2010 Poker Memories by Linda Johnson

Time is passing too quickly. We just said goodbye to 2010, but memories of my favorite (and not so favorite) poker moments from the year are still vivid in my mind. I’d like to share a few of my personal 2010 poker memories with you.

Proudest 2010 Poker Memory

Without a doubt, being nominated for the Poker Hall of Fame is the answer to this category. What a thrill it was to learn that I had been nominated along with such a prestigious group as Erik Seidel, Dan Harrington, Tom McEvoy, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Negreanu, Jennifer Harman, and Barry Greenstein. Congratulations to the 2010 inductees Erik Seidel and Dan Harrington.

Favorite Poker News Story

I loved the coverage given to the Mizrachi family during the WSOP. It seemed like every poker magazine had Michael Mizrachi on the cover. Even mainstream Las Vegas entertainment magazines featured Michael and his family.

Favorite Poker Vacation

The 12-night Card Player Cruises poker trip to the Mediterranean wins in this category. The poker room was a lot of fun as usual, but the highlight was seeing all of the magnificent European ports. We stopped at Cannes/Monte Carlo, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Corfu, Dubrovnik, and Barcelona and had great weather in each.

Favorite Charity Event

Of all of the charity events I was fortunate to participate in during 2010, the fundraiser for MickeysCamp.org was my favorite. Mickey’s Camp was started by Mickey Maurer and is held in Indianapolis, Indiana every August. There is a three-day camp for men and a three-day camp for women. The participants sleep in the same cabins the kids stay at during summer and participate in a variety of activities including fishing, camping, wine tasting, cooking, self-defense, magic, and swimming.

I had the honor of teaching the poker sessions and running the poker tournaments for both camps. Mickey’s Camp has raised more than $1 million dollars for charity since its inception 10 years ago. Honorable mention in this category goes to fundraising events for Poker Gives and Child Rescue.

Most Disappointing Poker News

I am still angry and annoyed that we haven’t been able to overturn the UIGEA, although I think we are getting close. The news that the Washington State courts upheld the ruling making online poker illegal is just plain gross! After the ruling, Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars shut down service to Washington residents, a move that should have been met with much more fury and protest from the state’s players.

Favorite Whirlwind Trip

My quick trip to Golden, Colorado for a Poker Players Alliance event qualifies in this category. In less than 24 hours, I flew in and out of Denver and participated in a poker tournament to help Senator Michael Bennett’s campaign. Bennett was elected by a very small margin and I believe he was the victor due to the support of Colorado poker players.

Most Prestigious Poker Event

The winner in this category was easily the Women in Poker Hall of Fame banquet held at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. The Grand Ballroom, decorated by a group of volunteers headed by Lupe Soto and her Board of Directors, took on the look of an elegant bistro/nightclub. Jan Fisher did a great job as the emcee and Jeffrey Pollack and Nolan Dalla delivered passionate speeches. After a delicious dinner, awards were presented, followed by a dance. Congratulations to the 2010 inductees Jennifer Harman, Kathy Liebert, and Billie Brown.

Favorite New Poker Procedure

I love the new rule established at the Commerce Casino that penalizes players who are gone too long from the table. Players who miss several rounds in $20-$40 and higher Hold’em games have $5 taken from their stacks and put into the pot.  Note that this rule was just about to go into effect the last time I played there and so may have been refined since.

Favorite New Poker Social Media Source

I admit it… I am a Twitter addict! I read it as often as I can and follow many of the top poker celebrities’ Tweets. I hate that it takes up so much of my time and makes me feel like a voyeur, but I can’t seem to give it up. Perhaps they will start a Twitters Anonymous in 2011 and I will be a charter member.

Favorite Tournament Series

Few would argue that the World Series of Poker wins in this category. The series expanded into even more square footage at the Rio and saw an increase in total participants. I had three deep runs (16th, 29th, and 31st) out of the five tournaments I entered, yet am not sporting a new bracelet. Congratulations to all of the bracelet winners, but especially to Gavin Smith, who won his first bracelet after many close efforts.

The runner-up award in this category goes to Wild Horse Casino in Pendleton, Oregon. Roland Waters directs a great tournament series with huge player fields. Entrants get rewarded with $75,000 in added money and free dinner buffets every night.

Other favorite poker memories from 2010 include delivering the “Shuffle Up and Deal” opening speech for the WSOP Ladies Event, teaching WPT Boot Camp at many locations around the country, playing in the WPT Celebrity Invitational at the Commerce, and hosting tournaments at the Eureka Open in Mesquite, Nevada, the Rainbow Spectrum of Poker at the Rainbow Hotel in Wendover, Nevada, and the Wild Horse Resort Casino Poker Roundup in Pendleton, Oregon.

I am extremely blessed to be part of this wonderful poker world and am grateful for the opportunities it has provided me. In 2010, I met many wonderful people who share my passion for poker and was thrilled to have so many chances to give back to our community.

Our country is facing tough economic times ahead. I hope 2011 is a prosperous and happy year for Poker News Daily readers.  In closing, I am happy to offer our readers a discount on any 2011 Card Player Cruises trip. Mention Poker News Daily when you book your cabin by January 15th and you will get a $50 per person discount. For more information, go to CardPlayerCruises.com.

Editor’s Note: Linda Johnson is available for poker functions, seminars, corporate events, and charity fundraisers. You can contact her through her website at CardPlayerCruises.com.

Poker News in Brief: Dec. 13-19, 2010

Our news team stayed hard at work, however, and collected all the stories you may have missed in our weekly Poker News in Brief feature below.

This week, the PPA is disappointed by the failure of another online poker bill, a WPT Royal Flush Girl is named Maxim's Hometown Hottie, the WSOP gets a little Italian flavor and a whole lot more.

PPA Disappointed By Reid Bill Fail

The Poker Players Alliance expressed disappointment this week that lawmakers likely missed an opportunity to license and regulate online poker before the end of the 111th session of Congress.

"On behalf of the millions of Americans who play online poker, I am disappointed Congress has not acted to implement important licensing and regulation of this growing industry," said former Senator Alfonse D'Amato, chairman of the PPA. "It's a missed opportunity, pure and simple."

Several attempts by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid to piggyback legislation to legalize and regulate online poker onto tax and spending legislation before the current lame duck congressional session ended Dec. 17 failed.

However, the PPA remains committed to the cause.

"The progress we've made this year and the momentum of the past few weeks will only help as we continue to work with lawmakers at the state and federal levels to protect the rights of Americans to play the great game of poker in a safe, regulated, U.S. market," said John Pappas, executive director of the PPA.

Paddy Power Releases Irish Open Schedule

Paddy Power Poker released the full Irish Open 2011 schedule this week.

The five day-long festival will run Apr. 21-25 at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.

The four day €3,200+€300 main event begins at 2 p.m. Apr. 22 and runs through the conclusion of the festival.

Several satellites and side events are also included.

For more information and registration click here.

Weekly super satellites take place on Paddy Power Poker every Sunday and Tuesday.

WPT Royal Flush Girl Named Hometown Hottie

WPT Royal Flush Girl Melanie Iglesias has won Maxim Magazine’s Hometown Hotties national model search competition.

Iglesias beat out thousands of contestants to make it to the Top 10 and the Magazine announced she was the leading vote-getter this week.

“I was so excited and shocked when Maxim called to tell me. What an amazing honor,” she said. “First, I get picked to be a Royal Flush Girl, then I’m fortunate enough to win this great contest – it’s been an unbelievable year.”

A new pictorial will appear on the website and Iglesias will be featured in an upcoming issue of Maxim.

WPT on Facebook Offers Invitational Seat

WPT Texas Hold ’Em Poker on Facebook is giving fans a chance to win a seat at the WPT Celebrity Invitational tournament this coming February.

One draw winner and a guest will be able to attend the Commerce Casino event in Los Angeles, California and play side-by-side with celebrities and poker pros.

WPT Texas Hold ‘Em Poker on Facebook players will receive a draw entry for each purchase of any poker chip package during the promotion period.

The promotion runs Dec. 15 through Jan. 10, 2011.

WSOP Goes Italian

Caesars Interactive Entertainment, Inc. announced a long-term agreement with Microgame S.p.A. for its WSOP brand in the Italian poker market this week.

Microgame and Caesars will now work together to market the WSOP brand in Italy with online and offline poker tournaments and promotions.

Microgame already operates the largest poker network in the newly-regulated Italian online market.

People’s Poker, a network of over 120 online poker sites, will be co-branded utilizing the WSOP brand and People’s Poker brand.

Microgame and the WSOP will also create land-based tournaments for the Italian players using the WSOP name and Microgame now becomes the exclusive satellite provider in Italy for WSOP land-based events around the world.

Christmas at Betfair

Betfair is hosting several holiday poker promotions this month.

The site has a $60,000 Christmas Points Race from Dec. 1-21 promising players in the top 100 a share of $60,000 with $10,000 for first.

The site is also giving players the chance to win one of 85 iPads via its 85 iPad Giveaway tournament Jan. 5. Players can secure a seat through select satellites all this month.

And finally, Betfair is hosting a $40,000 Raked Hand Frenzy from Dec. 11-29. Players with the most number of raked hands in the Gold, Silver and Bronze leaderboard will all win live satellite seats and prizes.

PartyPoker Starts WPT Venice Satellites

Satellites for the WPT Venice main event begin online at PartyPoker Dec. 20.

The $7,000 packages up for grabs all include the buy-in, hotel accommodation and $1,000 in spending money.

“Play in our mix of daily qualifiers that run from Dec. 20 to Jan. 23 for your chance to play in these prize satellites," a PartyPoker spokesperson said. "Remember, start with our daily freerolls and you could end up at the WPT Venice main event for free.”

The main $350+$25 online satellites take place every Sunday at 3:20 p.m. ET with one package guaranteed.

WPT Venice runs Feb. 3-11 at the Casino de Venezia.

Springael wins 2010 3LT Grand Final

The Everest Poker sponsored 3LT Grand Final drew 261 players to Vienna, Austria this week.

Belgium's Joris Springael outlasted them all to take the title and €132,680 first-place prize.

Run by TD Thomas Kremser, the 3 Länder Poker Tour (3LT) debuted as the first poker tour held in the three German-speaking countries this year.

PPA: Christmas Miracle Needed for Harry Reid Online Poker Bill

On Friday, Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas appeared on Bloomberg Television to discuss the bill legalizing and regulating online poker introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). On the likelihood of a bill passing before the current Congressional session expires, Pappas candidly told Bloomberg viewers, “It would really have to take a Christmas miracle at this point.” Watch now.

The four-minute segment, dubbed “The High Stakes of Internet Poker,” hit television airwaves at 11:45am ET on Friday. Pappas admitted that the window for legalized internet poker was quickly closing: “Unfortunately, I think Congress is missing an opportunity to get this done and get it done sooner than later. I think next year is really our next best venue. The vehicles this year just didn’t add up to get a bill done and there was really no way to get the bill as a standalone measure any time in the last week or so. I just don’t think there’s any way it’s going to happen now.”

Reid may have been close to adding the online poker language to the tax relief act, which was signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama yesterday. Despite an early report from The Hill claiming that the “lame duck” Congressional session would expire on Friday, Congress was still going strong at the time of writing tackling the topic of gays in the military.

In 2011, the House of Representatives will switch to Republican control, causing pro-internet gambling members of Congress like Barney Frank (D-MA) to lose their positions of power. Frank is the Chairman of the Financial Services Committee, but Pappas expressed optimism that online poker won’t be lost in the fray: “I don’t know how any member of Congress – Republican or Democrat – can be happy with the status quo. They passed a bill in 2006 that tried to prohibit internet gambling, but it’s grown. Millions of Americans continue to play online poker and they’re doing it without any of the protections the Federal Government could provide.”

