Merge's reentry into the U.S. market seems to be coming into fruition and more delay from the District of Columbia in the path to launch online gaming in the jurisdiction. These stories and more are a part of this week’s PAS Weekly Industry Update. Merge Gaming to Reenter US Market in Next Week: This week, PokerAffiliateSolutions broke the story that the Merge Gaming Network would be reopening to new U.S. players this week, over two months after the network put a temporary ban into place. Sportsbook.com and Players Only have already begun accepting new U.S. sign-up bonus, although the sites are currently not working with affiliates. Everything PAS is currently hearing indicates that the timeframe reported last week is still on track. Stay tuned to PAS for this developing story. Launch of Online Gambling in D.C. Delayed Again: Online gambling in the District of Columbia, which passed last year, is still no closer to happening. The District of Columbia lottery announced last week that it has rescheduled community forums allowing residents to express their thoughts on the specifics of internet gambling in the jurisdiction. Some residents apparently expressed concern about the forum being held in the summer. The hearing has been rescheduled to sometime in mid September. Latest Traffic Update from PokerScout: The iPoker Network briefly took over the 2nd overall traffic ranking from Party Poker last week, although by the end of the week Party Gaming had regained the spot. Traffic for the week was up 1.7%. In other traffic moves reported by PokerScout, Bodog and Boss Media each moved up spots. More new CPA deals This week PAS added two additional CPA offers, a $100 CPA offer from Broadway Tables (which was already on the network with a rakeback and revenue-share offer) and a $100 Hollywood Poker offer, a new site to the PAS network. Broadway Tables makes their home on the Cake Poker Network, while Hollywood Poker is based on the Ongame network. Jottings: Cryptologic posts first profit in three years...Online poker pros leaving the U.S. ... Exclusive e-gambling event with top industry players to be held in Las Vegas in September...Resistance to proposed UK regulations
US players could get some welcome news soon as Representitive Joe Barton of Texas could officially introduce a new online poker bill as early as this week. In the Weekly Industry Update, we also take a look at this important development as well as a new report from PokerNews on the progress of internet poker in the District of Columbia. In other positive news, the industry saw a nice 1% gain for the week despite what is normally a seasonal slowdown for online poker. Barton bill could be introduced this week: Rep. Joe Barton's federal bill to regulate online poker in the United States could be introduced as recently as this next week. The staff of Rep. Barton (R-Tex) has been working with the PPA since after the events of Black Friday. With the Barton legislation, internet gambling could be regulated in any state where there is currently gambling, although only online poker would be permitted under this bill. In another sign that this may actually be online poker's moment in the US, Caesars' Gary Loveman says he expects federal legislation to pass before the end of the year. Plans for poker in DC: In a report from PokerNews, DC Council member Michael A. Brown indicated that they have not heard any objections from the Department of Justice or anybody on Capitol Hill about proceeding with their plans for internet poker in the District of Columbia, which is home to a population of over 600,000, and passed a internet poker bill at the beginning of April. According to Brown play-money games should be available at commercial locations called "platinum sponsors" by the end of the month, with real money games possibly coming by the end of the year. Poker Traffic Update: According to PokerScout, online poker traffic stopped a four week slide that saw gains from 7 out of the top 10 sites including Full Tilt Poker, which climbed 0.8% over the week. Merge Gaming, which has seen traffic skyrocked since April 15th was down over 7% for the week. The site has seen their traffic slide a bit since they halted new US sign-ups on June 3rd. Jottings: Betsson completes Betsafe acquistion...New Microgaming/Ladbrokes deal.... Poker Stars address's Australia pullout rumors....Clonie Gowen/Full Tilt case reopened....Latest I. Nelson Rose thoughts
There is never a dull moment in the effort to legalize online poker in the United States. The District of Columbia has become the first US jurisdiction to legalize online gambling, beating gambling centers such as Nevada and New Jersey. A 30-day period for the United States Congress to object to the legislation expired on April 7th. The legislation will now bring online poker to the District of Columbia’s 600,000 residents. It is believed that poker games and other games of skill could be live by the end of the year; however, a large number of the details remain undecided so it is difficult to tell at this point what online poker in DC will look like. Let's take a look on recent developments from other states... Hawaii Hawaii, of all states, tried to garner momentum for regulated poker last month but today a report was issued that said that the bill failed to get a public hearing before a Friday deadline, meaning the bill is now dead for 2011. The introduction of the bill surprised many industry observers since the state is one of two that do not allow currently allow gambling in any form. Iowa Bloomberg has reported that Iowa lawmakers have stated that legislators in the state cannot currently agree on a bill, and efforts to pass a bill there appear to have stalled. Nevada In Nevada, Governor Brian Sandoval has come out saying he favors federal approval of online poker rather than Nevada passing their own state law. He was quoted as saying that he “[doesn’t] want the state to be in contravention of the federal law.” This sentiment is held by Caesars Entertainment, MGR and the new Full Tilt Poker-Stations Casinos partnership. The PokerStars-Wynn alliance is pushing for the bill in the Nevada legislature. Status of state bills: See below for a summary status update on all intrastate bills that have been proposed within the last six months: California: SB40 Florida: SB812 Hawaii: SB 755 Iowa: SB 1165 Nevada: AB258 New Jersey: S-490
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