Is the popularity of online poker capable of ushering in a new era of legalized online gambling across the United States, or does online poker need some of the strength and sexiness of iCasino gaming to push ahead to its full potential?
The Poker Players Alliance believes that the U.S. online poker sites need casino-style gaming to survive, not one-player games such as slots and roulette.
“The PPA recognizes that, which is why PPA Executive Director John Pappas has stated before he would like to see federal legislation with a poker carve-out,” writes Steve Larson of Legal U.S. Poker Sites. “This week, Pappas has clarified his position, saying that online poker in America might not be able to survive. The PPA’s stance might seem conflicted, but it makes sense, once one gets into the nuances.”
Pappas would like to see Internet poker sites paired with online casino sister sites to sustain themselves. He says sites need 9 players per table and to fill up low, middle, and high stakes games. They need to offer a range of card games in different formats to satisfy the customer, which means that poker rooms need many players. Largely populated states might sustain a customer base but smaller populated states have struggled, which is why we’re already seeing interstate poker compacts for the purpose of sharing players.
Consequently, Pappas wants to see a 50-state law because it allows the states to combine player pools.
Congress will be in lame-duck session through November 26th, and during this time online gambling legislation will be debated.
States like California, Pennsylvania, New York, and Illinois are considering legalizing iGaming. Though unlikely to happen, a lame-duck bill could suddenly strike down iGaming in all 50 states. According to GovTrack, the Restoration of the Wire Act legislation, which bans online casinos, and online poker just as surely, has only a 7% chance of passing.
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