State of the Game-year end

End of Dec '07 observations about the state of Online Poker.

The level of play this year seems to have become more purposeful. Fewer newbies because of the UEIGA leaves those still involved with another year of experience. We still see the donk moves, but often in much fewer numbers, and often from folks who eventually show a pretty good game.

The laws about online gaming are getting Draconian, if not Orwellian, not to be associated with Beardyian.

Perhaps it is because of the difficulty of getting money deposited, that even the low limit players are treating those funds more reverently. Or perhaps it is just because I have an extra year of experience and am seeing things I had no clue about last year.

Personally, I have found that somewhere, deep inside, I have an 'A' game. Problem probably is that in life I am a slob, and often lose my keys, and online I am not any more disciplined. Somewhere in that statement would be a new years resolution.

Politically, the game is suffering, and although there are occasional glimpses of hope, there seems to be more darkness than light. The news from Germany and from Washington State, counters any good news I've heard lately. We seem to have put most of our apples into the PPA. Not sure again that this was such a wise idea. The politicos could totally legalize online play, but tax it so much that it would never be profitable to play.

I'm in the camp that says that the governments are jockeying for position in an upcoming discussion and will be wanting way more than should be justified in taxes and fees, while offering little more than penalties and other strong arm tactics.

While a case can be made that B&M casinos are behind the push to put a clamp on online play, I can't believe they ignore the outrageous 'advertising' that online play has generated, getting record crowds into their houses.

So, we march into a new year with trepidation. Our bankrolls are stressed in most cases, and the bombardment of disheartening news wears on our enthusiasm for online play.

With an economy that in reality is much worse than anyone wants to admit, I don't have good feelings about much of anything for the new year other than for sure someone will be elected to replace the architect of all this gloom. But thats a minor glee at best as I'm fairly sure whoever it is will only be able to sort of guide the world along some undetermined path that has steep cliffs over which we, the teeming masses must pass.

Now, Isn't that cheery?

I can only say, I wish you were soooo wrong about everything you just wrote--but then I would be lieing. I'm going to rebury my head in the sand and cross my fingers that the big boogy man will just go away--wish me luck.

I am sure that the situation looks depressing if you are an American (or German), but I`d say it`s not really that bleak.

The mooted German ban won`t stand. There is no way the EU will allow it.

As regards America, their leaders have been stupid before but it didn`t stop the rest of the world from moving on. Remember Prohibition ? The present problems are only temporary. The key question is whether temporary in this case means one year or ten.

Poker is growing rapidly in the rest of the world and, globally, is in no danger. The traffic at most of the sites I use is growing noticeably.

I agree with Egon. Things look bleak here in the US, but the fact of the matter is despite the obstacles my government has put in my path, I am still able to deposit and withdraw funds from most major poker sites quite easily. Those of us who want to find a way to play, will find a way to play.

In terms of the smaller number of fishies, I think part of that is due to the poker explosion having reached its peak. The Moneymaker revolution brought in a lot of novice players, but the ones who didn't go broke stuck around and learned how to play the game. As poker's popularity continues to wane to pre-Moneymaker levels, sadly, less and less fish will be swimming around with you sharks.

I'm not sure using Prohibition is a good comparison. When prohibition was repealed in 1933 it allowed All US citizens to consume alcohol and a good majority did...... we have bars in just about in every town in the US. The problem with online poker is that its still considered gambling and only a handful of states allow legalized gambling so legalizing online poker would then allow it to be legal to gamble anywhere in the US ultimately leading to anyone in any state who wanted to open up a card room or start a poker site would be able to. Government lawmakers contend it would be chaos. Sad to say, As long as poker is considered to be a game of chance (gambling) rather than a game of skill, I don't see online poker being legal anytime in the near future.

Anyways.....I wish things were different because I love poker.

Peace

If that is the claim, it`s easily refuted. There are plenty of countries around the world where gambling is permitted within a licensed and regulated framework. There is certainly no reason why it should result in chaos.

It would be nice to have a safe, governmentally run site to play poker on, but then what about the TAX issue. would it even be worth it to play anymore cybercards, or more worth the 1 hour drive (for me at least) to Atlantic City - or any of your respectable local casinos?
its just that at home i can play for 12 hours w/o a shirt on, watch tv, go to the BR whenever, make something to eat, check my mail, answer the phone, check the surf during tourney breaks, NOT have to touch dirty Taj chips all day, and definitly NOT have to sit next to some overweight regular at the casino who thinks its ok to eat hot wings at the table.

I dont want to conform. nooooooooooooooooooo.

I am not too worried, because if you take away poker, more people will crave it and there will be much more illegal poker going on. The government can try to take things away but its just the fact that they want control of something that is growing faster then most things in American, who can blame them for wanting a piece of the action? It won't stand so I am looking forward to pulling down the sunday million in 2008

Are you serious? They can't even deliver my mail on times, I sure as heck don't want them over-seeing my poker!

Thought of a unique solution just now.

Put the internet into the hands of the UN. In this radical change in human history, equal (at minimum) in scope to the Moon Landings, the Microprocessor, the Printing Press, the expansion of the 'Civilized' world into the Americas, and Television, the Internet and the potential is world wide, not local.

It should be controlled equally for all. It should remain mainly uncontrolled for all. That is not to suggest it be unmonitored. As much as I try, I can't find a good argument with the NSA (or whoever it is) scanning the WWW seeking key words like explosive or bombing. I have no doubt they are smart enough to know that if they use that ability correctly , the won't run into the uproars of the teeming masses about outlandish incursions into privacies.

As humans we seek government to 'mediate' the going's on between us as individuals, us as parts of a secular group, us as a state, us as a Nation, with all the other 'us'es' in the world. What few anywhere want to let happen is for that same government to mediate the going's on between you and me, or he and she.

I think letting the UN control the Internet would be good for worldwide commerce, individual freedoms, and the future of a more unified world. Capable at that point of dealing with the killer asteroid from Outer Spaces, or the Antennae People from Antwerp!

Wow DJ. What happened to all your 'kid of the sixties' stuff. I never had you down as a globalist!