On Friday, an article by the Associated Press revealed that unemployment rates in 21 states rose month-over-month, the largest number in four months. Accordingly, Pappas told Bloomberg viewers that legalizing online poker isn’t just about generating revenue for the Federal and State Governments, it’s also about creating jobs: “The bills that have been introduced would mandate that these companies establish a presence here in the U.S. These are high-tech, high-paying jobs that internet gaming companies generate. It’s not cocktail waitresses at a casino. These are really high-tech jobs, from software security to software development as well as customer service.”

Any bill not acted upon by the end of the Congressional session is deemed dead. Besides Reid’s bill, Frank’s HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, will also fall by the wayside when the new Congress is seated in January. HR 2267 would have created a licensing and regulatory framework for the internet gambling industry sans sports betting. The Financial Services Committee approved the measure by a 2:1 margin in July, but it has not been discussed since.

On Thursday, Pappas told Poker News Daily that Reid’s bill was effectively dead. Stay tuned to PND for the latest legislative headlines.

December 17th – Weekly News Update

Welcome back to another edition of our Weekly News Update. I’m your host, Sean Gibson, and we’ll be talking about the biggest headlines for the week. Let’s get to the news!

On Thursday morning, Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily that the bill introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid legalizing and regulating online poker is dead. A move to add the bill’s language to the tax relief act debated in Congress this week failed to come to fruition.

Pappas told Poker News Daily that a highly charged debate over the tax bill was largely to blame:

“When the tax package fell through and things became much more political for it – not related to our bill – it became clear that another controversial addition to the tax bill could sink it.”

Reid’s bill would have opened the online poker market in the United States to current operators like Caesars Entertainment, which owns the rights to the annual World Series of Poker. Pappas added that hope is not lost:

“The online poker bill that was floating around needs some improvement, so the PPA wants to go back to Senator Reid [in 2011] and talk about how we can improve on his current draft. There’s going to be a renewed focus in the Senate and we’ll be taking some of the legislation in a different direction so that’s it not focused on the Financial Services Committee, where we have a known opponent.”

Party Gaming co-founder Anurag Dikshit, who admitted to violating the Wire Act of Nineteen Sixty-One two years ago, was sentenced to one year of probation by a New York court on Thursday, according to Forbes. He has also coughed up three hundred million dollars and agreed to cooperate in an ongoing Federal investigation.

U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff determined Dikshit’s fate on Thursday and the possibility of two years behind bars hung in the balance. In the end, Rakoff told the court, “I am persuaded that no jail time is appropriate here.”

Dikshit’s admission marked one of the first times that online poker has ever been associated with the Wire Act, which has traditionally applied to sports betting. In October Two Thousand Nine, Dikshit sold his remaining shares in Party Gaming for around two hundred million British Pounds, which amounted to a twenty eight percent stake.

Party Gaming vacated the U.S. market in 2006 after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. The publicly traded company has since inked a non-prosecution agreement with the United States Government and forked over a one hundred five million dollar fine.

Last week, PokerStars announced that the mysterious high-stakes phenom Isildur1 had signed on to become the latest member of Team PokerStars Pro. At the same time, a new promotion, the SuperStar Showdown, was launched, allowing all comers to take on Isildur1 in a nosebleed stakes heads-up match. On Tuesday, Isildur1?s first opponent was revealed.
This Sunday at Six PM Eastern Time, Isaac Haxton will put one hundred fifty thousand dollars on the line as he takes on Isildur1 at four tables of Fifty / One Hundred No Limit Hold’em. Haxton is well known throughout the poker community and, in addition to his cash game success, has put together an impressive record on the live tournament circuit.

The matches will last either twenty five hundred hands or until one of the players goes bust, whichever happens first, and the winner is the player who ends up with the most money. Anyone who is willing to pony up fifteen hundred big blinds can issue a challenge to Isildur1 by e-mailing PokerStars.

Full Tilt Poker pro Jonathan “xMONSTERxDONGx” Karamalikis bested a field of two hundred eighty nine players to win the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Grand Final in Sydney, Australia last weekend. The twenty two year old online superstar from Adelaide earned four hundred fifty nine thousand Australian Dollars, his biggest score ever.

The star-studded final table included Team PokerStars Pro member Daniel Negreanu, live poker Triple Crown winner Roland de Wolfe, and former APPT champion Eddy Sabat. Negreanu, who took a short stack to the final table, was the first to exit after running top pair into de Wolfe’s set of threes. His ninth place finish earned him thirty-six thousand Australian Dollars. By the way, De Wolfe finished in eighth place.

Staying with the live tournament circuit, PokerStars announced details on Thursday for Season Four of the Latin American Poker Tour. The fourth LAPT season will begin in February and has five events on the schedule so far, including stops in Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia.

The new LAPT Player of the Year awards will recognize excellent performances throughout the season. The awards, much like the PokerStars European Poker Tour awards, will be handed out at the end of the season based on results in not only Main Events, but also most of the side events. The EPT gives trophies yearly to the top overall player as well as the top Omaha player, Mixed Games player, heads-up player, and qualifier. There is also an award given to the country that performs the best during the season.

The first stop of Season Four will be in Sao Paulo. Here’s a look at the schedule so far:

February 16-20: Sao Paulo, Brazil (R$5,000 buy-in)
March 17-20: Vina Del Mar, Chile ($1,100 buy-in)
April 12-17: Lima, Peru ($2,500 buy-in)
June 1-5: Rosario, Argentina ($2,500 buy-in)
August 3-7: Bogota, Colombia ($1,100 buy-in)

Thanks for tuning in to the Poker News Daily Weekly Update and be sure to check back with us every day for the latest in poker news.

Poker Players Alliance: Harry Reid Bill Dead

On Thursday morning, Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas told Poker News Daily that the bill introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) legalizing and regulating online poker is all but dead. A move to add the bill’s language to the tax relief act currently being debated in Congress failed to come to fruition.

Pappas told Poker News Daily that a highly charged debate over the tax measure was largely to blame: “When the tax package fell through and things became much more political for it – not related to our bill – it became clear that another controversial addition to the tax bill could sink it.” Reid’s bill would have opened the online poker market in the United States to current operators like Caesars Entertainment, which owns the rights to the annual World Series of Poker.

U.S. President Barack Obama struck a deal with Republicans on the contents of the tax relief act, which perhaps closed the door to other bills being added.

Now what? With the Republican Party taking control of the House of Representatives in 2011, pro-internet gambling allies like Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) may take a back seat. Frank, whose HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, garnered 70 co-sponsors and sailed through the House Financial Services Committee in July, will likely lose his post as Chairman. In his stead could be staunch internet gambling opponent Spencer Bachus (R-AL), whom the PPA graded an “F” in its Congressional Ratings Guide.

Looking ahead to 2011, Pappas told Poker News Daily, “The online poker bill that was floating around needs some improvement, so the PPA wants to go back to Senator Reid and talk about how we can improve on his current draft. There’s going to be a renewed focus in the Senate and we’ll be taking some of the legislation in a different direction so that’s it not focused on the Financial Services Committee, where we have a known opponent.”

Two years ago, Bachus, the current Ranking Member of the committee, erroneously quoted a study from McGill University linking internet gambling to suicide. The Alabama lawmaker asserted in a June 2008 hearing, “McGill University found that one-third – one-third – of college students who gambled on the internet ultimately attempted suicide. That is why the rate of suicide on our college campuses has doubled in the last ten years.” In fact, no such study had ever taken place.

On Wednesday night, ESPN.com published an article declaring Reid’s bill dead. Pappas told the Connecticut-based news outlet, “Sadly, some politicians remain with their heads firmly in the sand. The leadership of the Poker Players Alliance got the debate this far and we are determined to see this through.” The Hill reported that the ongoing lame duck session on Capitol Hill is scheduled to end on Friday, although reports during the week have surfaced that lawmakers may remain in Washington, DC until close to Christmas.

Last weekend, adding language legalizing and regulating online poker to a must-pass omnibus spending bill appeared to be a possibility according to Bloomberg, but Pappas explained that adding another earmark would “make things more complicated.” The Senate approved the tax relief bill on Wednesday, with the House potentially set to follow suit this afternoon.

Pappas was scheduled to tape a segment about the online poker bill with Bloomberg that will air on Friday at 11:45am ET. Pappas will speak on behalf of the 1.2 million member strong lobbying group that has become the main voice for poker players in the United States. Four years ago, the PPA stood at just 50,000 members.

Reid’s bill won’t officially be dead until the clock strikes Midnight on the 111th Congress. Pappas concluded with a silver lining: “We always knew we had a chance to pass legislation during the lame duck session, but it fell short. But, I think there’s significant momentum going forward. We’ve done a good job of convincing lawmakers that the status quo isn’t acceptable.”

Keep it tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest developments from Capitol Hill.

Harry Reid Online Poker Legislation May Be Added to Spending Package

According to an article published by Bloomberg sourcing the Washington Post newspaper, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) may add a measure legalizing online poker to “a spending package or other must-pass legislation before Congress adjourns for the year.” Online poker was not part of a draft of the tax relief bill released last week.

Also last week, Reid released a statement that read in part, “Experienced regulators already trusted by millions of Americans will maintain oversight and reputable operators with proven track records will provide a secure gaming environment for Americans.” However, critics of the bill have called Reid out for placating to two of his largest campaign contributors, Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah’s Entertainment) and MGM Resorts International. The former owns the rights to the annual World Series of Poker held at the Rio.

According to the Associated Press, the American Gaming Association came out in support of Reid’s efforts on Friday. American Gaming Association head Frank Fahrenkopf asserted, “Current online gambling laws do not provide these safeguards, leaving players and the system open to fraud, cheating and other illegal acts.” The ongoing lame duck session in Congress will likely come to an end next Friday, which means that Reid’s window to turn online poker legalization into a reality is quickly closing.

On why Reid has been focusing on online poker as opposed to other forms of gambling, the Associated Press quoted the Senate Majority Leader as saying, “I still have serious concerns about legalizing the broad range of casino-type gambling through the internet. The bill I am working on would make other types of internet gambling clearly illegal, while increasing penalties and strengthening the ability of law enforcement to shut down illegal sites.” It remains unclear whether other games would be legalized in the future.

On Thursday, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the main lobbying group for poker players in the United States, sent an e-mail blast to its members updating the developments on Capitol Hill. The PPA explained, “While many have speculated that the ‘Tax Bill’ would be a likely vehicle for iPoker legislation, because of recent political developments with respect to the tax bill, it has become complicated to predict whether that bill is a viable path.”

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest developments.

Online Poker May Not Be Included in Tax Relief Bill

According to a Politico article released on Thursday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) still plans to pursue legislation legalizing and regulating online poker, but likely won’t do so as part of the tax relief bill.

The Politico piece noted that language legalizing online poker was absent from a version of the tax bill released on Thursday. The news outlet explained, “Reid could still insert the poker legalization into the tax cut bill if additional modifications are made before a final vote is cast sometime next week. Or he could slip the plan into a mammoth $1 trillion omnibus spending bill that has yet to be unveiled, but is necessary to keep the government funded through September. Any option is certain to generate backlash from the GOP.”

