Online Poker History in the United States
Is online poker legal? The history of online poker in the U.S. is short in terms of absolute years, stretching back nearly two decades. But packed within that tiny time frame is one of the wildest, most riveting stories of the internet age. It’s the story of a new way of playing an old game (and the industry surrounding it). It captivated a country so much so that the American government saw fit to intervene.
There are a number of ways to view the tale of poker in America. We’ve chosen to divide our take on the history of American online poker into four distinct eras: The Unregulated Era, the UIGEA Era, the Black Friday Era and the Regulated Era. Each of these eras marked a dramatic shift for poker players and the larger United States poker industry. In this article, we’ll walk through the basic timeline, key events and lessons learned for each individual era of poker.
After exploring the four eras of American online poker history, we’ll discuss the likely shape of the next internet gaming era.
Let’s begin with the latest news from the current year. We’ll then go back to the beginning with a timeline of events.
What’s New in State Law in 2023
Online poker grew in 2019 at a slow but encouraging rate of speed. With the additions of West Virginia and Michigan to the roster of states with legal US poker sites, casino or poker games, lawmakers in other states can feel a bit more comfortable with the idea.
As 2021 got underway, Kentucky was at the top of the list for legislation efforts. Yes, that is the same Kentucky that seized more 141 online gambling domains in 2008 and sued PokerStars for $870 million. But starting in 2018, then-Attorney General Andy Beshear began pushing for several gambling expansion measures for his state, including poker.
Now Governor Beshear – a Democrat – teamed up with Republican State Representative Adam Koenig to push for a new bill. HB.137 is a comprehensive online gambling bill with provisions to legalize and regulate online sports betting, poker and fantasy sports contests. The duo has made public pushes for support, and they have a bill to pass this year.
One other state with a specific poker bill on the table is New York. Most lawmakers admit that they will work hard for online sports betting before they lift a finger for poker.
Connecticut State Senator Cathy Osten introduced another online gambling bill with poker and casino games, as she has before.
Complications with MGM Resorts and a lawsuit may put it on hold yet again.
Nebraska entered the picture in 2020 with a bill to categorize poker as a game of skill. State Senator Justin Wayne wants to legalize online gambling. But his Games of Skill Act is having trouble finding much support from fellow legislators. The bill didn’t become law, but we’ll keep an eye on it in 2023.
What’s New at a Federal Level in 2023?
There is another situation about to unfold. It involves the 1961 Wire Act. This is a large part of US poker history.
Technically, this started in 2011 when the US Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel issued a memo regarding the Wire Act. Which stated that it pertained only to sports betting. The directive allowed states to proceed with legalizing and setting up online lottery ticket sales. As well as online casino and poker games.
It was under that directive that Nevada legalized online gaming, Delaware and New Jersey followed and added online casino games. Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan did the same.
In November 2018, the Justice Department under the Trump Administration reversed the majority of that decision. When that memo became public in January 2019, the aforementioned states and all of the ones with profitable online lottery businesses took issue with the DOJ’s new stance. The New Hampshire Lottery Commission filed a federal lawsuit against the DOJ. Its online service provider NeoPollard Interactive also joined the lawsuit.
In June 2019, US District Judge Paul Barbadoro ruled for the plaintiffs and against the US Department of Justice and Attorney General William Barr. The decision holds significance, and can be summarized by this statement: “The 2018 OLC Opinion is set aside.”
The US Court of Appeals may hear arguments and/or rule on the case in 2023. Experts, including Judge Barbadoro, predict a potential appeal to the US Supreme Court. The DOJ and Barr ultimately filed an appeal in the First Circuit Court of Appeals. The New Hampshire Lottery and NeoPollard filed their responses in February 2020.
This could become a landmark decision. Although, the online gaming and lottery communities may have to wait until 2023 to find out what that decision will be.
