FLIPCHIP RANTS ON FRIST ONLINE GAMBLING BILL DAVID SCHWARTZ’S “ROLL THE BONES” BOOK SIGNING

I’m following a number of threads and most include a “well-known fact.” Everyone knows land based casinos in America are losing money to the popular online casinos so they got the Frist legislation passed to ban online gambling in the US. This “fact” couldn’t be more wrong. Nevada casinos have been on an overall growth curve for years and July ’06 saw revenues up sharply in a typically slow month. Nevada casinos do not support banning online gaming legislation and should be given credit for successfully lobbying the Leach anti-Internet gambling bill into an early death.

Too many believe the Democrats could have stopped this legislation. Wrong again. Even if all the Democrats had the balls to vote against the Port Security bill, resulting in almost certain personal political suicide, the anti-gaming bill’s passage would remain a slam dunk. Don’t forget who currently controls Congress. It damn sure isn’t the Democrats…yet.

Now about that “dirty trick” that Senator Frist pulled attaching the bill to the Port Security legislation. No trick here at all, just another classic example of American politics, the ultimate poker game. Poker and politics share more than a few similarities and Frist played a brilliant game. He feigned weakness with the “failed attempt” to attach his gambling bill to the defense spending bill and he did it in an unusually public fashion. No different than bluffing to set-up a later play and it only works if you’re caught. It worked brilliantly and online poker players breathed a collective sigh of relief, high fives all around. Then the powerful Senator quickly and quietly made it a part of the non-partisan port security bill knowing the bill had to pass and within hours it was all over. America’s participation and enjoyment of online poker rolled over and died. The vote? 98 to Zip. Now we know why Frist is the Senate Majority Leader, one of the most powerful men in politics. Maybe someone should give him a bracelet. Maybe we should send him home to Tennessee.

Barring a miracle President Bush will sign the legislation into law within days and we already know what’s going to happen then. Instantly…no more Party Poker, Poker Stars, or any other of the online poker rooms that predetermined they have their money sack full enough. Classic cut and run strategy. Perhaps if they had opened the jammed full vaults early on they could have stopped this unwanted anti-gambling legislation in its tracks.

Online gambling is gone forever. Will it ever return? Not in its’ current form; but, without a doubt it will be back. There’s too much money in online poker to ignore (estimated to be $12-$15 billion and growing). Don’t forget, poker has always been about the money. The gambling ban was also about money. Can the millions of poker players do something about this? We the poker players are the only people that can do anything about this; but, we don’t have much time. I’m compiling a list of things that may help.

You should be reading:

Nolan Dalla’s article for a look at the gambling ban from a highly respected, long-time poker industry insider.

Bryan Micon of NeverwinPoker.com for his up to the minute status links to online poker room’s response to the gambling ban.

Dr Pauly’s Tao of Poker for the official opinions of Poker’s Poet Laureate.

Don’t forget…poker is legal, alive and well, and growing in Las Vegas so come on down for your poker fix.