Getting a bit worrying now (Party stopping USA customers)

[AndrewT]

I wonder whether this will affect my package that i have won with an American Poker site, as the sat's for it are still running.

I'd contact them today Maureen, just to find out.

[marcro]

I wonder whether this will affect my package that i have won with an American Poker site, as the sat's for it are still running.

It shouldn't since the money for your package came from the winnings of the tournament.

[MrMoves]

But surely this has to be the end of Party in the US, it wouldn't be able to recover from this.  The next big market is in Asia and they would still have a good business with many European players.   

When will all the banks actually stop dealings with sites, don't these things take about 12 months to actually go through

I believe it could become law this week when genius, George Bush, signs it off.  I think banks have 270 days to act, though.

[The_nun]

Think I will do Andrew..x

[brumbajan]

I would have thought the way to deal with this is for US customers to open UK bank accounts and fund their poker playing accounts from those.

i believe there is nothing in the Bill that prevents a US citizen funding an overseas bank account.

Is this to easy a solution?

Cheers

Brumb

[thetank]

Determined American players will still be able to flaunt the rules, use loopholes and play, yes.

The issue as it affects most of us though, is that the casual US player will no longer be able click-click play. This is equivalent to cod numbers plummeting, and tough tough games across the board.

[Longy]

I can't repeat my thoughts on this at the moment as this is a family site. Just to say i might well be teaching again by the new year, oh joy.

[kvnstv]

Could be the best thing that ever happened for non us poker players. Imagine this, for two years the US players are prevented from playing online. The all round standard of play rises dramatically and the games get much harder to beat. As a direct consequence most online players raise to a previously impossibly high standard.  Then a right thinking Democratic president is elected and repeals the law. FEEDING FRENZY.

Obviously that’s complete rubbish but felt like cheering myself up a bit. 

[SupaMonkey]

So does this apply to every state? I mean, it seems ridiculous that people who live in Nevada state can't play online.

Do they really wonder why the rest of the world takes the piss out of them all the time.

[thetank]

Technically, I thought it was already illegal to play online in Nevada anyway.

[Jon MW]

The new law doesn't over ride any existing law, so if it's already legal in their State then they can carry on.

Obviously the problem is with the blanket approach some companies might have of just refusing all US trade - just to make sure.

[bolt pp]

Determined American players will still be able to flaunt the rules, use loopholes and play, yes.

The issue as it affects most of us though, is that the casual US player will no longer be able click-click play. This is equivalent to cod numbers plummeting, and tough tough games across the board.

Exactly, theres so much dough in this game people will find a way, people always do when theres money involved.

The U.S Government have thrown their toys out of the pram because they weren't getting their bit and decided that they now own the world and everything in it and knowone can go for a piss without there say so, but its very difficult to enforce and online poker in the U.S will live on, It will just take a bit more effort and investigation on the part of the average U.S based recreational player.

Over half of the 888 poker clientel are non U.S based and they're share prices have recently reached 1.00 after being as low as 80 earlier on.

[ripple11]

Absolute joke this is....is it 1st April???

...but surely there will be ways around it....eg. payment to a third party...I mean we are talking businesses worth millions of dollars here, and growing!

[Woodsey]

Maybe theres a business opportunity here for someone.

Set up a company over here they could make payments to and we could deposit on their behalf into their account. It wouldn't be a bank so would be legal?

[MrMoves]

Determined American players will still be able to flaunt the rules, use loopholes and play, yes.

The issue as it affects most of us though, is that the casual US player will no longer be able click-click play. This is equivalent to cod numbers plummeting, and tough tough games across the board.

There are so many casual players all over the world, not just America.  Players numbers will drop but there will always be a beatable game.

Italy have just relaxed their laws on gambling, this will mean higher numbers of Italian poker players logging on.  This won't make up for the loss of America of course. However, if the big sites start marketing in Asia, things will improve.

I believe Betfair have recently started an Asian tour.

I really don't see the need for concern amongst European players unless you cannot beat a national of any country but America.