The Unregulated Era of Online Poker in the United States
Timeframe – The Unregulated Era spans from around 1997 to October 2006, marking the primitive launch of online games with incentives until the intrroduction of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
Key events of the Unregulated Era
Launch of Planet Poker
While beta testing for the room occurred in 1997, it wasn’t until New Year’s Day 1998 that Planet Poker dealt what is generally considered the first hand of real-money poker in the United States. Planet was once the leading site but got surpassed by competitors with better software and marketing.
The PartyPoker Million
In March 2002, PartyPoker hosted the inaugural PartyPoker Millions tournament. Back then, guaranteeing a huge prize pool for a live tournament was unheard of. The concept of online satellites to live events was by and large unproven. Kathy Liebert claimed the top prize of the tournament, banking $1,000,000 for her win on March 17th, 2002. The tournament went on to become a staple of the live circuit and continued for well over a decade.
Satellites to the World Series of Poker
2003 was the first year that it was possible to take part in WSOP satellite at sites like PokerStars. Stars sent 37 players to the World Series of Poker that year, including a then-unknown player named Chris Moneymaker. Over the years, poker sites sent thousands of players to the WSOP, a trend that continues today.
Chris Moneymaker Wins the World Series of Poker
After parlaying a $39 satellite entry into a victory at the 2003 Main Event of World Series of Poker, Chris Moneymaker became inexorably linked with the story of American online poker. The “Moneymaker Effect” witnessed wild growth post his win, but many believe the online game would have boomed anyway. Regardless, Moneymaker won, and people will likely view it as the tipping point for the game’s popularity in America.
Harrah’s Purchases the WSOP
In the 2000s, Binion’s, the originator of WSOP, faced financial difficulties and had to sell its casino and the World Series of Poker brand to Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars). Caesars oversaw close and parallel growth between WSOP and online poker until the Black Friday Era emerged. This upended the relationships between American casinos and international poker operators.
Characteristics of the Unregulated Era
We can fairly characterize the Unregulated Era as a “wild west” for online gambling. In this era, new online poker rooms opened almost daily, while many closed abruptly and quietly. In this era, new online poker rooms opened almost daily, while many closed abruptly and quietly. Along with the surfeit of rooms came intense competition for players. This competition spurred rooms to offer unsustainable promotions and bonuses in an attempt to attract a player base.
One unique characteristic of the Unregulated Era is the relatively small traffic disparity that existed between leading rooms. In the status quo, PokerStars has a massive lead, dwarfing the next-closest competition several times over. In this era, leading rooms had smaller gaps in player numbers, and top positions shifted regularly.
Another important aspect of this era was a near-total lack of regulation or oversight. While independent regulators did spring up in some out-of-the-way jurisdictions, the amount of governmental influence over the regulators was minimal. The industry grew rapidly with little restraint, but it also became a breeding ground for cheating scandals that persist today.
A final note of interest: During much of this era, you would have found a minimal amount of training tools or training sites. Near the era’s end, players started to notice new software tools and training sites like CardRunners. The segment would eventually explode, but during the Unregulated Era in the United States, it mainly remained a niche business.
Lessons of the Unregulated Era in US Poker History
- Rakeback wars were not a sustainable business model. A lesson learned after rooms engaged in a battle for player share by offering always-escalating rakeback rates to players. The end result was a player base that demanded a level of promotions, bonuses and total value. This simply wasn’t feasible for the majority of poker sites. Many skins, and even a few networks, closed as a result of the so-called “rakeback wars”.
- At least some governmental oversight is necessary to prerevent cheating. Evident in scandals like Ultimate Bet Poker and Absolute Poker, which occurred partly before UIGEA but were exposed post-UIGEA. Both sites had a regulator-issued license, but without additional oversight. Many believe that the presence of a strong government regulator would have stopped the scandals from ever happening. At the very least, may have mitigated their ultimate financial impact.
The UIGEA Era
Timeframe –Loosely identified as the period between October 2006 (UIGEA introduction) and April 2011 (Black Friday indictments), this is the UIGEA era in America.
Major Events in the UIGEA on US Poker History
- Exit of several international operators – Following the passage of the UIGEA in 2006, several poker sites (most publicly traded companies) exited the US market, including market leaders PartyPoker and 888Poker. Others, such as PokerStars, remained in the market. The result was a complete shake-up in the poker traffic rankings. It is one that catapulted PokerStars to the dominant position it still enjoys today.
