best known for hosting the first few World Series of Poker events. In 1970, Benny’s son Jack began hosting the WSOP, which eventually became the largest and richest set of poker tournaments in the world.

In early August, President Barack Obama signed the Budget Control Act of 2011 into law, creating a Congressional super committee whose task is to raise $1.5 trillion. The committee comprises 12 members – six democrats and six republicans – and has the unprecedented power to write a bill that neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate can amend or filibuster – they can only vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Poker Players Alliance are very confident that this will lead to legalization in the United States. The formation of the super committee got us to thinking.

1.Let’s gooooo!

Like most poker aficionados, I was very excited to hear that online poker was going to be in the conversation once the super committee begins to meet. This is a perfect scenario for online poker because neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have the right solution to the problem because neither economic theory (Keynesian nor laissez-faire) is stimulating growth. Neither side has fully backed the idea of online poker, even though it offers something that is extremely rare – guaranteed revenue without the need to spend or raise taxes.

It’s a shame that it takes an economic crisis for online poker to make it to the table here in the states, but we’ll take it. After what happened on Black Friday, any step toward legalization is a good one. American players who were forced to leave the country if they wanted to keep their profession now have a reason to hope again. There are a lot of obstacles in the way, so patience will be a must.


2. Poker will be lumped in with “online gaming”

When Rep. Barney Frank (D) began the fight for legalizing online poker, he often lumped it with the rest of online gaming. To him, there is no discernible difference between playing poker and playing craps, because, as a libertarian, he believes you should be able to do (nearly) whatever you want in the comfort of your own home. The PPA and other supporters of online poker did not want to be attached to online gaming, though, because there has been so much research done that shows the negative effects of playing table games. This research is not applicable to online poker, nor is poker a game where the players are competing (with a clearly defined disadvantage) against the house.

While the rake and taxes from online poker could procure billions of dollars for the United States, table games make more money at a faster pace. This will sound enticing to the committee, and I’m afraid that if online poker makes it to the table, so too will its ugly twin brother online gaming. It’s unfair to think that a skill game like poker could get lumped in with roulette, black jack and slot machines, but to the untrained eye they are all “gambling.” This would really hurt online poker’s chances of becoming legal, so hopefully the two will remain separated during debates.


3. Jon Kyl has the power

As Senate Minority Whip (the second-highest position in the republican senate), Sen. Jon Kyl (R) has a lot of power within his party. As a member of the super committee, he will be able to protect his party and extend his leadership. Kyl was one of the biggest supporters of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, which of course led to Black Friday and the absence of online poker altogether. Kyl surprised everyone this spring however, when he announce via his website that he would be willing to consider poker-only legislation.

Again, the separation of poker and gambling is paramount. Kyl has the ability to change how the Republican side of the committee will vote because of how powerful he is. If Kyl is willing to compromise on a poker-only bill, then the prospects of online poker are very, very high. If Kyl is being untruthful, which wouldn’t be the first time a politician said one thing and did the opposite, then online poker will remain at a standstill. Kyl has the power, and will hopefully stay true to his words.


4. A house divided cannot grind

Democrats, as a whole, are more likely to accept that online poker is a viable solution to the debt crisis, whereas Republicans, as a whole, are more likely to vote against it. Even if deep down Kyl is in favor of a bill that is poker-only, that doesn't mean he (or any other member of the super committee) will cross the party line. The bipartisan dichotomy of American politics has never been more apparent, and neither side is willing to budge.

It took forever for Congress to agree upon the debt bill, and the legislation is still lacking proper compromise. Ironically, Congress took its annual recess after the bill went through (they deserved a vacation after that hard work) and the next session will begin Sept. 5 with the new super committee. If the bipartisan struggles continue, however, it's going to be a super staring contest to see who budges first.


5. We must remain patient

Nearly a year ago, there were rumblings about an online poker bill supported by Harry Reid. The news sent the entire industry into a frenzy – until we discovered that the bill wouldn't even make it to the floor. The legislative process is long and arduous. Even if the super committee blesses us with an online poker bill, it still has to receive a majority of the votes in both the House and the Senate. The margin for error is minimal at best.

The super committee has its unprecedented power for 10 years, which is a very long time. Within that time frame online poker will be legalized – we just have to be patient. In the mean time, contact your representative and your state senators, and make some noise. With an election year around the corner, now is the time to bring online poker to forefront of the conversation and undo the mistakes that the American government made this past April.

American pro Justin Bonomo is moving to Malta so he can continue playing online poker following the US Department of Justice (DoJ) decision to shut down numerous poker websites in the States.

Several poker rooms – including PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker – were hit by the DoJ’s ruling on April 15, or ‘Black Friday’ as many refer to that momentous day, resulting in countless online players struggling to maintain their careers in the USA.

With the likes of Olivier Busquet, Phil Galfond and four-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu having already travelled north to Canada, 25-year-old Bonomo has announced through a post on his Facebook page that he will now base himself in the small European nation situated in the Mediterranean and close to Sicily and Tunisia. Maybe it is just too cold in Canada for the Las Vegas pro.

The online poker pro has seen his earnings cut dramatically by the April 15 injunctions – as have many other big-name Internet stars – so took to the social networking website to inform his friends that he believes “now is as good a time as any to announce that I’m moving to Malta”.

