My answers were pretty predictable.

“It depends. What will you do? Sure reading a book on the iPad Mini is much better than on the iPad due to the comfort of the smaller size. However, watching a movie on the iPad is much, much better on a larger screen”. I concluded that the choice would depend on what you would ultimately use it for.

His decision? Well, this is what he remarked, “It doesn’t really matter, as I can’t play poker on either of them.” Wait, hang on. What? Ever heard of Switch Poker?

Yes it’s a true story, my friend an avid poker fan has missed the boat on mobile poker, and somehow it has passed him by. This lead me to consider, am I one of the few people who are aware that our lovingly crafted iPads and iPhones to compete with and destroy our PC and Android using brothers across the green baize in pan-global battles of wits? To be fair, if you’re using a PC or Android you can still join the mobile poker craze, you just won’t be as awesome.

Well, I know I’m not alone. There are already thousands of iPad and iPhone users playing poker online every day. This is a mobile age. It is the norm these days to watch a movie on the home commute, only to pause as you get off the bus and resume it on your TV at home. So why should our other entertainment be different.

I can securely log onto Switch Poker and safely deposit real funds via one of many convenient methods from my iPhone, join a real money cash game and while away the time as I am driven home at 5 o’clock. I can then, briefly, pause the action as I open my front door and kick off my shoes before picking right back up on my iPad in front of the TV. Working on a Mac? No problem. Log into your Macbook and Switch Poker will pick right up there too.

Switch Poker were the first site to see this demand, launching in 2010 as the first real money poker site for iPad and iPhone. These real money games are as real as any on your computer. Playing stakes from as low as 1c/2c to as high as €10/€20, right from the mobile device.

So my friend can officially add “Can play poker on either the iPad or the iPad mini” to his decision making process, no doubt he is no closer to his choice.

• Playing poker on your mobile devices couldn’t be easier.
• Direct your browser to this link: www.switchpoker.com
• Use one of these codes for a free bonus:
  • Free iPad Bonus: Enter Code - FREEIPAD Then make first deposit which must be a minimum of €150 and you need to earn 100,000 SPP’s within 6 months of play.
  • Free iPod Bonus: Enter Code - FREEIPOD Then make first deposit which must be a minimum of €50 and you need to earn 60,000 SPP’s within 6 months of play.
  • 100% Cash Bonus: Enter Code - 20TO600 Then make first deposit which must be a minimum of €20 and maximum of €600. You will be paid out €10 every time you 2,500 SPP’s until the total bonus earned is equal to your deposit.

If you want to take advantage of this great deal and play poker with your mobile device, go to www.switchpoker.com and sign up to play now.

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Play 3D Poker to Win Poker Packages from PKR

Playing poker in 3D can be a lot of fun, especially when using the quality poker software provided by PKR. To make your online 3D poker experience even more worthwhile, PKR poker is offering to give away free packages to the live events it is hosting in London this year. Here is a summary of the promotion, and how you, as a PKR member, can make the most of it.

PKR London Cash Game

How about a bit of live poker and small screen fame? Sounds good to me! PKR poker will be hosting the game on March 27, at the Poker Channel Studios in London. The buy-in for the event is $2,000, but PKR Poker members who want to win a seat to this 6-handed event need not worry about the buy-in, for the poker room is hosting special satellites to the London Cash game, especially for its members.

On March 7, 2013, PKR Poker will be hosting a special lottery event for eligible PKR members. A total of 3 packages will be given away to the winners of the lottery events. Here is how it works.

• PKR poker room has three VIP levels – Member/Bronze, Silver/Gold and Platinum/Diamond. The poker room will have one lottery for each of these clubs.
• Lottery is open only to invited members of these clubs. The good news is that invitations for the lottery can be earned.
• New members and members of the Bronze club need to earn at least 2,500 points in February, to receive an invite for the lottery. Silver and Gold club members have to earn 8,000 points to get an invite, while the Platinum and Diamond club members have to earn 45,000 points in February to receive the invite.
• One lucky winner from each of the clubs will get a chance to win a seat to the London Cash Game, which guarantees huge cash prizes, and small screen fame for the winner.

The winners of the lottery will receive a $3,000 London Cash Game Package that includes the buy-in for the $2,000 event plus accommodation for 2 nights and $600 in travel money.

PKR Live 2013

PKR’s rewarding live tournament, the PKR Live, will take place this year during the Easter weekend, from March 29 to March 31. The Main Event of PKR live has a buy-in of $500. The three-day event begins on March 29 and will end on March 31. PKR is hosting special satellites to help you win free seats to the main event.