- The Ultimate Bet / AP scandals –In 2007, word spread about a massive cheating scandal at Absolute Poker, and a related scandal at UB was uncovered simultaneously.The total amounts involved will never be known, but insiders estimate tens of millions of dollars. Poker’s top names were caught in the scandal as participants, peripheral players, or victims of cheating. The silver lining was the collective effort of poker players to uncover the scandals. Paul Leggett, CEO of Tokwiro Enterprises released a statement to the press which acknowledged the cheating and served as an apology.
- Implementation of UIGEA regulations – While the UIGEA itself was passed in 2006, the implementation of the law didn’t happen until several years later. When the “final rule” of the UIGEA was implemented in January 2009, requiring compliance by December of that year, the American poker industry was forever altered. Processing delays caused by the UIGEA wouldn’t become apparent right away. In the months and years after, US players strongly felt the impact of regulations on poker site deposits and withdrawals.
- Significant push for federal regulation of online poker – In December of 2010, Senator Harry Reid (D – NV) made a push for federal regulation during the so-called “lame duck” session of Congress following the November elections. Speculation of Reid advancing the bill as Senate Majority Leader ended with no breakthrough for American players.
Characteristics of the UIGEA Era
The UIGEA Era in America is a study in contrast. On one hand, poker appeared as healthy as it has ever been during the UIGEA Era. Sites like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker host numerous big-ticket poker tournament series, indicating the industry’s health. These series awarded tens of millions of dollars in prize money to players.
But on the other hand, a number of threats to the long-term viability were also emerging during the UIGEA Era – the UIGEA itself not the least among them. As the profile of the industry grew, so did questions about the inherent legality of the activity at the state level, UIGEA or no UIGEA. After the passage of the UIGEA, PokerStars and Full Tilt stayed in the United States. They dominated the global market, unlike the Unregulated Era’s relative equality. While players are fond of both rooms, many view the overall decrease in competition as a troubling sign for the industry’s future.
At the same time, poker training sites were proliferating and poker analysis software was becoming increasingly more complex and popular. This created a parallel threat to the health of online poker by exacerbating the skill gap between the regular players and the recreational players.
What We Learned from the UIGEA Era
- The last-minute passage of the UIGEA taught online poker proponents that the political power of gambling opponents should not be underestimated. The truth was reaffirmed in the 2012 lame duck session, which we’ll discuss in a later section.
- A related lesson: Just because you don’t agree with a law doesn’t mean it won’t impact you. American poker players were openly disdainful of the UIGEA and the process by which it passed. They had to accept the law changed their game irreversibly. An organized poker community before UIGEA’s passage might have prevented such legislation, according to some.
- The complexity and contradictions in US gambling law can lead even experts to disagree on fundamental issues. PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker operated under legal opinions from top experts, stating that UIGEA didn’t apply to poker. PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker were operating under legal opinions from some of the top names in the field asserting that UIGEA did’t apply to poker. But, as the Black Friday indictments proved, the United States government took a decidedly different stance on the issue.
The Black Friday Era of American Online Poker
Timeframe – Arguably the darkest of all periods for American online poker players, the Black Friday Era of online poker in the US, dates between the unsealing of indictments against major American-facing online poker sites in April of 2011 and in many ways continues to this day.
The formal end of the era was marked when Nevada issued its first interactive gaming license in June 2012.
Major Occurrences in the Black Friday Era
Black Friday Indictments
On April 14th, 2011, the DoJ unsealed indictments against the three largest US-facing poker sites and seized their domain names. This caught much of the poker community by surprise. Although rumors of pending federal indictments had be circulating for several months prior.
Full Tilt Revealed as Practically Bankrupt
In or around June of 2011, the full extent of the problems at Full Tilt Poker became apparent, as reporters uncovered evidence that the room was tens of millions of dollars short on player balances. This fact resulted in the eventual filing of additional charges against the company and its principals by the DoJ.
