Apparently there is a link between online poker and child abuse. What a joke! Some people really just don’t get it. For more info on the legality of online poker check out the PPA’s Website.

50 minutes, that is what the latest 60 minutes show should have been called. It really would have saved the show if they had just dropped this 10 minute segment on online poker.

First, let me say that online poker is not illegal in the US at this point in time though 60 minutes claims this to be the case. There is no law currently in place that makes the act of gambling online illegal, two laws that remotely come close to this is the old wire act established to prohibit people from making sports bets over the phone. The other is the UIGEA, or Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act. This act makes it harder for one to withdrawal and deposit funds onto sites associated with online gambling. But again, there is no law in place that says one can not play online poker.

I was really disappointed by this 60 minutes piece. Not only did they say that online poker was illegal, when this is not the case, but for an investigative report they seemed to have done 0 investigating (driving by a couple of buildings is not investigating). All of the information that was brought forward was already known by the poker community. All they did was put it in the lime light.

At no point through this segment did they mention other supposed scandals of the past, the UIGEA, or the PPA. They also left out some interviews with people like Greg Raymer, the ’04 World Series of Poker champ.

This truly was a lack of good investigative reporting and it makes me wonder how credible the other pieces they air are. If they continually get facts incorrect and leave out key information, then the show has lost all credibility in my eyes.

I realize that I will have a bias point of view when it comes to online poker, but I am trying to be as neutral as possible. I knew all this information before it aired. I just thought they would at least get the facts straight or bring in some new information into this black-eye scandal for online poker.

I also want to add, Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet are the ones behind this scandal. There are other places to play that are much better in terms of security and customer opinions. Two that come to mind right away are Pokerstars and Full Tilt, both the more popular sites for American online poker players.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Well, the day is finally here. The much talked about 60 Minutes (CBS) piece will air this Sunday. It will involve the cheating scandals at Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet amongst other online-poker-related topics.

I for one can not wait to watch it. I know it will do some immediate damage to the online poker industry, but hopefully it can do some long term good. The hope is that this will open people’s eyes to the fact that online poker needs to become regulated by the US to prevent this exact type of thing from happening in the future.

There are plenty of other reasons why online poker should be legal and regulated, but for more info on that check out the Poker Players Alliance Website.

There seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. Online poker players are starting to get their voices heard. There was a recent bill that passed the House Financial Services Committee that is in favor of online poker.

More can be learned by visiting the Poker Players Alliance web page.

This is just one step in the right direction for online poker advocates. It is going to be really exciting if online poker ever does become totally legal in the USA. I can only hope that it will one day.

To take some excerpts from the PPA’s website:

Appropriate federal regulation can ensure that minors are kept out of sites,services are provided to problem gamblers and the proper taxes are collected. The current system does nothing to protect children, problem gamblers and it is allowing billions in tax revenue to go overseas.

Prohibitions don’t work. The UIGEA effectively bans online poker in the U.S. and drives those players underground. Meanwhile, poker continues to grow in popularity nationwide. 75 percent of Americans oppose banning online poker. According to national polling, a vast majority of Americans oppose federal efforts to ban online poker.

If you are not currently a member of the PPA, please do sign up by clicking on the picture I have posted in this blog update.