Getting my gaming commentary game back on, with an appearance as a talking head-and-torso for a special Global Gaming Expo episode of APCW Perspectives, featuring venerable online gambling gadfly J. Todd at the mic.
My part begins at about 5:50, after J. and Becky Liggero talk about the American Gaming Association’s new push for nationwide legal sports betting. (Go teams!)
The TL;DR — Kahnawake Gaming Commission is pulling its casinos out of US markets to do business with New Jersey, further putting the squeeze on gray-market online gambling operators … and it’s probably not good that the Senate introduced SB 3376, a placeholder bill for a revised version of Sheldon Adelson’s Restoration of America’s Wire Act, um, Act, aka RAWA. Even if the new bill is going nowhere, simply having it in the legislative mix poses a threat. Oh, and happy soon-to-be 10th birthday UIGEA!
If you thought RAWA was dead, think again! Sheldon Adelson has some politicians in his pocket more than happy to sell their integrity to do his bidding. Also, mergers in the U.K. could spell more trouble for William Hill. Links to the stories from the show are listed below:
So poker people are buzzing again about the promise of California for online poker. It’s true what RJ gaming reporter Howard Stutz says, that this market represents something of a holy grail for the liquidity dependent. But that’s also the reason I’ll stick by my assertions that California needs about half a country to go pro-poker before they get real about making a deal. Sorry for the buzzkill … but here’s a little Vegas Grinders outtake, recorded about three months ago, in which Andrew, Dave and I address whether or not online pokerers should be packing up their bags and setting up shop in the Golden State.
WSOP.com is ready to launch. Like for real. And for real money, too. This according to executives for Caesars Interactive Entertainment, who hosted a semi-private conference call Monday morning to lay out their plans.
It’s happening on 9/19 at 9:19am … 9-1-9 … not to be confused with Herman Cain’s 9-9-9, which didn’t exactly get him to November. Non-sequiturs aside, a new era of online poker really is upon us now — just in time for the November Nine, no less. At least in Nevada, where it may or may not be a total coincidence that LAS was one of the very first airports to offer free wi-fi.
You’ve probably already started filtering through the buzz, bolstering, and requisite bitching on Twitter and 2+2. But in case you missed it, or just for posterity’s sake, here’s the raw audio of that conference call, where a whole host of Caesars suits, some new, some familiar, made their legal and regulated internet gaming plans official.
(Sigh.) Rough WSOP … Jason Mercier and I have so much in common.
With the WSOP and ancillary summertime Las Vegas tournament action coming to a close, Dave has already exchanged his WSOP victory flatscreen for a $400 Target gift card; Andrew finishes with a win at the newly opened LVH poker room, er … poker area; and was Dan even at the World Series of Poker in 2013? Meanwhile, Nevada’s only currently live legal online poker option is seeking feedback about bonus programs and deposit incentives … and who’s in for $125 Open-face Chinese at the Palms? The VG radio fellas are here … to give it all a little thought, and maybe some lip, yo.
“That’s stupid. Why should I get a job when I’ve got no-limit Texas Hold’em?”
Tom Schneider may have downgraded his status to semi-pro, but that hasn’t kept him from a sickening, multi-bracelet run in Hold’em-Omaha-Razz-Seven-stud-Eight-or-better. And though she’s having a WSOP of her own (with one final table so far), semi-angry Julie jumps on-call to enlighten us about how she’s managing the family bankroll, particularly as degenerate poker urchins gravitate toward her husband, wanting satellite buy-ins but not his advice to “Get a job!”
Meanwhile, Tom advises Andrew on how one might go about moving through the mixed game ranks — which is great and all, but are things going so un-awesomely for Andrew this summer that he’s been relegated to sleeping in his car?
In other-people’s WSOP business … were chips that went missing from a winner’s photo shoot indicative of ubiquitous cheating at the WSOP or just a case of rogue souvenir hunters before tournament officials had a procedure in place to keep better track of photo props? Also the Rio Deepstack fields keep getting more massive. Who knew old-school, underground blind structures and substantive-but-affordable buy-ins would come back in fashion? And secrets to a locals discount that might be one of the best kept secrets at the Rio. And by “best kept secrets” we mean things advertised on billboards, but hey …
It’s EDC weekend — Electric Daisy Carnival — which may or may not bring glowsticks and furry boots to the table. Oh, and don’t forget @KevMath! He’s on this episode, too, at the premiere of Bet Raise Fold afterparty. It’s all so clear now: Andrew hearts Kevmath, Dan hearts Donkeybomber, and Dave’s still lookin’ for a flush-draw to chase.
