I don’t remember his name and certainly not his email address … but I met him last year at the same conference, where he was trying to sell his Nevada Gaming license … plate! I seem to remember him saying something about acquiring it back in the 90s. And I recall he was asking $5,000 — for the set! Or maybe that’s what he paid for it, and definitely wanted more? I know I’ve got those notes somewhere … but guessing if he wasn’t trying again to sell them this year he musta found a buyer?

I’ve heard it can be kinda cut-throat in the high-risk-high-reward Nevada license plate futures market.

Just a few days ago, someone put up a Nevada REALTOR license (plate) on Craigslist for $3,000 obo.

In this first episode, Mike, aka Lavigne in Austin aka @AustinML, discusses a session titled:

Online Gaming: The Legal Landscape, Part 2

download

It featured Frank Fahrenkopf from the AGA, Caesars’ DC powerhouse Jan Jones (the former mayor of Las Vegas is recipient of this year’s lifetime achievement award), a lobbyist for companies looking to do business with licensed casinos, and a guy representing Native American interests. Here why they all seem convinced that intrastate online poker is going nowhere, but interstate online poker is right around the corner.

Some of you probably remember Mike Lavigne. He’s not much of a player (lol), but the former Texas state director of the PPA and fellow co-founder of the Texas Poker PAC, has been part of Pokerati since way-back. And with my government and public relations cronie in town for G2E … well, it made me think we needed a cheap knock-off of Tao of Pokerati, obv — not just to keep me posted, but to let the busy people out there doing real work get a taste of the wonk-fest and sales orgy going on at the Sands Convention Center this week.

G2E is arguably the biggest annual confab of gaming industry brainpower in the world … and though some may find it hard to get interested in a Las Vegas convention that doesn’t even include a poker tournament … what goes on here will be affecting your poker (and overall casino) experience in the future whether you like it or not.

Check out the lineup for G2E ’11 here.

Just got the press release about what AGA/G2E chief Frank Fahrenkopf plans to speak on in his media address: (Yay. Looking forward to it.)

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE CASINO INDUSTRY, ONLINE POKER TO BE
KEY TOPICS AT FAHRENKOPF’S ANNUAL G2E MEDIA BRIEFING
Preliminary Topline Results of Major Economic Impact Study to be Unveiled

Also got word that this year G2E has very clear “no audio or video recording” rules for their extra-informative sessions. (Crap, there go Pokerati’s plans for recording as many as possible and sharing them with you and others who didn’t pay to attend.)

Either that wasn’t policy last year or I mighta missed the memo. (Oops?)

From Pokerati’s vast archive of yet-to-be-seen-or-heard content … have a listen to Fahrenkop’s 2010 G2E media pow-wow. And hear, now with the benefit of hindsight, what the AGA leader had to say about how some wanted to work with (or against) online poker sites such as Full Tilt and PokerStars … and what the vision was (and presumably still is) for a combination of state and federal regulations being the future path for legalized online gambling in the US.

AGA’s “new reality” (circa 2010): 1. Doing the Macau-rena; 2. “Hey Harry, pull my finger!”; 3. Poker (only) face.

MEDIA BRIEFING: Frank Fahrenkopf at 2010 G2E
40:22

* * * * *

G2E: Fahrenkopf Says Don’t Bet on 2267
But combo state+federal regs a new possibility?

Pokerati: Unpublished, 28 Sep 2010

Frank Fahrenkopf, CEO of the American Gaming Association, voice of America’s biggest casino interests in Washington DC, briefed media at last week’s G2E convention on the state of the gaming industry, the overall economy, and online gambling’s future in the USA.

Prior to cutting the ribbon to kick off the 10th annual Global Gaming Expo, Fahrenkopf briefed the media on the AGA’s recent findings that suggest the casino industry seems well on its way to recovery (fingers crossed the US economy holds) …and in some regions has done well all along. He also spelled out the second biggest issue online gambling.

