Long but good read on internet gambling law

[Talking Poker]

That was an excellent read. Thanks.

My hopes for the future of online poker have been and will continue to be:

1. Antigua (see above).
2. The - trying to get an exclusion (from any anti-online gambling laws) for the "skill game" of poker... similar to horse racing, state lotteries, fantasy football, etc.

[Robbr25]

State lotteries belong with poker because they are all skill, no luck

[Penguinfan]

I'm pretty sure he was luming poker with lottery and horse racing for the exclusion part, not the skill part.

Believe me, as someone who got his initial bankroll from playing horses I can tell you there is no skill whatsoever in that game. More crooks than you will find in a penitentary, but no skill at all.

[Kurn]

Be careful what you wish for.

As I've said before, the attempt to get this exclusion is why I do not belong to the PPA.

Philosophically, this request expressly agrees that the government has the right to restrict what citizens do with their own money on their own time. I can't belong to any organization that advocates that. But that's not the practical reason.

By focusing the exclusion on the skill aspect of poker, you do nothing to counter the "protect people from themselves" cadre of legislators that favor the ban. These are different from the purely "gambling is immoral" cadre. Many of the legislators who want to protect us from ourselves are from the liberal side of the aisle.

The fact that poker has a huge skill factor does not make it better in the minds of these types. Think of it this way. Everyone who plays craps or roulette or (internet) blackjack has approximately the same expectation from the game. They will lose the house edge over the long run.

Poker is different. The casual player can get "fleeced" by the "sharks" (apologies for mixing animal metaphors), thus making it possible for out "protectors" to make a case that poker belongs being banned. In one sense, they're right. A clueless player can lose his roll much quicker at NLHE than at craps.

Let the PPA start fighting for real online gambling freedom by taking out their support of a carve-out, and I'll join.

<rant off>

[Talking Poker]

I understand what you are saying - Really, I do. But in this case, I'm more worried about the Ends than the Means.... at least for now. If we could get poker carved out and legalized, we (they) could worry about attacking the bigger issues later on. One step at a time, and I think this is the step with the highest likeliness of success.

[Reel Deal]

^^ That's priceless.

Anyway, if Antigua's response is that they'll stop honoring ownership of intellectual property I'd imagine our government's response might be, "fine see how you survive when was stop allowing our citizens to visiting your country." I'm sure Antigua's GNP is heavily dependant on tourism.

[thrash1294]

The day that the us says where i can travel is the day I repatriate to another country.(but then they may not let me do that eitherR).


Any vacancy in windsor?

[melioris]

uh dude, Cuba?

[Reel Deal]

Yeah, but we do have a number of forum members north of the border that might rent trash a room.

[Talking Poker]

LOL... seriously, when's the last time you've been to Cuba?

These kids today, I'll tell ya.

[thrash1294]

I was thinking windsor ontario.
the only place where you go south into canada
from detroit plus its an easy swim back if need be

[Kurn]

A guy who plays in my home game used to go to Cuba a couple of times a year. His son went to McGill, so he'd drive to Montreal, let the kid use his car for a week, and buy a plane ticket with cash. He did this for three years, even had a girl friend down there.

Then, on one trip, his hotel in Havana decided to scam the Yanqui. The presented him with a trumped up $800 phone bill when he was checking out. He skipped out the back, but the federales bagged him at the airport. He managed to talk his way out, but has never gone back. Too bad. The girl was hot.

[Talking Poker]

You know, this story is really useless withOUT pics.