Absolute and UB collapse
While both rooms remained technically open after Black Friday, the Cereus Network eventually ceased operations in the summer of 2011. Players hadn’t received lost funds until spring 2017, a matter explained in a later section.
Full Tilt Poker Taken Over by PokerStars
In the summer of 2012, rumors flew that PokerStars was negotiating to take over Full Tilt Poker, just as Full Tilt was set to be purchased by Group Bernard Tapie. A deal between PokerStars and the DoJ was announced on July 31st, 2012 that both resolved the charges against PokerStars (the company, not the individuals involved) and required PokerStars to provide funds to cover the balances of Full Tilt’s American and international customers. PokerStars reopened FTP for international play in November of 2012.
Black Friday Figures Reach Pleas / Settlements with the DoJ
Throughout 2012 and into 2013, most of the biggest names mentioned in the Black Friday civil and criminal indictments settled their cases with the DoJ. Some – including Absolute Poker head Brent Beckley and payment processor Chad Elie – served jail time. Others – including Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson – agreed to hefty fines. Scott Tom finally came to the US in 2017, received a fine, and avoided prison. And PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg still remains outside of the United States, leaving his issues with the U.S. government unresolved.
Lock Poker Leaves Merge and Forms its Own Network (Revolution Gaming)
When Lock split from Merge in May of 2012 and announced its takeover of the Cake Network, many thought the development was good news for U.S. poker players. But, technical problems and payment delays plagued the new network from the start. Lock Poker’s situation became emblematic of the challenges in running a US-facing poker site during the Black Friday Era.
Nevada Regulates Online Poker
In June of 2011, Nevada lawmakers passed a bill aimed at bringing regulation to the state. Nevada regulators took six more months to issue regulations. It was nearly two years before the first regulated poker hand was dealt.
Characteristics of the Black Friday Era
The Black Friday Era for American poker players was one with precious little silver lining. During this era, it became increasingly difficult for players to deposit and cash out. Traffic dropped across the board, causing an industry consolidation that saw multiple rooms and skins close their doors to players. Tihs wa often without allowing players to cash out their balances first. The games that did remain became increasingly tough to profit from. As payment processing hurdles dissuaded the recreational players from signing up and making badly-needed deposits.
Lessons from the Black Friday Era
- Governments will only tolerate unregulated gambling activity for so long. Earlier participation in the political process might have helped the companies targeted by Black Friday avoid those issues.
- Committed online poker players will find a way to play poker online. This is a point well-proven by the willingness of players to deal with the often-harsh realities of continuing to play on US-facing poker sites after Black Friday.
- International companies are not necessarily beyond the reach of United States authorities. Especially if they rely on the internet to conduct their business.
The Regulated Era in American Poker History
Timeframe – The Regulated Era is the present state of online poker. You could legitimately place the start of this era in American poker at a few different points. We chose the date on which Nevada issued its first interactive gaming license: June 21st, 2012.
We chose this date as opposed to, say, the date Nevada passed the law to regulate ]poker for a few reasons. First, it has a nice symbolic quality. Second, it marks a point at which many – but not all – of the loose ends of Black Friday had been tied up or are in the process of being tied up.
Regulated Era: Key events
Nevada Issues its First “Interactive Gaming” License
Our era begins in June of 2012, when Nevada issued the first interactive gaming licenses to Bally Technologies (not to be confused with casino property Bally’s) and International Gaming Technologies (IGT). Nearly two dozen other companies would also receive a variety of licenses before poker actually launched for real money in Nevada.
Delaware Regulates Online Gambling
Only days after Nevada issued its first licenses for online gambling, Delaware passed a bill allowing multiple types of online gambling to be offered under the regulation of the state lottery commission.
Another Lame Duck Federal Push Fails
Senators Harry Reid and Jon Kyl made a bipartisan push to regulate poker (while banning most other types of online gambling) during the 2012 lame duck session of Congress, but they ultimately came up short, and no bill was ever introduced.
