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The first ever feature-length documentary focusing on Internet poker is set to debut June of this year. “Bet, Raise Fold – The Story of Online Poker”.
It is the brainchild of several real players who used their own winnings to create the film.
The documentary focuses first on the year 2003 when an amateur accountant from Tennessee aptly named Chris Moneymaker shocked the world by winning $2.5 million in the World Series of Poker Main Event.
That same year the World Poker Tour launched and was broadcast on the Travel Channel, becoming that cable channel’s highest rated television show ever. Soon, online poker turned into a multi-billion dollar industry.
It wasn’t long until politicians took notice, passing the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in late 2006. This was followed by a series of high profile Department of Justice and local law enforcement actions against online gambling operators, most of which focused on the sports betting side of the industry.
Then came April 15, 2011, when three of the largest US-facing online poker rooms – PokerStars, Full Tilt and Ultimate Bet – had their accounts froze by US authorities and were forced to exit the market. Only Stars would prove viable outside the States, ultimately acquiring financially strapped and shuttered Full Tilt Poker.
From the website for “Bet, Raise Fold – The Story of Online Poker”:
BET RAISE FOLD is a coming-of-age story for an entire generation of young poker professionals. We follow Danielle, a young mother from rural Minnesota who used online poker to support her family; Tony, a Las Vegas tournament pro who co-hosts the World Poker Tour on television; and Martin, a world-traveler from Australia obsessed with understanding the intricacies of the game. These characters used online poker to build a life, only to have it all stripped away in one fell swoop by forces beyond their control.
BET RAISE FOLD: The Story of Online Poker celebrates the roller coaster ride that was the online poker boom, the evolution of poker as a game, and the enduring spirit of the poker maverick.
One of the filmmakers, Taylor Caby, explained the inspiration for the documentary to PocketFives.com:
“We wanted to get the story out about what the online poker boom was really like, both from the perspective as players and having businesses in the industry. Once we dove into it, we learned a lot and some crazy stuff happened. We wanted the general public to know what our industry is like. The characters we've picked are professional poker players, not the types who are out partying all the time and spending crazy money. One is a mom who lives in Minnesota, for example.”
It certainly looks like a riveting film. You can check out the trailer below.
- Nagesh Rath, Gambling911.com
