CYOP Brings Online Poker to Asia Amid Record Market Growth

CYOP Brings Online Poker to Asia Amid Record Market Growth CYOP Systems International, a developer and provider of online skill-games and video games, has announced that it will be targeting Asian portals for integration of its new Poker software. Claiming that Asia is fast reaching the critical mass and interest needed for online poker, CYOP hopes to become the early leader in the field. With its backend licensed CrediPlay financial systems already localized into Traditional and Simplified Chinese, CYOP has begun working on the front end game translations of its poker games. According to a recent report from IDC Online, gaming revenues in the Asia-Pacific region will reach $1.84 billion by 2008. Overall, online gaming subscription revenues in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) are projected to more than double by 2008 to $1.84 billion from $760 million in 2003. ‘Recent reports have Chinese Internet users spending an average of 12.3 hours per week online with gaming and entertainment being the second most popular online activity,’ said Mitch White, CEO of CYOP ‘Combined with reports that China expects it will have a total of 120 million Internet users by the end of 2005; a 28% increase from the 94 million users in 2004.’ ‘If the numbers bear out, China will have the second largest number of Internet users, after the US. And given the propensity for online games, Poker is a perfect fit.’

MGM opens new poker room

Gamblers played in the new poker room in the MGM Grand after its opening on Monday. The nonsmoking room has 23 tables and a computerized waiting list. The property closed its poker room in 1998, but the recent popularity of poker led to the opening of the new room, said spokesman Scott Ghertner.

Senate Throws out Internet Poker Bill

Senate Throws out Internet Poker Bill North Dakota has been thwarted in its bid to regulate internet poker following a landslide defeat in the Senate. Bill HB1509, spearheaded by Sen. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, received only four votes in support. Sens. Connie Triplett, D-Grand Forks, John Syverson, R-Fargo, and Jack Traynor, R-Devils Lake, backed the measure along with Sen. Kasper, while 44 voted against. Opponents of the Bill cited U.S. Justice Department's position that Internet gambling in general is illegal as the reason for their stand against the measure. 'There are at least three federal laws out there that make this legislation suspect,' said Sen. Carolyn Nelson, D-Fargo. Others simply felt that increased opportunities to gamble were not welcome in the state. 'This is just another vehicle for more gambling in North Dakota, and I'm not sure that we want it,' said Sen. David Nething, R-Jamestown. Had the bill been approved it would have gone to a public vote. 'It strikes me that we should let the people of the state decide if they want this,' Sen. Traynor said, 'The promoters have told us it could amount ... to some significant economic activity in our communities.'

Woman Poker Player Magazine Launches

Woman Poker Player Magazine Launches A new poker magazine is debuting that will cater to the ever-growing number of female poker players. Woman Poker Player magazine is a one-of-a-kind, lifestyle publication covering issues unique to women who enjoy the sport of poker. The magazine’s chief editor is professional poker player Barbara Enright, the only woman ever to make the final table at the World Series of Poker championship event. The editorial merges powerful experiences from poker-playing women and men around the globe, the mathematics and strategies of poker, tournament trip reports, profiles of popular female professional players, and will include lifestyle concerns such as, fashion and wellness. “Women may have a basic advantage over their male counterparts. Psychologists tell us that women possess a sixth sense, and this instinctiveness can be a valuable asset at the poker table.” Says Enright. “They have proven they can hold their own against men, and this was dramatically underscored when three women won gold bracelets at last year’s World Series of Poker, although women represented less than five per cent of the participants.” “Even so, women can be timid when they first enter a casino. This is where Woman Poker Player magazine comes in. We will be offering valuable pointers on general strategy, and strategy especially designed for women.” April’s premiere issue includes profiles on professional women poker players, tips on playing with male players, and a glimpse into what to expect while playing your first live tournament. The first issue of Woman Poker Player will be circulated free of charge. To receive your copy, visit http://www.womanpokerplayer.com

Carmen Media likes the lay of the land

Carmen Media likes the lay of the land Carmen Media, the Gibraltar-based online gaming giant, is planning to move into land-based gaming. Carmen is currently experimenting with small-scale poker tutorials and branded poker equipment, but it is believed to be considering much larger opportunities. “We are looking at land-based opportunities,” Tim Johnson, chief executive of Carmen Media, said. “We haven’t got a specific timeframe in mind but it makes sense to have a wide range of products on offer,” he added. Johnson began his career running a chain of bookmaker shops in the UK, and a move into the bricks and mortar sector would be a logical step for the Gaming Club Sportsbook. Blue Square and Victor Chandler have both made moves into shops on the UK high street, and ukbetting recently bought a chain of bookmaking shops in 2004. And Johnson said he believes there is increasing crossover between the online and land-based sectors. “The land-based business is watching the internet business very closely and vice versa and the two businesses will come together at some point,” Johnson said.

Poker supporters attempt to salvage constitutional amendment

Poker supporters attempt to salvage constitutional amendment A constitutional amendment to require the Legislature to license Internet poker companies got a lukewarm reception from North Dakota senators, who have already defeated a bill to regulate online card rooms. The Senate Judiciary Committee, which reviewed the amendment Wednesday, forwarded it to the full Senate without making a recommendation on whether it should be approved. The panel had a similar deadlock on a separate bill to license and tax Internet poker sites, which went on to get a pummeling in the Senate. Only three of the 47 senators voted for it. Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, who is the amendment's sponsor, said he would give "no wager, no odds" on its Senate prospects. "I believe the people of North Dakota have the right to vote on this issue," he said at the Judiciary Committee hearing. "The revenue that could come to North Dakota from this is huge." Former Gov. Arthur Link, a prominent gambling critic who testified against the measure Wednesday, said he was encouraged by the committee's lack of support. "I don't want North Dakota to become known as the poker capital of the world," he told lawmakers. Supporters of Kasper's legislation say North Dakota could earn millions in tax revenues with little effort by licensing Internet poker tables and taxing the proceeds, which are now collected by businesses headquartered in other countries. "Why are we sending this (money) elsewhere? We can't pretend that it's not happening," said Mitch Schock of the Dakota Poker Tour, which organizes poker tournaments for charitable organizations. North Dakota also could safeguard youngsters by requiring poker sites to exclude players younger than 18, a regulation that isn't guaranteed with overseas operations, Kasper said. "The phenomenon of poker is here to stay, not only in the United States but around the world," he said. "We have an opportunity to be on the front end of the regulation of the industry on the Internet." Opponents of the measure referred to the U.S. Justice Department's stand that Internet gambling of any kind is illegal. The government's position has stalled efforts in Nevada and the U.S. Virgin Islands to license Internet casinos. "We're asking people to vote on something illegal, and if it passes, we're requiring the Legislature to do something illegal," said Warren DeKrey of Bismarck, the chairman of the North Dakota Council on Gambling Problems. If approved by the Legislature, Kasper's measure would appear on the June 2006 primary ballot. If voters approve it, the amendment would direct the 2007 Legislature to "authorize Internet live poker located in the state and licensed and regulated by the state." Online poker would then join charitable gambling and the lottery as exceptions to the North Dakota Constitution's ban on state-authorized wagering. Sen. Tom Trenbeath, R-Cavalier, wondered if the amendment should instead ask North Dakotans to repeal the gambling prohibition. It says: "The legislative assembly shall not authorize any game of chance, lottery, or gift enterprises, under any pretense, for any purpose whatsoever." "This is like being nibbled to death by a thousand ducks," Trenbeath said. "If the constitution should be amended, shouldn't it be amended to remove the impediment rather than to mandate an action?" The committee deadlocked several times, tallying 3-3 votes on motions to amend the resolution, and to recommend its approval and defeat. The six committee members eventually voted unanimously to send the bill to the Senate without recommendation. The amendment, like Kasper's earlier Internet poker bill, already has been approved in the House. Kasper said he could not predict the Senate's response, but he has said he will not pursue an initiated measure if the Legislature balks at licensing online poker. "Put it on the ballot and let the people make their decision. That's what I hope the Senate will do," he said.

Senate defeats Internet poker measure

Senate defeats Internet poker measure DALE WETZEL Associated Press The Legislature's dalliance with Internet poker regulation ended abruptly, when a bill to make North Dakota the first state to license cyberspace poker tables got only three Senate votes to support it. "This is just another vehicle for more gambling in North Dakota, and I'm not so sure we want it," Sen. David Nething, R-Jamestown, said Monday. The measure lost in the Senate, 44-3, after a brief debate. It squeaked through the House last month, 49-43, and its sponsor, Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, has been lobbying senators on the measure's behalf. Sens. Connie Triplett, D-Grand Forks, John Syverson, R-Fargo, and Jack Traynor, R-Devils Lake, voted for the proposal Monday. They also supported it in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reviewed the legislation. North Dakota voters would have to approve a state constitutional amendment for the regulatory bill to take effect. Traynor said a Senate vote supporting the legislation would still leave the question in voters' hands. A Senate vote to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot is still pending. The Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing on the amendment Wednesday. "It strikes me that we should let the people of the state decide if they want this," Traynor said. "The promoters have told us it could amount ... to some significant economic activity in our communities." Kasper said the legislation did not represent an expansion of North Dakota's existing gambling industry. The state allows charities to run gambling operations, and North Dakota's five American Indian reservations each has a casino. "This isn't about gambling," Kasper said. "This is about regulation of an industry that's already there ... This is an industry that's crying for regulation, that wants to come to North Dakota, that wants to relocate their businesses here." Senators voted to approve changes to the legislation Monday, before deciding to kill the bill. It was not sent to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further work, as is customary for a bill with a large price tag. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem estimated it would cost at least $1 million over two years to regulate the industry, an expense industry officials have said they would be willing to pay. Critics of the measure said they were wary of the U.S. Justice Department's stand that Internet gambling in general is illegal. Stenehjem and Gov. John Hoeven declined to endorse the legislation. "There are at least three federal laws out there that make this legislation suspect," said Sen. Carolyn Nelson, D-Fargo. North Dakota's Internet poker bill has been a frequently cited example of recent state attempts to broaden cyberspace gambling. South Dakota's Legislature has approved allowing telephone and electronic mail wagering on horse or dog races, as long as interstate betting is done using South Dakota bank accounts. Lawmakers in Illinois and Georgia are considering bills to allow Internet lottery ticket sales. In Georgia, the measure is awaiting a Senate vote after winning easy House approval. The Illinois bill is still awaiting its first vote, in the Senate. Nevada and the U.S. Virgin Islands have previously approved measures that would authorize licensing of Internet casinos, but the Justice Department's stance has stalled potential regulation in those jurisdictions. North Dakota state Sen. Bill Bowman, R-Bowman, referred to recent federal felony convictions for Susan Bala, owner of Racing Services Inc., and the company itself for running an illegal Fargo gambling site to take off-track bets on horse races. The company has been ordered to pay $99 million in restitution, with Bala responsible for $19.7 million of that sum. "Gambling seems to lead to corruption. Once you've lost the money that you wagered, if you don't have it to lose, what's the next thing you do? You have to try to get it back some way," Bowman said. "A lot of times, it leads to very bad decisions." Sen. Larry Robinson, D-Valley City, said the Legislature should not spend any more time debating Internet poker. "We have far more pressing priorities that we should be addressing ... whether they be K-12 education, or human services, or corrections, state employee salaries, renewable energy," Robinson said. "Gambling is not one of those issues that's a high priority."