New Jersey Regulates Online Gambling
In February of 2013, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a bill to bring various forms of regulated online gambling to the Garden State.
PokerStars Attempts to Purchase an Atlantic City Casino
Negotiations began in late 2012, but it wasn’t until a few months into 2013 that the world learned of PokerStars’ ill-fated attempts to purchase the Atlantic Club Casino. The legal battle surrounding that attempted purchase continued for several years.
Full Tilt Funds are Reimbursed to All Qualifying Players
The DoJ named the company that would handle the return of US Full Tilt player balances in March of 2013, picking remission specialist Garden City Group. Over the course of several years, the players were vetted and account balances verified, and eight rounds of remission payments were made to repay the majority of the victims. The funds came from the fines paid by PokerStars to the US government, and nearly $114 million was paid out to roughly 45,000 people around the world.
Ray Bitar Reaches Deal with U.S. Authorities
On the second anniversary of Black Friday, former Full Tilt CEO RayBitar, suffering from a potentially fatal heart complication, agrees to a plea deal with the US that allows him to avoid jail time and pursue a heart transplant.
Ultimate Poker Deals the First Hand of Regulated Online Poker
The era of regulated real money poker in the United States began in earnest when Ultimate Poker dealt its first hand on April 30th, 2013. The site ultimately closed in November of 2014, but WSOP had since launched its site in Nevada in 2013 and became the singular company to offer real-money poker games online in Nevada through 2017.
Characteristics of the Regulated Era
During the Regulated Era, we’ve seen more states than ever considering some form of online gambling regulation. While the number of states that have actually passed regulation into law remains relatively small, the concept of nationwide regulated poker (or something close to it) becomes far more plausible than at any point during the Black Friday Era.
But while there are reasons for optimism during the Regulated Era, there are also plenty of reasons for American poker players to be concerned. Concerned about their bankrolls at unregulated sites, where cashing out is becoming almost impossible at some sites. Concerned about the future of the games at unregulated sites, which are closing at a greater rate than we saw during the Black Friday Era. And, concerned about the timeline for the return of a viable American poker industry.
Lessons from the Regulated Era
- The pace of regulatory progress in the United States is likely to be plodding as various stakeholders with competing agendas quibble over the nature and details of regulation.
- Player expectations for the quality and quantity of games need to be adjusted, as a return to pre-Black Friday games appears to be at least several years down the road.
- Many American casinos are not willing to forgive and forget when it comes to their international counterparts – primarily PokerStars – who remained in the American market for poker post-UIGEA.
- The desire for regulated poker among Americans is very, very strong, as indicated both by the willingness of players to continue to play on unregulated sites in the face of mounting issues and the enthusiastic reaction to the new poker sites in Nevada and New Jersey.
What Lies Ahead for America?
Online poker in America appears to be on a slow but set path to regulation. There are a number of potential milestones along that path that will mark significant advancements for regulated poker in the United States.
Below, we take a look at some of the key eras still to come for American poker.
Steady Expansion of State-by-State Regulation
As of now, only three states in the U.S. have passed laws that will allow for regulated poker to be offered by licensed operators: New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. Many more – including California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, and Massachusetts – are considering the idea, along with online casino games and lotteries.
But a greater number still have shown little or no interest in regulating the game. States may regulate poker, but the path could be extended and frustrating for players.
Evolution of Interstate / Tribal Compacts
Once more states and tribes are participating in regulated American poker. The next step will be the evolution of the agreements that allow those operators to share player pools across state lines.
Interstate compacts are a complicated affair. Nevada and Delaware did sign the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (sometimes called the Multi-State Poker Network agreement) in February 2014. There was only one site in both states, and they joined in March 2015. New Jersey joined the group in October 2017, and again, the only site able to operate across state lines was WSOP/888poker. Those sites linked up on the last day of April in 2018.
Pennsylvania has yet to initiate talks – at least to the public’s knowledge – in 2021. Only one poker site – PokerStars – had launched in 2019 and continues to be the lone supplier in the Pennsylvania market as of January 2021. If more poker sites launch in the state, it may incentivize the Pennsylvania governor to sign the multi-state agreement.
