Poker Thread (1 Viewer)

[CanuckSaint26]

I truly have a passion for the game of poker, and since I see many people from New Orleans or with Saints avatars when I play, I am sure that there are some poker players here.

Anyone ever played in the WSOP?

Any reaction to the recent passing of the Security Port Act which also had a bill against online gaming and greatly affected American online players?

 

[billinms]

The anti gambling bill sucks, I too love poker. I haven't played the WSOP, but I have played at Binions, which felt great.

 

[RiverCitySaint]

Poker is a way of life.

 

[Bayouboy]

Frist tagged the anti-gaming legislation on a must pass port security bill. This was the only way (underhanded) that Congress would pass such a law. Legislation to curb on-line gambling could not stand on it's own (not enough support), but when you tag it onto a bigger bill (port security)......it goes through, without debate!

DIRTY politics IMO.

This will be similar to prohibition. Millions play on-line, so they will just have to do it undercover now. The US gov't should wake up to the huge tax windfall leagalized on-line poker can bring to this country.

 

[CanuckSaint26]

I agree that it was very underhanded, but I think despite that, online poker won't really miss a beat because key sites are staying open to US citizens. PartyPoker and ParadisePoker have stopped service to Americans but arguably the two best site, FullTiltPoker and Pokerstars have continued.

 

[Waymer]

Well, my personal concern is not whether the sites will stay open (because like Canuck said, I think Pokerstars will), but whether Neteller will still be able or willing to accept transfers.

 

[Rich Jr]

Man after the 2003 WSOP I was hooked. My mom actually got me hooked. I like watching the "old school" WSOP like in '97 when Stu Ungar won. He was by far the best to ever play Texas Hold 'em. When you beat Doyle Brunson for your first braclet and win again the next year you have something special.

Almost every poker player (except Phil Hellmuth) will say that Stu was the best ever.

 

[Waymer]

Man after the 2003 WSOP I was hooked. My mom actually got me hooked. I like watching the "old school" WSOP like in '97 when Stu Ungar won. He was by far the best to ever play Texas Hold 'em. When you beat Doyle Brunson for your first braclet and win again the next year you have something special.

Almost every poker player (except Phil Hellmuth) will say that Stu was the best ever.

...and he was even better at gin rummy. He dominated the underground New York scene, and was a legend before ever even winning the WSOP main event.

 

[spider2773]

It really does suck how most of the poker rooms are no longer accepting US players, hurts me in more ways than one. There are still a few good sites still accepting US players though, Doylesroom being one of my favorites, although they just raised their minimum deposit to $50 which makes no sense to me since they are trying to capture US players that were abandoned by other sites. Neteller is a big concern of mine as well. Wonder which way they will go.

 

[Bayouboy]

It will be interesting to see how Neteller fairs with this new law. From what I gather, banks and credit card companies are not to deal with online casinos directly or with their intermediaries (such as Neteller). BUT, Neteller is not ONLY a middleman for casinos. Any American can use Neteller to purchase goods overseas....any legal goods. So......if America puts the hammer down on them, they have a legitimate gripe that can turn into a huge lawsuit. It would be a different story if they were exclusively a middle man for on-line casinos.

Stay tuned.

 

[Waymer]

I've heard mixed news on Neteller...a quick search this morning reveals this:


You will also most likely not be able to use services such as Neteller
and Firepay to circumvent the spirit of the law. The language in the
bill prevents "financial transaction providers" from sending money to
gambling sites, and those services will most likely be covered within
the confines of the law. They are covered under the language,
“operator of a terminal at which an electronic fund transfer may be
initiated” within the law. Neteller is a British company and so it
might ignore the American laws-- however, if it does and Americans are
still gambling in that way, you can be assured that laws will probably
follow to prohibit American banks specifically from sending money to
Neteller or to foreign banks in general. American banks will most
likely take the initiative themselves and forbid transfers to Neteller
or Firepay.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=771360

 

[Waymer]

But, this is the more encouraging note, and straight from the horse's mouth:

Financial Processors: Who’s In and Who’s Out?

NETeller’s decision to stay in the US has been confirmed. In case any of our readers missed it, the decision was reported in the Wall Street Journal:

A NETeller PLC executive said the British company, which handles payments for online gambling companies and others, will continue to operate in the US, despite the recent passage of antigambling legislation.
"We are staying in the US," Bruce Elliott, NETeller's executive vice president, marketing and sales, told a online gambling conference in Barcelona. "I don't think we have a very big problem."

At about the same time NETeller made its decision to continue accepting US business, FirePay sent a letter to all its customers saying that the moment President Bush signs the bill, FirePay will decline purchase transactions with online gaming sites. Here is an excerpt of that FirePay letter:

Once President Bush approves the Act, FirePay will no longer allow US consumer payments for online gambling merchants. Beginning the day President Bush signs the Act, FirePay will decline any purchase transactions from US FirePay account holders at any gambling merchant site.
Ten days after President Bush signs the Act, FirePay will decline any transfer attempt made by any online gambling merchant to a US FirePay account.

I think it is important that as consumers, we show our support right now for all the companies that will not be bullied or intimidated by our government.

http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_news/article/3314

 

[Shadeaux]

as i understand it the actual wording of the new law prohibits "games of chance" from being played on the internet. they are trying to get poker classified as a game of skill (which it most definetly is) so, that is supposedly what pokerstars,full tilt,ultimate bet ect..are counting on

 

[jasonl55]

I still don't see how our government can tell companies that operate on the internet what to do. If they choose to take transactions from the USA, just do what those stupid Payday advance people do and say that the transaction is actually taking place in "a certain location" outsid the US

 

[Shadeaux]

btw i'm on all sites at one point or another...what's your handles?

mine - shad3aux (usually playing omaha/stud tables or hold'em trnys)