Senate panel puts smile on poker faces

Senate panel puts smile on poker faces Sen. Dave Kleis lost at Texas Hold'em on Monday but won committee passage of his bill to make sure the popular form of poker is legal in Minnesota. The St. Cloud Republican was abetted in both cases by Phil Gordon, a star of the Bravo cable channel's "Celebrity Poker Showdown." Gordon dusted Kleis in a made-for-TV game of Texas Hold'em at a State Capitol news conference, then testified for Kleis' legislation before the Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee. The measure would add Texas Hold'em to a list of "social skill games" for which tournaments are legal in Minnesota if prizes do not exceed $200. Currently covered by the law are bridge, cribbage, euchre, 500, gin, pinochle, sheepshead, skat, smear and whist. Kleis contends that Texas Hold'em, enjoying immense new popularity thanks mainly to TV shows such as Gordon's, already is legal in Minnesota, just like darts, softball or Trivial Pursuit tournaments often promoted by bars. "There's no betting, no money being exchanged," Kleis said. "This bill is not in any way an expansion of gambling." In addition, he said, Texas Hold'em is a game of skill, not of chance, as proven by his loss to Gordon on Monday. That also would differentiate it from games the state regulates or outlaws. But after police raided a Texas Hold'em tournament at a St. Cloud bowling alley last year and the county attorney subsequently declined to bring charges, promoters say the law needs clarifying. Some legislators, however, remain wary of opening the door wider to anything that smacks of gambling. That's why Kleis has vowed to withdraw the bill if amendments were to broaden its scope. "I'm not bluffing," he said. A companion bill has been heard but not voted on by a House panel. As Kleis' bill advanced on a lopsided voice vote to the Senate Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee, it added two new restrictions: Cities or counties could require promoters of Texas Hold'em tournaments to obtain permits costing up to $200, and people under age 18 would be barred from participating.

Online Poker Resolution Sparks Ambivalence in North Dakota Senate

Online Poker Resolution Sparks Ambivalence in North Dakota Senate Although the North Dakota House of Representatives approved the online poker bill currently on the table, the senate is having a harder time making up its mind. After twice reaching a deadlock on Friday, the Senate Judiciary Committee decided to pass the decision on to the entire senate, without offering its recommendation as to the fate of the bill. Judiciary committees reportedly exert considerable influence in how the legislature votes. Thus, by offering its recommendation, the Senate Judiciary Committee could have helped the Senate reach a conclusive decision. Some members of the Judiciary Committee were influenced by a warning that was sent to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem by the Department of Justice, asserting online gambling's illegality. Some fear that if North Dakota legalizes internet poker, then it will open itself up to a firing squad of lawsuits. Others remain unperturbed by the DOJ's warnings, claiming that the illegality of online gambling is limited to sports betting. The Appropriations Committee, which helps compose the state budget, is also considering the bill, under the justification that the online poker bill is likely to affect state spending. It is expected to offer its recommendation to either approve or defeat the bill. In June 2006, the Senate is to consider a second bill necessary to pave way for online poker in South Dakota. The second bill would provide for a referendum among the state's residents to decide whether or not to amend the constitution to allow internet poker.

Poker bill deadlocks in panel

Is your poker game legal?

Is your poker game legal? By Paul Hampel Of the Post-Dispatch About 200 poker players are expected to compete Sunday night in a Texas Hold'em tournament at the Action Cafe and Billiards hall in Hazelwood. If that tournament were across the Mississippi River in Illinois, those 200 players would be subject to arrest. Last weekend, 21 players, 10 of them from Missouri, were arrested at a Hold'em tournament at the Prairies Golf Course in Cahokia. Poker's explosion in popularity has players, and sometimes authorities, confused about its legal implications. A whole new crowd is playing the game, often without realizing they are breaking the law. And the law varies greatly from Missouri to Illinois, where different rules govern games played for charity in church basements and amateur tournaments in taverns. While it's not likely that authorities will barge in on a friendly game at a private residence, the laws apply there, too. Texas Hold'em is a version of poker in which each player is dealt two cards down and five common cards are dealt up between betting rounds. Players can risk all their chips on a single turn of the card. The game is not considered gambling the way it's played at the Action Cafe, on North Lindbergh Boulevard, so it's all perfectly legal. And it has proved to be a boon for business, too. "We used to have karaoke four nights a week here," said Bobby Mauer, a manager at Action Cafe. "About three months ago, we switched to Hold'em tournaments and about doubled our crowds, and our food and beverage sales. "And I don't know how to say this without sounding rude, but the poker players are a better class of people, too. They're smart and they're polite. They're not the old image of the no-good gambler." In Illinois, a game of chance is considered gambling anytime participants pay to play or a prize is involved. The tournament at the Prairies got crosswise with the law on both counts, said Geraldine Conrad, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Revenue. "They had a $100 buy-in for chips. And then they had a cash prize of up to $4,500," Conrad said. "The manager tried to tell us that he was planning to donate some to charity, but that didn't cut it." The manager, Matthew A. Mueller, was charged with keeping a house of gambling, a misdemeanor. He did not return calls for comment. Illinois allows charity poker competitions, so long as a venue gets a license for the event, bets don't exceed $10 a hand and the top prize is limited to $250. In Missouri, and most other states, the laws are a bit looser. Three elements must be present before the state considers an event to be gambling: * Participants must pay to play, which may include buying in for chips, paying a cover charge or being required to purchase a minimum drink order. * A prize must be involved, whether it's cash or something of value. * The event is a game of chance, as opposed to a game of skill, such as a trivia contest. "A simple rule of thumb," says Jack Duepner, chief warrant officer for St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch, "is what's legal in a casino is not legal outside a casino in Missouri." That means that the Friday night poker game at the neighbor's house with a bunch of buddies is, technically, illegal. Only poker games sanctioned by the Missouri Gaming Commission pass muster, Duepner said, adding: "In my entire tenure in the warrant office - more than 2 1/2 years - I have never seen anyone bring such a case." Duepner, however, recalled that federal authorities in the 1980s used a gin rummy game to convict the late mob boss, Matthew Trupiano, of gambling and send him to prison. Jake Corrigan of Webster Groves has no such concerns about betting in Hold'em games at the homes of friends. "I didn't know the games were illegal," said Corrigan, 30, who works as an executive recruiter. "Would I stop playing if I did? Probably not." Corrigan has been playing poker earnestly, including at casinos and online, for the last three years. He said the game's appeal is rooted in "the element of superiority that comes with being able to read the other players." "There's nothing like having the best hand and knowing it. And to have somebody betting into it is even better," Corrigan said. Playing it safe Steve Shimmens, chief of enforcement for the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, said most bars have found a simple way to conform to Missouri's law. "They remove the buy-in," Shimmens said. "Once they do that, the game is legal, and they can award any prize they like, we don't care if it's half a million dollars." Dropping the buy-in has helped poker tournaments flourish around the country, including at dozens of bars and restaurants on the Missouri side of the area, from the 10-Mile House in Affton to Side Pockets in St. Charles. Shawn Riley, president of the Amateur Poker League, runs 200 tournaments in 12 states, including about a dozen bars in St. Louis and St. Louis County. But his business pulled out of Illinois after state Liquor Control agents busted a couple of his events in the Chicago area. "They won't let us offer prizes, even though we drop the buy-in," Riley said. A tournament originally scheduled for Sunday at the Mississippi River Eagles fraternal lodge in Crystal City was scratched at the last minute over concerns that the club would be shut down for violating Missouri gaming regulations. The problem was a $10 buy-in. "It was a charity event, but we got a call from the local liquor commissioner and he told us he'd have to shut it down," said John Fisher, a trustee at the lodge. Jefferson County Prosecutor Robert G. "Bob" Wilkins said he has received dozens of calls since January from churches, fraternal organizations and civic groups asking whether they can legally hold poker tournaments to raise money. Wilkins has not prosecuted anyone for gambling in the 11 years he's held office. Neither has his counterpart, Jack Banas, in St. Charles County. But both say the issue has come up. The problem, they say, is that what might be prosecuted as gambling in one county might be totally ignored in the next. It all depends on the local authorities. The popularity of Hold'em tournaments has raised the issue to a new level, Wilkins said. He held a conference call with the legislative committee of the Missouri Prosecutors Association Friday and says the association likely will push the Missouri Legislature this year to more clearly define what is and is not acceptable in terms of poker tournaments and other gambling activities. "It's certainly something that the Legislature needs to be aware of," Wilkins said. "It needs to be done, as best we can, on a statewide basis to at least have some guidance on how to proceed." For now, the Eagles Club plans to play it safe, trustee Fisher said. "We don't want to take any chances anymore with poker, so from here on out we'll just stick with darts."