West Virginia may not launch its sites until 2023, and it may join eventually. Michigan, on the other hand, is not permitted to share player pools across state lines. To gain the governor’s support, the bill had to ban interstate gambling deals (December 2019)
As for tribal compacts, this will be playing out in Michigan. PokerStars’ parent company, The Stars Group, was the first to sign an online gambling partnership with a tribe in Michigan. They did so with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority (LTBB Odawa). Other partnerships are developing as well.
While disagreements between Native American tribes and cardroom operators in California – with PokerStars at the center of it – became the undoing of poker opportunities, Michigan may show how the various parties can work together to find success.
Integration of Live Poker and Online Poker
One of the most exciting events on the horizon for US poker players is the inevitable combination of live and online poker. With no major land-based US operators before poker’s Regulated Era, American players missed experiencing an integrated online and live poker market. It denied them the chance to witness how it could change the game and expand the industry.
Nevada has shown how live and online poker can work together for success. The WSOP poker site offers satellites into the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas each year. In addition, the site has been offering an increasing number of WSOP gold bracelet events each summer. They will be open to players in Nevada and New Jersey.
New Jersey has uniquely proven how online gambling and poker sites work together to boost each other’s business and the casino industry as a whole. In 2019 alone, the internet gaming sector grew by 61.6% from the previous year. It declared more than $482 million in revenue for the year. It helped boost a struggling Atlantic City casino market into successful territory with 19.5% revenue growth from 2018 to 2019.
A Return to International Player Pools
When New Jersey first launched its online casino and poker gaming sites, there was some hope that a return to international player pools was in the works. Now-former state lawmaker Ray Lesniak urged NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement to discuss sharing online liquidity with UK Gaming Commission. This, however, never materialized. Lesniak left the state legislature, and the subject disintegrated.
The return of Americans to international player pools depends on more states legalizing online poker. It could also be influenced by the federal government’s consideration of national legalization.
Online Poker Allies – Organizations
Poker Alliance (formerly Poker Players Alliance)
Originally launched as the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) in 2005, the lobbying organization was established as a membership-based, non-profit organization and quickly grew to a major force in the industry with more than one million members.
The goal of the PPA was to legalize internet poker, whether on the state or federal level, and protect the game from those wanting to ban it. The group had a multitude of functions, including lobbying members of Congress to testifying in state legislative hearings, while also occasionally stepping in to various court battles that required expert testimony or support.
Over time, the group also took to supporting online gaming in general, as states like Delaware and New Jersey wanted to legalize internet poker along with other casino games, and many other states considered the same type of coordinated gaming bills.
In the beginning of 2018, the group shifted from a membership-supported organization to a privately-funded poker advocacy group called the Poker Alliance. With President Mark Brenner at the helm, the successor group decided to focus on internet poker but dedicate itself to advancing poker as a sport in all forms in the United States.
This organization has been on an unexplained hiatus since the spring of 2019, having done little in the way of promoting online poker since then.
iDevelopment and Economic Association (iDEA)
The iDevelopment and Economic Association, better known as iDEA, was formed in 2017 to as an advocacy organization for online gaming and entertainment in the US market.
It was founded by Jeff Ifrah, an attorney well-informed about the online poker and gaming industry and known by some for his role as a legal representative of Full Tilt Poker during its most tumultuous times.
iDEA grew out of a need for more public support of online gaming and the expansion of the industry. As noted by the group itself, interactive online entertainment is a multi-billion-dollar global industry that includes online poker, social and mobile games, sweepstakes and lotteries.
That industry is growing in the US, but legislative and regulatory barriers keep the American market from realizing its job growth and industry expansion potential.
The organization aims to educate citizens and lawmakers alike about the online gaming industry and does so with the support of companies like Stars Group, Golden Nugget, Paddy Power Betfair, GVC, Pala Interactive, Paysafe, and 888.
National Governors Association et al
Many groups have taken a stand in one form or another to oppose internet poker prohibitions.
