[Wedge Rock]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...efer=worldwide

[jmac2233]

Thanks for the link. Great post. Maybe something can get done!

[shadesofgrey]

Looks a little promising... but honestly I dont think anything is going to happen while our current president is still in office.

Like the article says.... what is antigua going to do? withdraw intellectual property protection for US trademarks and copyrights? I am sure Bush is just quaking in his boots over this one....

WTF is this "...allows it to maintain a ban on Internet gambling to ``protect public order and public morals'' - protect public order and morals??!!? give me freaking break....

[_GUN_]

great post, very interesting news... I hope this will lead to positive changes.

[WolfieW]

I am new to online gambling. I'm a blackjack player who only plays in casinos (card counting can't be done online as every hand is dealt from a fresh deck, unlike casinos). I'm just now getting into poker and have browsed a couple of online poker sites (Pokerstars.com & Ultimatebet.com).

I had heard about the government cracking down on internet gambling sites but, since I didn't play online, I didn't pay attention to the specifics. When I started to browse Ultimatebet & Pokerstars I realized that, although you can play for free, you could also play for money. So the government action did not ban all money gambling internet sites.

Reading this article, I gather that the government only banned foreign sites. Could someone clarify just what the ban is about and also what options are still available to us for playing online for real money.

Also, what other sites besides the two I mentioned would members of this site recommend that I look into for both free and money play?

Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions of a newbie.

Wolfie

[Poboy]

Originally Posted by WolfieW

Could someone clarify just what the ban is about and also what options are still available to us for playing online for real money.

The ban is on the electronic transfers for funding and moving money from site to site. Most online gamblers used an online wallet to transfer money to and from sites, and their bank accounts. Many sites bailed once the government arrested the CEO and founder of BetOnSports, though a few continue to operate using different means of deposit and withdrawal.

Originally Posted by shadesofgrey

Looks a little promising... but honestly I dont think anything is going to happen while our current president is still in office.

Like the article says.... what is antigua going to do? withdraw intellectual property protection for US trademarks and copyrights? I am sure Bush is just quaking in his boots over this one....

While I agree that Antigua doesn't pose much of a threat, if they withdraw IP protection, they can start pirating and reselling all kinds of US technology to others. Also, it opens the door for other countries who have online businesses and are bigger (read: England) to also go to the WTO.

[WolfieW]

Thanks, PoBoy, for the concise reply. Two more questions, if I may:

1. What 2 or 3 poker sites would you and others on this site recommend if I wish to get started learning poker by playing on-line? I would like a site or 2 that offer the following:

Limit Poker: Free, micro-bets for money, regular $1-2, $2-4 limit.
Pot Limit &/or No Limit: Free, micro buy-ins, larger $10, $25, $50, $100 & up buy-ins.

I want to begin with limit Hold'em and then move up to No-limit. I would also like the option to browse games and only play after more experience browsing.

2. What is the method of depositing money to these sites and how do they send out your winnings (method of sending and how often)?

Thanks for your replies.

Wolfie

[Poboy]

Originally Posted by WolfieW

Thanks, PoBoy, for the concise reply. Two more questions, if I may:

1. What 2 or 3 poker sites would you and others on this site recommend if I wish to get started learning poker by playing on-line? I would like a site or 2 that offer the following:

Limit Poker: Free, micro-bets for money, regular $1-2, $2-4 limit.
Pot Limit &/or No Limit: Free, micro buy-ins, larger $10, $25, $50, $100 & up buy-ins.

- Most poker sites have all of those - limit, pot limit and no limit, from .01/.02 stakes on up, as well as free games and freeroll tournaments. They also have a variety of poker games besides Hold 'Em. My first site was PokerStars and I thought it was a good site to start on. Good interface and the speed of actions is a bit slower than other sites. Full Tilt is another good site.

Also, though not exactly what you asked, I think a poker book is a great tool for learning. I read Winning Low Limit Hold Em by Lee Jones before playing play money online when I started.

I want to begin with limit Hold'em and then move up to No-limit. I would also like the option to browse games and only play after more experience browsing.

- All sites allow you to watch the tables. I would caution you about considering limit a step down from no limit. It's a different game than no limit, but no more or less risky. Since you can play no limit for as little as a buck or two, I would choose whichever game interests you more, and just play low enough stakes.

2. What is the method of depositing money to these sites and how do they send out your winnings (method of sending and how often)?

- I'm not up on the various methods of deposit at the moment because I had money on before the rules changed and have been playing with that. There are still online banking/e-wallet sites like Epassporte.com that still work. The poker site sends out your winnings if you request a cash out. On Full Tilt, they'll send you a check if it's over $300. Not sure if PokerStars has the minimum requirement.

Thanks for your replies.
-no problem

Wolfie

good luck at the tables.

[PFunk]

Wolfie...I'd recommend Bodog to you right off the bat. They have just re-instated their e-check processing which basically means you can write them an online check directly through your bank account to deposit. Easiest method online. I've been playing on there and using this method for about 3 years with no problems, however, due to the times they temporarily took this depositing method away for awhile, but as I said they just got it back up and its the same as before, only the transactions seem to take alot longer to go through your bank account, however the deposit to Bodog is instant funding to your poker account.

A few pluses for this site for a new player are the minimal deposit amounts. You can deposit a minimum of $20, which as far as I know, you can not do on any other site, and they have alot good micro stakes games there always running, but do not go down to .01/.02 or anything, I think .05/.10 is it. There are also alot of soft, really bad players there mixed in with a few sharks. The site also has a big sportsbook, so it seems like alot of people bet sports and play their winnings at the poker tables time to time, as there are alot of sports fans on the site. They also have huge overlays in their gauranteed tournaments, so I definetly recommend those. A downside to the site is that there may not be as many games as other sites, but if your'e simply looking for micro limit hold'em games, there are plenty, and they are usually always running.

Full Tilt is another site I would recommend.

[Poppadaddy]

Originally Posted by shadesofgrey

Looks a little promising... but honestly I dont think anything is going to happen while our current president is still in office.

I believe it was actually congress that authored the bill and attached it to a national security bill; so basically it was a "tag a long" bill.