Specifically, he said, that while HR 2267 is all but dead, “poker only” legislation was the gaming industry’s most likely entree into legalized online gambling and associated money transfers; that a combination of state and federal regulation is possible; the industry would by no means cannibalize itself with online play; and absolutely it would lead to jobs, with the right legislation. He also addressed the spectrum of relevant opinions on “rogue” operators — which the folks at PokerStars, Full Tilt and the like prefer to call “incumbent” operators.

FF QUOTES
>>>
But what do you do with the bad guys, the rogues, position of the justice department. if it became legalized, would those people be eligible for licensing. on one extreme — that they wouldn’t be allowed to operate, or even profit off of it by selling their software to a licensee. others say limit them 3 or 4 years.

>>>
it’s clearly seen that poker is different. the public perception is that it’s different, game of skill and chance. viewed differently than other games. what’s doable in congress — you’ve got a better chance of passing a poker-only bill. poker doesn’t have the stigma that exists on the other side of gaming. poker only or poker+casino, everyone is happy with poker.

>>>
leadership in the house is gonna change,the future of the barney frank legislation is clearly in doubt. the lame duck session, not going to hold a hearing in ways and means comm on internet gaming legislation i can assure you.

>>>
i don’t see the barney frank legislation moving in the lame duck session. i don’t see the barney frank legislation moving. whether or not something will happen, i don’t know. there’s a lot of scuttlebutt. i can tell you i dont know. and i don’t know anyone who does. if anyone tells you they know, trust but verify. Reid conceivably could get behind poker-only.

NOTE: The “quotes” above are just notes about quotes, and not necessarily fully transcribed, which probably has something to do with why no one ever pressed publish, semi-coincidentally, one year ago today.

OK, the links:

G2E Asia — the AGA brings its trade show to Macau, prepping Western gaming industry round-eyes for a new level of expansion in China and across Asia.

PokerGrump — an accidental low-stakes Vegas grinder, respected colleague on the license plate beat, and another guy I read often but don’t link up enough … generally thoughtful insight, and fun “guess the casino” posts, though few are as hard as this one:

highlight for answer

Mandalay Bay

PokerGives.org — Mike Sexton, Linda Johnson, and Jan Fisher’s philanthropic endeavor has undergone a website redesign as they continue efforts to make sure charity poker tournaments give back as much as possible.

DFW Gambler — don’t know who runs this site, but it kinda-sorta picks up where Pokerati left off upon skipping town, keeping the Dallas/Fort Worth poker scene up to date with solid, regularly updated info on local charity tourneys, big events in Oklahoma and Louisiana, and different free games — whether they be WPT Amateur Leagues or lesbian bar poker at Sue Ellen’s. Bingo, too!

The Poker Life Coach — Jen Dunphy was once responsible for keeping Harrah’s employees on their A-game, and now brings her motivational services to MGM Resorts. Not sure if she’s more happy drill sergeant or corporate therapist … but for poker players needing to work on their life skills (she won’t give up names of clients? Balls!) it seems she’s no Sam Chauhan … but then again, she’s also no Sam Chauhan.

Live Poker Training — Not sure if Shaun Deeb needs a life coach or just a mom. But either way, he’s got a boot camp March 26-27 … for players wanting to learn how to win so much money it doesn’t matter if you never learned to throw away pizza boxes or lift the toilet seat.

Zynga PokerCon 2011 — you know they are new to poker when they call their inaugural event Poker CON. But the best we can tell, even though the folks at Zynga supposedly have made millions without paying out any winners, they aren’t the second coming of UB … but they could well be proof that recreational players are more valuable than online pros. And they’ve hired me (along with Michele Lewis and BJ Nemeth) to tell you all about the Zynga version of BARGE — so already we think they’re great, obv!

Allied Service

Suited Cribs — The guys to handle your WSOP housing needs, and all variety of poker services, from laundry runs and VIP transportation to nightclub line passes. Say you heard about them from Pokerati for a special surprise AND to have me personally check out your summertime Vegas rental to make sure the internet works and no pillows smell like urine.

Coverage of the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Interviews with the President of the American Gaming Association, the Executive Director of the Poker Players Alliance (about the possibility of legal online poker in California), and a major industry announcement from the APCW, the GPWA, Affiliate Guard Dog, and Poker Affiliate Listings.