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Scott Blumstein may very well be the poster child for legalized online poker in the Garden State.
This year’s World Series of Poker Main Event winner Scott Blumstein says he got his start playing legalized Internet poker in his home state of New Jersey, the one state de factor in offering such activity. Nevada and Delaware also passed legislation allowing real money legalized Web poker but have done little to capitalize on the sector. Players in any of these three states can play against one another.
For his efforts, Blumstein was rewarded a cool $8.1 million. A portion of this money will surely be pumped into the NJ economy, assuming he continues residing there.
Other US states like Pennsylvania are currently mulling over the legalization of online gambling.
"Two weeks ago, I was just a New Jersey online grinder, and nothing's really changed," the 25-year-old with an accounting degree from Temple University told reporters.
Pros play multiple games at once, including tournaments and cash games. New Jersey also offers live poker in many of its Atlantic City casinos, with the poker room at the Borgata considered among the top places to play on the East Coast. Virtual gambling has helped to boost Atlantic City’s struggling casino sector.
"The best way to get better at anything is through repetition and practice," said Blumstein, who lives in Brigantine. "When you play online in New Jersey, it's hard for any live pro to see even close to the amount of hands I've probably seen in the last two years."
Gov. Christie legalized internet gambling, including poker, in February 2013, a month before Blumstein turned 21. Last week he urged President Donald Trump not to authorize the prohibition of Internet gambling.
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has said he wants to take a second look at a Justice Department ruling authorizing internet gambling, and several measures have been proposed but not enacted.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