Members of PKR Poker can participate in the satellites using their player points. The minimum that you have to spend for a buy-in is 750 PP, for the Sit n Go feeder satellite. The next level satellite is the Stage 1 satellite with a buy-in of $1.50. Above that is the Quarter Final with a buy-in of $6, and over that is the Semi Final with a buy-in of $20.

The Final Satellite events have a buy-in of $100, and give away free PKR Live all-inclusive packages or exclusive ‘buy-ins’ for the main event. You can buy-in to any of these qualifiers or start from the feeder satellites and move up each level, one at a time.

PKR also has a lottery satellite that gives away free seats to the live poker event. The starting phase of the lottery satellite has a buy-in of $0.60, while the final lottery seat has a buy-in of $50. If you get lucky, you get to participate in the $500 buy-in event for only $50. But if you are good at the game, you can start at the $0.60 satellite and make your way up to win the $500 seat.

Whatever you choose, you better get started soon to have your chance at these satellites. You have less than a month to win your free package!

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888 Poker

Here’s how to participate in this exciting event…

Join 888 Poker – One of the Biggest Online Poker Rooms

For a chance to win free passes to the UFC event, you need to be a member of 888poker. This promo is exclusively for members who have or are going to make a deposit into their account before March 3. Two lucky and skilled poker players will get free tickets to the Welterweight Championship Fight between Georges St-Pierre (GSP) and Nick Diaz, on March 16, 2013, at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada.

If you are not yet a member of 888poker, register with the site today and make a deposit of at least $30. To be eligible for this special “Rush to the Ring” promo, you need to use the code GSP888 when making your first deposit. If you are already a member of the online poker room, make a deposit of $30 or more into your account, using the code RUSH888.

Once you make a deposit, you will be rewarded with a free seat to the special freeroll event on March 3 that offers the big prize – the UFC event package – to the winners.

The Tournament and the Package

The Rush to the Ring promotion will feature the GSP v Diaz – UFC Tickets Freeroll, which gives away two packages worth $4,500, to watch the match live in Montreal. The freeroll will take place on March 3, at 9:05 pm EST and is open to all those who have managed to obtain a free seat by making a deposit of at least $30 during the promotional period. Note: this promotion is open only to 888poker members from Canada.

The $4,500 worth package includes -

• Two tickets to the championship fight on March 3
• Hospitality for 2 in an exclusive corporate box
• Accommodation for one night, at the Le Westin Montreal Hotel
• A free T-shirt signed by Georges St-Pierre
• Cash of $500 for travel expenses

Registrations for the event are open now, so be quick to make a deposit and enter this freeroll, before the promotion ends on March 3, 2013.

Exclusive Tournaments

Besides the freeroll, 888poker is also hosting a special tournament for those who miss the freeroll event. If for any reason you can’t make it to the freeroll, you still have a chance to win the UFC tickets through this qualifier tournament. Members of the poker room can directly buy-in to the event, or they can participate in the step tournaments to reach the qualifier and win the $4,500 worth package.

Step 1 qualifiers take place every day and give away two seats to the next level, the Step 2. The level one qualifier has a buy-in of just $1. Step 2 qualifiers take place once every two days and have a buy-in of $17. Each of these level two qualifiers offers 4 seats to the final qualifier. The final, $4,500 GSP vs. Diaz – Qualifier, is on March 9, at 9:05 pm EST. It has a buy-in of $160 and gives away one package to the UFC Championship event between GSP and Diaz.

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New Player Promos

Are you new to the world of poker? Go right ahead and open an account with Winner Poker for big bonuses, freerolls and special tournaments that offer guaranteed prizes. Every new member of the site gets a bonus of 250%, limited to $2,000, on the first deposit. In addition to that, the poker room also offers free entry to the $25 new depositors’ freerolls. The pampering does not stop there. New members are also given access to the special VIP tournaments restricted only to amateur and rookie VIPS.

Freerolls Offering Good Money

It is not just the new members of the site who are at benefit. Every loyal member of Winner Poker is given a chance to play in the many freerolls that it hosts. One such freeroll event is the Side Games freeroll that gives away $500 worth cash prizes every week. To participate in this freeroll, you simply need to wager on any of the side games in the Winner Poker lobby during the qualification period.

