Where is online poker headed in 2011

There were a lot of interesting developments in the online poker world in late 2010 and into early 2011, with legislation being proposed at the federal and state level -it actually appears that New Jersey will be the first state with legalized online poker-as well as a number of developments from the online poker industry itself -most notably the growing rift between online poker sites. And with everything going on it seems online poker players are left scratching their heads as to which direction the industry is headed.

We are in a very strange place when it comes to online poker in the United States, full enactment of UIGEA has made it even more difficult -and more of a nuisance-to deposit and cash-out from online poker rooms, and the way the legislation is heading it seems our only options as US players is to let the Department of Justice slowly tighten the UIGEA noose around our necks, or throw up our hands in disgust and either go without online poker for some predetermined period of time, or watch the poker markets sliced up by states.

Legislation at the state level would put us in the same shoes as a number of European countries: Basically cut-off from the worldwide market and limited to playing on sites based within the state’s boundaries and only against players living inside the state.

On the federal level legislation would be much more inclusive to the population, but the current online poker providers would be essentially shutout, as the licenses would go to land-based US casinos, complete with a two-year blackout of all online poker, and a 5-year wait for all current operators to apply for a license!

Basically we are stuck with choosing between the proverbial rock and hard place, and unfortunately the online poker sites are not doing much of anything to sway minds on Capitol Hill or in State Houses.

Instead of combining forces and launching a PR campaign the major online poker rooms are busy bickering between what television shows and poker tours they control, and which of their sponsored players should go to which tournament, and what shows they should appear on. Even more troubling is the way PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker are focusing on overseas markets when it comes to signing new players -this basically looks as if they are ready to leave the US market at any time, whether because of enacted legislation or if UIGEA crackdowns continue to thwart payment processors getting money to and from US poker players.

All in all, it doesn’t look very promising for US poker players in the near future, but if online poker has taught us anything in its brief history it is that things can, and usually do, change very fast!