The Las Vegas Sun reported earlier this week that Reid’s online poker bill was all but dead, but quickly retracted the story after the Senate Majority Leader’s comments were taken out of context. However, it appears that the legislation is still alive, at least until next week’s scheduled end to the lame duck session. Reid issued a press statement on Thursday that read in part, “The legislation I am working on would get our collective heads out of the sand and create a strict regulatory environment to protect U.S. consumers, prevent underage gambling, and respect the decisions of states that don’t allow gambling.”

Also commenting on the bill on Thursday was the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), which addressed the 15-month blackout period in an e-mail sent to members: “Frankly, the proposed blackout period is absurd and the PPA opposes it. And we have fought – and continue to fight – tooth and nail against it. But it is a reality. There will likely be a blackout period of some length included in any legislation that is passed.” During the period, no online poker sites would be able to service the U.S. market legally.

The PPA reminded readers that a period of 15 months without legalized online poker may be more beneficial than continued industry decline: “We believe that the trade off for getting regulated, permanent U.S. online poker market is worth a temporary blackout of some sort. It’s not what we want, either, and it’s not what we pushed for in Congress, and we don’t even like it. But when viewing this from the perspective of maintaining a sustainable internet poker market, the 15-month period is short-term pain for a long-term gain.”

After the 15-month blackout period, existing casino companies in the United States would be able to procure licenses. Then, after two more years, other companies would be able to service the market. Posters on PocketFives.com, however, questioned what the lay of the land will be during the 15-month period: “There would just be too much money to be made serving the U.S. market if the likes of PokerStars and Full Tilt pull out for 15 months. Some of these current second and third tier sites could make a vast fortune in 15 months.”

Stay tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from Capitol Hill.

Harry Reid Online Poker Bill: An Ugly Necessity

“No man can have society upon his own terms.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This week, the most commonly used phrase in online poker discussions is not “pot odds,” “fold equity,” or “continuation bet,” but rather something not poker-related at all: “lame duck.”  If you have been reading Poker News Daily recently, then you know what the term is all about.  The period between the November Congressional elections in the United States and the inauguration of the newly elected officials next year is the “lame duck” period, during which many Congressmen are in their final days in office.

For internet poker players, special attention is being paid to this year’s lame duck session, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is trying to get a bill passed before Congress goes on recess that would legalize and regulate online poker.

There is much hand wringing about the “Reid Bill.”  Naturally, many poker players want it to pass; they want the online game to come out of the shadows, out of its gray area, and take its rightful place as a “legitimate” pastime in the eyes of the law.  Others hate the bill and prefer the current environment to the restrictions that would be in place under a regulated regime.

The bottom line is that the status quo is crumbling.  Believe it or not, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is working.  No, it hasn’t chopped off the head of the online poker industry, but it is bleeding it to death.  The most important thing to the online poker rooms is liquidity; players need to be able to easily transfer funds to and from the sites.

As that process has gotten more and more difficult and expensive, the casual players have been giving up and moving on to other hobbies.  The decreased numbers of casual players not only makes for fewer available games, but also tougher ones, as there is a larger percentage of pros and other strong players at the tables.  The games are scarcer and more difficult for the remaining players.

The status quo is not good right now and it’s only going to get worse.  Thus, warts and all, we need Reid’s bill to pass.

Yeah, there are some pretty rotten aspects of the bill.  U.S. players will be locked out of online poker completely for 15 months once it passes.  Players from other countries won’t be allowed to play on U.S. sites for three years, if ever.  And it won’t be forced upon individual states, as there will be an opt-in or opt-out provision.  I think the first two, in particular, are asinine.  The lockout is only there to appease the bill’s opponents and I can’t see any good reason to only allow U.S. residents to play on the sites.

Like it or not, that’s what the bill looks like.  The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) might be able to help improve things a bit, but the bill still won’t look good in the end.  In the short-term, the internet poker landscape in America will be ugly.  We may still be able to play on a few sites that decide to not to follow the laws of the U.S., and those sites might actually grow a bit and provide decent player traffic, but if you think money processing is iffy now, then good luck with all of that.

But when the sites do finally open, I predict things will be better than they are now.  At first, the player bases of the poker rooms will probably pale in comparison to PokerStars and Full Tilt because of the lack of worldwide players, but things will pick up.  When casual poker players across the country realize that everything is legal and regulated, a large percentage of former online players will come back, and those who never played online will give it a try because it is now “okay” to do so.

Sites will almost certainly accept credit cards, so depositing money will be as easy as buying a book on Amazon.  Again, that means more casual players.  Plus, since sites won’t have to find all sorts of sketchy payment processors who are willing to risk prosecution, the cost of processing will go down.

This, combined with the stiff competition as the sites try to establish market presence, may very well mean lower rake and will almost certainly mean juicy promotions.  The tables will fill up, maybe not immediately, but more quickly than many people think.  In my opinion, non-USA players will eventually be allowed onboard and, at that point, online poker will truly thrive.

With regulation, players will be better protected than they are now.  Currently, if a player or a poker room cheats us, we have little to no recourse.  With regulation, there will be laws in place to punish the bad guys, along with the means to do so.  We won’t have to worry about whether or not our cashouts will find their way to our bank accounts.

I am as perturbed as anyone that anti-gaming lawmakers want to legislate their own morality.  It angers me that in order to get our game legalized and regulated, we have to put up with nonsensical rules such as the blackout and country restrictions.  But it is better to put up with it all than to lose everything.  The medicine may taste bad, but it will keep us healthy in the long-run.

Harry Reid Online Poker Bill Still Alive

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. On Wednesday, just hours after publishing a story claiming that legislation to legalize online poker introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had been dropped, the Las Vegas Sun newspaper issued a correction. Instead, the legislation remains very much alive and may be added to the tax relief bill.

How did the Sun get it wrong, you ask? A correction published on Wednesday night read in part, “In that earlier article, Reid was quoted telling the Sun after a press conference that he would not be adding legalization of online poker to his list of objectives during the lame duck session… A spokesman for Reid said later that the Senator’s comment got muddled in the cacophony of the Senate hallways, and that online gambling is still something he’d like to see move forward.”

Poker News Daily was one of the many mainstream and poker-related media outlets that picked up on the Sun’s story. Reid’s measure to license and regulate internet poker may be added to the forthcoming tax relief bill, which may have hit a stumbling block itself on Thursday. The L.A. Times reported that Democrats had rebuffed an agreement forged between U.S. President Barack Obama and Congressional Republicans on the tax bill’s contents. What the tax bill will ultimately look like now remains to be seen.

News of the Democratic rejection of the tax cut bill sent Wall Street on a downward spiral. At the time of writing, the Dow Jones Industrial Index is down 24 points on the day, or 0.2%, after spending the majority of the morning in the black. An Associated Press story quoted internet gambling champion Barney Frank (D-MA) as predicting that “the tax cut compromise ‘will be passed by virtually all the Republicans and a minority of Democrats.’ He said he would vote against it.”

Riding the wave of news stories this week has been Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Executive Director John Pappas, who told Poker News Daily on Wednesday night, “The process has been a roller coaster. We have been fighting off all sorts of bad additions to the bill, while at the same time swallowing the bitter pill of the 15-month freeze. We are still fighting and I won’t concede that the bill is dead until the Congress adjourns.”

The 15-month freeze refers to a period following the bill’s passage during which no online poker site can service the U.S. market legally. Following the waiting period, companies with existing casino licenses can solicit U.S. customers in online poker games for two years. Then, the market will open up to everyone. The timeline means that sites like PokerStars and Full Tilt, which are the major players in the market today, may be shut out for over three years if the bill were to be passed.

Poker News Daily sought comment from Reid’s staff on whether the final tax relief package would be revealed on Thursday. However, Reid’s staff had no statement on the matter.

Coming out in strong support of Reid’s efforts on Thursday was Forbes Magazine, which published an article that read in part, “Reid’s turnaround is welcome – and long overdue. The proposed policy change makes fiscal sense. Moreover, it is not government’s proper role to dictate what activities private individuals may or may not engage in. And from a practical perspective, Reid’s proposal provides a good opportunity for Congress members from both parties to turn their stated commitment to bipartisanship into substantive change.”

According to The Hill, the lame duck session of Congress is likely to end next Friday. Keep it tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest from Capitol Hill.

Harry Reid Drops Push for Online Poker Legislation

In breaking news from Washington, DC, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has dropped his push for legislation to legalize and regulate online poker in the United States, according to the Las Vegas Sun newspaper.

The Sun explained in an article published just before 5:00pm ET on Wednesday, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the Las Vegas Sun after a press conference this afternoon that despite a flurry of last-minute lobbying, he would not be adding legalization of online poker to his list of objectives during the lame duck. ‘We’re still working on that, we’re not able to,’ Reid said.” The lame duck session is likely to end next Friday, according to The Hill.

The Sun continued by explaining that the road to legalizing and regulating online poker was a long one in the first place: “Lobbyists for the industry speculated that lawmakers might include the legalization as part of the tax extensions package being batted between Senate Democrats, Republicans, and the White House, and is expected to come up on the Senate floor sometime later this week.”

The Poker Players Alliance (PPA) commented, “No bill is dead until Congress adjourns” in the organization’s Twitter feed, in response to several reporters’ questions.

With U.S. President Barack Obama forging an agreement on the tax relief bill with Republicans this week, the likelihood of Reid being able to squeeze online poker legislation onto the measure appeared to be thin. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate was forging a debate on the controversial “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy today, with the window of time until the lame duck session ends quickly vanishing.

The status quo in the industry appears to be intact for the foreseeable future. However, according to a press release distributed by the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) on Monday, “The status quo is not tenable and legislation is needed to clarify and correct current laws and provide a regulated U.S. marketplace for players. Failing a Federal legislative solution, the future of internet poker remains unpredictable. However, a regulated market that offers competition, consumer protections, and clarity will undoubtedly provide the greatest benefit for the players and long-term stability to the internet poker experience.”

The online poker and internet gambling industries in the United States will now await a possible vote by the New Jersey Assembly next week on State Senator Raymond Lesniak’s measure to create the first intrastate internet gambling framework. The bill, which allows online poker and web-based versions of other brick-and-mortar casino games, may be the blueprint that other jurisdictions interested in legalizing internet gambling will follow.

Read the entire Las Vegas Sun article. The lame duck session is likely to end next Friday, so we’ll learn the ultimate fate of Reid’s bill shortly. Keep it tuned to Poker News Daily for the latest developments from Capitol Hill, New Jersey, and beyond.

Poker Players Alliance Comments on Harry Reid Online Poker Bill

Last week, word broke around the industry that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was planning to introduce legislation to legalize and regulate online poker in the United States. The bill, dubbed the Internet Poker Act of 2010, remains in draft form, but plenty of organizations have weighed in on its merits. Among them was the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), which spoke in favor of the bill on Monday.

The PPA’s Executive Director, John Pappas, commented in a press release that the process of pushing pro-online poker legislation through Congress has been a long road. Pappas admitted, “As news stories circulate about a potential bill that would license and regulate online poker, it is important to remember that the Poker Players Alliance has been actively pursuing such legislation for more than five years. If nothing else, this shows that lawmakers are acknowledging what the PPA has been saying all along – that Americans want to play the great game of poker in any venue they choose and they deserve to be afforded the basic consumer protections that regulation can provide.”

The bill has received a considerable amount of mainstream attention, as media outlets from the New York Times to Associated Press have printed articles on Reid’s bill. The Internet Poker Act bars existing sites that service the U.S. market from obtaining a license for two years, potentially shutting out Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, and others. This feature of the bill has drawn the ire of many in the online poker community, while land-based casinos like Harrah’s and MGM have come out in favor of Reid’s proposal.