Along with the $25 freeroll for the new members, the poker room also has a $250 freeroll that is open strictly to members who have made a deposit into their accounts. Join the site, make a deposit and within three days, you get to participate in the freeroll that offers $250 in cash prizes.

Get Better at Poker with Winner Poker Tournaments

The members of Winner Poker won’t have a moment to spare when logged in, considering the number of tournaments and games that the site hosts all day. Along with the regular cash games, Winner Poker members can also participate in daily, weekly and monthly tournaments that offer big cash prizes.

One of the tournaments is the $200,000 Guaranteed tournament that takes place every Sunday. The buy-in for this tournament is $215, which could be a bit on the higher side for rookies. For them, Winner poker is hosting satellite qualifiers that offer free seats to the $200k event. The buy-ins for these satellites starts from as low as $5.5.

Another tourney you can’t miss on the poker site is the $50K craze jackpot that guarantees cash prizes worth $50,000. The event has 18 players competing on three 6-handed SNG tables, and the player who wins three tourneys in a go will get the final cash prize and also the jackpot of $50k. The event has a buy-in of just $12.

The poker room lets you partake in a more vigorous competition called the Steps Tournament, where you need to conquer 7 different steps for a seat in the $200k Sunday tournament, by spending as little as $0.16. The poker room also has exclusive jackpot events that giveaway cash prizes between $2,000 and $50,000 during the month.

Satellites for the Irish Open 2013

Winner Poker is also offering you a chance to partake in the 2013 Irish Open in Dublin. The poker room is hosting special satellite qualifiers till March 22 and will be offering Irish Open Packages worth €3,200 to the winners. The package includes the buy-in for the Main Event, the costs of accommodation, flights and money for spending.

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Your Chance to Conquer the World, One City at a Time

One of the latest promotions of Party Poker is called World Domination. The promo began on February 4 this year and will go on till March 1, 2013, or when all the world cities are conquered, whichever happens earlier. Wondering how you can conquer a city by playing poker? Well, it is simple.

Party Poker is offering you a chance to experience how it feels to conquer a city, although virtually, through its World Domination promo. To participate in this, you need to be a member of the poker room first. Once you register, make a cash deposit into your account and start playing real money poker games on the site to earn Party Points.

A player will be awarded one city upon accumulating 10 Party Points. The total number of cities listed in this promo is 64. Some of the cities include Paris, London, Moscow, Munich and Berlin in Europe; Washington D.C, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Ottawa, Bogota and Buenos Aires in the Americas; Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Mumbai and Seoul in Asia; and Johannesburg, Durban, Abidjan and Saint-Louise in Africa.

The Party Points you earn will also fetch you free roll seats, cash prizes and a top prize of $100,000 in cash. Members can also get awarded with one of the cities along with the instant cash prizes they win on the site.

Players who manage to conquer all 64 cities will be rewarded the top prize of $100,000. So get started now. You need only 5 Party points to conquer your first city from the list.

Country Specific Freerolls Offer Place in the $300k Sunday Event

The $300,000 Guaranteed Sunday is one of the most popular tournaments that Party poker hosts every week. The buy-in for this event is $215, which can be quite high for new players. That is why Party Poker is hosting special country-specific freerolls through its promo called the 50-Seat Frenzy. The event gives away 10 free seats to the $300k guaranteed event.

Participate in the daily freerolls that take place on the site to win free seats to the 50-seat frenzy, where 50 players battle it out for a free seat in the $300k event. The buy-in for the qualifiers for the 50-seat Frenzy is just $1 or $2. If you can afford to spend more on the buy-in, then you can directly buy-in to the 540-seat frenzy, for an amount of $15.

If you happen to be one of the top 10 players in the event, you will get to participate in the $300k event for free. The $300,000 Guaranteed event takes place every Sunday at 1:30 pm.

Get a Piece of the $15 Million Pie

Party Poker has upped its prizes starting January 2013. The poker room has increased the cash prizes it offers to $15 million each month and will be giving them away to its members through monthly tournaments with guaranteed prizes, daily giveaways, daily guaranteed tourneys, and the highly popular $300,000 guaranteed Sunday event.

Along with all that, Party Poker is offering attractive bonuses to its newest members and also allows them to participate in the daily freerolls that offer prizes worth more than $100k each month.

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Betsson poker is a great way to enjoy poker online. This site provides a number of great offers and bonuses to keep any player engaged. This month’s promos include Raked Hand Battle, SNG Secret Agent, Casino Spins for Poker, Bad Beat Jackpot, and more with a maximum payout of €50,000.

