For those of you who don't get the newsletter they send out:

[IMG]http://s7.************/4j9g7x4cb/Screen_Shot_2013_12_20_at_2_59_20_PM.png[/IMG]

Seems pretty good to me.

And I was agreeing that their biggest money maker will be just fine. Which seems to be the reason they couldn't careless about killing the poker side of the network. We take money away from the sports betting fish. That's why PO/SB segregated to keep that from happening.

I think every state in the US will have the opportunity to participate in online poker, so long as they choose, by the end of 2015. Call me an optimist, I'd agree I am, but this is becoming closer to reality than ever before.

And no, I don't want any action on it because I'm not a degenerate who bets on things outside of my control. If I was, I'd be on Merge for the next 10 years betting sports.

You do realize that there are winning sports bettors out there right? Sports betting is definitely beatable, so calling all sports bettors degenerates is pretty ignorant. By the way you have definitely bet on things out of your control before....ever got your money in on a coinflip or 60/40 before? Thats out of your control isnt it?

Also, I'll definitely side bet you on the 2015 regulation of online poker for every state in the US. I'll even lay you odds on that one.

I'm well aware some people are winning sports bettors. Nice assumption that I was calling everyone who bets sports a degenerate though.

Just read the OPS email, hopefully it gets some people back on the site. Looks pretty good.

I don't think we'll see reintegration of the player pools. I've given every suggestion I could possibly conceive


--
Kahn

I wasn't assuming anything you literally said and I quote "I'm not a degenerate....if I was id be on Merge betting sports for the next 10 years".

Anyway I read the OPS email as well and it does indeed look promising.

A little disappointed the majority of the OPS tournaments are pretty much the same as the current nightly tournaments with little or no change to the guarantees. There was a few rebuys though, which gets me excited.

At least the promos look decent on Carbon/Aced compared to the nonexsistent ones on PH. I'm in the process of moving the last of my roll over, minus the huge chunk I used to pay for my recent EU trip and Christmas gifts for the lady friend. Looking forward to getting back and playing consistently again.

I'm going to have to call you an optimist. If poker is legalized on a state by state basis not much more than half the states will ever make it legal, even in a best case scenerio, because some states' populations are morally opposed to gambling in general and will never allow it.

California, which is a very poker friendly state, has been debating legalizing online poker for years and still really hasn't gone much of anywhere with it. A lot of states are just going to get mired in dabate, like California, when legalization is proposed. California's proposals call for high taxes and fees which will probably make their legalized sites not very profitable for players.

Even when poker is legal in the US, I think that offshore sites will still be here to stay. Offshore sites don't need to pay the taxes and fees that US sites do, so the offshore sites are always going to be able to give better promotions and guarantees than US sites. Offshore sites though are essentially unregulated, so lack consumer protections. Developing trust amongst their player pool is critically important for their continued success; unfortunately trust is something that Merge has been failing miserably at.

I agree, if poker is legalized state by state it will take God knows how long for even a majority of the states to legalize it. I was referring to federal legislation that allows that states to opt out if they choose. I think that has a very good chance of happening. If it didn't I don't think the casino industry would be wasting their time with online gambling. Hopefully everyone in this thread that is so gloom and doom is doing their part to make this pipe dream a reality. Help get your congressman to support HR-2666.

I think it sucks & is really bad for the games in general that carbon has pretty much gotten rid of the $22 bi price point completely. There is no $22 main event, $22 6max is gone & currently there is no $22 daily tournament on the schedule outside of a nightly $750 gt.

Also, Outside of the $215 main event... All of the other main events are 5k starting stacks. I have never seen a Carbon Ops or maximus where all the mains were not 7500 starting stack. This is incredibly disappointing.

Sigh, played a tournament that wasn't 1 of the main daily's for the 1st time in awhile and it wasn't even playable. Playing 7 handed with 14 people for 3 hours as you just flip for the last 2 hours of late reg. Pretty awesome. Now I'll wait until 1 min b4 late reg ends and get in 4-5 from the money and min cash. WP Merge. I'm sure all the "casual players" find this really enjoyable.

Guessing everyone else is disco from the network...fun ****

any1 else kicked off cant reconnect?

i want all 7 of my buy ins refunded from that one tournament.

got booted off also...

I was HU. This ****s lame.

Everyone on same boat....hopefully they weren't hacked and our money stolen lol

did merge break?

Yup server down ... Guess we all email support

wtf

booted 4 from money in 50 seat 215 guarantee

gg merge

Getting ridiculous

making me not even want to play a big session tomorrow and just withdrawal

unreal..in a huge pot in a cash game with the best hand on the river waiting for villain to decide and the server crashes.

they better give me my monies.