Now that you touch on the subject of the online poker ban in the United States, I have always considered that more than a ban, it is a failure to agree on taxes. In fact, many years ago the US government established a lawsuit over Pokersatars, which ended with a simple agreement not to allow money from North American banks to the page under any circumstances. Remember this, Uncle Sam what he loves to collect taxes, God knows the bulky figure they wanted to collect from pokerstars and they of course did not accept it
Actually, this is a false narrative. The online ban was due to cheating taking place on certain sites (Ultimate Bet and Full Tilt were among the worst) and a reinterpretation of the Wire Act that the USDOJ used to take control of internet gaming(there were also portions of the RICO Act used).
I KNOW that Uncle Sam loves to collect taxes (and that does not really differ along party lines) but Black Friday was caused by cheating. We are slowly getting internet poker back in the US, we are having to do it state by state. But, it is NOT about taxes, it is about government oversight and control. If it were simply about taxes, the issue would have already been resolved with sites that were willing to submit themselves to taxation (as Pokerstars has done in several states.)
As an attorney, I have followed this litigation very closely (and tried to participate where I can), we are actually on the cusp of poker being legal again (despite the
casinos lobbying hard against it). There is a case pending in the Supreme Court that will ultimately decide what interpretation of the Wire Act that will be used (the lower court ruled that the DOJ's interpretation was false and the Supreme Court really likes to affirm the lower court) but even if the Supreme Court rule in favor of the DOJ, there are now 7 states that have legalized online poker (and that IS due to tax revenue), so there will be further battle between WHO gets to decide whether poker is legal in a certain state or not.
Sound all very confusing? It is but it isn't. LOL. If you want to know more, feel free to hit me up anytime.