New DOJ Opinion Paves Way to Legal Online Poker
On December 23, 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that it has reversed a long-held position by stating that the Wire Act applies only to sports betting. This marks a major change in policy for DOJ, which has long contended that the Wire Act prohibits all forms of Internet gambling, including poker. Late that…
Read MoreIllinois Court Ruling Upholds State’s New Video Gaming Act
In a 7-0 decision, the Illinois Supreme Court recently upheld legislation that will allow video gaming in the state for the first time. Earlier this month, the court ruled in favor of the Illinois legislature’s 2009 omnibus bill for funding capital projects that included the Video Gaming Act. The legislation had been challenged by Chicago…
Read MoreMassachusetts Cracks Down on Gambling at Internet Cafes
Last month, citing evidence that illegal gambling was going on at “Internet cafés” throughout the state, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley issued a new permanent regulation banning gambling at such places. The regulation bans the operation of establishments “where a gambling purpose predominates over the bona fide sale of bona fide goods or services” – in…
Read MoreDC Attorney General Testifies That DC Online Gaming Law Does Not Violate Federal Law
The D.C. Council held a hearing on June 29, 2011, to discuss the implementation of a new law that is scheduled to go into full effect on Sept. 8, allowing legal online gaming within the D.C city limits. This would make the District of Columbia the first jurisdiction in the United States to legalize online…
Read MoreNew House Bill May Open Door to Legal Online Poker
The momentum toward federal legalization of online poker took a significant step forward on Friday, June 24, when Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) held a press conference to discuss the details of his legalization bill. The “Internet Gambling Prohibition, Poker Consumer Protection, and Strengthening UIGEA Act of 2011” would both legalize online poker and create a…
Read MoreOnline Poker Finds New Supporter on the Hill
Legalization of online poker has found a new and unlikely supporter on Capitol Hill. Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), an outspoken conservative, has announced that he will support legalization and is planning some parliamentary maneuvers to try to get it to the House floor eventually. It turns out that in addition to being a conservative, Rep.…
Read MoreBarney Frank’s Advice to Poker Players After ‘Black Friday’
In the wake of the catastrophic consequences of last month’s “Black Friday” for online poker players in the United States, many players are wondering about their next step. Pocketfives.com recently interviewed Congressman Barney Frank and although he agreed that is “difficult to figure out what to do,” he still had some concrete advice for the…
Read MoreWhat’s Next for Online Poker Players?
Online poker players in the U.S. were shaken on April 15 when the federal government shut down the country’s three biggest poker websites. Suddenly, players were without their favorite sites and could not access the funds that they kept there. Now, players are beginning to pick up the pieces. Since there is no federal law…
Read MoreThe Great Race: Legal Online Poker Advances in Nevada, Hawaii Legislatures
Hearing Clarifies Issues in Nevada The Nevada Assembly Committee on Judiciary met on March 24, 2011, to discuss AB 258, which would provide for the licensing and operation of Internet poker in Nevada for the first time. Committee members were, not surprisingly, interested in the possible benefit or harm to Nevada’s existing bricks-and-mortar gaming industry…
Read MoreOnline Gaming on Path to Legalization in New Jersey
It appears that New Jersey will very soon become the first state to legalize and regulate Internet gambling. On January 10, 2011, the New Jersey State Assembly overwhelmingly passed an online gaming bill. This bill was passed by the state Senate, also overwhelmingly, late last year, and all that remains for the bill to become…
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