Pappas, however, charged that securing a legislative framework was critical: “The status quo is not tenable and legislation is needed to clarify and correct current laws and provide a regulated U.S. marketplace for players. Failing a federal legislative solution, the future of internet poker remains unpredictable. However, a regulated market that offers competition, consumer protections, and clarity will undoubtedly provide the greatest benefit for players and long-term stability to the internet poker experience.”

Recent funds seizures in states like Maryland and Washington have complicated the process of depositing and withdrawing from major online poker sites. Also coming under fire in recent weeks has been eWalletXpress. Under a regulated scheme, these problems could, in theory, be mended.

According to the Wall Street Journal, land-based casino companies have been nearly diehard in their support of Reid, who was reelected in 2010 to another six-year term. The Journal explained, “Gambling interests and casino executives gave the Senator more than $700,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, ranking fifth among all industry contributors. His biggest single benefactor: MGM Resorts International, whose executives and political action committee gave Reid more than $190,000 in combined campaign donations, according to the same data. Harrah’s Entertainment ranked fourth, with more than $83,000 in campaign contributions.”

The news publication The Hill revealed that the “lame duck” Congressional session will likely end on Friday, December 17th. It added that this week’s focus would be on healthcare for first responders on September 11th and “the DREAM Act, which provides U.S. citizenship to children of illegal immigrants.” Online poker legislation could potentially be added as a “pay-for” to a separate bill.

We’ll keep you posted right here on Poker News Daily.

November 19th – Weekly Update

Welcome to Poker News Daily’s Weekly Update. I’m Sean Gibson and I’ll be bringing you the top headlines in the world of poker for this past week. So – let’s get right to it!

In an impressive feat, Joe Tehan ran the table in the PokerStars North American Poker Tour Los Angeles finale, eliminating all seven of his opponents to pull in seven hundred twenty five thousand dollars. Tehan’s claim to fame to this point was winning the World Poker Tour’s Mandalay Bay Poker Championship four years ago for one million dollars.

Jason Mercier, Michael Binger, and Anh Van Nguyen also made the final table. Here’s how the final eight cashed out:

1: Joe Tehan – $725,000
2: Chris DeMaci – $440,000
3: Al Grimes – $250,000
4: Anh Van Nguyen – $195,000
5: Ray Henson – $145,000
6: Michael Binger – $114,000
7: Jason Mercier – $84,857
8: Jake Toole – $60,000

In a rather bizarre interview posted on ESPN.com, Margarita Prentice, the brains behind the law in Washington State that makes playing online poker a Class C felony, insinuated that players out of a job should “go pump gas.”

Prentice told ESPN.com’s Gary Wise,

“I just think some of these arguments are utter nonsense. You mean you’re going to move so you can play poker? Gee, lots of luck in your life… I have nothing against card playing. That’s fine. If you want to do that, but I’m sure not going to worry about someone… you know. Let them go pump gas.”

As you can imagine, the response to Prentice’s comments has been less than cordial. Poker Players Alliance Executive Director John Pappas told PND on Thursday,

“It’s a complete picture of what kind of a lawmaker she is. Not only is she dismissive of an entire industry of individuals who enjoy poker, but the idea that her law is subjecting people to suffering – she’s totally ignorant of that. She refuses to see that she passed a law that’s unpopular.”

It was announced late last week that Chili Gaming will launch a subscription-based service to bring online poker to USA players. The subscription-based model allows players, for a nominal monthly charge, to play online poker legally in the United States since no actual money is transferred on the tables. The new Chili Gaming American option will complement the global offerings of the company.

New Jersey is one step closer to becoming the first state to regulate, license, and tax the internet gambling industry within its borders. A bill introduced by State Senator Raymond Lesniak in New Jersey cleared the state’s Senate Budget Committee and may now see debate. The committee approved Lesniak’s intrastate internet gambling bill by a ten to one margin on Monday, with two lawmakers abstaining.

If the bill were to become law, all games currently permitted in land-based casinos would be available online, including poker. The State would impose a twenty percent tax on gross gaming revenues and each operator would be required to pay a licensing fee. All told, New Jersey’s format could become the model that other states would follow.

If you have ever wanted to own a piece of poker history, now is your chance. This week, two thousand eight World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate put his gold bracelet up for auction on eBay. But before you wonder if he is busto, it should be noted that the sale is an eBay Giving Works charitable listing and the proceeds from it will benefit UNICEF.

The collectible is quickly approaching fifty thousand dollars and even Tony G has gotten into the act. The PartyPoker pro is purportedly seeking to buy Eastgate’s bracelet for his German Shepard.

While the sale of a WSOP Main Event bracelet may come as a shock, it is not completely out of character for the champ. In July, Eastgate announced that he was taking an indefinite leave from live tournament poker. In a statement, he said in part,

“When I started playing poker for a living, it was never my goal to spend the rest of my life as a professional poker player. My goal was to become financially independent. I achieved that by winning the WSOP Main Event in 2008.”

Maria Ho, the last woman standing in the two thousand seven World Series of Poker Main Event, has joined UB.com. The twenty seven year old becomes the newest face of the CEREUS Network site, which recently saw the departures of Billy Kopp, Matt Graham, and Michael Binger. Ho’s first live event as a sponsored pro of UB.com was at last weekend’s PokerStars NAPT LA stop. Besides her deep run in the WSOP Main Event three years ago, Ho’s poker resume includes a tenth place finish in the World Poker Tour’s Bellagio Cup in July and five in the money finishes in WSOP events over the last two years.

Finally, According to TVByTheNumbers.com, the number of viewers tuned into the World Series of Poker Main Event final table fell thirty percent this year to one point five million. Last year, two point two million viewers watched the spectacle, which airs annually on ESPN. On Tuesday, ESPN aired the final table in the ten PM time slot, whereas past installments had been shown one hour prior at nine.

The final table broadcast scored a point six rating among adults age eighteen to forty nine, a key demographic for mainstream advertisers. In addition, a total of one point one million households tuned into the one hundred twenty five minute broadcast that saw Jonathan Duhamel become the first WSOP Main Event champion from Canada.

That does it for this week’s edition of the Poker News Daily weekly update. Be sure to check back with us every day for the latest in poker news and be sure to follow us on twitter as well at twitter dot com slash poker news daily. I’m Sean Gibson and have a fantastic poker weekend!

Margarita Prentice to Washington Poker Players: “Let Them Go Pump Gas”

In a rather bizarre interview posted on ESPN.com, Margarita Prentice, the brains behind the law in Washington State that makes playing online poker a Class C felony, insinuated that players out of a job should “go pump gas.”

Prentice told ESPN.com’s Gary Wise, “I just think some of these arguments are utter nonsense. You mean you’re going to move so you can play poker? Gee, lots of luck in your life… I have nothing against card playing. That’s fine. If you want to do that, but I’m sure not going to worry about someone… you know. Let them go pump gas.” Prentice added that state lawmakers simply added the word “internet” into existing gambling statutes to create the harsh law four years ago.

In response to Prentice’s off-the-wall comments, Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), internet gambling’s champion on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, told Wise, “Wow. The intolerance of that is just appalling, but that’s the attitude that goes with the sense you have the right to dictate other people’s lives to them.” Frank introduced HR 2267 in Washington, DC, a bill that creates a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for internet gambling companies to solicit U.S. customers.

Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Chairman Alfonse D’Amato, a former three-term Republican Senator from New York, echoed Frank’s thoughts: “She is why people are angry, because of the arrogance of those in government who say they know what’s best for you.” In November 2009, Prentice was ironically rumored to be considering sponsoring a bill that would bring internet keno to Washington State. The Seattle Times newspaper reported her involvement, although the bill ultimately did not come to fruition.

Late last week, Full Tilt Poker blocked real money play from Washington State, following a similar decision from rival PokerStars six weeks prior. In September, the Washington State Supreme Court upheld a law that makes playing online poker a Class C felony on the grounds that it does not violate the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. PPA Washington State Director Lee Rousso, a lawyer by trade, brought the suit, but the state’s highest judicial body argued that the law affected in-state and out-of-state internet gambling operators equally, thus not trampling on the Commerce Clause.

Prentice also told ESPN.com that she doesn’t foresee the law having major effects on online poker players: “I’ve never really understood all of the hysterics, and all of the beefs. I just can’t see anybody who’s having any major suffering over it.”

PPA Executive Director John Pappas was taken aback by Prentice’s comments to ESPN.com. Pappas told Poker News Daily on Thursday, “It’s a complete picture of what kind of a lawmaker she is. Not only is she dismissive of an entire industry of individuals who enjoy poker, but the idea that her law is subjecting people to suffering – she’s totally ignorant of that. She refuses to see that she passed a law that’s unpopular.”

The PPA asked its members in Washington State to contact Prentice, a State Senator, “because her law affects everyone in the state. They should also contact their own members to repeal this law,” Pappas remarked. In addition, the PPA plans to work with the legislature to repeal the law in 2011. The statute was adopted in 2006 prior to the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) on the Federal level.

Online poker players in nearby states like Oregon have reported difficulties accessing Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. In response to the former pulling out of Washington State last week, Seattle poker pro Matt Affleck Tweeted, “Sigh, Full Tilt Poker follows Stars’ lead and bans Washington State players… No idea what I’m going to do now.”

Meanwhile, the PPA continues to push Frank’s HR 2267 on Capitol Hill. Now in the “lame duck” session, Congress has been considering a number of proposals. The PPA and online poker players everywhere are keeping a watchful eye on HR 2267, which was passed out of the House Financial Services Committee in July. Pappas revealed, “There is still a lot of keen interest in getting something done and getting something passed. The biggest stumbling block we have is what the vehicle is for this bill.” HR 2267 and its tax companion bill, HR 4976, could be attached as a “pay-for” to a budget-related measure.

Read the entire ESPN.com article.

Internet Gambling’s Deficit Reduction Benefits Emphasized

On Monday, the “lame duck” session of Congress kicked off in Washington, DC. The period may mark one last hoorah for the internet gambling industry in the United States, which will see a Republican-led House of Representatives convene in January. Also this week, the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative has been touting the budgetary effects of legalizing and regulating our industry.

Information distributed by the Initiative on Tuesday explained, “A bi-partisan commission created by President Obama is currently working on a plan to help balance our nation’s budget – projected at $1.42 trillion for fiscal year 2009.  Their recommendations, due to be released by December 1st, 2010, are being crafted in part based on testimony provided by various experts and interest groups.” Licensed internet gambling, according to projections, could bring over $40 billion in much-needed tax revenue over a ten-year period.

The Initiative is asking concerned online poker players and internet gamblers alike to send an e-mail to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform at commission@fc.eop.gov. The bipartisan commission is tasked with creating ways to address the budget deficit, and internet gambling may be part of the solution.

Former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson and President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles serve as the Co-Chairmen of the Commission, whose roster also includes six Democratic lawmakers and six Republican lawmakers. Honeywell International CEO David Cote, former Young and Rubicam Brands CEO Ann Fudge, Service Employees International Union President Andrew Stern, and former Office of Management and Budget Director Alice Rivlin also comprise the eclectic group.

Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative spokesperson Michael Waxman told Poker News Daily on Wednesday, “While the Deficit Commission has many difficult decisions to make, putting to use the revenue generated through online gambling regulation should be a no-brainer.”

The Initiative has crafted a sample e-mail that can be accessed from its website that reads in part, “Given our nation’s economic challenges, it is time to replace a failed attempt at prohibition with a regulated environment that allows online gambling activity, protects consumers, and uses the much-needed new revenue generated to pay off our nation’s debt.” The letter trumpets legislation put forth by Congressmen Barney Frank (D-MA) and Jim McDermott (D-WA). Both will return to the next Congress in the New Year.