Poker a big deal at new club

Poker a big deal at new club World Class Poker is the newest establishment cashing in on the red-hot poker craze. BY BUD NORMAN The Wichita Eagle After years of confinement to Vegas casinos, smoke-filled dives and suburban rec rooms, poker seems to be everywhere. If you somehow still can't a find a game, though, there's one waiting at World Class Poker. Dan Coffman and two partners opened the club at 2954 W. Central a couple of months ago, and already business is brisk. The games that start at 7 and 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays typically have the club packed, Coffman said, and even on a recent workday afternoon the games starting at 1 and 4 p.m. had cards and chips moving across three tables full of players. Although he's been an avid player since he was 18, Coffman was hard-pressed to explain why poker has become so conspicuously popular in the past year or so. His best guess was the exposure it has received on television, where he counts at least eight different programs that feature poker being played by everyone from B-list Hollywood celebrities to the professional card sharks of the World Series of Poker. For the past year and a half, Coffman and his partners also have been providing "poker nights" at other Wichita nightclubs. He noted that the game has a strong commercial appeal to the entertainment business. "The bars pay us to set up and run the games, just like they'd pay for karaoke," said Coffman, whose club makes its money from the drinks and bar food that players buy during games. "With karaoke, people come and sing and then take out, but with this they stay and play for three hours. Also, it brings in customers they normally wouldn't see." The game seems to bring all sorts of customers into World Class Poker, and Coffman boasts that they range in age from "the younger crowd" all the way up to a 78-year-old woman he describes as "a darn good player." The club's version of poker is played for free with the possibility of cash prizes for the game's biggest winner, an accommodation to Kansas' laws against gambling, but the players play mainly because of a love of poker for poker's sake. "They sit around and shoot the bull and have a good time like people used to do playing dominoes," Coffman said. World Class Poker has two pool tables, a "High Roller" pinball game, a video game and two television sets that are tuned to sports. All were being ignored one recent day in favor of poker. The players gathered at one of the tables seemed to be enjoying both the cards and the camaraderie. Johnny Downs said, "I figured that I had a choice of bowling or poker for a sport, and I damn sure wasn't going to go bowling." Kortney Shurley said she started playing with family members at a Thanksgiving gathering and enjoyed it enough to start playing in amateur competitions, with enough success so far that she's qualified for an upcoming tournament at the Big Boys Toy Show.

Celebrity poker player to testify on Minnesota Hold'em proposal

Celebrity poker player to testify on Minnesota Hold'em proposal A bill to legalize Texas Hold'em tournaments in Minnesota will get some help from a top professional poker player. Phil Gordon is co-host of Bravo channel's "Celebrity Poker Showdown,'' one of the TV shows that's helped popularize Texas Hold'em. Gordon will join the bill's sponsor, State Sen. Dave Kleis, at a news conference Monday -- and also is expected to testify before a Senate committee that day. Kleis' bill would allow the poker playing in bars and businesses as long as hosts don't directly profit from the play and players do not gamble with real money. Last month, a Senate committee endorsed the bill putting Texas Hold'em tournaments in the same class as gin, cribbage and bridge.

Chinese licences available “within next two years”

eGaming Review: "Chinese licences available within next two years" China will award online gaming licences within the next two years, according to one of the leading operators in the region. “China is a market that will eventually grant some kind of licences for betting, and it could be as soon as two to three years,” Tim Lambe, chief executive of Easybets, said. "If China is determined to push something through it can happen in months rather than years, but it all depends on how politically sensitive it is as the time." Lambe tipped Citic Pacific, the huge Hong Kong-based construction and financial firm, to obtain the first licence. Citic recently opened a Macau-based betting exchange through a white-label deal with Irish firm Betdaq. And Lambe said the firm would not have taken the surprising move if it was not confident of the potential for a Chinese licence further down the road. “Citic have strong connections in China at the highest levels, and there is speculation they might be able to lobby to get licences in China,” Lambe said. "Initially it may start in the border provinces, but then it will start moving inwards into the big cities." Although the Chinese authorities are currently in the midst of a high-profile crackdown on internet gambling, operators in the region are confident regulation is looking increasingly likely. Several of egaming’s biggest names are currently targeting the Chinese-speaking world, with Ladbrokes one of the highest-profile firms in the region. Alternative payment processing firm NETeller is one firm with big plans for the region, and it announced last week it had bought Macau-based payment firm Quick Access. Quick Access, owned by Macau telecom service provider CTM, operates the leading debit-based payment solution 1Pay.

Man killed as robbers hit pot in poker game

Man killed as robbers hit pot in poker game By Rafael A. Olmeda and Shannon O'Boye Staff Writers www.sun-sentinel.com Pompano Beach · A friendly game of cards turned deadly early Wednesday morning when two robbers tried to steal the money in the pot, the Broward Sheriff's Office said. One man was killed and two were injured in the shootout in the 2700 block of Northwest Fifth Street about 1 a.m. Wednesday. One of the injured men was one of the robbery suspects, a teenager whose last known address was a block away, according to the Sheriff's Office. The office is not releasing the name of the dead man because his family has not yet been notified. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel is not publishing the name of the 17-year-old suspect because he is a juvenile, and although he may face murder charges, officials have not yet decided whether he will be charged as an adult. The other robber was at large Wednesday. Joanne Dixon, who lives in the house where the shooting took place, said she and several friends were wrapping up a small-stakes game of poker. The two robbers came in and tried to join the game, she said. "I told them no, we were in the middle of our last hand, and they should leave," Dixon said. That's when the two men pulled out handguns and tried to rob the card players. One of the players , "Bill," jumped up and wrestled with the 17-year-old for control of the gun, Dixon said. The other robber tried to shoot Bill but missed, striking a 38-year-old man several times, said Dixon. "It left me in a state of shock," she said. Dixon called Bill a hero for protecting the other players and putting his life at risk. The Sun-Sentinel has not been able to verify his last name. Sheriff's Office spokesman Hugh Graf confirmed that one of the card players disarmed the 17-year-old. During the shooting, the 17-year-old also was hit by gunfire. Dixon said it came from his accomplice's gun. Graf would not say which hospital was treating the suspect, who was in critical condition Wednesday evening. When he is released, he will face murder charges. The Sheriff's Office did not know the identity of the second shooter and provided only a vague description. Dixon said she had never seen him before. Another player, Booker Bryant, 47, was treated and released for a minor gunshot wound, Graf said. Dixon said she knows the 17-year- old suspect from the neighborhood and was surprised by his actions. "I don't know what got into [him]," she said. "He used to be a good associate, but somehow he turned against me. He tried to hurt me, but he ended up hurting himself instead." The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the other robber to call Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.

Saitek No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker

Saitek No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker Following the Texas Hold'em craze of the past two years and the subsequent onslaught of electronic Poker games thereafter, Saitek has released its No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker handheld game. Featuring No Limit Texas Hold'em only, Saitek is betting that users will flock to a specialized system focusing only on Texas Hold'em rather than a jack-of-all-spades poker handheld like other companies have released. As the only game on the system is Texas Hold'em, all of the buttons on the game are designed specifically for Hold'em actions, making for a reasonably stream-lined interface and one that's simple to learn. For better or worse, the game also seems to be geared towards new players. The first clue to this is that it defaults to the Easy mode, though the mode actually just means that you know how each player plays ahead of time; more on that in a second though. The second clue that NLTHP is geared towards new players is that there's a Hint button on the game. During any hand of play, pressing this button will highlight the action that the computer thinks you should take, telling you to either fold, check/call or raise. The modes available are Easy, Normal, Custom and Head to Head. Aside from the Head to Head mode, the only difference between the three is which types of AI players you're playing against. The game has three different styles of AI players; conservative, statistical and aggressive. Easy mode means that there will be one of each player, sitting in the listed order. Normal mode means that the seats will be randomized. Custom means that you can choose which type of player is at each seat. The problem here is that there's practically no variation in how any of these types of players play their hands, meaning you can pick up their styles after a few rounds and then go to town, exploiting them again and again. Being that you can only play against three players at a time, it's very easy to keep track of them right from the get-go. Although the oddly named Easy mode would have you believe otherwise, there isn't actually any sort of difficulty or skill adjustments to be made. A conservative player will only play good hands; very good hands. If you so much as limp into the action, it'll fold. Practically the only time it'll play into the flop is if it's either holding two, not one, face cards, has a pair, or if it's on the big blind. A conservative player will fold the small blind so many times it'll make your head spin, even though the blinds are only $10-15 and they never raise. That's right, the blinds never raise. To quote our own Ivan "Surly" Sulic, playing Hold'em without raising blinds is like playing Monopoly without "Go". Oh yeah, and speaking of non-raising blinds, you start with $2k in a regular four-seat game, so after playing for two hours and still only having to fork over a max of $15 a round against a bunch of conservative players, the game starts to seem like it'll take forever, or at least until the batteries wear out. The statistical players are a tad better, but they're strictly numbers guys. As soon as you figure out how they're playing you can wait for a big hand, rope them in and take their cash. Since they won't really bluff, there's never any guessing involved. It's sort of like playing against guys with their cards face-up; it's not fun taking their money unless it's real, and then it's just sad. The aggressive players are probably the best to play against, though they're still entirely unrealistic. Being that they'll play lesser hands and throw tons of money on the table, at least some of the hands get a little exciting. That is, until a guy folds on a late $15 raise with 3, 2, 4, 9, K showing, $430 on the table and all of the pot action was early on. When a player is that committed and folds on a minimal bet, with more than $1,500 in his stash mind you, something's wrong. And remember, that's the aggressive player. Saitek's No Limit Texas Hold'em Poker does no more than any of the generic $10 games you can pick up from grocery stores in the toy section. The game carries an absolutely ludicrous $49.95 MSRP, and though you can find it for about $30 from most places, it's still way, way too expensive. The AI is terrible and able to be spotted easily. And without ever seeing the blinds raise, the game just drags on and on until two players are finally ballsy enough to throw down.

