We’re two weeks out from when news originally broke about PokerStars acquiring Full Tilt Poker. While no officially announcement has come from either PokerStars or Full Tilt regarding the progress of the deal...
Well this is interesting. While we can’t get any official word yet, we are hearing significant chatter among players and local Vegas gaming sources that the Palms casino may end up having to...
The timing of Barney Frank's bill to oust the UIGEA was well timed. The WSOP is just two weeks away (more on that in a bit), and over 10 million people watched Annie Duke finish second on the Celebrity Apprentice (more on that later today too), so there is way more mainstream attention paid to poker in general now than normal.
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced his only reason why we're still doing this site anti-UIGEA bill at a press conference this morning.
Frank's bill estimates over $63 billion in revenues for the government if it regulated online gaming over the next 10 years. Interestingly, Harrah's Entertainment is also backing the bill, which probably has everything nothing to do with the "maybe" hiring of ex-Party CEO Mitch Garber.
We'll post a video from the press conference if/when it becomes available (readers, please send link if you find it). In the meantime, read about Harrah's backing of the bill here and the press release on today's press conference here.
2004 WSOP Main Event champ Greg Raymer appeared on FOX Business News the other day to talk about legislative efforts to regulate and tax the online poker industry. During the interview the former attorney made it clear that he thinks the UIGEA doesn't apply in any way to online poker, hence the headline above, hence why are we writing this post? Warning: if the site of Raymer wearing his Fossilman glasses makes you cringe like it makes us, we suggest forwarding through the first 30 seconds or so. Better yet just skip the video and watch Chloe instead. The girl makes a valid point.
Looks like the actual enforcement of the UIGEA will be put on hold for a little while longer.
While President Bush's last minute executive order pushing the UIGEA was met with a general shrug by the online poker operators still accepting U.S. American players, President Obama has put a halt to all pending W regulations.
Says Reuters:
President Barack Obama's new administration ordered all federal agencies and departments on Tuesday to stop any pending regulations until they can be reviewed by incoming staff, halting last-minute Bush orders in their tracks.
"This afternoon, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel signed a memorandum sent to all agencies and departments to stop all pending regulations until a legal and policy review can be conducted by the Obama administration," the White House said in a statement issued just hours after Obama took office.
The review is a tool commonly used by a new administration to delay so-called "midnight regulations" put in place by a former president between the election and Inauguration Day.
Just when Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) was making headway in clarifying and carving out poker from the UIGEA, word has hit that the Bush administration plans to sneak finalization of the Act into law before it turns the lights off in the White House.
If pushed through, the UIGEA would come into effect on January 19, 2009.
The current Administration is hastily finalizing a number of “midnight rules” before they leave office and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) is on the list. See the 11/06 story in Dow Jones. Just like UIGEA was snuck into legislation in the dark of night in 2006, our opponents are again trying an 11th hour sneak job. We need you to help us expose and stop this reckless rulemaking.
Please call the U.S. Federal Reserve and tell them not to approve the UIGEA regulations — Board of Governors, 202-974-7008 or Public Affairs, 202-452-2955.
Tell them: The federal agencies responsible for our nation’s economy should not be focused on Internet poker regulations.
Finalization of the UIGEA rules will add additional burdens on our already crippled financial systems.
Internet poker is a game of skill and form of recreation for millions of Americans; it should be exempted from the UIGEA.
Please do not finalize the UIGEA regulations until their impact on our banking systems and average Americans has been fully studied.
If you care at all about playing online poker, take a minute to call the above numbers or take 15 seconds to go online and fill this form out and email this address.
MORE: Following the money, it’s once again the NFL that is behind getting the Act pushed through, with former NFL lobbyist and now Bush administration appointee Bill Wichterman running point.
(Read Barney Frank’s letter to the Federal Reserve and Treasury after the jump)
Just getting Part II of our podcast up. No poker here. 100% discussing and debating The Walking Dead. We’re joined by an esteemed panel, including Jason Newitt, Dave “F-Train” Behr, Jeff Holsey, and Entities Chops and Colin. If you were a fan of the show, you’ll like the debate. We discuss problems with the show, [...]
We recorded a two-parter podcast yesterday. Part I is now live and discusses The Rise and Fall of Ray Bitar WCi feature with its author, Dave “F-Train” Behr. In it, F-Train details the interview process for the feature, as well some conclusions that could be drawn about the man who helped make Full Tilt Poker the [...]
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