The Bottom Line Is... Nobody Knows.

There is not much to report in the ol' poker blogger-sphere these days. The WSOP is currently in schmooze mode with parties going on left and right. Read the poker journalist blogs to get a sense of all that. The main event is coming up with an estimated 8800 entries, with 1000+ coming from Pokerstars alone.

It seems the series has lost some of its luster with the changes to mostly hold 'em events. There has been plenty of discussion of the structures, juice, dealers and marked cards. Yet most of the controversial press has been swept under the rug. Methinks most journalists are too worried about keeping their credentials to knock Harrah's or ESPN (Even Oliver Tse has been quiet lately).

A certain blogger called out the rest of us to provide him with quality content. This is why I'll never be a highly regarded blogger. Not only am I a shitty writer, I won't put on a monkey suit and dance. For anybody. I couldn't give a shit about traffic, as long as there's someplace for me to express myself. See.....not entertaining.

I've been spending most of free time chasing down the latest stories on HR 4411 (aka the Goodlatte bill). It's amazing how CNN, CNBC, and the major networks can produce a 5-7 minute segment (often with live EXPERT commentary), and say absolutely NOTHING newsworthy about the issue. I'm equally concerned about sports betting and poker - both are revenue streams for me. Thankfully, in NY it is not illegal to place a bet. It is illegal to accept a wager or profit from accepting a wager.

The senate has until August 4th to act on HR 4411 and it seems the bill may just stall in the summer heat. While this is good news for poker players, the Justice department is beginning to act out against gaming sites accepting US customers. They were able to shut down BetonSports and Bospoker (at least temporarily). If this trend continues, it's not much of a stretch to see Party or Stars shutting out US players.

So how does it shake out? Right now, nobody knows.

Goodnight Goodlatte

While the internet gambling bill passed in the House of Representatives, it appears the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, due to the little time remaining in this session of Congress. That should keep all online poker players in the clear for another year.

If for some reason this bill sniffs the Oval Office, I'm preparing to make some changes in my online poker routine. While I don't want to be an outlaw, I'm in the process of starting a poker related business, so I want to protect my investments AND my earnings potential.

If you're in that same boat, consider these changes you can make to your online accounts:

1) Get a Canadian bank account. This is something you can do online, from the convenience of your home. While Neteller may be located in Canada, passage (enforcement) of the Goodlatte bill may prevent your local bank from allowing a transfer to/from Neteller.

2) Shop around for a new ISP. It is expected that enforcement of this legislation will allow government to force ISP's to block access to gaming sites (censorship!). So make sure your ISP will allow you to access the sites you like to visit. I'd take this a step further and acquire cellular broadband cards from Canada, which would work in the U.S.

3) Acquire an international mailing address. Since I live(d) about 5 blocks from Canada, it's easy for me to visit a Niagara Falls UPS store and get a P.O. box. Five bucks a month and I can get mail in Canada. If the poker sites decide to play ball with this legislation and prohibit U.S. customers.... well, problem solved.

These actions might seem extreme to the casual player but if you make your living in online poker, it would seem wise to consider some of these changes.

(BTW, the Goodlatte bill has exemptions for lotteries and horse racing. Now I realize there are some professional handicappers, but how many professional online lottery players are out there?)

Buffalo Hold 'Em II: The Wrath of Blog

My original blog was hijacked yesterday during blogger maintenance. Thanks blogger.... thanks a lot.

My old blog url is currently hosted under the blogger user "drippy3027", in case any geeky folks out there can help me give this dude some grief. He's currently spamming casino signups.

More to come. Thanks for hanging around - I hope all 12 readers stay tuned.