Puls

Hold’Em or Fold’Em: Where is US Online Poker at in 2013?

From the early days of the online poker boom, through to the devastating Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), and on to the events of Black Friday, US online poker players have been waiting for the realization of their dream of seeing online poker being properly regulated and legalized in the country.

The Green Shoots of Legal Online Poker

Vestea bună este că există semne clare că jucătorii de poker din SUA ar trebui – odată ce își recuperează fondurile în urma raidurilor de Black Friday DoJ de la Full Tilt, PokerStars și colab. – să se poată bucura de aceleași jocuri ca și jucătorii de poker din întreaga lume. : aceleași jocuri cash, turnee și 2-7 Limit Triple Draw Blood Wild River (OK, poate nu ultimul, dar în cele din urmă poți paria pe cel mai mic dolar pe cineva, undeva îl va oferi).
“We are already seeing individual states legislate for online poker,” Nicholas Kisberg, founder and CEO of CardsChat.com says. “While there will certainly be states that will never legislate in favor of any form of online gambling, we expect US poker players to have some great new choices in the next few years. This is an industry that grows rapidly. Once acceptance comes in some of these fledgling sites could grow to be truly huge.”

Statul Statelor

In 2011 the Wire Act – an antiquated law regarding bets on the phone – was amended to specifically ban betting on sporting events, but not online poker. The US Justice Department issued a ruling making online gambling legal, so long as it is permitted on the state level; that was a green light to some states that have been busy forging ahead with intra-state online gambling or poker. Some others, meanwhile, are playing a wait-and-see game and others flat-out banning it altogether.

Let’s take a closer look at some of moves the individual states are making at the legal disco in 2013 as they shimmy nervously up to that girl called ‘poker’ to ask for a dance – and those who are shunning her altogether.

Sin City Leads the Way

În timp ce state precum Oregon și Illinois stau pe gard, așteptând clarificări din partea DoJ cu privire la noile implicații ale Wire Act, Nevada merge mai departe cu propriile planuri de poker online.

Noua legislație a Nevada a fost testată în 2013 la prima sală online legală a statului, Ultimate Poker, vizitatorii World Series of Poker din 2013 oferindu-i primul test. WSOP în sine ar putea avea un site de poker online pe deplin funcțional pentru jucătorii americani până în Seria 2014.

Delaware and New Jersey

Delaware and New Jersey are finalizing their own intra-state plans, with New Jersey’s system slated to launch in late November 2013. Meanwhile, Maryland and West Virginia look like moving in the right direction with their own bills. West Virginia has long been rumored as a potential online poker partner for Delaware, and is certainly one to add to the list of ‘maybes’.

The problem with most States is that, in this toughest of recessions, they’re flat broke. They’re not willing to risk money to make money. However, with West Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey not in the same predicament as others financially, online poker legislation could prove to be a win-win for them.

“Generating revenues from online gambling could be a great lifeline for some of the US states that are in financial difficulty. US states are in a position to make themselves attractive to this industry. They should be looking at other nations around the world and seeing the financial benefits they have reaped, and copying those models,” Nicholas says.

California Dreaming… of Online Poker

The question is probably when California will regulate online poker, rather than if. The state is considered to be the most promising market for online poker, and the amount of money at stake almost ensures that regulation will take place at some point.

So what’s stopping them? Simply put, there are several competing players involved who all want to share equally in the risk and reward. 2014 has been mooted as the year when online poker “maybe” appears in California, but that maybe could well turn into a “not at all”.

On the Fence – or Well Off It

Pe cealaltă parte a monedei se află însă unele state, cum ar fi Washington, care au făcut din pokerul online o infracțiune de Clasa C. Montana, Nebraska și Indiana se numără printre statele cu legi arhaice privind jocurile de noroc în general, jocul de jocuri de noroc online fiind interzis.

What about the Spiritual Home of Hold’Em?

În cele din urmă, să aruncăm o privire la Texas, casa spirituală a Texas Hold'em-ului și a legendarilor jucători de noroc care au făcut primele călătorii la Las Vegas, precum Benny Binion și Doyle Brunson. În timp ce pokerul a condus cândva statul, parlamentarii au arătat până acum clar că jocul nu mai este binevenit. Dar asta se poate schimba încă.

Poker fanatic, and Texas Representative, Joe Barton has reintroduced his online poker legislation to the House of Representatives, joining another bill for consideration by the body. HR 2666, the “Internet Poker Freedom Act of 2013,” is Barton’s second attempt at passing legislation for industry regulation, and with HR 2666 joining New York Congressman Peter King’s bill, HR 2282, the “Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act of 2013,” there are two tracks that online poker regulation can take. Peter King’s bill is fairly far-reaching, intending to include ALL online gaming – not just poker. It would allow states like Nevada to opt out and go it alone, but so far it looks like the most ambitious project so far.

Is a Federal Bill Dead in the Water?

Un alt democrat, Harry Reid (Nevada), a fost ocupat cu formularea unui proiect de lege federal care să legalizeze propriul său joc de poker online, iar planul său ar vedea alte forme de jocuri de noroc online eliminate. Reid's Bill ar putea vedea Nevada și New Jersey în fruntea cozii în cursa pentru a oferi poker online reglementat, permițând parteneriate între giganții masivi ai cazinourilor din statele respective.

Proiectul de lege federal propus pentru cazinouri ar putea foarte bine să invoce furia Californiei (teama lui Reid este că jucătorii din California care vizitează Vegas vor rămâne acasă dacă California oferă propria soluție de poker online) și cu siguranță va primi opoziție din partea altor state care preferă o soluție intra-mai simplă. sistem de stat.

Legal US Online Poker: When, Not If

Există o speranță generală că, pe măsură ce mai multe state adoptă legislația intra-statală și stabilesc un model pe care alții îl pot urma, statele se vor uni pentru a crește fondul de premiere, numărul de jucători și veniturile generale. În cele din urmă, acest lucru ar putea atinge o masă critică și ar putea deschide din nou porțile. Și mărcile globale de jocuri – în special cele forțate să părăsească SUA după UIGEA – vor urmări situația cu atenție pentru semne de încasare pe o piață profitabilă și întinerită.

“All of us in the industry are closely watching what is happening in the US to see how things will pan out. Certainly it is a hot topic on our forums, and one that is hotly discussed. After all, many American poker players want to know if “the land of the free” is going to give its people more freedom to play online poker,” Nicholas says.

The regulation of online poker is surely inevitable in the USA. It might take a few more states to go it alone to start off with – Texas and New Jersey seem likely to be next – before anything countrywide appears. By the time anything federal happens, however, we may be grinding Sit ‘n’ Gos high above the Earth in our space capsules. Watch this space.