Frank’s legislation, HR 2267, has picked up 70 co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle and was rubber-stamped out of the House Financial Services Committee in July. Now, it awaits its time on the House floor. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, and other organizations have been pushing for the bill to be acted on during the “lame duck” session. The measure creates a full licensing and regulatory framework for internet gambling companies to solicit U.S. customers.

McDermott introduced HR 4976, the second incarnation of a tax companion bill to HR 2267, in April. The Washington lawmaker’s legislation allocates funds derived from licensed internet gambling to state governments as well as the Federal Government. It has not yet been passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The Initiative’s sample e-mail notes that Americans continue to wager “$100 billion annually online in an underground marketplace” despite laws like the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which was attached to an unrelated port security bill and passed in 2006. HR 2267 and its tax companion may ultimately be pushed through the current Congress in a similar manner and attached as “pay-for” bills to must-pass legislation.

The Initiative’s endorsers include the UC Group, Baker Tilly, eCOGRA, Secure Trading, the Remote Gambling Association, GamCare, and the European Gaming and Betting Association.

Full Tilt Poker Blocks Real Money Play from Washington State

In breaking news, Full Tilt Poker announced that it will no longer accept real money action from players in Washington State. The announcement follows a similar decision from PokerStars six weeks ago.

In an FAQ posted on its website, Full Tilt officials explained, “Due to recent legal developments, Full Tilt Poker has announced it will no longer provide real money games to players located within Washington State.” A law in the Northwest state makes playing online poker a Class C felony. Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Washington State Director Lee Rousso filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the statute, but the state’s Supreme Court upheld it in a September decision.

Washington residents will be permitted to play on Full Tilt if they’re outside of the Northwest State. Similarly, residents from jurisdictions other than Washington will not be allowed to fire up the virtual felts of Full Tilt for real money while they’re in the state. Affected players will be permitted to withdraw their balances from the world’s second largest online poker site. The law in Washington took shape in 2006 prior to the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

For those players who still have tournament tickets and Tournament Dollars on Full Tilt, poker room officials explained the redemption process: “If you have any unused tournament tickets and T$ that you would like to convert to cash prior to withdrawal, please contact wa.state@fulltiltpoker.com. Please note that you must provide proof of Washington State residency.” Full Tilt Points can still be redeemed in the Store and Black Card members can continue to grab items from the Black Card Store. The only caveat for Washington State players is that cash bonuses and tournament tickets won’t be available for purchase.

If the law in Washington were to change by virtue of the state’s legislature passing a pro-internet gambling bill, then Black Card members can be reinstated for 100 days. In the meantime, in addition to being unable to participate in real money cash games on Full Tilt, players from the Evergreen State won’t be able to enter for-money tournaments like the Sunday Brawl and $750,000 Guaranteed.

To un-register from a tournament, click on the “Requests” menu and then select “Registered in Tournaments.” Full Tilt Poker won’t allow Washington State players to participate in upcoming tournaments even if they are already registered for them. However, the site will still keep its doors open for play money games on its dot-com and dot-net portals. In addition, freerolls will remain open for Washington State residents to enter.

Among those reacting to Full Tilt’s decision on Friday was Washington pro Matt Affleck, whose rotating sports jerseys for Seattle sports teams were featured heavily on ESPN’s broadcast of the 2010 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Affleck Tweeted, “Sigh, Full Tilt Poker follows Stars’ lead and bans Washington State players… No idea what I’m going to do now.” Affleck finished 15th in the Main Event this year after suffering a bad beat at the hands of eventual winner Jonathan Duhamel. Last year, he took 80th.

Rousso argued that the statute making playing online poker a Class C felony violated the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. However, the Washington State Supreme Court argued that the law affected in-state and out-of-state internet gambling outfits equally and therefore did not trample on the Constitution. Rousso plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Watching the situation with a keen eye is UB.com‘s Paul Leggett, who told Poker News Daily, “We are reviewing the situation and will make a decision shortly based on a full and considered understanding of our legal advice.”

Also weighing in on Full Tilt’s blocking of real money wagers from Washington State was Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Board Member Rich Muny, who told Poker News Daily on Friday, “We’re all saddened for players to lose access to a site. It’s important to keep in mind that laws do have consequences and we’re here fighting for our rights at the local and state levels. Players can count on the PPA being in Washington State during the next legislative session to repeal this egregious law.”

Poker Players Alliance Strengthening at State Level

ESPN Coverage of the 2010 WSOP Main Event by Linda Johnson

I’ll admit it. I’m mesmerized by ESPN’s coverage of the 2010 WSOP Main Event. As I watched the Tuesday night episodes, I jotted down some thoughts on scrap paper so I could discuss my observations with some of my poker friends. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep the scraps of paper in any type of order, so here are some random thoughts and observations about the 2010 Main Event in no particular order.

The Staff

The WSOP staff did an incredible job of running the event. In fact, it was probably the best series ever. Tournament officials have a difficult job, but sometimes I have to scratch my head and say, “Really?”

For example, why was it not until day three that Ted Bort got a penalty for distracting and annoying his opponents by barking like a dog? Why did one of the Tournament Directors allow rabbit hunting several times when it is clearly against the rules? In fact, at one point, the Tournament Director even reached across the table and turned up a card after a player had folded. Really?

The Commentators

Norman Chad comes up with some good comments at times, such as these gems:

In response to Scotty Nguyen asking, “Where’s the closet bathroom?” Chad joked, “You’ve been playing here for years and you don’t know where the bathroom is?”

At one point, Bort got up and went to the corner of the room and let out a muffled bark. Chad’s response was, “His water bowl must be over there.”

After Chris Ferguson was eliminated, he stopped to say goodbye to one of his opponents. “Jesus just blessed seat five,” said Chad.

Chad said, “Johnny Chan has given each of his six children one of his bracelets and still has enough left for each of the Mizrachi brothers.”

Chad’s best line: “Under the gun is the new hijack.”

The Players

Kudos to WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kasella, who won two bracelets, made three final tables, and cashed five times. I believe it was Kasella who, during an interview about a particular hand, said, “I almost threw up in my shoe having to call that one. I bet $10,000 on the river holding pocket jacks on a board of 3-Q-9-7-Q and got raised $33,000. I made the call and beat my opponent’s 8-8.”

Phil Laak made a bet that wasn’t called and the players asked him what he had. He offered to show the hand for $20. Two opponents immediately put up $10 each and got to see the hand.

I love Tom Schneider’s outfits. Can you say loud?

Josh Arieh was all-in with A-K versus Dan Harrington‘s A-Q. Arieh was still in the lead on the turn and asked Harrington if he wanted to run it twice.

Jean-Robert Bellande has gotten unlucky the past few years at the feature table. This year fairly late in the tournament, his pocket aces got cracked by his opponent’s pocket kings when a king came on the river.

Nick Rainey reportedly played 16,000 sit and gos in one month.

Congratulations to Gavin Smith for cashing in four out of the last seven Main Events. That’s no easy feat with the size of the fields.

Johnny Chan made an amazing run at the title again this year. On day six, he was one of the chip leaders, got moved to a new table, and was dealt pocket kings against one of the other chip leaders, who was dealt pocket aces. Soon after, he was dealt pocket jacks against pocket aces.

I loved the story about Gary Kostiuk, who suffers with MS. In his interview feature, he said that playing in the Main Event was on his bucket list. He was living the dream and loving his experience. At one point when he was all-in with A-9 versus his opponent’s A-10, he said, “I don’t want to stop playing; I’m having too much fun.” He survived the all-in. After he got knocked out, he said it had been the best week of his life.

At one point, a statistic appeared that Matt Affleck had played 33% of the hands dealt (19% was average). I’m sure we all felt his pain when he got his aces cracked just short of the final table.

Fukke Beukers was my favorite name of any player in the Main Event.

The advice from Johnny Chan should be remembered: “Never underestimate your opponents.”

Sometimes poker can be so cruel. For instance, with only 120 players left, Tony Dunst got his aces cracked by A-Q. Joseph Cheong took a horrible beat in a $25 million pot with pocket aces against Filippo Candio‘s 7-5 after all the money went all-in on a 6-6-5 flop. Candio made a straight on the river. Neither of the players whined or complained about their beats.

Scotty Nguyen is a great player. He made another deep run, but got eliminated with pocket jacks by an opponent holding pocket tens.

Andy Bloch gave some great poker advice in his featured interview. He said, “You can’t lose focus. Don’t let all the chips in the middle cause you to make a mistake.” He talked about a hand he played against Mike Sexton in which a queen came on the end to give him two pair. He made a value bet and was facing a huge raise by Sexton. He thought a long time before folding and said, “The chances that he could be bluffing were worse than the odds that the pot was laying me.”

Congratulations to the four Mizrachi brothers who cashed in the Main Event. I enjoyed seeing how they sweat each other and cheered for each other.

General Observations

The young players are scary. They keep the pressure on and aren’t afraid to 3bet and 4bet with nothing.

3% of the Main Event entrants were women in 1990, the same percentage as this year.

I hate it when a player knocks someone out and then says, “I’m sorry.” If you put a bad beat on someone, my first suggestion is that you stay quiet. If you must say something, a comment like “Tough beat” is more appropriate than “I’m sorry.”

The Main Event really is a young person’s game. Out of the final 366 players, 205 were in their 20s and only 25 were over 50.

I liked the Full Tilt ads that were shown on one episode highlighting the November Nine players. Apparently the ads were pulled because there were a lot of complaints from viewers that they were “spoilers.”

Some of the players are wearing so many patches that they look like NASCAR drivers. Being on the Board of Directors of the Poker Players Alliance, I was particularly happy to see so many players wearing the PokerPlayersAlliance.org patch.

Many players are superstitious. For instance, Filippo Candio wore the same shirt every day. He said his routine was to get up at 11:20, have coffee, and take a cab to the Rio at 11:30 (Hmmm, when did he take a shower?).

I hate that television rewards players who behave badly by featuring some of them in breakout interviews.

In closing, ESPN and the media deserve kudos for doing a great job of recording the events of the 2010 World Series of Poker. I’m sure this year’s stellar coverage will encourage more attendance next year.

Poker Players Alliance Welcomes New Board Member

On Monday, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the 1.2 million member strong lobbying voice for poker players in the United States, welcomed a new Board member into its ranks. Patrick “Skallagrim” Fleming, who manages the PPA’s Litigation Network, will bring insight to the Board as the organization heads into 2011.

PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato commented in a press release sent by the lobbying organization on Monday, “Patrick is one of the poker community’s staunchest champions, donating his time and legal expertise to help PPA members navigate the often murky waters regarding poker’s legal status. I am so pleased that he will be joining the Board of Directors as we work together to guide the organization’s efforts to provide a safe, regulated environment for poker players in the U.S.”

Fleming is an attorney by trade and, according to the same press release, got his start in the organization following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in 2006: “Dismayed at the government’s effort to restrict his right to play online poker by passing the UIGEA, Fleming joined the PPA and began leveraging his legal expertise to post about legal challenges on various poker forums.” Two years ago, Fleming pitched the idea of a Litigation Network, which matches online poker players needing legal assistance with pre-screened local counsel.

PPA Executive Director John Pappas is also looking forward to welcoming Fleming into the fold: “Without Patrick’s guidance and expertise, the PPA would not be nearly as well positioned from a legal perspective to provide support and testimony in the legal cases impacting poker across the nation… It is a true pleasure to work with Patrick and I look forward to the ideas and insights I am certain he will bring in his role on the Board of Directors.”

