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The idea that poker is good and sports betting bad in the eyes of authority is downright stupid. Three weeks ago in Utah we had an indictment against a poker room operator. This was not a local case. The US Justice Dept is overseeing the matter. If you think for a moment that an internet poker room is immune from charges you're sadly mistaken. The gentleman insisting poker is out of reach of the law is trying to raise good points. He comes across as intelligent. But it's a case of grasping at straws. I'm an avid poker player. I don't think poker is any more skill than sports betting. I bet my Utes based on an hour's worth of skilled handicapping and made out nicely. Here is the story from out of Sandy, Utah. A 61-year-old Sandy man was indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of money laundering and operating an illegal poker room. The indictment alleges the man operated the poker room between April 2003 and June 2006 and made a series of financial transactions totaling about $400,000 from the illegal games, the U.S. Department of Justice reported. The Salt Lake City Police Department shut down the building were the games were held in 2006. Authorities plan to issue a summons for the man to appear for an arraignment in federal court. If convicted, the man faces five years in prison on the gambling charge and up to 10 years for each of the four counts of money laundering.