The Online Gambling Mess: Legal or not?

This is something I really don't fully understand. Is playing poker over the web, or visiting an online casino, legal for U.S.-based players? Apparently, the answer depends on who you ask. After the enactment of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) last October nobody is no longer sure of anything. Some say that playing online poker is still a legal activity, while others disagree.

On the surface, the UIGEA does not prohibit the act of gambling in an online environment, but the processing of of online gambling-related financial transactions. Under the UIGEA, all American credit card companies are disallowed to handle any deposits and withdrawals of funds associated with online casinos and card rooms. This means that U.S. players can no longer deposit money to their gaming acoounts and, thus, can not take advantage of online poker games offered...

What makes this legality- illegality issue even more confusing is the fact that although most online poker rooms already dropped their U.S. customers, there are some Internet poker websites that still accept deposits from U.S. players. So, where does this prohibition leave the average poker/ casino enthusiast? Whom will the law hold responsible for the gambling activity taking place?

If accepting U.S.-based players is a blatant violation of the American law, why do such popular and well-established poker rooms like Doyle's Room and Bodog are still willing to face the once lucrative (and I guess now even more lucrative than ever because of the departure of many other Internet poker rooms afraid law enforcement) U.S. market. Perhaps, they know something we don't know? I seriously doubt that the gambling industry moguls are willing to take the risk of having their operations declared illegal. So, does this make the gambling prohibition law bogus and completely ineffective?

And, another thing about the UIGEA. If the U.S. government was seeking to prohibit Internet gambling on the grounds of it being immoral (its availability to minors) and even potentially dangerous (gambling addiction and stuff), why is traditional gambling (I mean going to a land-based casino or poker room) is still OK? Is this preferential treatment towards the traditional gambling industry?

Personally, I think that the prohibition is nothing but temporary. Online gambling industry lobbyists, such as the Poker Player Alliance, will not let the UIGEA last too long. The potential profits from online gambling are to seductive to give them up without a good fight. The way I see it, as long as their are organizations or individuals interested in these profits, the ban on online gambling in the United States is very likely to be lifted very soon...

More detaled information about the legal issues involving the UIGEA can be found at http://www.onlinepokereport.com/... That's what I did anyway...

Maurice Druon and Poker: A loose connection...

Yesterday, I read Maurice Druon's historical novel 'The Iron King,' which is the first installment in the French author's popular series called 'The Accursed Kings.' Personally, I just love historical novels allowing me to take a glance at a world long since forgotten. Druon indeed was a great master of the written word. The intrigues of the royal court of those times depicted by the author are particularly interesting (almost breath-taking in their viciousness).

It was the reign of Phillip IV of France...Somewhere in the early middle ages...

The king had three sons and a daughter. The sons, Louis X, Phillip V and Charles IV, were all married to three princess rightfully accused of adultery. For their wrongdoing, two of the princesses were sentenced to eternal incarceration. When Phillip the Fair (they say that the guy was quite handsome) died, his son Louis X became king. Legend says that, seeking a convenient and rapid way to wash off the unfavorable reputation courtesy of his beloved wife and become a merry widower, the king sent a messenger to his imprisoned wife. The poor woman was found strangled the very next day after the visit.

You must be wondering what does this literature report have to do with the game of poker... Well, I must admit that the connection is quite loose: the guards at the Château-Gaillard castle where the queen (Louis X's wife) was held were playing some sort of a card game during their shifts...

Want to Get Your Poker Money Back? Ever Heard of a Rake-Back Program?

I confess... I love playing poker over the Internet and it sure is one of my favorite pastimes. I know that many other players from all over the globe would say the same if asked. Unfortunately, since I am not the greatest player, I tend to lose some dollars here and there...It's not a big deal, because I never allow myself to squander more than I can afford to lose, wouldn't it be great if I could get some of it back somehow... To my great surprise, I just recently learned that I actually can! It's called a rake-back program and it really works. Boy, myth becomes reality...

To understand how rake-back programs work, you need to know what a rake is (and if you don't, a 'rake' is a fee land-based and Internet card room operators charge for staging the game). Usually, the charged rake is 5% of the pot with the maximum limit reaching $3. Thus, a rake-back is a kind of a refund players are offered on some of the money they invest in the game. Although the amount for a single game is not so important, if you play at the same gaming establishment for a while, the rake-back can reach more significant amounts.