Online Poker Bill Debated in North Dakota Senate

Online Poker Bill Debated in North Dakota Senate by Kevin Smith, RiverCityGroup and iGamingNews.com Seven representative from the I-gaming industry made their voices heard Tuesday in North Dakota, where the state's Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to discuss a bill that would lead to the licensing and regulation of Internet poker sites. The four hours of testimony didn't culminate in a vote, but those who made the trip to Bismarck to lobby for HB 1509 came away feeling like the session went well. The group's efforts had an immediate effect on the House of Representatives, which had already passed HB 1509 by the margin of 49-43. House Concurrent Resolution 3035, which creates a constitutional amendment to allow the citizens to decide whether Internet poker legal should be legal, cleared the House Tuesday by a vote of 50-44. The sponsor of both bills, Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, said the larger margin in the voting for the second bill was a direct result of the industry advocates spending time in Bismarck to support the bill. The Senate Judiciary Committee met again Today to discuss three proposed amendments, which Kasper said should go a long way in garnering more support for the bill. With the advisement of officials from the attorney general's office, the bill was amended to include an operating fund that would be paid by the industry and other 'non government' entities as well as a defense fund that would be used if the Department of Justice decides to challenge the legality of the bill. Additionally, the language of the bill was tightened to ensure that online poker operations have a major business presence in the state. The operation fund would offset initial costs of licensing and regulating the industry, and by requirement, a minimum balance of $1 million would be maintained until June 2007. The defense fund would be set up to address concerns that the federal Department of Justice would challenge the legality of the bill on the basis that it's not in line with the federal Wire Act, a law that makes it illegal to place interstate wagers on sporting events. This was a major concern for Rep. Kari Conrad, D-Minot, who argued during Tuesday's hearing that the state shouldn't be moving forward with a bill that it could later have to defend in the courts. 'This, I think, is too big of a gamble,' Conrad said. Legal experts who testified Tuesday say the Department of Justice wouldn't challenge the statute and that it would have a losing case on its hands if it did. 'This bill (HB 1509) is specific to online poker and nothing else,' Patrick O'Brien, an attorney for Greenberg Traurig, said. 'The Wire Act deals with sports betting, and the courts have proven that fact out.' Rep. Blair Thoreson, R-Fargo, said regulating the industry would reduce problems among those who already play online poker. 'If we don't do something to regulate it,' Thoreson asked, 'who knows what the downside is?' In addition to the DOJ threat, opponents of the bill testified that North Dakota should not be focusing on expanding the availability of gambling in the state. But one of the bill's co-sponsors, Rep. Ron Iverson, R-Fargo, argued that online gambling and poker are already popular in the state. 'This is an industry that is here to stay,' Iverson said, 'and we are losing out on the potential for millions of dollars in tax revenue.' Another argument against the bill is that it wouldn't do anything to minimize the prevalence of unregulated operations targeting bettors in North Dakota, but Sportingbet CEO Nigel Payne said this simply isn't true. 'Customers will flock to a Web site that's regulated,' Payne argued. He also said that Sportingbet alone would generate $10 million a year in tax revenue for the state if the bill was passed. Warren DeKrey, chairman of the North Dakota Council on Gambling, meanwhile, argued that the gambling industry still has connections to criminal elements and that the state could get into 'a lot of trouble that we don't need.' As to be expected, social issues were a point of discussion as well. Robert Lynne, a former western North Dakota bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, opposes the bill because of the 'family problems, broken lives (and) financial crises' caused by gambling. Sen. Tom Trenbeath, R-Cavalier, doesn't dispute the presence of these problems, however, he suggested that they should be addressed in a regulated environment. The problems exist, he said, regardless of whether gambling is legal. 'How is regulating an uncontrolled bad thing a bad thing?' Trenbeath asked. 'We're looking, as we sit here today, at an ongoing industry that is unregulated anywhere in the United States. That can't be a good thing.' Lynn, however, insisted that expanding legalized gambling is not the way to go. 'We've got to start looking more positively at taking care of those around us rather than encouraging them to go on, trying to get something for nothing,' explained. The argument surfaced again following the testimony of Dick Elefson, a Bismarck gambling counselor who used the story of a 19-year-old man he counseled who had lost $60,000 gambling online as an example of why the bill should not be passed. Sen. Connie Triplett, D-Grand Forks, suggested that Elefson might have inadvertently made a case for regulation. 'Maybe we should accept their tax dollars, and then we could use those tax dollars to help people who are trying to solve (gambling) problems for individual people,' Triplett said. Triplett, who hasn't decided how she'll vote on the bill, acknowledged after the hearing that 'the opponents did a better job of pointing out the need for the bill than the proponents.' The Next Step The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on HB 1509 when it meets on March 14, and Bismarck insiders are expecting it to pass. Because the bill has fiscal note, it will go to the Appropriations Committee for a vote if it's passed in the Judiciary Committee. If the bill is shot down in committee, it could still go to the full Senate for a vote (according to the state's legislative procedures). Kasper is hopeful the bill will be placed on the Senate calendar by the end of next week, which would mean a vote on the full bill in the Senate could come before the end of the month. If it's passed in the Senate, the amended bill would be referred back to the full House. With the attorney general's guidance, Kasper is confident that the governor would sign the bill if it makes it to his desk. If signed by the governor, the legislation would become law in August 2005, but regulated online poker would not be permitted until the state constitution is amended. The next statewide election will be the June 2006 primary. The witnesses who testified on Tuesday are as follows: Patrick O'Brien, attorney for Greenberg Traurig Sue Schneider, CEO of River City Group Nigel Payne, CEO of Sportingbet plc. Michael Corfman, CEO of Casino City Inc. Frank Catania former director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement Allyn Jaffrey Shulman, attorney, poker player and co-owner of Card Player Magazine Peter Friedman, CPA Warren DeKrey, chairman of the North Dakota Council on Gambling Art Link, former governor of North Dakota Mike Seminary, citizen of Bismarck Dick Elefson, a Bismarck gambling counselor Lynn Bergman, citizen of Bismarck Robert Lynne, former western North Dakota bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Online poker player wins seat at European championship

CBC News: Online poker player wins seat at European championship A Winnipeg man is on his way to Monte Carlo to play in one of the world's top poker championships. Will Clarke won his way into a paid spot at the table at the European Poker Tour's Grand Final by playing poker online. Normally, the entry fee into the tournament is 10,000 euros – about $17,000 Cdn. "It comes down to intuition ... and it's a big game of mathematics," says Clarke, who plays 1,000 hands a day, up to eight hours online. Clarke will battle with more than 200 of the best players from around the world for the first prize, which is more than $1 million Cdn. He played in the world series of poker last year and says he keeps learning every time. All players start with $10,000 in chips, and every 90 minutes, the ante goes up. However, Clarke will be trying not to think about the money. "Just always see it as chips, even in a live cash game, always see it as chips," he advises. "If you start thinking about the money, that's when things can go bad for you." The local poker star says he won't make the mistake of being cocky: "The thing about poker is that if you think you know it all, you're gonna lose. It's a game you've constantly got to be learning. I mean, a year ago, I thought I was good, but now, today, I look at myself and I'm like, I can't believe I thought I was good a year ago." Clarke says five other Canadians might be playing with him in the European championship; surprisingly, one other player is also from Winnipeg. Clarke will be travelling in style; his trip includes his flight to Nice, France, where a helicopter will give him a seven-minute lift to Monte Carlo. His five-night stay in a five-star hotel – worth about $3,500 – is also included.

Poker Pros Critical of ESPN's Tilt

Poker Pros Critical of ESPN's Tilt ESPN's poker drama, "Tilt," debuted in January amidst much controversy and speculation. The show portrays the world of professional poker as a hard-boiled underworld fraught with crime and conspiracy. Already from the beginning, it was clear that the racy new show would make waves, but just how high those waves would climb remained to be seen. ESPN's track record with original dramas leaves what to be desired. The network's first effort, "Playmakers," did to the world of pro football what it has done to pro poker in "Tilt." After a good deal of griping on the part of NFL players and officials, the show got axed after its first season. The network figured that "Playmakers' " promising ratings weren't reason enough to risk jeopardizing its relationship with the NFL. Although "Tilt" was expected to generate controversy, many believed the chances that it would suffer a fate similar to that of "Playmakers" was unlikely, since the world of poker was assumed to be less organized and united than that of professional football. Well, they may be wrong. Poker Updates, a monthly online streaming television program covering events and issues current to the world of poker, broadcast a segment which showed professional poker players' take on the show as less than favorable. Nine-time champion of the World Series of Poker, Doyle Brunson was quoted as calling the show a "disgrace." Will professional poker players merely suffer in silence, or will they take action against ESPN? Guess we'll just have to stay tuned.

Poker a hot hobby on college campuses

Poker a hot hobby on college campuses Poker, once reserved for middle-aged men, is taking U.S. college campuses by storm, fueled by televised poker championships and online poker games. Michael Sandberg, 22, a political science major at Princeton University, has made an income of $120,000 playing poker on the Internet and in Atlantic City, N.J.,, the New York Times reported Monday.While Sandberg may be at the high end of poker winnings, the card game has become a hot hobby on university campuses with many college organizations sponsoring poker tournaments."Whatever amount you can think of, it's probably been lost or won," said Vik Bellapravalu, a Princeton junior. But Sandberg considers poker a job not a hobby."I'm playing this game, treating it like a job," he said, adding he is no longer considering law school.However, with the glamorization of gambling on television, Keith S.Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, says there is a real danger of gambling addiction on college campuses.

