Reid-Kyl Internet Poker Bill Removes Player Punishment Language

Players will not be penalized for playing with offshore Internet poker rooms after all.

One of the more controversial elements of the Harry Reid/Jon Kyl Web poker legislation initially featured language whereby poker players would be punished for playing with online poker rooms located outside the United States.  Instead, the bill seeks to prevent players from seeking US Government assistance in the event a foreign operator goes rogue. 

An initial provision made it appear as if players could have their own bank accounts frozen if found to be playing on unlicensed Internet poker sites:

“To deter U.S. players from patronizing illegal sites, the bill makes explicit that any property involved in or traceable to a gambling transaction in violation of the new act (including winnings) is subject to forfeiture.”

The US Government is currently working to pay back millions to customers of Full Tilt Poker, a company that had operated outside the United States and abruptly shut down last year following a lengthy investigation by the US authorities.

- Ace King, Gambling911.com