Fleming’s compatriots on the PPA’s Board of Directors include D’Amato, Pappas, former World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champ Chris Ferguson, Women in Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson, Full Tilt Poker front man Howard Lederer, 2004 Main Event champ Greg Raymer, and PPA Kentucky State Director Rich “TheEngineer” Muny.

Fleming hails from New Hampshire and will join the Board of an organization that continues to press for licensed and regulated online poker in the United States. The PPA is in the midst of pushing Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, which was marked up by the House Financial Services Committee in July. HR 2267 sports 70 co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle, but will be deemed “dead” if not acted on by the end of the current Congress in January.

The PPA’s Litigation Network has been instrumental in arguing poker cases in states like South Carolina and Pennsylvania. Pappas posted on TwoPlusTwo that Fleming was in the midst of attending a charity event in his home state of New Hampshire: “I actually have the privilege of being with Skall at this very moment. We are in Plaistow, NH at the Granite State Poker room for a charity event. New Hampshire native Howard Lederer will be here too, as well as special guest Congressman Paul Hodes, who is running for the U.S. Senate.” Hodes is running against former New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, who signed a letter opposing internet gambling legislation in 2007.

The PPA recently released its 2010 Congressional Ratings Guide in advance of next week’s general elections in the United States. The organization assigned letter grades to each Congressman running to give players guidance on who to vote for. In addition, Poker PAC, the PPA’s political action committee, recently announced endorsements of 58 lawmakers. Visit ThePPA.org for more information.

Poker Players Alliance Announces Congressional Candidates Endorsement List

Poker PAC Endorsing 58 Lawmakers in U.S. Elections

On Thursday, the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), the major lobbying voice for poker players in the United States, released a list of 58 Congressman that its Poker Political Action Committee (PokerPAC) is endorsing in the general elections next month. The list includes incumbents and non-incumbents alike and consists of both Democrats and Republicans.

Former Senator Alfonse D’Amato and former Congressman Toby Moffett, the Chairmen of the PokerPAC, commented in a press release distributed by the PPA, “Through the efforts of the Poker Players Alliance and its members, more and more of our elected officials in Congress are seeing the value of establishing a safe, regulated market for online poker. This year’s election is critical to ensuring that candidates are elected who support the rights of poker players and who choose to take action to protect American consumers.”

The PAC’s endorsement of a lawmaker is primarily based on their support of pro-poker legislation in Congress. Bills favorable to internet poker like Congressman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, lie dormant as the Congress turns over to 2011. The House Financial Services Committee approved HR 2267 in July. However, the bill has not yet been discussed on the floor of the House of Representatives and will be deemed “dead” if it is not acted on before the new Congress is seated in January.

Frank’s name is on the list of 58 Congressmen endorsed by PokerPAC. Others include familiar faces like Shelley Berkley (D-NV), a co-sponsor of HR 2267 who once proposed a bill to study the industry in detail. Also on the list is Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA). The Washington Congressman’s HR 2268 serves as the tax companion bill to HR 2267. Ironically, it is a Class C felony to play online poker on McDermott’s home turf due to a law that the Washington State Supreme Court recently upheld.

Republicans like Ron Paul (R-TX), Peter King (R-NY), and Pete Sessions (R-TX), whose names have popped up several times since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was signed into law four years ago, are also endorsed by PokerPAC. In 2008, Sessions introduced a bill to clarify the UIGEA, but the PPA came out against it due to language asserting that there had been a “lack of authoritative court decisions on the applicability of other federal criminal statutes to internet poker and casino-style gambling.” Nevertheless, PokerPAC has its full weight behind the Texan this year.

General elections in the United States will take place on November 2nd. The entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate will be up for grabs. In the mid-term elections, the vote is expected to lean heavily towards Republicans. Here are the 58 Congressmen endorsed by PokerPAC:

John Adler (D-NJ)
Robert Andrews (D-NJ)
Joe Barton (R-TX)
Shelley Berkley (D-NV)
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Judy Biggert     (R-IL)
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
John Callahan (D-PA)
John Campbell (R-CA)
Russ Carnahan (D-MO)
Lacy Clay (D-MO)
Steve Cohen (D-TN)
John Conyers (D-MI)
Joe Courtney (D-CT)
Steve Driehaus (D-OH)
Barney Frank (D-MA)
Joe Garcia (D-FL)
Jim Gerlach (R-PA)
Alan Grayson (D-FL)
Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
Dean Heller (R-NV)
Jim Himes (D-CT)
Paul Hodes (D-NH)
Steve Israel (D-NY)
Darrell Issa (R-CA)
Paul Kanjorski (D-PA)
Peter King (R-NY)
Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH)
Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL)
Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
John Larson (D-CT)
Christopher Lee (R-NY)
Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Connie Mack (R-FL)
Dan Maffei (D-NY)
Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
Betsy Markey (D-CO)
Jim McDermott (D-WA)
George Miller (D-CA)
Walt Minnick (D-ID)
Jim Moran (D-VA)
Christopher Murphy (D-CT)
Scott Murphy (D-NY)
Ron Paul (R-TX)
Ed Perlmutter (D-CO)
Tom Perriello (D-VA)
Gary Peters (D-MI)
Jared Polis (D-CO)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Linda Sanchez (D-CA)
Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Robert Scott (D-VA)
Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Dina Titus (D-NV)
Mel Watt (D-NC)
Anthony Weiner (D-NY)
Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)

Callahan and Garcia, who are running in Pennsylvania and Florida, respectively, are not incumbents, while the other 56 are currently in office. The PPA has also released a full-blown Congressional Ratings Guide that grades each lawmaker on Capitol Hill based on their support of poker legislation.

Six Illinois Online Poker Players Sued for Winnings

In a lawsuit that has popped up on both PocketFives.com and TwoPlusTwo in recent days, a Florida resident seeking to recover “illegal poker gambling losses” is suing six online poker players from Illinois. The lawsuit includes nearly 190 pages of tournament results and is numbered 1:10-cv-06543.

Targeted in the case are six top players from the Land of Lincoln: Andy “BKiCe” Seth, Faraz “The-Toilet” Jaka, Benjamin “Chong94” LeFew, Mohsin “chicagocards1” Charania, Ravi “govshark2” Raghavan, and Tyler “puffinmypurp” Reiman. The latter was the runner-up to Harrison Gimbel in the 2010 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Main Event in January and walked away with $1.75 million.

Scott Crespo filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois one week ago and cited why he’s able to sue under state law: “If within six months, such person [who] is entitled to initiate action to recover his losses does not in fact pursue his remedy, any person may initiate a civil action against the winner.” Crespo alleges that the six defendants used “real estate or property for the purposes of gambling” in the form of the PokerHaus, located in Champaign.

Crespo calls out Seth as the owner of the PokerHaus, where he alleges that the group has “actively recruited other individuals to participate in illegal gambling activity” and “committed acts of collusion and cheating while playing online poker.” The allegations for the latter charge were not spelled out. Crespo’s filing also reminds its readers of the “60 Minutes” piece profiling the cheating scandals on Absolute Poker and UB.com. The CBS News report, which aired in November 2008, ended with officials questioning why Russ Hamilton, the purported mastermind behind the cheating scandal, was still roaming free in Las Vegas.

After an examination of gambling addictions and other social ills, Crespo outlines nearly 700 tournament cashes by Seth, Charania, Jaka, LeFew, Raghavan, and Reiman on sites like PokerStars, Full Tilt, and UB.com. Crespo is seeking triple the amount lost to the group of six plus court costs and “any other relief that the Court deems just.” Crespo’s lawyer is Mark Lavery, who works out of Des Plaines, Illinois, while Crespo hails from Florida.

Taking an interest in the case is the Poker Players Alliance (PPA), whose Litigation Network matches online poker players seeking counsel with pre-screened local attorneys. PPA Kentucky State Director Rich Muny told Poker News Daily on Tuesday, “I have spoken with one of the defendants and we have discussed the issue at the highest levels within the PPA. It’s something we take very seriously.”

The time frame at hand is the end of 2006 to the present. The screen names of all six players at sites like PokerStars, Full Tilt, UB.com, Absolute Poker, and Bodog are given in the lawsuit, and, according to Crespo, “any conduct committed outside the State constitutes an attempt to commit an offense within the State of Illinois.” Each tournament in the money finish is over $50 and occurred more than six months ago, per the Illinois statute.

Poker software allegedly used for collusion is also presented in the lawsuit. These include programs like Poker Crusher, Poker Bot Pro, Pocket Aces, No Rules Poker, Calculatem Pro, Sit and Go Shark, and Holdem Genius. Whether any of the defendants actually used any of these pieces of software was not outlined.

In Kentucky, a similar case is unfolding in which the Commonwealth is seeking to recoup losses by state residents to online poker sites between 2005 and 2009. The legal action was originally filed against Full Tilt Poker, but has since been amended to include PartyPoker as well. In a separate lawsuit, Kentucky attorneys are trying to force the forfeiture of 141 internet gambling domain names, including those belonging to PokerStars and Full Tilt.

Read the Illinois litigation in its entirety by clicking here.

MMA Fighter Randy Couture to Host Charity Poker Event

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legend Randy Couture will host the third annual “Operation All In” charity poker tournament and auction fundraiser at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 30th. The tournament and auction will benefit the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation, which honors the veterans of America’s armed forces.

The event is open to the public and will include a celebrity charity poker tournament featuring professional players and MMA and Hollywood celebrities. There will also be live and silent auctions offering MMA memorabilia, dinner and a one-hour personal MMA lesson with Couture, autograph sessions with photo opportunities, and a Halloween after party inside Gold Diggers.

The buy-in for the tournament is $225 with $100 rebuys. Tournament participants will also receive free entry to the first annual Randy Couture Halloween Bash starting at 8:00pm inside Gold Diggers nightclub overlooking the Fremont Street Experience. For those not wishing to participate in the poker tournament, general admission tickets to the Halloween bash will be available for $25 at the door.

The winner of the tournament will take home $10,000 in cash and top finishers will win valuable prizes from a handful of sponsors. “Operation All In” is sponsored and supported by Deepstacks, the Poker Players Alliance, Full Tilt Poker, Xtreme Couture MMA, Lord Griffon, Godard Art, and the Golden Nugget.

Confirmed participants for the event include MMA fighters Couture, Tyson Griffin, Ryan Couture, Martin Kampmann, Gray Maynard, Jason Ron, Ray Sefo, Mike Pyle, and John Alessio. Professional poker players taking part include Howard Lederer, Andy Bloch, Layne Flack, Gavin Smith, Perry Friedman, Antonio Esfandiari, Todd Brunson, Nick and Michael Binger, Dutch Boyd, Lacey Jones, Matt Savage, and “Donk Down Radio” personality Bryan Micon.

Couture is an army veteran himself, having served in the 101st Airborne Division. Together with his wife, Couture started the Xtreme Couture G.I. Foundation to raise money and awareness for troops wounded in action and their families. The Foundation’s goal is to help these brave men and women fulfill any of their unmet needs as they return to civilian life.

Couture has been involved in poker for years now. He first hit the tables during the inaugural “Operation All In” charity tournament, which was emceed by Jamie Gold in 2008. He began getting more involved with Full Tilt, holding charity tournaments on the site to support his foundation, and then during his fight against Brock Lesnar in November 2008, Couture switched brand of clothing from Affliction gear to Full Tilt Poker. The MMA legend has since been regularly linked to the site, even making an appearance on NBC’s “Poker After Dark” decked out in Full Tilt Poker logos during the show’s airing in August.

