New Provision in Online Poker Bill Keeps Full Tilt, PokerStars Out For Two Years

As if the original draft bill to legalize online poker was not bad enough, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seems intent on sticking it to the player.  At least this is the growing view of current Web card room players.

A new provision to the draft bill has just been added.

- 15 months black out.

- 24 months exclusion for PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker

- 36 more months of US exclusion of non-USA players.

The later will essentially keep out the likes of PartyPoker and OnGame, both of whom maintain a strong presence in Europe but do not currently accept customers from the US. 

- States auto opt-out meaning that, depending on which state a particular poker player lives in, they will still be unable to play should federal legislation take effect. 

The bill itself seems geared primarily towards the state of Nevada, for whom Reid represents.  As pointed out over the last several days, Las Vegas casinos were among Reid’s biggest donors and they strongly support online poker legislation in the US.

- With this new provision, now even big states like California will opt-out because this new provision allows for California to have its own monopoly. Basically you will come back years from now and play on PS.USA.California  or FTP.USA.California.

One poster on the popular Two Plus Two poker forum had this to offer:

“The PPA (Poker Players Alliance) is still supporting him after they rolled-over, bend over, gave away the store and is now pimping the player base on street corners.”

- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com