Freerolls.Drawdead.com Expands Poker Freeroll Coverage

Freerolls.Drawdead.com Expands Poker Freeroll Coverage Drawdead.com, The number one source for daily poker freeroll schedules, adds two new poker sites to its tracking database. James Freeman, President of drawdead.com is happy with the new additions to the daily freeroll tracking. “With the addition of these two high-quality sites, we now offer more opportunities for our visitors to play online poker and have the chance to win free money!” Freeman said. The term freeroll is used to describe an online poker tournament where visitors can play for free and have the chance to win real money. Drawdead.com features a daily list, adjustable to any time zone. This list shows the current days freeroll events in 30 minute intervals and allows the visitor to select the freerolls they are interested in playing. The daily freeroll list is located at: http://freerolls.drawdead.com

NASCAR star Kenny Wallace wins $50,000 at poker tournament

NASCAR star Kenny Wallace wins $50,000 at poker tournament The leading NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace seems to be successful both in motor sports and poker. Performing his aggressive style of competition Wallace managed to win the Mobil High-Endurance Poker Challenge at the Golden Nugget casino on Thursday night. Top eight sportsman in list of the best NASCAR Busch Series Drivers grabbed $50,000 and donated the lumpsum to the Autism Society of America. "It's pretty incredible to win $50,000 in Vegas playing poker," Wallace said to Motorsport.com. "Then to turn around and give it to the Autism Society of America just gives me goose bumps." The NASCAR driver had to prove his poker knowledge in the tough competition challenging Shane Wilson, crew chief for Nextel Cup driver Travis Kvapil. After five hours of poker battle Wallace came up with two pairs, twos and sevens, making his way to the victory. Wallace advanced to the championship by defeating the five other motor sports personalities at his table in the first round of the tournament. He was one of six competitors in the championship round.

San Jose poker player wins $1 million pot

S.J. poker player wins $1 million pot By Brandon Bailey Mercury News There were cheers for Danny Nguyen at both of San Jose's card clubs this weekend, after the local poker dealer and hometown hero won the $1 million prize in the World Poker Tour's Shooting Star Tournament at the Bay 101 Casino. ``He's just very well-liked. It's nice to have a local guy win,'' explained Ron Castro, a shift manager at the Garden City Casino, where Nguyen has worked as a card dealer for several years. More than 2,000 players and spectators filled the cavernous Bay 101 club with cheers when Nguyen won the final hand with a pair of threes shortly before 10 p.m. Friday, said Samuel Quinto, Bay 101 tournament director. The hand was good enough to beat Canadian Jay Martens in the final round of the five-day tournament, which drew Hollywood celebrities such as James Woods and Tobey Maguire, as well as poker stars like Greg ``Fossilman'' Raymer and Chris ``Jesus'' Ferguson. Across town, when his victory was announced on the floor at Garden City, players and club employees gave another round of applause for the easygoing Nguyen, Castro said. They did it again when the day shift manager made a similar announcement Saturday. ``It's like hitting the lottery,'' Castro added. ``It opens a lot of doors for him.'' Nguyen was lying low on Saturday, taking calls from friends but begging off from talking with a reporter. His wife, who also works as a chip runner at Garden City, called in sick Saturday. Friends say the couple have four children and have lived in the area for years. Nguyen worked at Bay 101 before he moved to Garden City, Quinto said. ``A lot of us know him on a personal level. We've worked with him and seen him play.'' Castro said Nguyen's victory was in keeping with his character. ``He's a good dealer but he'd rather play than deal. And he's not afraid to play high on a limited bankroll.'' After his victory Friday night, the normally low-key Nguyen was buying drinks for friends at the Bay 101 bar. Quinto said he indicated that he'll probably leave his job, at least temporarily, to play on the tournament circuit. The Shooting Star tournament will be televised in June, and that could bring Nguyen more attention and even some endorsement offers, Quinto added. Having a dealer from the area win was all the sweeter for fans, Castro said. Quinto agreed, before excusing himself to go back to work. Bay 101 was hosting another tournament for professional poker players Saturday. The winner was expected to earn a $225,000 purse.

New Triple-Flop Hold'Em Poker Game Could Supplant the Existing Game, Which Has Been Around For Decades

New Triple-Flop Hold'Em Poker Game Could Supplant the Existing Game, Which Has Been Around For Decades New Triple-Flop "Hold'Em" Poker Game Could Supplant the Existing Game, Which Has Been Around For Decades This New 2005, Patent Pending, Version Of "Hold'Em" Is A More Entertaining And Exciting Version Of The Game Being Played Today; For The Players And Also, More Profitable To The Gaming Establishments (PRWEB) March 10, 2005 -- A New Version Of "Hold'Em" Poker May Supplant The Existing Game That Is Being Played Today. Patent Pending; Number 60/654786 The invention should be of great interest to the public and especially, to the many millions, who are watching on several channels, the "Hold'Em" Poker Tournaments, almost daily, day and night. The interest is so intense that even NBC is coming out with their own Poker Tournament Show. Obviously, the invention has to be of even greater interest to the estimated fifty to sixty million poker players, in the US alone. This version of "Hold'Em" could plausibly, and virtually, "revolutionize" the "Hold'Em World" And could quickly supplant the existing game, as it is very beneficial to the players, and equally, good for the Gaming Establishments. Simply because their total "rake" from each hand played, could double or even surpass it. This is subject to the approval of The Control Commission, of course. The "extra rake" is the result of an Optional element in the game, which makes it possible. Moreover, the pots will be, substantially bigger and thus, permits the house to "rake" the maximum allowed, from nearly every hand, even in the smaller games, such as, in the $2 and $4 game. Here is why the new version is better for the players: In the existing game, the players have only five community cards to select from and, if they don’t make it on the river, (the fifth and final card), that’s the “end of the line”. They are allowed to use one card from the hand, and four cards from the board or even all five community cards and none from the hand. The game is more like a "Mini Lottery" of a sort, rather than a poker game. In the new version, a maximum of only three cards may be used from the board and two cards from the hand, thus making the face-down cards much more valuable. This reduces the pot splits dramatically, which is time consuming, allowing more hands to be dealt. Furthermore, in the new version, the board consists of six cards, dealt in three flops of two cards each. This means the chance of improving the hand, doubles, simply because the board has one more card, compared to the existing game. One more reason for the new game being even better, the players may opt to "Buy-A-Card" and the price of this is determined by the Casino; Giving them one last chance to swiftly turn a losing hand into a winning one. This option is beneficial to the Casino as well, as the inventor suggests an additional "rake" of one, or two dollar (depending on the stakes) from EACH buy. It's important to mention here, that the number of bets in the new game, is the same as in the existing game. Four bets. In the existing game the "drop-outs" are very likely after the flop, making the pots smaller, in many hands. Not so, in the new game, because the players tend to stay in the hand to the end, assuming the first or the second flop or both, are favorable, as the last exposure in the board, consists of two cards, instead of one, in the existing game. It is conceivable and logical that four of a kind hand may be made on the third flop. Delineated below, are some dramatized examples as to why the "Triple-Flop Hold'Em" is far better for the players. A player has pocket aces or, kings and the first flop gives him or her, three of a kind, but that player can’t make a full house. Another player is holding a "3" and, the board is "ace, king, 2, 4, 5". He or she, loses to a five-high straight, or possibly to a flush, with 4 cards of the same suit in the “common cards” (or widow, as it's called sometimes) and a flush is made by someone holding the 5th card of the same suit. Here is another example, which is just as bad. A player has a king and queen of spades and they open three spades on the flop. One more spades card opens up on the turn or the river. Another player is holding the ace of spades to make an ace-high flush. The player who made a king-high flush, on the flop, is flushed “down the drain”. How would you like to be in this position ? Lose with a king-high flush. This, naturally, could not happen in the new game. One last example. A player is dealt an ace and a king. The flop makes him or her, aces and deuces, as the flop is, an ace and two deuces. The turn is a "3" and the river is also a "3". The aces up hand “goes up in smoke”, because someone having one lousy deuce or a lousy "3", again, “steals” the pot, with a full house, because he or she is allowed to use both deuces and both "3’s", to make a full house. How does it feel, if you had "aces up" on the flop, and wind up losing a big pot ? Because four cards may be used from the board or, even none, of course.

Daniel Negreanu Leads the World Poker Tour Season III WPT Insider Leaderboards

Daniel Negreanu Leads the World Poker Tour Season III WPT Insider Leaderboards With four money finishes, two wins and more than 3 million in prizes, Daniel Negreanu leads the WPT Insider leaderboards. Daniel Negreanu, a well-respected poker pro, and a fixture on both the tournament circuit and in the biggest high-stakes cash games in Las Vegas, leads the Season III WPT Insider leaderboards with 2600 WPT Points. Born in Toronto, Canada, Negreanu won the U.S. Poker title in ’99, and a list of other titles since he turned pro in ’97. Player on the year in 2004, he has had a terrific third World Poker Tour season so far with two wins, four money finishes and more than 3 million in cash prizes. Negreanu is followed by new poker superstar Michael Mizrachi and poker veteran Lee Watkinson, with 1400 points each. Anyone can enter a WPT event. Part of the appeal of poker is that as long as you ante up the tournament entry fee, you can compete against the best. You don't have to be a pro, unlike other professional sports. Players can enter WPT online satellites for the Party Poker Million, Bay 101 Shooting Stars, the L.A. Poker Classic and the WPT Championship. The Party Poker Million is a tournament held on a magnificent cruise ship and the Shooting Stars is a unique poker tournament in which poker fans can play against a poker superstar. The WPT Championship is the biggest poker tournament of the year, with a buy-in of $25,000. A complete list of these online satellites can be found at http://www.wptinsider.com. Launched in 2004, the WPT Insider, at http://www.wptinsider.com, is the number one source for WPT results, news, event coverage, trip reports, and articles on the World Poker Tour. It’s a place any poker player should visit to get more information about the World Poker Tour.

