Future of Internet Poker

I have a lot to catch up on since I've been avoiding updates, including:

• Victim of fraud through Pacific/888
• Internet poker burnout
• A new local live game I've been playing
• Sportsbook bonuses
• A new computer

For now, I'll just post an e-mail I wrote which summarizes my opinions of the new internet poker legislation. The usual disclaimer (this is the opinion of someone with no legal knowledge) applies. In response to a cardplayer article "What's NOT Included in Anti-Gaming Legislation" by Allyn Jaffrey Shulman:

Tons of rumors around, we'll see how it shakes out.

Honestly, I think that cardplayer article is trying to put a positive spin on things. Yes, some online sites will still survive. But yes, this is going to change the poker landscape significantly.

For one thing, Ms Shulman does not address the fact that employees of companies could be arrested on entering the US. Could that extend to Hellmuth and Duke? Possibly. So most sponsorships may be out the window. Furthermore, advertising for TV shows will certainly decline.

Personally, I'll probably still keep playing if it isn't too difficult (since the bill really can't touch me, just the people who move my money). But probably not nearly as much, because the games are going to get much harder. Realistically, the main people who will stop playing are the random kids and dad's around the country who make up the fish supply. The vaste majority of players who were thinking of giving real-money play a shot will probably avoid it now too. That leaves only the true hard-core degenerates for the fish supply, and I expect the number of fish will be a fraction of what it is now (and the primarily european sites will be locking us out). Think about it -- cut the fish population in 1/3, and suddenly beating the rake isn't that easy.

For the record, I'm trying to be realistic, not be a pessimist. I've got approx $3K spread around maybe 10 sites (half of those are sportsbooks) and I haven't withdrawn anything before I normally would. That's not including $1K in Neteller. The only thing I've don't differently is burned a Party bonus last night (instead of taking a week to do it) and depositing in some sportsbooks to make sure I got my bonuses locked in before the legislation. Beyond that, I'm just not going to open any new accounts, focusing on Stars until it is clear they are locking us out, then maybe moving to UB.

Oh, yeah, I probably ought to remove the few links in my so-called blog just in case.

FYI, I saw somewhere that Party is encouraging people to keep money on their site because they are working on something else US players can spend their money on. Maybe it is fantasy horse and dog racing poker? The flop comes greyhound, doberman, bulldog, so I'll raise you two thoroughbreds.