Here's a step in the right direction: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/29...ocess-1044393/

US players would still be paid, just by deposits not winnings. So you might get less, but the donk that blew $10K on Full Tilt over the last five years would be getting a check.

I dont think it will happen for a number of reasons, but they could not pay out on winnings without pocketing the money.

LOL @ "backlash" or "riot." It won't even make the 5th page of any legitimate news source...and who's going to "riot?" The players? Yeah, we're a real rough and tough bunch...just ask Russ Hamilton, who can peacefully grind away in Florida or Howard Lederer, who can eat lobster and sushi in peace in Vegas. The poker community has no ammunition, no guts, no organization, and couldn't even stage a protest, much less a riot.

The Forbes article is ****.

"The Department of Justice has consistently taken the position that online poker violates U.S. law." is flat out wrong. Nevada will have online poker by the end of this year BECAUSE the DOJ cleared the way for it with their declaration of the Wire Act last fall. I'm amazed they let someone idiot write this and it's published on Forbes.

Due diligence first, then write your article.

It's strange and disconcerting because the author, Nathan Vardi, has, in my recollection, been one of the better mainstream media writers on poker issues.

It would be really shocking if this were an issue. Not just because it would seem fundamentally unfair but also because it would result in them actually paying out more money:

Deposits - rake = balances

I guess the fear, whether it is paranoia or reality (see Forbes article), is the DoJ would credit only up to deposits within someones current balance but if they had a 0 balance on BF, then past deposits don't matter. That way the DoJ pockets more and the player is screwed. To be clear, I have never thought this was realistic, but that Forbes article really shook me up.

Yeah, thats what I noted too. I guess from a pure dollars and sense standpoint you'd have to factor in how much less likely it is for zero balance players to file a claim, but its just so much easier to pay out current balances.

That said, wouldnt surprise me to see the DOJ try and find a way not to pay out winnings.

I don't think it will ever happen. If they pay out deposits, 500M wont be enough and they will need to pay 1 Million people more who have zero balance but made deposit before.

Then they repay pro-rata, its not like they have to come out of pocket.

Just seems so much harder to administer.

Emphasis added.

The reason why the language regarding U.S. player remissions has been ambiguous is that players in some states were NOT acting legally when playing online poker. So those players may not receive their remission.

Again, that has been my non-expert interpretation of the information thus far, so take it for what it's worth.

LOL, that would mean I only get about 30% of my initial deposit. I'll get back $15.

I don't think there are any states that make playing poker illegal? Washington could be the only state, but FTP stopped serving Washington well before BF.

Does anyone know where the DOJ (whichever department handles remission in this case) posts information regarding confidentiality? It seems to me that victims should have rights to privacy and confidentiality in regards to compensation, should they seek remission.

I would like to know if my private information, the details of this case as it pertains to me, and anything else pertinent will be passed around among various federal agencies and/or stored indefinitely (and if so, for what purpose). That would go a long way towards letting me know if I should bother with this.

wait a minute, if they are going to go the "internet poker is illegal" wasn't it by UIGEA illegal from the operator side and not from the player side? I thought that as far as the law is concerned, the players did nothing wrong. Also as it has been brough up by pappas, it is beyond hypocritical BS that the PS payed balances after BF as was FTP and AP/UB supposed to but now they decided to flip the script? They better not even think about it!!!!