Poker Players Alliance Looks to Repeal Washington State’s Online Poker Ban

PokerStars No Longer Accepting Washington Cash Play On Site

After a decision from the state’s Supreme Court regarding the legality of a law set in place four years ago, the top online site in the poker industry, PokerStars, has made the move to no longer accept cash players from the state of Washington.

In an e-mail message sent to residents of the state of Washington, PokerStars spells out the unfortunate news. “To date, PokerStars has operated in Washington on the basis of legal opinions where the central advice was that the state could not constitutionally regulate Internet poker, or at least could not discriminate in favor of local card rooms and against online sites. Last week, however, the Washington Supreme Court for the first time rejected that position and upheld the state’s Internet gaming prohibition.”

The e-mail continued, “In light of this decision, following extensive consultation with our legal advisors, we believe that the right course of action is to now block real money play by Washington residents on the PokerStars.com site.” PokerStars emphasized that the company always has legal issues in mind when offering their wares, stating, “In all of the jurisdictions where we operate, we are committed to making responsible decisions that are based on a full and considered understanding of the most up-to-date legal advice.” Although Washington residents can no longer play on the cash side of PokerStars, the company is making agents available to assist in any cashout issues players may have.

The battle over Washington’s internet gaming laws dates back to 2006, when the state legislature fortified its stance regarding the issue. At that time, the Washington state legislature passed a bill led by Representative Margarita Prentice and signed by Governor Christine Gregoire that outlawed online gaming and poker. The statute upped its punishment for violation from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony. This put playing poker online on the same level as child molestation and made it punishable by up to a year in jail. The new law also put strict regulations against advertising for online gaming.

The Washington State Director of the Poker Players Alliance, Lee Rousso, took the case to court, arguing that the law was unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. Rousso’s challenge wound its way through the Washington court system, with the lower courts upholding the law at every step, until it reached the Washington State Supreme Court last week.

In the decision rendered by the Washington State Supreme Court, the justices did not rule on the legality of online gaming, stating, “It is not the role of the judiciary to second-guess the wisdom of the legislature, which enacted this ban.” Instead, the justices ruled on Rousso’s contention that the law violated the U.S. Constitution. Citing the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 and the Wire Act of 1961, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that there was no violation of the law. In essence, the Washington legislation applied evenhandedly to in-state and out-of-state interests, so it would stand. In a statement to Poker News Daily last week, Rousso said he would pursue the case to the United States Supreme Court, although it is unknown if or when the highest court in the land would take on the case.

The decision rendered yesterday by PokerStars has drawn extensive commentary through the message boards at the TwoPlusTwo and PocketFives.com forums. Many are wondering whether the second largest internet poker room, Full Tilt Poker, will follow suit, and others wonder if it will lead to a “domino effect” of other states passing similar legislation.

PokerStars points out that it welcomes regulation in the e-mail sent to Washington players. As a closing point to the letter, the company states, “PokerStars remains supportive of passing sensible Internet poker regulation in the United States that will provide much-needed tax revenues and formalize consumer protections. PokerStars operates under those conditions, complying with rigorous licensing regimes, for its worldwide operations in the Isle of Man (UK), and for local operations in Italy, France and Estonia.”

Poker News in Brief: Sept. 20-26

Of course the focal point was London, England, where the 2010 WSOPE Main Event began and Gus Hansen secured a spot in the final two of the 10k WSOPE Heads-Up.

England wasn’t the only place where poker was played however, as Dwyte Pilgrim won his first WPT title at Borgata in Atlantic City, “Brother D” Danny Leaoasavaii won APPT Auckland and Tom Dwan and Gus Hansen won hundreds of thousands online.

With all that news there were a few stories that didn’t get the press they might have on a normal week. Fortunately as part of our ongoing Poker News in Brief feature we’ve compiled a list of such stories below.

This week we’ll take a look at PokerStars heading back to the Philippines, a set-back for poker in Washington, a new RedKings Poker promotion and more.

Seattle Court Upholds Ban on Online Poker

Online poker players in Washington were dealt a blow this week when the Washington Supreme Court upheld a ban on playing the game for money.

Washington poker player Lee Rousso presented a law suit that argued the State’s online gaming laws violated the commerce clause of the U.S. constitution.

Justice Richard B. Sanders disagreed, claiming the legislature did not overreach in restricting online gambling.

The Poker Players Alliance’s chairman Alfonse D’Amato expressed “extreme disappointment” over the ruling and mentioned the organization will continue to fight to have it overturned.

PokerStars Confirms Return to Philippines

PokerStars will once again be returning to sunny Cebu in the Philippines as part of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour.

"We're delighted to be taking the APPT back to the Philippines, and Cebu in particular," said Jeffrey Haas, President of the APPT. "The Tour has gone from strength to strength in its relatively short life and fields are growing all the time. Last year's event in Cebu was a definite highlight and offered further evidence of the continued passion for poker in the Asia Pacific region."

APPT Cebu is now scheduled to take place Nov. 12-16 at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa. The buy-in for the No-Limit Hold’em tournament will be 100,000 pesos (approximately $2,165 USD).

Last season Korea’s Dong-bin Han outlasted a field of 319 players to win a $156,722 first place prize in Cebu.

ESPN3 to Broadcast 2010 WSOPE Final

Poker fans will get the chance to view the final two days of the 2010 WSOPE Main Event almost live on ESPN3.com.

ESPN3.com, ESPN’s 24/7 sports broadbank network, will feature the final two days next week on Monday and Tuesday. There will be a five-hour tape delay in effect so fans will be able to view the hole cards, which is a first for the event.

"ESPN is committed to delivering the best Poker content to fans, and ESPN3 is the ideal format to showcase this great event as it happens,” said Doug White, senior director of programming and acquisitions for ESPN.

Last year popular poker pro Daniel Negreanu lost to Barry Shulman heads-up in arguably the most exciting finale ever at the WSOPE.

Red Kings Offering GSOP Live Packages

RedKings Poker is adding a little extra incentive for players who take part in its online Grand Series of Poker V over the next two weeks.

Every player who wins an online GSOP V tournament will also receive a $3,000 seat to GSOP Live events in Riga, Malta or Budapest.

"At RedKings we value success and anyone who wins one of the main 15 GSOP online events playing at RedKings deserves to join our live poker Team at one of the groundbreaking GSOP Live events in Riga, Malta or at the RedKings Poker Open in Budapest in February,” said Marcus Greg, tournament manager for RedKings.com.

GSOP V will run Sept. 19 to Oct. 3 with 15 events in a variety of different poker games and buy-in levels. Every winner will also receive entry into the Grand Slam Online Final with $300k guaranteed.

Betfair Running $120k Rake Race

Betfair Poker started a promotion this week that will award a total of $120,000 to the busiest players over the next three weeks.

The Betfair $120k Rake Race will run until Oct. 14 and the player who earns the most Betfair points in that span will receive $20,000. In addition the top 100 players will receive a share of the $120,000 up for grabs.

The promotion is open to all Betfair players but they have to log in to opt-into the contest.

Washington State Supreme Court Upholds Internet Gambling Law

In breaking news, the Washington State Supreme Court has upheld a law that makes playing online poker a Class C felony. Poker Players Alliance (PPA) Washington State Director Lee Rousso, a lawyer by trade, sued to declare the harsh law unconstitutional on the grounds that it violated the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.

The Court’s opinion opened by noting that the Washington state legislature had not yet legalized online poker; therefore, it was not the job of the State Supreme Court to second-guess that judgment: “It is not the role of the judiciary to second-guess the wisdom of the legislature, which enacted this ban. The court has no authority to conduct its own balancing of the pros and cons stemming from banning, regulating, or openly permitting internet gambling.” Instead, its assessment focused mainly on whether the statute violated the Commerce Clause.

After evaluating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) and Wire Act of 1961, the Washington State Supreme Court asserted, “The statute prohibits internet gambling evenhandedly, regardless of whether the company running the website is located in or outside the state of Washington. The effects imposed on in-state and out-of-state entities engaging or that would engage in internet gambling are the same… The dormant Commerce Clause only prevents a state from discriminating based on whether the business is in-state or out-of-state.” Therefore, the Washington law does not discriminate against foreign and out-of-state online gambling interests.

The Court then dove into a moral evaluation of internet gambling, explaining in its decision, “Internet gambling introduces new ways to exacerbate these same threats to health, welfare, safety, and morals. Gambling addicts and underage gamblers have greater accessibility to online gambling – able to gamble from their homes immediately and on demand, at any time, on any day, unhindered by in-person regulatory measures. Concerns over ties to organized crime and money laundering are exacerbated where online gambling operations are not physically present in-state to be inspected for regulatory compliance.”

The decision accordingly read in part, “Washington has a legitimate and substantial state interest in addressing the effects of internet gambling.” The State Supreme Court justices argued that online poker and internet gambling outfits could merely exclude its residents from play to comply with the law.

Rousso told Poker News Daily on Friday that he plans to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Whether the nation’s highest judicial body would take the case remains to be seen.

PPA Chairman Alfonse D’Amato commented in a press release distributed by the organization on Thursday, “We are extremely disappointed in the State Supreme Court’s ruling given the clear evidence that the state legislature never sought to regulate internet poker as it does in-state brick-and-mortar card rooms and internet horse racing, but instead simply banned internet poker and, even worse, criminalized the players. This law is still a mistake and we will continue to fight to have it overturned.”

The PPA submitted an amicus brief in the case arguing that other jurisdictions have successfully legalized and regulated online poker. While Rousso was giving oral arguments to the court in May, the PPA staged a large-scale rally on the courthouse steps.

The decision in Washington marked the second major legal development for our industry this week. Also on Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that the case involving the seizure and potential forfeiture of 141 internet gambling domain names should head back to the trial court level. There, Judge Thomas Wingate will determine whether the Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association (iMEGA) and Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) have standing. No date for oral arguments has been set.

Read the entire Washington State Supreme Court decision. Stay tuned for the latest legal headlines right here on Poker News Daily.

PND Weekly News Update

Welcome to the Poker News Daily Weekly Update. I’m your host, Sean Gibson and you might notice that I’m wearing some CardRunners gear here. Well, this is me fulfilling my end of the bargain for my prop bet match against Cardrunners pro Taylor Caby. If you haven’t watched the match, check it out in our videos section!

Our lead story this week comes from PokerStars, who dealt its fifty billionth hand with a user by the name of “tbvle” able to parlay pocket queens into a massive payday. It was most assuredly his lucky day, as he played at a table with nickel big blinds and got a payout of fifty-six thousand dollars and a WCOOP Main Event seat. In total, the single hand awarded over seventy thousand dollars to six players plus thirty-one thousand dollars’ worth of WCOOP tickets. Not too shabby.

PokerStars pros like Jason Mercier, Lex Vehduis, and Ville Wahlbeck descended on the table to extend their heartfelt congratulations to the players involved. By the way, the WCOOP Main Event comes your way this Sunday on PokerStars. Don’t miss out!

Congressman Barney Frank was quoted in the Washington D.C. news outlet The Hill as saying that he’s not optimistic about legislation legalizing and regulating online poker passing before the November elections. Frank told The Hill that he “doesn’t have a commitment from House leadership officials that they would move the bill before the lame duck session.”

Therefore, HR 2267 may ultimately be attached to a piece of must-pass legislation in the lame duck session following elections. Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative spokesperson Michael Waxman told The Hill, “The greatest odds for online gambling regulation legislation to be approved this year are for it to get done as part of a larger legislative package, primarily because of the opportunity to dedicate the considerable new revenue generated as an offset for another program or need…This is one of the few issues where broad support can be found on both sides of the aisle.”