The former Team Bodog Pro – who has also been very successful in live tournaments to make close to $3 million in career earnings – also added that he will be placing his home on the market, saying that people should “keep an eye on my Facebook statuses if you have any interest in my apartment, furniture or car”.

It looks like the 2009 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Event winner at Caesars Palace – who is known online as ZeeJustin – will arrive in Europe in time to take part in the World Poker Tour (WPT) Malta four-day €3000+€300 (approximately $4320/£2624+$432/£262) main event on September 20.

There is also a good chance Bonomo will be joined at the Casino at Portomaso by the several other well-known pros who have already quit the USA, such as Mike ‘MeleaB’ Brooks – a Supernova Elite pro – as well as fellow American Jon ‘FatalError’ Aguiar, and New Yorkers Vanessa Selbst, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2008 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha winner, and Galfond – the 2008 Pot-Limit Omaha With Rebuys champion.

Will we see more American pros such as Bonomo – who is probably most famous for being caught entering major online poker events when using multiple accounts – quit the States for Europe or Canada? It does seem likely as there appears to be no immediate future for them in the USA.

Additionally, it is going to be of great interest how this exodus will affect tournaments in the North American nation. And will these players even return home if any resolution to the complicated situation arrives within the next few months?

Of course, we will keep you informed of any developments in relation to any legislation passed by the US government in the coming months.

American card players are hardly a high priority for humanitarian organisations protecting the rights of the world's imperilled communities. But such is the current plight of professional poker players in the United States, where online poker has been all but illegal since April, that a new service launched last week offering to relocate beleaguered card players to "poker-friendly countries" around the world.

The service, called Poker Refugees, was launched in response to the US Department of Justice's clampdown on online poker operators earlier this year, which effectively enforced prohibition on online poker in the US. On what has become known in the industry as "Black Friday", the three biggest poker sites in the world were closed to US traffic and their executives indicted by the FBI on numerous charges, including money laundering and bank fraud.

The operators have since either ceased trading or closed their doors to American customers, leaving thousands of professional players without income unless they dramatically change their circumstances.

"They're not moving outside of the US because they want to go on vacation, or because they want to pay less taxes," said Kristin Wilson, a real-estate agent based in Costa Rica, and a partner in Poker Refugees. "They're moving because they have to keep their job, keep their career and support their families."

Although poker is still defined as gambling in most jurisdictions, the best and most-skilled exponents have been able to earn regular incomes, comfortably in six figures, playing mostly on the internet. When the poker sites were closed to American customers, some players moved to the casino poker rooms but the games are much slower, less convenient and charge a higher fee, making the professional life much more difficult to sustain.

"Thoughts went through my mind about other options," said Kenneth Smaron, 26, from Philadelphia, who has played professionally for five years and relocated with two poker-playing friends to Hermosa Beach in Costa Rica in late July. "But reality set in and right now the only thing for me is to be up and running online to survive."

In order to reactivate frozen online poker accounts, the operators require players to demonstrate proof of a non-American bank account and overseas domicile. The Poker Refugees relocation package, which costs $1,000 per person, helps players to arrange housing and personal administration, as well as set up the other essentials for online poker players, including an internet connection – and the phone number of the closest pizza delivery outlet.

"Most poker players are not really go-getters about stuff like this," said Adam Small, the co-founder of the online poker community PocketFives.com, which is behind Poker Refugees. "And this is a sort of monumental thing, moving to another country."

Although options exist for emigrants to begin citizenship processes, most players intend to remain perpetual tourists in their chosen destination, renewing visitors' visas as required by taking short trips over the border or home to the United States.

The Poker Refugees website offers a country comparison, detailing information such as typical internet speeds and duration of tourist visas, with the initial focus on Costa Rica, Panama and Canada, all within a short aircraft ride of the US.

"I will do this through 2012 maximum," Mr Smaron said. "Lucky for me, my girlfriend is very understanding of what I do for a living."

Other high-profile poker professionals have moved to Malta, Mexico and Brazil. Life as a poker refugee can be good. In Costa Rica, for instance, small networks of players have already been established, living in gated communities close to the beach.

According to Senator Harry Reid, new online poker legislation is on the table and “will get done”. I suppose the ultimate question is ‘when?’. However, with Reid (who represents the state of Nevada in the Senate) behind the new pro online gambling legislation, it does stand to reason that it may actually get pushed through. Of course, this is something that is going to be considered by the new “debt committee,” of which Reid helped appoint but is not a member of. Whether you are someone who wants to play poker online or not, the truth of the matter is that legalizing and regulating the industry would be an easy way to generate literally billions of dollars in tax revenue.

If the super committee is to act on the Internet gambling issue, it would still need to, of course, be approved in the Senate and the house, and then head to President Obama for approval. However, given that the committee is bipartisan and that the national debt is so steep, there should be a large likelihood of the bill they create passing. Of course, the poker issue is not going to be the “meat” of the bill, but will likely be added as a revenue generator to help lower the massive deficit of the US. The truth is that for those who want to play some poker online and now have very few options on where to do so, it doesn’t really matter how it gets done, only that it DOES get done and in a timely manner.