Harry Reid Pushes to make Online Wagering Legal

[brank]

More on the latest revision of the draft from 2+2......


I have no idea if this has been posted in this thread already, apologies in advance if it has.

* The 15-month total blackout period on issuing *any* license still applies. [Sec. 118] No qualifying body can issue a license until 15 months after passage of the Act. That means that no operator could legally offer internet poker in the U.S. for those 15 months, and sites like Full Tilt and PokerStars would be shut out for 39 months.

* The U.S. player pool continues to have to be segregated from the rest of the world for at least 3 years after the first license is issued.
I have no idea if this has been posted in this thread already, apologies in advance if it has.

* The 15-month total blackout period on issuing *any* license still applies. [Sec. 118] No qualifying body can issue a license until 15 months after passage of the Act. That means that no operator could legally offer internet poker in the U.S. for those 15 months, and sites like Full Tilt and PokerStars would be shut out for 39 months.

* The U.S. player pool continues to have to be segregated from the rest of the world for at least 3 years after the first license is issued.

and much more here:

http://ftrain.blogspot.com/2010/12/q...sion-2-of.html

 

[vanquish]

ugh

 

[JOEBOB69]

One bone for Full Tilt and pokerstars: they would have 30 days to cease offering poker in the U.S. after passage of the Act, and 2 years to return all customer deposits. [Sec. 118(b)] The first version of the bill was much harsher, requiring immediate cessation of poker and 30 days to return deposits. Sites that are currently operating in the U.S. are required to comply with those provisions as a condition for eventual licensing.

I got this from that link you gave brank.There is no way they can give back every US players deposits or should they.Maybe i'm reading this wrong.

 

[WVHillbilly]

What's the purpose of the blackout? Why (as Americans) shouldn't we be able to choose where we play?

I'm all for U.S. based gaming sites. I would love if my local casinos had a site that I could play online and win rooms, golf, meals, live tournament seats, MONEY etc...

Taking away our choice for whom we render our services is taking away freedom. I'm against it.

The purpose of the blackout is to give time to set up the regulatory agency and to give B&M based cardrooms the chance to get their operations ready to go so that they can better compete with Stars/FTP when the blackout lifts. Early drafts had Stars/FTP sitting out an additional 2 years beyond the 15 months while Casino based rooms where allowed to open after 15 months. There has been some discussion recently that this could actually be back in so you might be playing poker at a US regulated room in 15 months but Stars/FTP still might not be an option for even longer!

Limiting US sites to just US players is kinda wonky too. Think of how that will limit any player base when the blackout period does end. FTP/Stars might have to merge just to keep a reasonable player-pool.

And...yeah. US politics is just dirty and retarded.

The US only thing is supposed to be in effect for at least 3 years so yeah this is going to be a long process before everything is where we want it. It could be worse though, at least the US player pool is huge compared to every other country. I think I saw an est. on 2+2 today that US had 10 million current online players and the next largest was England with less than 2 million. Open up the marketing while making it easy to deposit/withdrawal and the number of US players could easily double.

So wtf are we gonna do for 15 months. Giant circle jerk? This sucks. What we gonna do on CC for that long? WV. Enty, Van... Think this will have a impact on Card forums... I know they survive somewhat on people signing up for different rooms through links provided on the forums. Just a question.

Rogue sites will have to sustain us or we could all go be facebook poker billionaires!

 

[cardplayer52]

I think this ban would be aweful for poker in general. Look what on-line poker has done for the wsop. Just how many events are sponsered by on-line sattys? Really think about how big the WSOP would be if there were no online players.

 

[WVHillbilly]

One bone for Full Tilt and PokerStars: they would have 30 days to cease offering poker in the U.S. after passage of the Act, and 2 years to return all customer deposits. [Sec. 118(b)] The first version of the bill was much harsher, requiring immediate cessation of poker and 30 days to return deposits. Sites that are currently operating in the U.S. are required to comply with those provisions as a condition for eventual licensing.

I got this from that link you gave brank.There is no way they can give back every US players deposits or should they.Maybe i'm reading this wrong.

Pretty sure that line means they have to cash US players out, not actually return all their deposits.