The National Governors Association is one that went beyond signing on to group letters with several attempts to stop bans, whether from RAWA efforts or the US Department of Justice.
Strong letters have been sent to Congressional leadership and the US Attorney General, the latter taking place most recently in April 2017 via a letter to AG Jeff Sessions encouraging states’ rights in the online gaming realm.
All of these groups have been involved in some way:
National Governors Association
Democratic Governors Association
National Conference of State Legislatures
Fraternal Order of Police
Citizens Against Government Waste
Wired Safety
Competitive Enterprise Institute
FreedomWorks
Independent Women’s Forum
R Street Institute
Taxpayer Protection Alliance
Institute for Policy Innovation
American Consumer Institute
Online Poker Allies – Lawmakers and Influencers
Quite a few members of the US Congress have stood up for online poker rights and freedoms, both on the state and federal levels.
While some like former US Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) have retired from Congress and public life, others like former US Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) continue to maintain a public presence and fight for the rights of online gaming advocates. And several current members of Congress have taken a stand for online poker or gaming.
Current US Representatives in Support of Online Poker
Bennie Thompson (D-MS)
Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)
Albio Sires (D-NJ)
Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ)
Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ)
Dina Titus (D-NV)
Allies & Influencers
Former US Representative Ron Paul
Grover Norquist
Michelle Minton
Online Poker Enemies – Lawmakers and Influencers
Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling (CSIG)
At the start of 2014, casino mogul and billionaire Sheldon Adelson launched the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling, a lobbying group established to stop all efforts to legalize internet gambling on the federal and state levels.
The proactive method used by CSIG has been to find legislators opposed to internet gaming and enlist them to sponsor bills in Congress to ban all forms of it. The Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA) is the preferred avenue, which would restore the 1961 Federal Wire Act to its original interpretation with the added caveat that wired communications include all forms of internet. It would nullify the 2011 Department of Justice decision about the Wire Act and remove the ability of states to create their own online gaming laws, essentially voiding the online poker and gaming laws of Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
The group claims to support a ban on internet gambling because of dangers like money laundering, terrorism financing, fraud, gambling by minors, exploitation of addicted gamblers, and negative impacts on land-based casinos. Through catch-phrases like “Click your mouse, lose your house,” the CSIG aims to scare the public about internet gambling while ignoring the effectiveness of internet safeguards to protect from true dangers and facts that disprove their allegations of terrorism financing and negative economic impacts.
Online Poker Enemies – Lawmakers and Influencers
General Jeff Sessions
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Marco Rubio (R-FL)
Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
References and Resources
- LasVegasSun.com: Poker champion tells story of ‘dead money’
- UTSandiego.com: Harrah’s Entertainment creates World Series of Poker Circuit
- BusinessWeek.com: Party’s Over for Online Gambling
- WashingtonPost.com: Statement for 60 Minutes: Cheating scandals at AP and UB
- FederalReserve.gov: Prohibition of Funding of Unlawful Internet Gambling
- DailyFinance.com: Harry Reid Goes All In for Online Poker
- WSJ.com: U.S. Alleges Poker Site Stacked Deck
- Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces $731 Million Settlement of Money Laundering and Forfeiture Complaint with PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker
- PokerStars.com: Pokerstars Settles Dispute with U.S Department of Justice and Acquires Assets of Full Tilt Poker
- ReviewJournal.com: Chad Elie, convicted in Internet poker scheme, sues lawyer
- TwoPlusTwo.com: Lock is Leaving Merge and Purchasing Cake
- LasVegasSun.com: Internet poker company looks to Nevada for entry into U.S.
- USAToday.com: Delaware to Allow Online Gambling
- TheHill.com: States Bristle at Reid’s Push to Legalize Online Poker in Lame-Duck Season
- WSJ.com: Internet Gambling Scores Its Biggest Win
- Legal US Poker Sites: PokerStars Bid To Buy Into New Jersey Fails
- DailyMail.co.uk: Ringleader of Online Gambling Site-Turned Ponzi Scheme ‘Strikes a Deal….
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