Cruising the web, I found quite a selection of online poker rooms offering their patrons all sorts of rake-back programs. My question is, which of them are reliable? I mean, which of them I can trust to really pay me as initially promised. Since the Internet is a media where schemes are carried through much easier because of the anonymity factor it provides, you should really be carefull regarding whom you trust with your money, your bank account details and other personal information.

However, if up until now I have given you a negative impression regarding rake-backs, the concept is actually working and, as we speak, people are cashing in on it big time. Needless to say that poker rooms are willing to give up a certain percentage of the rake not for humanitarian purposes, but they consider it another special attraction designed to draw crowds to the poker room. It's all about catching flies with honey.

Overall, judging from my own experience, getting your rake back is not a complicated task. Players receive a percentage of their investment in the pot through rake-back service providers cooperating with poker rooms willing to pay players their rake back.

The way I see it, joining a rake-back program will not make you laugh all the way to the bank, but it's sure nice that you can put some of the money you lost back into your pocket!

Hollywood Poker 24/7 Hollywood?

I just read a review of this quite popular online poker room Hollywood Poker at onlinepokereport.com. Much like many other Internet card rooms it has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the fact that it has a Java client is a huge plus. Up until now, Mac users were crippled in terms of game variety because most of today's poker rooms have only the downloadable version. Now all Mac users from all over the world can play poker as they wish, when they wish.

Another unique feature they have at Hollywood Poker is their generous first Deposit bonus structure. It's attractive both for high-rollers seeking to make big bucks (and not afraid of large investments) and for the average players not willing to put great amount s of money on the line. Another big plus is their Refer-a-Friend bonus. If you happen to recruit ten new players to the poker room, you could make up to $2,000 and that's an offering you don't see every day.

However, Hollywood Poker is said to have disadvantages as well. The most significant downside is that some players complain that the cash out speed is very slow. It apparently takes a lot of time until your cash out request is processed. Personally, since I haven't played there yet, I don't really have an opinion about this supposed disadvantage. I promise to keep you posted on this one...

What does Britney Spears Have to do with Poker?

Boy, this is a tough question to answer. The partying singer has led a rather outrageous lifestyle since her break up with her hubby K-Fed. From shaving her head, getting new tattoos and getting completely drunk in all sorts of public establishments to her recent suicide attempt at the rehabilitation clinic, the young mother of two has done pretty much every crazy thing that you can only imagine. So, what does it have to do with poker?

While cruising through a couple of poker portals for some hot news on the poker industry I came across the following headline, "This is How Briney Spears Can be Compared to Poker..." An unknown writer by the name Ruben (it is very likely that he did not want to advertise his last name because of the article's not very flattering content) compared Spears' last few public appearances to poker hands.

"...Once every three months, Britney Spears hits either a straight flush (no underwear for five consecutive nights) or the closest she'll get to a royal flush (nipple flash, ass flash and underwear flash for three consecutive nights in a row). What are the odds of these things happening consecutively?"

Spears' behavior is indeed embarrassing. Forsaking her image of an innocent and humble teenage girl whom we all loved and admired in "Hit Me Baby One More Time," Spears turned into a partying mega celebrity not caring what the rest of the world, including her most loyal fans, think about her! (by the way, where have we lost that sweet girl who promised to stay untouched until marriage, ha?)

Interestingly enough, it seems that Spears is unaware of the damage she causes to her own image, both on the professional and personal levels. Professionally, because her singing career has long since become dormant. I refer to the fact that she has not produced any songs or dancing clips for a long while now and most of her fans have become very discouraged by her frantic antics. Personally, because she is setting a wrong example to her own two boys. Although they are too young to understand what is going on now, but I'm sure that when they grow older they'd sure become ashamed of their mother.

In any case, another connection I see between the singer and poker is the fact that both have and will survive people's negative attitude towards them. Much like Spears, poker has had dark periods in its history and still survived till this very day...

Stu Ungar Champion of Champions

I just recently read the biography of Stu Ungar, a three-time WSOP Main Event winner. The more I read the sadder I became. It seems that the man indeed was very talented in poker, but the drug addiction he battle for almost twenty years of his life ultimately took its price. The gifted poker pro passed away when he was merely 42 years old.

One of the most amazing things about Ungar is the fact that he won his first WSOP title (in 1980) having almost no experience in No Limit Texas Hold 'em. Who could have guessed that the 22-year-old poker novice would nab the coveted title? The phenomenal player, who was nicknamed 'The Kid' because of his youth, proved his talent once again the very next year.

In 1997, almost sixteen years after his 1981 WSOP win, Ungar won the prestigious competition once again. According to reports, he dedicated his success to his daughter Stephanie.