 

[WVHillbilly]

I think this ban would be aweful for poker in general. Look what on-line poker has done for the WSOP. Just how many events are sponsered by on-line sattys? Really think about how big the WSOP would be if there were no online players.

Well if this passes this 2011 will almost certainly be a down year for the WSOP but 2012 should be bigger than ever. Temporary pain for long-term gain.

 

[JOEBOB69]

Yeah thats what i thought.The wording was a lot off then.

 

[WVHillbilly]

Yeah thats what i thought.The wording was a lot off then.

I'm sure we can blame the lawyers.

 

[vanquish]

Well if this passes this 2011 will almost certainly be a down year for the WSOP but 2012 should be bigger than ever. Temporary pain for long-term gain.

by then everyone will be into the new craze:


world series of

 

[Lofwyr]

So, if this passes in 2 weeks online poker will be done until March 2012? The intervening 15 months I'll either have to gamble on bodog or Sportingbook or...*gulp* get a JOB?!

 

[cardplayer52]

Well if this passes this 2011 will almost certainly be a down year for the WSOP but 2012 should be bigger than ever. Temporary pain for long-term gain.

The upside is just too good to imagine. As soon as it's legal just think how many equityspewmonkeys will be smashing buttons. It'll be like the old'en day's of poker I keep hearing about.

 

[JOEBOB69]

So, if this passes in 2 weeks online poker will be done until March 2012? The intervening 15 months I'll either have to gamble on Bodog or Sportingbook or...*gulp* get a JOB?!

Good luck with that get a J O B.Every body is hiring i hear job market is freaking booming.If you work at the unemployment office

 

[WVHillbilly]

So, if this passes in 2 weeks online poker will be done until March 2012? The intervening 15 months I'll either have to gamble on Bodog or Sportingbook or...*gulp* get a JOB?!

Yeah basically. By some estimates you'll have as much as 90 days after it passes before the blackout begins.

 

[Lofwyr]

I'm curious...what happens if this doesn't pass? I haven't tried to deposit/withdraw in quite some time...

 

[WVHillbilly]

I'm curious...what happens if this doesn't pass? I haven't tried to deposit/withdraw in quite some time...

Same old same old I guess until new legislation is introduced (could be better, could be worse) to either regulate or criminalize online poker. Right now sites, especially FTP, are having a very hard time processing cashouts. That is unlikely to change for the better without regulation.

 

[xdeucesx]

Id assume it would be an opt-in procedure, as most bills that are regulations across the country are, such as gambling or the drinking age...neither of those are actually enforcable unless the particular state opts into the program....which isnt good news for most people

And to Enty, thats how 90% of bills pass through congress, look at the stimulus package, there were over 400 earmarks on that thing, almost all of which had absolutely nothing to do with obama's plan

 

[jewboy07]

More on the latest revision of the draft from 2+2......


I have no idea if this has been posted in this thread already, apologies in advance if it has.

* The 15-month total blackout period on issuing *any* license still applies. [Sec. 118] No qualifying body can issue a license until 15 months after passage of the Act. That means that no operator could legally offer internet poker in the U.S. for those 15 months, and sites like Full Tilt and PokerStars would be shut out for 39 months.

* The U.S. player pool continues to have to be segregated from the rest of the world for at least 3 years after the first license is issued.
I have no idea if this has been posted in this thread already, apologies in advance if it has.


and much more here:

http://ftrain.blogspot.com/2010/12/q...sion-2-of.html

so 3 years before we can play there again? why is that if they get a license after 15 months?

 

[JLtrooper]

Here's a locked thread with cliffs, updated seemingly every day.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/57/poker-legislation/cliffs-reids-plan-license-u-s-online-poker-933656/

IMO, 15 months is excessive.

If everyone is doing their job, it should take how long to implement regulations and B&M's to create/adopt an online skin? 6 months? 9 max?

I believe poker is much like golf, you have to consistently play to get better/maintain a certain level of skill. After 15 months, unless people are flocking to the B&M's (and will see 1/50 the amount of hands) the majority will revert back to donk status. Good for some, not so good for the game.