SNG Secret Agent Promo

This tournament is being held from 6:00 GMT on the 15^th of January to 5:59 GMT on the 15^th of February. Players can win €50,000 worth of prizes including expensive watches, iPhone 5 and tournament tickets through scratch cards. For every ten qualifying Sit-n-Go, players can get one scratch card and they can keep whatever they find in it. However, these scratch cards have no cash value. Chances of winning increase the further they keep playing.

Also, finding a non-winning scratch card gets you one hundred initial chips to enter a second chance tournament which will give you a chance to win any unclaimed items. You can win up to 10,000 such chips. Having a winning scratch card doesn’t stop players from entering the second chance tournament as long as they have at least one non-winning scratch card. You can earn any number of scratch cards each day and thus win multiple prizes. Prizes will be sent directly to your mailing address so it is imperative that you enter it correctly at the time of entering the tournament.

A Superweekend Live package and Share in €50,000

The Raked Hand Battle will give out a total cash payment of €50,000 and a total of 9 Superweekend Live packages. A Superweekend Live package includes three nights’ accommodation in Park hotel in Tallinn for the live tournament to be played there. It also includes €500 buy-in to the main event and €235 cash for the travel. Now that’s a huge reward! But to be eligible for this package, the player has to be at least 21 years of age; else a cash prize of €1000 will be rewarded. This Raked Hand Battle will take place from the 7^th to the 28^th of January. There are three different levels of this tournament – the Bronze, the Silver, and the Gold levels – and players can take part in all of these levels to win a prize in each. The payout will be made available to the players no later than the 1^st of February.

Big Bad Beat Jackpot

The amazing thing about this promo is that you win even if you are beaten badly, that is, if you lose. To be eligible for this, play in any Bad Beat cash table and lose with a Four-of-a-Kind, 8s or better. Also, that hand must have been dealt with at least four players. The winner’s and loser’s hands must have all of the cards and the hands should go to a showdown. The total prize money is broken up for distribution in the following order – 10% of the money goes to maintenance, 20% of it is used to fund the next jackpot, and the remaining 70% is distributed as winnings. Half of this 70% goes to the Bad Beat loser, one-fourth of it goes to the winner, and the rest is distributed equally between all the other active players of the hand. Where else would you get such a game where the loser gets 50% of the winnings?

Register Now and Choose Your Welcome Bonus

Betsson Poker offers 3 lucrative welcome bonuses, depending upon the initial deposit you make. You will get a 200% bonus on any first deposit amount. The only difference in the bonuses is the number of installments in which they are paid out. For a deposit of €50, you will get your 200% bonus in four blocks; for a deposit in between €50 and €150, you get your bonus in 3 blocks; and for a deposit above €150, you get your bonus in 2 blocks. Each time you have enough loyalty points for that block. So make a deposit now and register to avail all of these bonuses!

The post Become the SNG Secret Agent at Betsson Poker and Win Big appeared first on Poker on a Mac.

NOTE: NOT US FRIENDLY

Play at the TitanPoker.com grand Battle now! – use our links and bonus code: MAC500

The Battle Has Begun! Get Ready to Rumble!

The Grand Battle has already begun. Only you need to join the many poker contestants, win the contest and claim your share of the $130,000. In all, there will be 17 different races that you can participate in to win a share of the cash prize. The details of the points’ races you can participate in are as follows.

• There will be 13 weekly races, broadly divided into three groups, during the three months of the promo. Each race will offer $4,000 in cash to the winners. In all, winners will be taking home $52,000 during these races. Also, the top six players in the weekly races get to play in a special guaranteed jackpot event that offers $500 to the winner.
• The next level of the races is the monthly races, or the Gladiator races. These races offer $5,000 each, or $15,000 in all to the winners.
• The final level is the Master Leaderboard level where winners have a chance to win $57,000. To claim your share in the $57k, you need to play as many games as possible and earn Master Leaderboard points. If you manage to beat all other players to the top of the leaderboard, you can get up to $10,000 in cash.

Titan Poker is being generous enough to offer additional Master Leaderboard points to some really good players. If you manage to finish in the top 10 of the leaderboard in three consecutive weekly races, you can get 50 extra Master Leaderboard points, or MLPs. In case you finish in the top 20 of three consecutive races, you get 20 extra MLPs. That is not all. You stay in the top for more number of weeks, and you can win more number of MLPs during the promotion. All you need to get started with this is register with Titan Poker and opt-in for the promotional offer.