In this week’s episode, er, I mean last week’s … Andrew embarks on the Las Vegas Strip low-stakes Summer circuit (Rio, Venetian, Caesars Palace, Bellagio, Aria, Wynn …) only to make a valiant 0-fer run, leaving us time to discuss a caravan of high-stakes cash games sprouting up around town — it’s open-face Chinese blossoming at the Rio, Doyle popping up at the Venetian, and Doyle doing his best Deadmau5 in the Ivey Room. Meanwhile Dave takes a look at the Carnevale of Poker and the fields it draws, and we all get a chuckle out of getting so drunk at the Carnival Court that you’re banned forever from the WSOP. (Surely no one will get that drunk at the premiere party for the online poker documentary Bet Raise Fold, right?) All that and some patch bonuses available for those willing to pimp for WSOP.com, Ultimate Poker, and/or those crazy kinds at QuadJacks.
Regulators in New jersey roll out the first draft of online gambling rules, while The Netherlands plans to end their stats-run gambling monopoly by 2015.
It is my distinct honor to interview one of the finest Americans I have ever known. In addition to having served in Iraq, Adam Kokesh is fighting on the front lines of the war on drugs – and from the right side. He may pique your interest by smoking DMT on camera, but for me it was curious circumstances around his most recent arrest that has my full attention. See Adam is about to lead a gigantic armed march on Washington DC on July 4th 2013. He is going to roll around DC with 10,000 of his friends, fellow soldiers, and ordinary citizens all with loaded firearms in hand. Rumor has it he plays poker too. Don’t miss this episode!
Why do I watch Celebrity Apprentice when I know it’s just gonna tilt me!?
It’s the 10th anniversary of Chris Moneymaker, and the big poker events are here — starting with the WPT World Championship, where the final table looks to be a lesson in makeup and collections. But hey, even at only $1.1 million for first, a televised $25k buy-in is still enough to make Bellagio the busiest room in Vegas again. Meanwhile, Dave finds the new lowest stakes action on the Strip in a $.50/$1 NL game at the Quad (which ain’t a bad way to chase the Megabeat) … and does yours truly find his poker passion re-ignited by a missed connection at Red Rock, where a self-professed high-stakes online pro says he’s really impressed by my $1-3 play. (Argh, why didn’t I get his name!?!) Meanwhile, Andrew is keeping it real and chill poolside, with the opening of a new dayclub flavored by the Light Group and Cirque du Soleil. And in our version of “What Would You Do?” the VG crew breaks down an ethical quandry about dealer error and cards speaking when the table won’t … which begs the question: is there a difference between angle shooting another player and pocketing cash from a casino slip?
Is that a prop bet in your pants or are you just happy to see me?
As the Duke of Fremont gets ready for trial, Andrew and Dan are among a field of 200 playing $135 No-Limit Hold’em in the Golden Nugget’s $25,000 guaranteed weekender event. Dave meanwhile hooks it to Planet Hollywood in chase of the Caesars Megabeat (which pays better on a Wednesday afternoon) and damn, that’s a pretty good promo when coupled with their new 20 for 20 freeroll.
At Mandalay Bay this weekend it’s the $10,000 Tiger Jam, and is Wikipedia racist for thinking Phil Ivey = Tiger Woods? The WSOP lays out their summer plan with their annual media conference call. And we check in with David Clark, aka DC n La, from New Orleans, where the WSOP-NOLA circuit event is happening and the WSOP Circuit national championship takes place next week. And when a showdown reveals Dan’s 5c8c < 4s6s … he’s left asking Andrew if it was just an unfortunate river in the midst of sneaky button play or really, against a fellow Texan, just a late-position cliche …
Big thanks to Travis Makar for coming on the show to digest the recent UB info dump. I personally cannot believe Greg Pierson & Russ Hamilton are allowed to roam free. Pokerati Dan joins us to help process the info, and Saramar rounds out a great show. *MUST LISTEN*
Webmasters in online gambling are once again facing affiliate programs wanting to change terms and conditions. Is there hope for the future? Plus industry ne…