Turning to live tournament news, Phil Laak, Jeffrey Lisandro, and Scott Shelley all took down bracelets in World Series of Poker Europe events in recent days. Shelly won a one thousand Pound No Limit Hold’em event and collected over one hundred thirty thousand Pounds. He bested a field of over five hundred players and outlasted J.P. Kelly heads-up. Kelly won the same tournament last year and fell oh-so-short in his title defense this time around. Kelly, who is twenty-four years old, was also gunning to become the youngest player to win three bracelets. The current record-holder in that department is Phil Ivey, who was twenty-six when he won his third gold bracelet.

California State Senator Rod Wright has been indicted on eight counts, including “false declaration of candidacy, voter fraud, and perjury beginning in two thousand seven, when he changed his voter registration to run for the legislature,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Officials allege that Wright did not live in the district he represented.

What’s the significance of Wright’s indictment for poker players? He has been one of the driving forces behind bringing intrastate online poker to California, which would be the first state to do so. California is facing a sizable budget deficit, leading to a search for new revenue. Wright introduced Senate Bill One-Four-Eight-Five to bring online poker to life and, as recently as September Third, the Poker Voters of America released amendments to further the bill’s chances of becoming law. Whether Wright will have to give up his California State Senate seat remains to be seen.

On Sunday, the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge will continue its Season Two run. The first challenger of the new season was Jessica Cupini, a single mom attending West Virginia University who is an aspiring law school student. Cupini’s first round celebrity challenger was “Dancing with the Stars” host Brooke Burke. She easily dispatched of Burke before facing off against reigning WPT Championship winner David Williams.
Cupini ultimately defeated Williams and went on to face Daniel Negreanu heads-up for one hundred thousand dollars. However, she errantly bluffed all-in with Ace-Four on a board of Jack-Ten-Nine-Eight. Negreanu insta-called with Queen-Six for a straight and that was all she wrote for the show’s first challenger last weekend. You can catch the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge before or after NFL football on Fox.

In an exclusive interview with Poker News Daily, Commerce Casino CEO HaigPapaian gave his take on Barney Frank’s HR 2267. Papaian clarified his casino’s position on the bill, telling us,

“We’re going to do everything we can to ensure it doesn’t become law. We’re not against online poker; we only want legalized online poker. We also have an issue with offshore companies coming in and taking over the industry. As President of the Commerce, I am part of a group of card clubs and tribes that are for poker-only bills in the state of California. For the [Poker Players Alliance] to say that we’re against online poker – that’s ridiculous.”

On Tuesday on ESPN, Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond took his seat at the feature table for Day Five of the World Series of Poker Main Event. At the start of the two one-hour episodes, five-hundred seventy-four players remained, including two former champs, Scotty Nguyen and Johnny Chan. The bust outs were fast and furious and included Jason Mercier, Adam Schoenfeld, Donny Mizrachi, and Steve Sanders.

Nguyen was crippled after running two pair into James Carroll’s boat. Then, the Poker Hall of Fame nominee committed the rest of his chips pre-flop with Ace-Jack of spades, but ran into pocket kings to bust in two hundred ninth. New episodes of the WSOP on ESPN air every Tuesday at Nine P-M Eastern Time.

Last, but certainly not least, the record books were re-written last weekend, as one thousand forty-two players turned out for the World Poker Tour’s Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City. The four-figure attendance marked the largest WPT field ever assembled. Last year, the tournament, which sports a thirty-five hundred dollar buy-in, drew one thousand eighteen players, meaning that attendance this year was up two percent.

WPT commentator Mike Sexton made a deep run in the Borgata Poker Open, finishing twentieth for fifteen thousand dollars. Also making waves was John D’Agostino, who took fourteenth place for his first WPT in the money finish in three years. Welcome back, John!

Well that does it for this week’s top headlines here at Poker News Daily. Be sure to visit us every day for the latest poker news, interviews and features. Also be sure to add us to your twitter feed at twitter dot com slash poker news daily. I’m Sean Gibson, hoping one of our readers takes down that WCOOP Main Event! I’ll see you next time.

Commerce Casino CEO Haig Papaian Comments on Internet Gambling Bill

Taking center stage in recent weeks has been the squabble between a coalition of California casinos and the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) over the merits of HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. Poker News Daily sat down with Commerce Casino CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board Haig Papaian to see what’s fueled the debate.

Poker News Daily: Thanks for joining us. Give us your official standpoint on HR 2267.

Haig Papaian: We’re going to do everything we can to ensure it doesn’t become law. We’re not against online poker; we only want legalized online poker. We also have an issue with offshore companies coming in and taking over the industry. As President of the Commerce, I am part of a group of card clubs and tribes that are for poker-only bills in the state of California. For the PPA to say that we’re against online poker – that’s ridiculous.

I don’t think there’s another industry in the state of California that is more regulated than the card clubs and tribal casinos. To have this bill be on a countrywide basis and relax those standards is upsetting. We’ve been playing by the rules since Day 1.

PND: Can you talk about some of the shortcomings of the bill?

Haig Papaian: In California, we’re under a magnifying glass from the Department of Justice. If we don’t comply with them, we will lose our license and be out of business. I don’t see those strict regulations in the Federal bill. You’re dealing with offshore entities and I want to see how they’ll regulate companies located in the Isle of Man. The internet gambling sites will set up shell companies to say they have people working here to comply with HR 2267, but the money will still go out of the country.

PND: Is California the main focus of the Commerce Casino and the other gambling establishments then?

Haig Papaian: California is my primary concern. We’re going to push to get something done here this year. California is first and foremost and what is generated from California should stay in California. It still irritates me that 40% of Las Vegas’ budget comes from California players.

PND: Have you seen any ill effects from the PPA’s Players Before Profits petition?

Haig Papaian: It’s not affecting our business.

PND: Where do you stand on HR 4976, the tax companion bill to Congressman Barney Frank’s HR 2267?

Haig Papaian: From my understanding, that tax scheme is far less than what the states could receive if they passed their own bills. Any state that chooses to do it should have their own intrastate internet gambling bill so they can keep the majority of their own money. The Federal Government has never been involved in gaming and I don’t see why they should start now.

PND: Do you support the provision in HR 2267 that says internet gambling sites currently serving the U.S. market won’t be able to obtain a license?

Haig Papaian: The Federal Government says they shouldn’t be doing it now and they’re doing it anyway. When Prohibition was lifted, was Al Capone allowed to start a brewery? No. These guys are doing something illegally and I have a problem with rewarding them later.

PND: Given the economic downturn, how has business been going at the Commerce?

Haig Papaian: Business is down, but we’re holding our own. Our tournament numbers are down. We’re probably 7% to 8% off from where we were, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is. We have a similar head count in cash games as we did before, but instead of people getting into larger games, they’re playing smaller ones, so we get a smaller rake. I am proud of the people who work underneath me here because we didn’t have any major layoffs and we’re still running straight.

PND: We saw that you have an option for poker players to bring their home games to the Commerce. Has that been popular?

Haig Papaian: It’s been pretty successful. People who don’t want to deal with the mess of hosting their own home game can come here. We have drinks and food for everyone and we’ll even drive you home if you need to.

Poker Players Alliance Rates Congress

Weekly News Update

Hello, I’m Sean Gibson and welcome to the Poker News Daily Weekly Update. We are moving to this new weekly format for now as we have a ton of great poker lifestyle pieces heading your way and didn’t want you to miss out on those. However, I’ll still be back bringing the news every Friday.

Our first topic covers the Prince of Poker, larger than life Poker Hall of Fame nominee Scotty Nguyen, who is offering his fans the chance to play against him in small regional tournaments. According to his official blog, Nguyen will skip the World Series of Poker Europe this year to play in smaller buy-in events all over the United States. Nguyen’s first stop will be in Durant, Oklahoma at the Choctaw Casino for the T.J. Cloutier Classic. The nineteen ninety-eight WSOP Main Event champ was enthused over his decision on Twitter:

“Don’t forget baby! Gonna skip WSOPE and instead travel for my fans baby!”

In a decision filed on September fourteenth, United States District Judge James Nowlin denied a motion for a Temporary Restraining Order filed by Deliverance Poker, which is suingNovember Nine member Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi for allegedly jumping ship to be sponsored by Full Tilt Poker in the middle of the Main Event. If the motion had been successful, Mizrachi may have been forbidden from wearing Full Tilt logos until the legal process was finished. Fortunately for him – and Full Tilt – Judge Nowlin dismissed it, and went as far as to say there is no “substantial likelihood” that Deliverance would win the case.

In more online poker news, the sale of the CEREUS Network to Blanca Games has “violated and/or triggered the application of certain rights under the agreements between Excapsa and Blast Off and its related entities” according to XMT Liquidations.

Potentially referring to the UltimateBet.com domain, “Blast Off intended to wind-up [end] any and all operations related to assets over which Excapsa has been granted a security interest.”

The situation remains murky at best, but as one member of the Two Plus two Forum put it,

“Looks like Blast Off’s (AP/UB) lawyers are going to try to get the hundred Million dollar note reduced or canceled due to players cheated in two thousand and four and two thousand and five.”

On Friday, members of the Poker Hall of Fame voting committee received their ballots in an e-mail from Harrah’s officials. Noticeably different this year is a “10-point must system” that asks each member of the panel to allocate ten points among the candidates of their choosing. The 10 finalists that the panel must choose from are:

Chris Ferguson, Barry Greenstein, Jennifer Harman, “Action” Dan Harrington, Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel, Linda Johnson, Tom McEvoy, Daniel Negreanu, and Scotty Nguyen.

After the votes are tabulated, the top two players receiving the majority of the vote will be enshrined as part of the Class of two thousand and ten. PND’s own Dan Cypra has the privilege of being on the panel for the second straight year.

The Poker Players Alliance struck back at the Commerce Casino and other gambling establishments in California by launching PlayersBeforeProfits.com, an online petition designed to encourage support of H-R Two-Two-Six-Seven, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act. At the time of taping, the petition at PlayersBeforeProfits.com has well over ten thousand signatures, including the support of pros such as Tom Dwan, Howard Lederer, and Jennifer Tilly.

Twenty-four year-old Brit Sam Trickett took down the sixth PartyPoker World Open, banking two hundred thousand dollars. The tournament played out last week from the Palm Beach Casino in London.

Trickett has been on a tear in two-thousand ten. In June, he was the runner-up in a No Limit Hold’em event held during the World Series of Poker and took over half a million dollars. Then, Trickett bubbled the final table of the twenty-five thousand dollar No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed event, also at the WSOP. In August, Trickett did it again, finishing fourth in the European Poker Tour Main Event in Vilamoura, Portugal. His win at the PartyPoker World Open VI gives Trickett four six-figure cashes in the last three months.

Finally, Poker News Daily congratulates Phil Laak on yet another achievement. This time, “The Unabomber” took down his first gold World Series of Poker bracelet across “The Pond” in London. Laak won a twenty-five hundred Pound Six-Handed No Limit Hold’em tournament during WSOP Europe for one-hundred seventy thousand Pounds.

Laak’s bracelet was in the kickoff event of WSOP Europe, which sold out at 244 entrants. The final table also featured bracelet winners Chris [BEE-OR-IN] Bjorin and Willie Tann.

That does it for this week’s top headlines here at Poker News Daily. Don’t miss us next Friday for another executive recap of the week in Poker. Until next time, here’s to hoping you run great at the tables – I’m Sean Gibson for Poker News Daily.