Dirty Laundry
It seems that CBS’ 60 Minutes is in the process of putting together a story about the Absolute Poker cheating scandal. Nolan Dalla discussed it in his blog on PokerListings earlier this week.
Some of the key players in the drama – one that has been playing out in the poker media since the Fall of 2007 – will be interviewed, and the show’s team seems to be investigating it thoroughly.
I’ve been writing about the Absolute Poker scandal for some time as well. I continually bludgeoned the subject in my Poker Player Newspaper column and in any other outlet that would allow it. After the story lost its dazzle in the poker media, I kept it going as I felt it was never sufficiently investigated or resolved.
While I wholeheartedly wanted the poker community to take notice, take a stand, and take action against Absolute Poker, I’m not sure how I feel about a show like 60 Minutes bringing it to the general public. Part of me believes that such notoriety will bring the government closer to realizing that regulation is the key to preventing this in the future. The other part of me is afraid that this will put poker firmly in the “poker is gambling” and “gambling is immoral” category with the unreasonable powers-that-be.
Looking for opinions here… Please weigh in.
on tilt says:
March 12th, 2008 at 11:06am
My first thought was “Great, more ammunition for the anti-poker community to battle the evils of poker”
TBR says:
March 12th, 2008 at 11:49am
Jen–I think you have hit it on the head. I’m hopeful that a show like 60 minutes might be interested enough in the political angle to this (UIGEA angle) to, ultimately, be good for poker. I can’t believe that a show of this prominence (and liberalness) will take the easy “poker is ammoral” out.
DanM says:
March 12th, 2008 at 12:57pm
60 Minutes is about as fair as they get. But really, it’s beyond our control … because these poker issues have to do about way more than just poker. Why do you think the non-poker world cares about this story?
Because it’s about security online, it’s about companies serving American customers but outside the political and policing jurisdictions of American government and laws (and taxes, of course) … and from there it’s about the transacting of virtual money over these international borders. Very new stuff for the world (relative to the age of human society) and very relevant to how everyone on the developed planet will live their lives in the 21st century.
If we’re worried about poker being painted as morally questionable gambling … well that’s probably because we all know a bunch of people for whom poker is gambling and/or immoral. So be it. Poker is about truth and cards falling where they may. The morally crusading governor of New York likes whore money. We have Sklansky.