Now isn't the time for poker

Now isn't the time for poker Should North Dakota become the first state to regulate Internet poker sites? That's the debate raging this week in the Legislature. The House voted 50-44 on Tuesday to approve putting a state constitutional amendment on the ballot. Voters would make the final decision. Supporters of the idea say it's better for state government to regulate Internet poker than to leave the players unprotected. They say the Wire Act, a federal anti-gambling law, does not ban Internet poker. Live Internet poker is already in the state, they say, and it would be better regulated if it were under state control. The amendment would add one sentence to Article 11, Section 25 of the constitution: "The legislative assembly shall authorize Internet live poker, located in the state and licensed and regulated by the state." Opponents say allowing live Internet poker to be state-regulated would amount to the state endorsing that form of gambling. They also argue that North Dakota doesn't need another form of gambling, with lottery games, bingo halls, casinos on American Indian reservations and gambling operations run by North Dakota charities already available. We tend to agree. We don't need another avenue for gambling in our state right now, especially one that's just becoming popular and is surrounded by questions. There's no need for lawmakers to rush into anything and make a hasty decision. Bring the idea back in two years at the next session, and let's see where the live Internet poker industry is then.

Europe to the fore in Online Poker expansion plans.

Europe to the fore in Online Poker expansion plans. Europe is the region rated as having the highest growth potential, according to online poker portal Pure-Poker.com The survey, of internet gambling industry members, carried out on the MECN website, revealed that 51.1% rated Europe (UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Scandinavia) ahead of North America (41.8%) and other worldwide regions. The results suggest that the poker industry is expanding eastward away from the traditional US markets, looking to Europe for faster rates of growth in relatively untouched and wealthy markets. Other factors that make Europe an attractive growth prospect could include the high penetration of broadband, good levels of disposable income and the favourable legal status of online poker. Europe is attractive from a cultural perspective too: Europeans are card-game savvy – many of the traditional card games originated in Europe – and a large majority are comfortable with English language websites. It can’t be long before we see UK companies such as LadbrokesPoker or BefairPoker making the most of these opportunities and taking the European gambling-friendly market by storm. The survey was carried out on MECN’s site and asked members of the internet gambling industry and other interested parties a series of questions about Online Poker. Pure-Poker.com is a portal website for Online Poker.

IndyCar Series Stars Play Poker :: PaddockTalk :: Two drivers, Two cars... Drop the flag...It's all good!

IndyCar Series Stars Play Poker :: PaddockTalk :: Two drivers, Two cars... Drop the flag...It's all good! "Marlboro Team Penske drivers Sam Hornish Jr. and Helio Castroneves and 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice are among the racing stars who will participate in the Mobil High Endurance Charity Poker Challenge March 10 in Las Vegas. Racing stars from NASCAR and the IRL will compete in a high-stakes poker tournament with $50,000 going to the winner's charity of choice. The runner-up will receive $10,000 for his favorite charity, and every participant will earn $4,000 for the charity of his choice. The tournament will be held at the Golden Nugget."

Internet poker arguments heat up Capitol

Internet poker arguments heat up Capitol DALE WETZEL Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota should license Internet poker sites instead of turning a blind eye to the business, and both the state's treasury and the Bank of North Dakota would benefit, industry officials contend. Opponents say the proposal would encourage gambling instead of work. "Once we condone (Internet poker) as a state, it will get worse, and the passage of this bill is, in fact, condoning it," said Mike Seminary of Bismarck. "I don't know that that's a door that we want to open." Dick Elefson, a Bismarck gambling counselor, called the legislation "the most egregious, asinine bill I have ever seen presented to the North Dakota Legislature." Said Lynn Bergman of Bismarck: "I don't want North Dakota to be the next Las Vegas." They spoke Tuesday during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on legislation that would authorize North Dakota to license, regulate and tax Internet poker sites. It would become the first U.S. state to do so. The panel's chairman, Sen. Jack Traynor, R-Devils Lake, said the committee may make a recommendation on the legislation this week. Its primary sponsor, Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem have requested amendments, Traynor said. Under the legislation, the attorney general would have the responsibility of regulating Internet poker sites. North Dakota voters would also have to approve a state constitutional amendment for the bill to take effect. The House voted Tuesday to put the amendment on the ballot, but a Senate hearing and vote is still pending. Michael Corfman, president of Casino City Press of Newton, Mass., a company that tracks the Internet gambling industry, said the number of poker sites has risen from 43 in June 2003 to 266 at the end of last month. If a state agrees to license Internet poker sites, American players, who make up a majority of the market, will naturally gravitate to sites regulated in the United States, Corfman said. "That's just common sense. If you were gaming, or going to play poker, where would you rather play?" Corfman said. "I think you'd all rather play in a regulated environment, and you'd rather play in the United States than some overseas jurisdiction." Nigel Payne, chief executive officer of Sportingbet PLC, an Internet gambling company, said his company's poker operations would relocate to North Dakota if the state agreed to license Internet poker sites. At current business levels, the tax rates included in the licensing bill would raise more than $10 million annually from Sportingbet alone, Payne said. If the Bank of North Dakota handled bettors' transactions, its income from transaction fees would increase the state's earnings even more, he said. Sportingbet recently acquired Paradise Poker, a leading Web site that has more than 700,000 registered customers. The site is now hosted in Costa Rica, with its gaming servers located on the Mohawk Kahnawake reservation near Montreal. "This is a very, very substantial industry indeed, that frankly deserves, and needs, and is crying out to be regulated," Payne said. Regulation would protect players and help drive out unscrupulous operators, Payne and other poker industry representatives argued Tuesday, and some Judiciary Committee members took up those points with the bill's opponents. After Elefson spoke of a 19-year-old man who had lost $60,000 gambling on the Internet, Sen. Connie Triplett, D-Grand Forks, asked him if he was "actually making the case for the proponents of the bill, when you talk about the gambling that is already going on, that is unregulated." "Maybe we should regulate it. Maybe we should accept their tax dollars, and then we could use those tax dollars to help people who are trying to solve (gambling) problems for individual people," Triplett continued. Elefson replied that he believed the measure would make it easier for young people to gamble. "To assume that we can regulate it to the point to eliminate illicit gambling by underage kids is pie in the sky," he said. After Robert Lynne of Bismarck, a former western North Dakota bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, described the "family problems, broken lives (and) financial crises" caused by gambling, Sen. Tom Trenbeath, R-Cavalier, quizzed him. He believed as Lynne did, Trenbeath said. "But how is regulating an uncontrolled, bad thing, a bad thing?" he asked. "It's not to have an uncontrolled thing to begin with," Lynne replied. "I couldn't agree with you more. That just begs the question," Trenbeath said. Lynne continued: "We've got to start looking more positively at taking care of those around us, rather than encouraging them to go on, trying to get something for nothing." "We're looking ... as we sit here today, at an ongoing industry that is unregulated anywhere in the United States. That can't be a good thing," Trenbeath said. Replied Lynne: "No, and I wouldn't be a part of it. So don't do it." The U.S. Justice Department believes Internet gambling is illegal, but three attorneys who testified at Tuesday's hearing said federal courts have refused to apply the Wire Act, a federal anti-gambling law, to Internet gambling that did not involve sports betting. Former Gov. Arthur Link, a longtime gambling opponent, said he did not want the Bank of North Dakota's reputation sullied by acting as a clearinghouse for gambling money. The governor, as a member of the state Industrial Commission, is one of the bank's three directors. "I think this is one of the most important recognitions that I can remember, when these fine people have come and said, 'You have something that nobody else has,'" Link said, turning toward the poker industry officials. "We accept the compliment, but in addition to that, it increases my resolve to keep it as pure and as good as it is."

Poker champ Hellmuth wins Vegas tourney

Poker champ Hellmuth wins Vegas tourney Associated Press LAS VEGAS - A weekend poker tournament stretched into early Monday before poker champion Phil Hellmuth defeated rival Chris Ferguson to win the inaugural National Heads-Up Poker Championship, tournament officials said. It was 3:23 a.m. when Hellmuth won the $500,000 first prize in the $1.5 million event at the Golden Nugget hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas. The made-for-TV tournament was taped for telecast by NBC in May. Hellmuth, from San Francisco, has been one of the most recognizable faces in poker since becoming the youngest winner of the World Series of Poker in 1989, at age 24. He got to the final table in the head-to-head Texas Hold'Em tournament by defeating Antonio Esfandiari, also of San Francisco, officials said. Ferguson topped T.J. Cloutier to advance to the final.

NJ lawmaker wants poker networks to chip in for gambling addicts

NJ lawmaker wants poker networks to chip in for gambling addicts By JOHN CURRAN Associated Press Writer ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- On Bravo, it's "Celebrity Poker Showdown." On ESPN, it's "The World Series of Poker." On compulsive gambling help lines, the real stakes emerge. Problem gamblers, enchanted by the Texas Hold 'Em games they see on TV and eager to get in on the action, are reaching out for treatment after they get in too deep, according to experts. Now, a New Jersey lawmaker is calling on cable networks that air card games to start giving money to problem-gambling treatment agencies. Ante up, or else, said Assemblywoman Joan Voss, who called Tuesday for a surcharge on New Jersey cable providers if the cable networks don't cooperate. "Cable television channels that are heavily promoting the Texas Hold 'Em rage should be held responsible for some of the unglamorous side effects, like juvenile gambling addictions," said Voss, D-Bergen. New Jersey casinos kick in $600,000 annually for anti-compulsive gambling programs; it's only fair that poker networks contribute, according to Voss, who said televised poker has bred a popular explosion of card games in suburban basements and increased participation on Internet gambling sites. It has also led to problem gambling, according to Voss and compulsive gambling advocacy groups. "The broadcast media has been very irresponsible in the way they've broadcast gambling-related shows," said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, in Washington, D.C. "They have almost completely failed to provide any sort of health warnings, public service announcements or responsible gambling tips," said Whyte, who said poker-playing minors are increasingly calling the National Council's help line. For two years, Whyte has lobbied cable networks in hopes they would air information about the help line. The pleas have been ignored, he said. In New Jersey, 28 percent of the nearly 20,000 calls made to the state help-line last year came from gamblers who cited cards or dice as their gambling vices, up from 4 percent in 2003, according to figures released Tuesday. Many are high school- and college-age youths who idolize poker stars such as Chris Moneymaker and Phil Ivey. "When they play Texas Hold 'Em in somebody's house, the parent is thinking, 'Wow, this is great, my teenager is in my house, in my basement. They must be safe,"' said Terry Elman, education coordinator for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, which is pushing to get problem-gambling awareness education into public schools. Some youths fall victim to compulsive gambling. A 16-year-old Mercer County boy, who began playing poker after a friend who'd watched it on cable TV got him involved, lost $10,000 in a two-year period before seeking help from the New Jersey council. "That was the jumping-off point," said the boy, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "We played at school and at home and then I started playing (poker) on the Internet." Voss said easy access to the television coverage by young viewers is dangerous. "Today's latchkey child is in danger of acquiring a gambling addiction due to the Texas Hold 'Em fad," she said. The surcharge, she said, would be imposed on cable providers who air poker tournaments, requiring them to collect the money from cable networks without passing on the charge to customers. "We just heard about it. We need to review it before we can respond," said ESPN spokeswoman Keri Potts. "Obviously, there's a lot we want to look through." Dan Silberman, a spokesman for Bravo, said "Celebrity Poker Showdown" isn't really gambling, since the proceeds go to charity. "`Celebrity Poker Showdown' is purely an entertainment show, with the purpose of donating money to charity. The celebrities who participate on our program are there to have fun while donating money for the charitable organization of their choice," he said.