Play at the TitanPoker.com grand Battle now! – use our links and bonus code: MAC500

Sit Win Go Promo

Titan Poker is also hosting a special month-long sit ‘n’ go race that began on January 2 and will last through February 2, 2013. The promo named Sit Win Go will reward the top players with a cash prize of $10,000. So go on and show your skills to be the one to take home big cash prizes. The more you play the merrier it will be and the better your chances are of winning the top leaderboard prize.

Opt-in for this tournaments today and get started. There are 4 categories of Sit n Gos you can partake in.

• The Low Leaderboard, where the buy-ins of the tournaments will range between $1 and $5. The prize pool of the tournaments will be $1,000
• The medium Leaderboard, where the buy-in ranges from $10 to $20 and the prize pool is $2,000.
• The High leaderboard has a prize pool of $4,000 and the buy-ins for these tournaments start from $30.

In addition to these three, Titan Poker is also hosting what are called Double Up Leaderboard tournaments, where the buy-ins start from $2 and the prize pool offered is $3,000. The top 20 winners of the leaderboards will be getting cash prizes and the rest of them, ranked between 21 and 50 will get Titan Poker Gold Coins (which can be exchanged for treasure tickets that offer exciting prizes).

Play at the TitanPoker.com grand Battle now! – use our links and bonus code: MAC500

Play More with Huge Discounts

Titan Poker is also offering huge discounts on buy-ins for the tournaments that it hosts online. The promo, called the Super Sale, starts on January 7 and goes on till January 20. Players can get discounts ranging between 40% and 70 % on several Titan Poker GTD tournaments. The poker room is also having a “Buy One Get One Free” offer on tournaments. If you really love poker, then there is no way you should miss out these discounts.

Play at the TitanPoker.com grand Battle now! – use our links and bonus code: MAC500

http://www.pokeronamac.com/

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Play poker online on your mac at Bovada Poker >

The Holiday Wrap Up

Among the current promotions at Bovada Poker is The Holiday Wrap Up poker, which is all you need for a happy ending to the holiday season. Bovada is offering great cash incentives this festive season through this promo, to make its members happiest of all. To be a part of this promo, which is on from December 17 to December 30, visit the Holiday Wrap Up promotions page and click on ‘Enter Now’. After that, take part in your favorite online poker games and earn up to a hundred dollars in exclusive Christmas cash bonuses. The bonuses you can earn are -

• $10, if you earn at least 50 Poker points during the week
• $25 if you can earn at least 100 Poker Points in a week
• A higher bonus of $50, if you can earn at least 200 bonus points

Bovada is also hosting special holiday-themed qualifiers, freerolls, satellites and other poker tournaments till January 1, 2013. The site is offering an added bonus of $50,000 in guaranteed cash prizes through these events. The first week of the Holiday Wrap Up promo ended on December 23, and the second week began from December 24 to 30. The bonuses you earn during the week will be offered on Mondays, following the week being considered.

Play poker online on your mac at Bovada Poker >

Celebrate with Merry New Tournaments

Bovada Poker is also hosting special tournaments on News Year’s Day. The casino will be having 4 tournaments and giving away more than $60k guaranteed prizes. The tournaments you can take part in on New Year’s Day are -

• A Turbo Rebuy New Year’s Day event, with a buy-in of $13.20, and a guaranteed prize pool of $2,000. The event begins at 2:01 pm
• New Year’s Day Tournament (SS) for a buy-in of $11, guaranteeing cash prizes totaling $10,000, at 3:01 pm
• The next tournament, a rebuy event guaranteeing a cash prize of $12,000, begins at 4:01 pm. The event has a buy-in of $13.20
• The last event on January 1 is the $109 Turbo Buy-in event that offers a guaranteed prize pool of $15,000. This event begins at 5:01 pm.

Members who do not wish to pay for the buy-ins can also try to win free seats to these events through the daily qualifiers that the site is hosting. Bovada Poker is also hosting additional guaranteed tournaments every day, starting from 8:30 pm to midnight.

Play poker online on your mac at Bovada Poker >

It is a big deal!

Winning a few tens or hundreds of dollars may be good. But how about you get to win a few tens of thousands for sure? Sounds great right? The Big Deal is one of the many festive season promotions that Bovada is hosting this year. The online poker room has a special Poker Tournament called the Big deal, which guarantees $100,000 in cash prizes. To get your share of the prize pool, you just have to qualify for the Sunday Poker tournament that takes place at 4:00 pm every Sunday. The prize pool is so far Bovada’s biggest guaranteed offering for its members.