 

[onemorechance]

ugh

yep

 

[eNTy]

so 3 years before we can play there again? why is that if they get a license after 15 months?

i think esp twitter said yesterday that this has been scrapped from the draft
so if the bill passes i think ftp/stars open up just like everyone else after 15 months..

 

[WVHillbilly]

i think esp twitter said yesterday that this has been scrapped from the draft
so if the bill passes i think ftp/stars open up just like everyone else after 15 months..

Sounds like it may have been re-added.

But this is the latest so it may be moot anyway:

Republican leadership aides said the poker measure, which was drafted over the weekend at Reid’s request, wasn't part of the deal the GOP reached with the White House. But a senior congressional official with knowledge of the ongoing talks said Reid has privately discussed the measure with the two Republican Senators representing their caucus in the negotiations – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona.

Kyl, a leading opponent of online gambling, told POLITICO he intends to block Reid’s proposal, and vowed there is "zero chance – no chance whatsoever that would be part of the tax deal. I don’t think it would be the right thing to do.”

 

[LizaMayra]

Wow that sucks... if this bill passes... no more USA player... and it looks like it might take 15 months after the bill passes for the sites to be able to get a license to operate... Yicks!!!

am in mexico... so good for me ;-) but am sure if you guys play as much as I play... you can't go without playing poker for 15 months...

 

[WEC]

Sounds like it may have been re-added.

But this is the latest so it may be moot anyway:

Sounds like it may have been re-added.

But this is the latest so it may be moot anyway:

Quote:
Republican leadership aides said the poker measure, which was drafted over the weekend at Reid’s request, wasn't part of the deal the GOP reached with the White House. But a senior congressional official with knowledge of the ongoing talks said Reid has privately discussed the measure with the two Republican Senators representing their caucus in the negotiations – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona.

Kyl, a leading opponent of online gambling, told POLITICO he intends to block Reid’s proposal, and vowed there is "zero chance – no chance whatsoever that would be part of the tax deal. I don’t think it would be the right thing to do.”

Yes, End Chance of Bill. Really No Surprise if you have followed Kyl's hatred of Online Poker/Gambling and his work to make UIGEA squeeze poker players tighter and tighter since the bill passed in 2006

He probably has a desk at the DOJ's seizure office

 

[LarkMarlow]

I am more thoroughly confused about this than I had been, which was considerable. Yesterday, I received the following email from the PPA. I was assuming they were talking about the repeal of UIGEA, which had been the focus of earlier such thrusts. But now I realize that there is no mention of a specific bill in this email, only a vague reference--note the language I empahasized in bold.

So, do I/we call our senators or not?

You have likely heard news reports that the U.S. Congress is considering legislation to regulate Internet poker and that this bill could be brought up during the "lame duck" session happening now.

The Poker Players Alliance has been fully engaged in this process. We are currently working very hard to ensure that the final bill is something the poker community can embrace, but it won’t be easy.

We have our detractors and even other gaming interests do not fully appreciate the current marketplace, nor do they respect the ability of Americans to continue playing online unless they control the system.


Be assured, Congressional advocates for regulated Internet poker do not share those views. They believe in a robust and competitive marketplace with strong consumer protections that will, in the long-term, provide an even greater experience for the poker player than today.

It is because of this support that the PPA is urging our members to act TODAY. We ask that you contact your U.S. Senators and urge them to support legislation that licenses and regulates Internet poker.

Simply click the button below to send an email to Senators Sen. George V. Voinovich and Sen. Sherrod Brown
Once you’ve sent the email, please follow up with a phone call.
Call Sen. George V. Voinovich at (614) 469-6697
Call Sen. Sherrod Brown at (216) 522-7272.

Tell them:

You are a poker player and a voter
You support efforts to regulate Internet poker and that Congress should pass a bill before the end of year
Licensing and regulation provides needed consumer protections and also raises revenues without raising taxes
Please support this effort to expand freedom to adult consumers who want to play a game of skill on the Internet
Thank you for your consideration


After your call, please take a few minutes to let us know how it went by clicking here.

Thank you for taking this action today. It is critically important that we voice our support to get this done this year! As more details about the bill are available, we will continue to update you.

Proud to Play,

Senator Alfonse D’Amato
PPA Chairman


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