Not too long PLB wrote about how the District of Columbia was set to become the first U.S. jurisdiction to have legal online poker.  Well, don’t bet on it.  The launch of the DC site has been delayed.  The alleged reason is to give D.C residents sufficient time to weigh in on where the “gambling hot spots” (it’s not like they are opium dens) can be located.  Please.  Let’s call a spade a spade.  This is a con to delay the launch because it would look bad to the federal government for the FEDERAL District of Columbia to make legal exactly what the feds recently took down, and are in the process of prosecuting.  We can do without the subterfuge.  Let’s cut out the BS and have an honest conversation.  We’re all adults.  Even if the government does not treat pokers players as them.

Seems like there are a lot of great articles being written these days.  Check out this one from the LA Times about confusion in poker law generally and the hypocrisy of the federal government in its action.  (The author slips in a discussion of how the federal quagmire may be an opening for California to start an intrastate system.)  Hopefully, you enjoy this article too.

Owners of three of the largest online poker sites — Full Tilt Poker, Pokerstars, and Absolute Poker — were charged with violating the UIGEA by defrauding banks into believing that the shell companies to which online poker money was funneled were legitimate entities.  This obviously is a massive development.  It signals the U.S.’s intent to crack down on online gambling (including poker), its willingness to enforce the UIGEA, and the banks’ opposition to gaming (rather than pushing to repeal the UIGEA).  It also could be a foreshadowing of the closing of the major sites and the federal government’s willingness to oppose intrastate online sites (and certainly the District of Columbia’s recent efforts, since it is subject to federal law).  We all need more time to digest this.  I will be posting more thoughts in the near future.  Stay tuned. 

(Oh, one final thought.  The department of justice does not rush indictments.  This was a case that it had been developing for some time but keeping quiet.  Wonder why they chose now to release the hounds.  The D.C. law?  Bank pressure?  Random coincidence?)

Nice to see some PR from a mainstream (well, at least not gambling) site.  Check out this piece from aol on the status of intrastate poker legislation.  Note the underlying current of disdain (perhaps I’m reading something into it that’s not there, but it’s fun to imagine) the article takes when discussing that the Federal government is dragging its heels on reform measure.

Iowa has taken another step toward becoming the first state to legalize online intrastate poker.  The Iowa legislation has moved out of committee by a 9-6 vote (not exactly overwhelming support though) and now will be heard by the full state Senate.  The fate of the bill likely will not be known for some time, but this is welcomed news after New Jersey’s mildly surprising decision to pull the plug (for now) on its intrastate poker efforts.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed legislation that would have made NJ the first state to legalize intrastate online poker.  He cited “legal and constitutional concerns” and supposedly was concerned with underage gambling and the possibility for back-room illegal gambling halls fronted by a handful of Internet-connected computers to spring up across the state.  Gov. Christie is not known as one to shy away from hard choices or to play partisan politics, but I have to wonder whether talk of him having higher political aspirations coupled with his Republican affiliation influenced his decision.  Another factor could have been the negative effect online poker could have on Atlantic City, given that Gov. Christie’s recently took control of the city and promised to reverse its economic swoon.  Can’t imagine he’d want to do anything to hurt his chances for success with another election to win (assuming he does not run for President that is). 

Regardless, the cause is not over.  The NJ legislature could override the veto or the bill could be re-worked to address Christie’s concerns and re-submitted for consideration (though this takes time).  Or maybe California passes legislation and NJ realized the errors of its ways and reverses course.  Don’t place your bests on this though just yet.

There are rumblings in the poker legal community that due to New Jersey’s toe dragging, Florida may beat it to the poll in the race to be the first state to legalize intrastate online poker.  Florida Rep. Joseph Abruzzo has introduced legislation to be heard on March 8th that, if passed, could be effective by July 2011.  Come on now!  Don’t be greedy.  Florida already has legal brick-and-mortar poker all over the state.  Now online poker in one of the most populated states in the country?  This just isn’t fair.  Spread the wealth.

Add Iowa to the growing list (NJ, Cali, etc.) of states actively considering legalizing intrastate online poker.  But don’t abandon the corn fields for the poker felt just yet.  Many in Iowa are fiercely against poker (read:  gambling) and will actively voice their opposition.  Plus, the bill is in a primitive stage.  Still, love the momentum building across the country.  Let’s just hope it holds once the economy rebounds (and tax revenues go back up).

Word is that due to intricate New Jersey rules, the deadline for Governor Christie to sign or veto the online intrastate poker legislation is March 3 (not late February as previously reported).  Word also is that the biggest force lobbying against the legislation is Caesar’s, which views online poker as a thorn in its live poker/gambling coffers.  Or, at the very least, wants to base its online operations out of a state other than New Jersey if federal legislation (or a tweaked NJ bill) is passed. 

[Thanks to the ACweekly.com for some of this information.]

Updating perhaps the most interesting story taking shape these days in the poker legislation arena, as we reported on previously, Gov. Christie has until February 25th to veto legislation that would legalize online intrastate poker in New Jersey.  If he fails to veto it, the bill becomes law.  Even if he vetos it, the legislature can (and likely will) override the veto.  The big issue is how involved Gov. Christie wants to be, both on behalf of New Jersey and in relation to his increasing national political visibility (read: the presidency).  Bottom line my fellow poker playing ladies and gents, we’re 12 days removed from bottling our favorite New Jersey “garden” state jokes and hitting the MLS listings for Teaneck.  As promised, we will continue to update this developing story (always wanted to write that) as, well, developments happen.