This is true. When the UIGEA was passed in 2006, Party bailed from the US because it was the only site that was publicly traded, and it needed to keep its shareholders in mind. Seems Stars is trying to do the same now.

And us US players understand the situation completely. When I logged onto Stars on 4/15/11 to start my day of earning money for my family and got the same message you got, well, I understand what you're experiencing. It was a major disruption to my life.

We lost Party in 06; we lost Stars in 11. Now, after not being able to play on Stars for 3.5 years, I can have a different perspective on things as a whole, but I'm still pissed about it when I think about it.

Sure, indirectly. Everything was predicated upon the SAFE Port Act being passed in 2006; without that, everything would be like it's 2004 and all of us US players would be playing on Party and Stars instead of posting in this thread.

Write the UIGEA in bold as much as you want, but isn't the unlawful part the violation of the Wire Act, which the DoJ has come out and said online poker does not violate the Wire Act thereby online poker is not unlawful internet gambling? Indictments are just that. The DoJ later came out and said the Wire Act only applies to sports betting.

Some guy playing $5 sngs in Kabul isn't money laundering, he's making his dreadful life a little more tolerable.

Taking away one of the few freedoms people in these oppressed countries enjoy is a huge deal for these players.

Staggering anyone could think otherwise.

Pokerstars doesnt care about any of that ****. Theyre a publicly trades company.

Very well said Camel.

Of course, and even when they were private and the DoJ bit down hard, they took the avenue that was best for them.

I'm in Iran and if I wanted to express my feelings about this whole F up sudden decision (sudden for us players at least) couldn't put it in words better myself! I mean WHAT THE ABSOLUTE F**K!! I absolutely don't expect them (ps/ft/Amaya) to give tinniest F about their minority players (in terms of the players pool) but not letting us know about it in advance that's a big fffffff**** joke!! I mean cmmm'n!! If they'd let us know about it earlier I'd have been outta here by now but now I'm gonna lose alotta time n opportunities and all my freakin plans are just up in the air only cause they didn' bother doing the simplest thing they could do to help their LOYAL costumers stay their freakin costumers!! Maybe not letting the players know prior to this was part of the "deal"! Whatever this's just F up!

(btw Iran compared to Kabul is a fkn heaven so if I'm this pissed here in this sht-hole I don't even wanna try to imagine how ppl in places like that are feeling right now about the whole sit LOL! Sry for the lang btw pissed as F!!)

I was wondering if it's easier (pre this obviously) to setup up and play poker from North Korea or Jupiter.

Stars rep was fast to get into the thread about cutting affiliates..yet nothing here why the no notice. Go figure

That certainly helped speed the process, but what happened would have likely eventually happened (perhaps without the dramatics of Black Friday) eventually.

I am not impressed with how Stars handled the communication side of these recent changes, but the industry as it was in 2006 was never one that could survive in an era of considerable money laundering concerns and governments that want their proper share of gambling revenues.

Isnt it quite obv why stars have made these changes? Do you people not watch the news? Its about blocking financial tranactions to countries that have terrosist links. gg desert people.

If you exclude the part where Amaya didn't tell it's soon to be affected players about their pulling out of their respective countries, which is pretty messed up from any stand point but a business mindset (RAKE EM TILL THE END) so in a vacuum outside of that...

Does anyone else think this is probably a good thing long term?

(Again try and avoid the thought that your country is next and your VIP rewards will be slashed in half starting in 2015... They might though...)

Definitely makes sense. Would also explain both the lack of notice (which would have been exploited by any turrists using Stars as a means to move money) and the limited communication from Stars on this issue.

In any event I feel for the players affected by this. Many posts ITT have brought back painful memories of BF for me.

yeah they criminalies us 200tl 100 bucks as parking non parking areA.big diffrences

probably? yes.

If you're in the US it's a very good thing.

Back when Party poker high NL full ring had mega fish on it some of the worst fish were from Saudia Arabia and the UAE. Poker Stars is trying to get some legitimate land based casinos so this could be why they are blocking these countries. I feel sorry for some pros who were nano stakes pros who were grinding out working class wages for their countries as any high stakes players can leave these countries to play from other countries if they wish to.

Fyp.

This whole list says lots about freedom. And anyone that thinks the USA is the most free country in the world and acutally cares should probably look hard at this and start working to change the system. As they should elsewhere.

Stars is the one that pulled out of the US. Yes, that was by the teeth of the US Department of Justice, but comparing the freedoms of US citizens (as a whole) to all the countries you listed above based on the fact US players can't play on Stars either is rofl.

No. Diminishing player pools is never a good thing. Neither is the reduced freedom of fellow humans

Exactly

Sucks because most of ISIS are massive fish

I dont like this ISIS jokes. I am sure you ve no idea how it happened and wht your governments did about it.

And some of us really better than you guys if you compare how late we started.

eventually it will just be like the UK russia and canada on pokerstars and everyone else locked out, **** this world is ****in awful

Wow, that really sucks. Probably south america will be next.

EDIT: At least theyre letting people to cashout.