Hellmuth wins made-for-TV poker tournament in Las Vegas

Hellmuth wins made-for-TV poker tournament in Las Vegas weekend poker tournament stretched into the wee hours this morning (Monday) before poker champion Phil Hellmuth defeated rival Chris Ferguson to win the inaugural National Heads-Up Poker Championship in Las Vegas. It was three-23 A-M when Hellmuth won the half (M) Million dollar first prize in the event at the downtown Golden Nugget hotel-casino. The made-for T-V tournament was taped for telecast by N-B-C over four Sundays in May. Hellmuth's from San Francisco. He's been one of poker's most recognizable faces since becoming the youngest winner of the World Series of Poker in 1989 -- at age 24. Hellmuth got to the final table in the weekend's head-to-head Texas Hold-'Em tournament by defeating fellow San Franciscan Antonio Esfandiari. Ferguson topped T-J Cloutier.

CELEBS, TOP PROS IN SAN JOSE FOR POKER TOURNAMENT

CELEBS, TOP PROS IN SAN JOSE FOR POKER TOURNAMENT More than 400 people, including actors Tobey Maguire and James Woods, are at a San Jose card club today playing poker for a $1 million first prize and a seat at the World Poker Tour championship game. The Shooting Star tournament is in San Jose for the second year in a row and has attracted 440 entrants including celebrity poker players Maguire, Woods, Mimi Rogers and Jennifer Tilly in addition to most of the world's top professional poker players such as Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan and Phil Gordon, co-host of Bravo's Celebrity Poker Showdown, according to tournament director Matt Savage. "We're excited to bring big-time poker here to San Jose,'' Savage said. The Texas Hold 'Em tournament will be played all week with the final table being filmed on Friday for broadcast in June on the Travel Channel's "World Poker Tour'' series. "The exciting rounds are definitely on Thursday and Friday,'' Savage said. Members of the public will be able to watch the final table live but seating is limited. There will also be a live simulcast of the final table at Bay 101 on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. In Texas Hold 'Em, players are each dealt two cards face-down and all players share five face-up cards with which they must make the best poker hand. The tournament field is wide open and one or more of the celebrity players could easily make the final table, Savage said. "Tobey Maguire's been playing great. James Woods thinks he's the best player in the world and Mimi Rogers finished in the money here last year,'' Savage said. Bay 101 is located at 1001 Bering Drive in San Jose. More information about the tournament can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.bay101.com.

ESPN launches 'free' online poker room

ESPN launches 'free' online poker room By Alex Tanner For www.netimperative.com US sports TV channel ESPN has launched its own poker website, signing up more than 30,000 users in its first week. The company is the latest to launch into the burgeoning online poker sector, and is a natural brand extension for the channel which already screens TV programmes such as the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker. However, ESPN's poker room differs from its competitors in the market - such as Party Poker and Paradise Poker - as users do not gamble with real money. Subsequently the business model differs from the more normal online poker offering, where operators charge either a 'rake' (a fee to play at a table) or a percentage of winnings. Instead ESPN says the site will broaden the scope for licensing fees associated with the brand, intimating that it will generate revenues from sponsorship and advertising opportunities. The channel also intends to launch a wireless poker game, a book, DVDs of the 2004 World Series and other products such as branded chips and tables. The reason behind the decision to keep the site 'free' highlights a problem for US companies wanting to get involved in the online poker boom. Online gambling is considered illegal by the US Justice Department, and although the federal authorities have to date turned a blind eye to those US citizens playing poker online it is likely they would take action against companies based in the US offering gambling over the internet. The result is that US companies are, ironically, missing out on a market dominated by their own consumers. Gamblers lost $237bn online last year, with the US representing the lion's share of the market, American citizens being responsible for $73bn of that figure. The market is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 22 per cent each year to 2008.

Lobbying blitz beginning on Internet poker measure

Lobbying blitz beginning on Internet poker measure DALE WETZEL Associated Press BISMARCK, N.D. - Licensing Internet poker sites can help prevent gambling by youngsters, compulsive gambling and other consequences that concern state policy-makers, an Internet gambling company executive believes. Regulators in other countries demand safeguards to prevent underage gambling, overspending by players and collusion during poker games, said Nigel Payne, chief executive of Sportingbet PLC of London. "This is a huge industry that exists, and it's here to stay. You've got two simple choices, regulate it or don't regulate it," Payne said in a telephone interview. "If you don't regulate it, the probability of (gambling problems) actually happening has got to be materially higher than if you regulated it." Payne is one of a group of gaming industry officials who are visiting the Capitol this week to lobby for legislation that would license and regulate Internet poker sites in North Dakota. No other state does so. Others include Frank Catania, a former New Jersey gambling enforcement director and Republican state legislator, and Allyn Jaffrey Shulman, an attorney who is chief executive officer of CardPlayer.com, a poker Web site. The North Dakota House has already approved the licensing bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo. It gets its first Senate hearing in the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Gambling opponents intend to make their case at Tuesday's hearing, said Warren DeKrey, a spokesman for the North Dakota Council on Gambling Problems. "It's going to move gambling right into people's homes. Anybody and everybody will be able to do it," DeKrey said. "If it becomes legal, there will be no reason why people can't do it." He regards Internet poker licensing as "very far-fetched," DeKrey said. "But Jim Kasper is a tremendous sales person, and he's going at this no holds barred. I think it's going to be a tough battle." The legislation includes taxes on poker revenues, and an annual $10 licensing fee for each player. For the bill to take effect, voters must approve an amendment to the North Dakota Constitution. The proposed amendment is awaiting a House vote Tuesday. Should it also win Senate approval, it would go on the June 2006 primary election ballot for voters to render their verdict. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is meeting with lobbyists for the measure this week. He said he wants industry representatives to address the U.S. Justice Department's belief that Internet gambling is illegal in the United States. Stenehjem said Sunday he also has questions about the logistics of regulating Internet poker, including how to keep out computer hackers and prevent gambling by underage players. Shulman disputes the Justice Department's contention that Internet gambling is illegal in this country. In any case, Shulman does not believe poker playing is gambling at all; it is a game of skill, she says. "No one makes a living playing the lottery, bingo, slot machines, craps, baccarat, roulette or keno. The reason is that they all constitute games of chance," Shulman said. "In a poker game, a player has control of the outcome of the game in the long run, by making statistically correct decisions." Senate Judiciary Committee members said last week they have had only a few messages about the poker measure. "My dad taught me how to play poker, and we played it around the kitchen table, and that's the extent of my knowledge of the game," said Sen. Jack Traynor, R-Devils Lake, the committee's chairman. A Judiciary member, Sen. Nick Hacker, R-Grand Forks, said he had reservations about the legislation. "This industry is already competitive, and we're going to charge people more to locate here," Hacker said. "There is a security factor of saying, yeah, well, it's licensed, Well, who's liable (for problems) now? Because we licensed them." Hacker said he has played poker and blackjack on a Web site called Sportsbook.com, and he has a number of friends who play poker on Web sites. Many of them offer discounts to players, and Hacker wonders whether North Dakota's proposed $10 annual licensing fee for players will be a turnoff. "If you looked at it ... from a financial standpoint, why would I put in $100 and only get to play with $90, when I can go to this other site and put in $100 and get to play with $110?" Hacker asked. Stenehjem said he is neutral on the licensing bill. Gov. John Hoeven is also reserving judgment on it, said his spokesman, Don Canton. "I told (Kasper), I didn't sign up for this when I ran for the office," Stenehjem said. "This is a new thing for me, and I certainly want to make sure that if the Legislature decides they want to pass it, and the governor signs it, and the constitutional amendment is approved, that it's done right."

Summary of North Dakota Internet poker proposals

Summary of North Dakota Internet poker proposals Associated Press A constitutional amendment that requires the Legislature to "authorize Internet live poker located in the state, and licensed and regulated by the state." The North Dakota House will vote on the measure Tuesday. If the proposed amendment is endorsed by the House and Senate, the amendment will appear on the June 2006 primary ballot. Voter approval is needed for the change to become part of the North Dakota Constitution. HB1509: An Internet poker regulation bill, which would not take effect unless the constitutional amendment is approved. It authorizes state regulation and licensing of Internet poker sites, and the card players who patronize them. It includes a $10 annual licensing fee for each player, and taxes on each site's share of poker pots. Internet poker taxes would be allocated to property tax relief, education and the state's general treasury. The bill also establishes a five-member Internet poker advisory board.