The Kid died on November 22, 1998. I read at onlinepokereport.com that after Ungar's death, his wife and daughter established a charitable foundation in the poker player's name. The foundation's official goal is to increase worldwide awareness to problems associated with addictive behavior, such as gambling and drugs.

The Fine Line Between Bluffing and Cheating!

Ok, when you play poker, bluffing every once in a while seems only natural. Anyone with the poorest game knowledge knows that bluffing is part of what makes poker so challenging and exciting. It is one of the reasons why we find playing poker such a fun pastime. Let's face it: poker is all about taking risks. And, indeed, with every step you make, you take a risk, and if you eventually happen to win, the achieved conquest feels highly satisfying.

However, there certainly should be a great difference between bluffing and cheating. Bluffing is typically considered a legitimate winning strategy. All sorts of bluffing methods are intended to mislead opponents regarding the bluffer's hand. Sometimes, you seek to give the impression that you have a strong hand, and, at other times, you seek to achieve exactly the opposite goal (meaning, to project weakness). I find it difficult to put the word "innocence" in the same sentence with "bluffing," but the way I see it, there is something 'innocent' about bluffers. It's a whole other story when it comes to cheating, however.

Cheating is defined as an intentional attempt to disrupt the game's course and give an advantage to the cheater through a completely illegal method. Most of today's online and land-based poker rooms take precautions against cheating players. Highly elaborate technological means are employed to prevent cheating. If a cheating scheme is detected, the cheaters are severely punished. Such punishments as being kicked out of the poker room are very common. And, that's nothing but fair, right?

However, where does that fine line that separates bluffers from cheaters lie? I've been combing the Internet in search for an answer to this somewhat philosophical question. Although there are specific descriptions of all sorts of cheating techniques, the difference between cheating and bluffing is typically blurred.

When I turned to my friends with this query of mine, none could provide me with a singly coherent answer. For instance, while some of them called 'semi-bluffing' a pure cheating technique, others completely disagreed with such an opinion... Then, they argued among themselves for hours only to leave me even more confused than when the discussion initially started. Could somebody please tell a beginning player such as myself, if there are any official rules separating cheating methods from bluffing strategies?

Titan Poker Guys Really Ok!

Allow me to admit something: I'm a self-proclaimed Internet warm (like a book warm but one who can't turn off the computer for more than two hours). During my virtual voyages, I usually come across many online poker rooms because I'm always on the hunt for rich bonuses or other attractive promotional offers. And, needless to say, the Internet is packed with incredibly generous online poker websites promising players a gaming adventure like no other.

However, as we all know not all poker rooms are secure (in terms of player privacy protection). That's why I typically stick to the popular ones which have already proved their reliability and integrity time after time again. Then, I look for the poker rooms with the greatest bonuses. After all, fat bonuses are an integral part of the entire gambling experience.

One such great poker room (and this is probably no news to most of you) is Titan Poker. Beyond the great game variety, the multiple promotions and the lucrative VIP program they have there, what I appreciate the most is their customer service. Forget getting in touch via mail or phone, what can be more convenient than a real-time chat with their support team? The representatives are never rude and actually quite helpful. On all the occasions that I contacted them, they were always more than happy to help. Well, that means a lot to me!

Another important thing is software functionality. Well, Titan's software is indeed really good (very user-friendly). Zero disconnections during play, great features and, generally speaking, boasts very good playability. After all, they use software by Playtech...

Strip Poker, Alcohol and Sex with Minors Lead to Incarceration!

I just read something quite shocking in the news. And, to tell you the truth it has shaken me badly. A 35-year-old woman was recently convicted for having sex with minors and providing them with alcohol. The woman organized a strip poker party for her son's teenage friends and openly gave them alcoholic beverages. And, what is even worse, she molested a 15-year-old and actually had sex with a 16-year-old.

At some point during the sexy bash, the woman realized that her husband was soon to come back from work. So, she asked an 18-year-old to drive all her guests home. The entire ordeal was revealed after the young driver crashed the car (which was loaded with teens).

Surprisingly enough, the woman actually admitted to having had sexual intercourse with two underaged boys.

Luckily, she will spend the next 300 days in prison, which is more than enough time to ponder upon her wrongdoing! Needless to say that her husband, a local police officer (isn't it ironic?), filed for divorce from his lascivious wife four days after her arrest.

If I left someone with the taste for some more juicy details on the convicted strip poker partier, go to onlinepokereport.com. That's where I read the news in the first place.