Online poker is struggling to have itself exempted from coverage. poker is a game of skill and not a game of chance. It involves playing strategy on the part of the players who are playing against each other and not against the house as is the case in other online baccarat game. Online play is also the way that most of the satellites for the tournaments rounds and the World Series are conducted. It is rather doubtful that the UIGEA will be repealed although many in the online gambling world are trying to muster up enough support to do so.
In October 2006 the United States enacted the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 which made the processing of financial transactions between a U.S. player and an offshore gambling entity illegal. Even though the regulations haven’t been written yet, many online sites have banned U.S. players. Almost all of the stock exchange listed entities have departed from the United States, moving their operations overseas and targeting other markets, like Europe. There is hope in the U.S. that the law will be repealed. This has been a hope that surfaced immediately after passage of the act. There is a movement currently being led by Barney Frank, who received a petition from the online casino gambling Web, who is the sponsors of the petition. They hope to pick up more signatures for the petition by popularizing it through the use of blogs and articles. Having the UIGEA repealed isn’t a new hope.