Poker Tournaments, Professional Events and Poker Results from CardPlayer.com � The Poker Authority

Poker Tournaments, Professional Events and Poker Results from CardPlayer.com � The Poker Authority 2005 SHOOTING STAR BAY 101 SAN JOSE, CA Event: No-Limit Hold'em Professional Poker Tour Day 2 Chip Count Buy-in: $0 Number of Entries: 169 Total Prize Pool: $485,000 PPT Day 2 Ends with Toto Leonidis in the Lead On the second day of the Bay 101 Professional Poker Tour the field of players was whittled down from 45 to the six. The final table will play out for the top prize of $225,000 on March 12th. After almost 12 hours of action, here are the chip counts for the final six: 1. Toto Leonidis ($486,000) 2. Paul "X-22" Magriel ($360,000) 3. Hoyt Corkins ($262,000) 4. Tom McEvoy ($207,000) 5. Casey Kastle ($158,000) 6. Marsha Wagoneer ($158,000) The man who made the biggest move in today’s action was Toto Leonidis. Toto picked up over $240,000 in chips during a run of successful all-ins. Toto, with 4-6, knocked out Thor Hansen with his K-7. The players saw the cards all the way down to the river, 3-6-5-3-7, and Thor made a move with his pair of 7s. Toto, who made the 7 high straight on the river called and took a stack of about $60,000. Toto had another gift handed to him when the chip leader for the majority of the day, Don Barton, made an unsuccessful all-in move while holding a Q-7 after a A-8-7 flop. Toto called the all-in bet with his A-2 and pulled another $100,000 into his stack. Don was sent home in 15th place. On the final table Toto continued his strong play, knocking out Mickey Appleman after Mickey moved all in with A-Kh after a flop of 7h-6h-5. Toto called with pocket 7s and Mickey’s hopes for a bit win quickly dwindled. The turn and river showed no hearts Appleman was sent home in 8th place. The win put Toto out in front with $503,000, a lead that would hold up for the rest of the day. Paul "X-22" Magriel had a roller coaster type day ending up second only to Toto’s monster stack. He moved up from the middle of the pack after a big win against Paul Wolfe. Magriel moved in pre-flop with A-A and was called by Paul Wolfe's A-K. The final board read 9-Q-3-K-6. Interestingly, Tom McEvoy dropped a pair of queens, and a winning hand, due to the heavy pre-flop action. Later, after the final table stalled with an hour of extremely tight play, Magriel beat up on Leonidis, taking down a $400,000 pot. With a board of Q-6-2-8-K, Toto put down a $115,000 raise on the river that was called by Paul. When Paul showed his K-Q for top two pair, winning the hand and taking the overall chip lead. Toto was left with a short stack, which he quickly rebuilt over the next few hours. It seemed as though Marsha Wagoneer was getting involved in all the right hands today. She knocked out Chris Bigler, who started the day with $108,050. Chris held 9-9 and against Marsha's A-J. The board came A-K-J-2-6, giving Marsha the win and a huge stack. Bigler told Card Player that Marsha experienced a bit of divine intervention during the Day 2 action. "She is walking on water today,” he said “She needed a set to win twice and got it… and just keeps getting the cards.” Having the right cards at the right time paid off big for Marsha later in the day when she and Don Barton went at it in one of the most exciting hands of the afternoon. With a board of Kd-9c-7d-4d, Don, the chip leader at the time, threw out a $15,000 bet on the turn. Marsha re-raised it up to $20,000 more and Don re-raised all in. Marsha happily called, turning over the A-Jd nuts. Don showed the second nut flush, Q-10d. This win moved Marsha up to $194,000 in chips, knocking out Don and giving her the temporary chip lead. Marsha will be playing on the final table March 12th. Scott Fischman made a strong push forward in the chip leader standings early in the day. Scott took down the largest pot of the day’s early action. John Myung went all in with 3-3, Andy Bloch called with A-K and Scott Fischman, getting three to one odds from the short stackers, calls with his K-Q. The board of 10-9-4-J-9 gave Scott a straight and about $50,000 for his stack. Fischman’s momentum ended when he and Casey Kastle tangled during a series of head up contests. Kastle, who began the day with $43,000, made a pile of chips off Fischman and eventually knocked him out. The clincher came after a flop that dropped Q-10-5. Scott bet and was re-raised all in by Casey. Scott, after long deliberation and commenting that if he called, it would be an incorrect decision, called Casey’s all in bet and turned over Q-3. Casey showed Q-J and the J kicker held up. Casey’s continued his solid play all evening, winning himself a seat at the final table March 12th. Despite his questionable move against Toto in the late action, Don Barton was on a tear today, busting out more players than anyone else on the floor. It was overheard that he was moving all in very loosely in the early afternoon in order to catch a flight out of San Jose. After he doubled up on all of those occasions, he decided to tighten up and make a run at the money. Most notably was the beat he put on Padraig Parkinson’s pocket aces. Barton’s K-J made it to a straight with a flop and turn of J-10-9-Q. Padraig, who was running at the top of the pack all day, helped Don climb to the top of the field. Don continued to hold a commanding chip lead until he busted out during his exciting wrangle with Marsha Wagoneer.

Robert Duvall tries his poker hand against Eric Bana

Robert Duvall tries his poker hand against Eric Bana Oscar-winning Robert Duvall will use his poker knowledge in a new Warner Brothers’ movie Lucky You. The Godfather actor will star as father of a professional poker gambler, played by Eric Bana. He is to play against his son in a drama co-written and directed by Curtis Hanson. The plot is focused on a conflict between Bana who gets a lesson in life from a struggling singer (Drew Barrymore), and his estranged father (Duvall) at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. The movie-makers are to start shooting the on location in Las Vegas on March 23 and prepare the poker drama for a December release. Duvall made his motion picture debut as Boo Radley in 1962's "To Kill a Mockingbird," and his vast credits include "The Godfather," "Apocalypse Now," "The Natural" and "Open Range." He has received six Academy Award nominations, winning a best actor Oscar for his role in 1983's "Tender Mercies." Duvall plays Will Ferrell's father in "Kicking & Screaming," which opens in May via Universal.

PluggedIn: Online poker a booming global enterprise

PluggedIn: Online poker a booming global enterprise By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It's noon on a snowy Monday, and Joe Fox is looking for action. The pool tournament at a local bar doesn't start for another seven hours and the casinos of Atlantic City are a three-hour drive away, but on his computer screen the world's largest poker party has drawn 35,000 players from around the globe. The poker craze has moved from the basement card table to the home computer, as millions of players take part in low-stakes games or $10,000 tournaments that stretch for hours. It's becoming a huge business that exists in a legal limbo in the United States. It operates from offshore but is played just about everywhere. Poker player Fox sits comfortably at home as he zaps his money around the globe. On this day, he has transferred $75 out of his checking account to Gibraltar-based PartyPoker.com and joined nine others in Texas Hold 'Em, the staple game of tournaments and TV specials. With a click of his mouse, he raises the bet or folds his cards, ignoring other players' banter about the weather and their cards. He wins several hands, but within half an hour his $20 worth of chips are gone. It's time to join the 18,000 players at PokerStars, another online poker room. "It's a way to be competitive without having to get sweaty, which is ideal for schlubby, non-exercising people like me," says Fox, a 34-year-old political strategist. Inspired by players like Chris Moneymaker, who won the World Series of Poker in 2003 after qualifying through PokerStars, more than 1.78 million players bet money in online poker rooms during the month of January, according to the research service PokerPulse. During the 24-hour period when Fox logged on from home, players wagered a total of $186 million. INVESTORS BET TOO The rapid growth of the industry has drawn the interest of another form of gambler on the London Stock Exchange. PartyGaming, which owns PartyPoker.com, is considering a public offering expected to value the company at 3 billion to 5 billion pounds ($5.7 billion to $9.6 billion) in what would be London's largest listing since 2001. NETeller Plc , which handles money transfers for the industry, has seen its stock price more than triple to 622 pence ($11.87) since it went public last April, while Sportingbet.com Plc saw its stock price shoot up more than 50 percent last October when it announced plans to buy No. 3 poker site Paradise Poker for $300 million. But while England and other countries increasingly welcome online gambling, the U.S. Justice Department says a 1961 law that forbids interstate telephone betting also applies to the Internet. Congress has since 1997 failed to specifically outlaw online gambling amid a thicket of competing interests. Under pressure from the Justice Department, services like Visa and PayPal have blocked payments to gambling sites, while media outlets and search engines like Yahoo Inc. have refused to run their ads. But the U.S. residents who account for more than half of all online poker players face no penalties if they gamble online. So when Joe Fox wants to bet U.S. dollars against other Americans, he logs on to a service registered in Gibraltar with operations in India that may be soon publicly traded in London. His money transfers are handled by a Quebec payment processor at $3.99 a pop. Online poker rooms took in $1.3 billion in revenues last year, a figure that Christiansen Capital Advisors expects to grow to $5.8 billion by 2008, or 28 percent of all Internet gambling revenues. Analysts say the United States will eventually accept the industry. "Somebody in Washington is going to say, 'Hey guys, we're losing a fortune by not taxing this,'" said Joseph Kelly, a professor of business law at Buffalo State University who has helped other countries draft online gambling rules. Sebastian Sinclair of Christiansen Capital Advisors said the United States will gradually legalize the industry after realizing that attempts to stop it are fruitless. Nevada and the U.S. Virgin Islands have already legalized online gambling for casinos and residents within their borders, and a similar bill is advancing rapidly through the North Dakota legislature. Several U.S. courts have ruled that the 1961 Wire Act only applies to sports betting and not other forms of Internet gambling, while the World Trade Organization ruled last year that the ban on Internet gambling violates international trade agreements, a decision the United States has appealed. Joe Fox says legal concerns don't affect his 15-hour-per-week hobby, which has set him back roughly $500 over the past year out of a total investment of $1,400. "I like testing myself against other people, and I like beating other people," he said. "It's a lot more fun to take money from people you don't know than from your friends."