I wanted to open up this thread for a layman’s discussion to help everyone realistically know what could happen to online poker at the end of this year. Basically, as has happened in the past, there is a legitimate possibility that the U.S. Congress will try to pass a federal bill to regulate online poker when Congress ends its current session at the end of December. (see cliffs)

There is a variety of speculation on the chances of this happening from highly respected 2+2 posters ranging from less than 10% to near 100% chance and arguments for both sides are legitimate. So I hope everyone can take a levelheaded look at all the facts and stay informed.

I think the chances of this thing happening in mere months have been rapidly increasing given recent developments (again see cliffs). While I can’t give you the an exact percentage on what the chances are, I can pretty much guarantee that there will be at least a sweat at the end of this year.


There are no stupid questions if you do not follow politics closely. Please do yourself and the community a favor and ask away. There are many sharp 2+2ers who have an eye on this thing that can break it down for us all. (Skallagrim, Karak, TheEngineer, Berge20, PokerXanadu, DonkeyQuixote just to name a few)

If at some point we put together an FAQ from responses I think that would be cool too.

Cliffs: As always and now more than ever please CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS! There is no need to specifically ask them to make some secret poker attachment, but just tell them you want regulated online poker in the United States.

I'll be here to answer questions as well

prefilled answer #1: 100%-- IF you make your voice heard with the rest of us through the PPA Daily Action Plan.

prefilled answer #2: it'll be amazing. everybody who was any good at poker before black Friday is gonna be a bona fide shark, and everybody who was a winner on black Friday will be a legend. a Titan, slaying his way through the battlefield, filling his pouch with more and more gold every day.

prefilled answer #3: the Daily Action Plan is hella easy, you can do it in bed while you're getting ****ed up (TESTED AND PROVEN), and the upshots if we succeed are tremendous.

1 time baby

thanks for the info

ETA for "cards in the air"? (your estimate based on this information)

Now remember this is not close to done. If it fails this December it could take awhile. It has been a general estimate that once a bill is signed into law it would take 12-18 months until "cards are in the air." This could actually happen quicker since some states are getting systems in place that the federal government could duplicate and get games running quicker.


So I'd say if we bink it this December cards will be in the air early to mid 2014 but that we are getting wayyyy ahead of ourselves to think this way.

Sounds like a lock.

j/k, thanks for the post.

haha. you scared me for a second making me think that was an actual quote of me.

any hint whether the USA will have a closed market or not ?

It is almost certain that the US market would be closed to the rest of the world for some time. Probably a few years. Most expect that in the long run international players will be able to play on regulated US sites but the time frame for this is grey. Best case scenario imo is that international players can play on the sites a year after cards are in the air.


Others can chime in on this.

Yeah we've had more sweats than a fat greaseball in a men's club sauna. Each time, though, it ends up feeling more like a hot shower in the Penn State locker room. Before everyone starts getting excited and having dollar sign hallucinations, I'll warn you that the best approach is probably to be a depressive realist. Also, listen to DQ if he posts in this thread. Also, Berge and Karak possibly have access to inside info.

very funny Cheers.

Gotta love the USA. Our citizens can't play on sites regulated in other countries, but if you guys are lucky we'll let you play on the sites we regulate eventually. SUCK IT WORLD!

ONE TIME!

I don't needa win the Main Event, but I do need the US market playing online again.

thanks for the excitment and the cliffs, slugger.

I've always wondered what poker would be like if regulated in the USA....
Would every table we sit at, ever penny we make and leave with, be tracked for taxes? Every transfer, etc etc show up on taxes?

Also, I don't trust Harry Reid....he's bought and paid for by Harrah's and is total scum

Just posting to subscribe to the thread. Would be so awesome