The qualifiers for the Sunday event take place every day, and the buy-in for these qualifiers starts from as low as $1. If you want, you can also enter the tournament with a direct buy-in of $162 on Sundays. The winner of the Big Deal event will get a guaranteed cash prize of $20,000. The second place winner will get $13,000 and the player in the third place will get $10,000.

Play poker online on your mac at Bovada Poker >

http://www.pokeronamac.com/

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Play poker online at Pokerstars >

PokerStars’ Plan to Purchase New Jersey Casino

Earlier this year, the online poker room settled a lawsuit filed by the US DoJ against it. PokerStars had to shell out an amount of $731 million in the process. Now, the poker giant is said to be in talks to acquire a land-based casino in Atlantic City. As per the reports, PokerStars is trying to buy the struggling Atlantic Club Casino in Atlantic City. The deal is apparently less than 50 million USD.

Apparently, PokerStars has made this move in anticipation that online poker will be legalized in New Jersey, which is likely to be well before the year ends. PokerStars, like many other online poker room and casino operators, has applied for a gaming operator’s license in NJ. The poker room will also go through rigorous investigation like the other applicants, according to a spokesperson for the Gaming Enforcement Division of New Jersey.

So if PokerStars gets a license to operate in New Jersey, and if the nationwide online gambling legalization bill is passed, then PokerStars will undoubtedly have a strong footing in the market.

Play poker online at Pokerstars >

Regaining Past Glory?

Before it was kicked out of the US in 2011, and before its CEO was indicted, PokerStars was in the forefront pushing Nevada to offer legalized online gambling. The online poker giant was also in the process of making a deal with Wynn Resorts at that time, but after the indictment, the deal was scrapped. Also, Nevada went on to legalize online poker; only PokerStars could not benefit from it.

According to a law maker of the state, PokerStars seems to have made a wiser decision by choosing to make a comeback in New Jersey and not in Nevada, as it faces severe credibility issues there.

Senator Welcomes the Idea

Raymond Lesniak, a strong supporter of online gambling and a New Jersey state senator has praised PokerStars’ idea of buying a land-based casino in Atlantic City. The senator said that he was pleased to see an online poker room of PokerStars stature interested in teaming up with an Atlantic City casino to offer quality gaming services in the state. He also said that the fact that PokerStars chose New Jersey over Nevada as a possible location for its headquarters, only proves that New Jersey, and not Nevada, has a better chance of becoming the online gambling hub in the US.

He added that PokerStars, being the largest online poker room in the world, would be welcomed with open arms, if it wants to open its American headquarters in Atlantic City. Also, new investment is good news for New Jersey. The lawmakers in NJ have made a few amendments to the proposed bill for legalization of online gambling, so that PokerStars and Full Tilt can start their operations in the state.

The bill proposed by Lesniak, the S-1565, is being considered by the senate and could as well be passed before Christmas. To accommodate PokerStars and Full Tilt in the online gambling market in the state, the proposers have removed a “bad actor” clause from the bill. The Reid-Kyl bill, which many have criticized as Nevada-friendly, also has a bad actor clause, one of the reasons why it may not be passed before 2013.

Lesniak is pushing for introducing online poker before 2013, to beat Nevada as the hub of online gaming activities. The state is also working to ensure that the legal online poker sites are all set to start operations before New Year, even without the federal legislation.

http://www.pokeronamac.com/

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) is also campaigning for a bill to legalize online poker. The bill, if passed, will allow online poker but bans other forms of gambling online, including lotteries. The bill may have an opportunity in the congress before the year ends, thanks to the ongoing fiscal cliff debate in Washington. This campaign may be the last chance for the AGA to push the federal bill, but it is also its best chance, according to Poker Players’ Alliance executive director, John Pappas.

Online Poker to the Rescue

Debt is one of the reasons that the online poker bill may get approved. Given the current scenario, everything seems to be in favor of legalization of online gambling. It is not just important, but necessary for the congress to pass the online poker bill. For if the bill is passed, the online gambling industry in the US can generate over 10,000 jobs, and also curtail the unregulated online gambling activities in the country. It is estimated that within just five years, the states could benefit by around $10 billion only from the online gambling industry.

The latest bill for legalization of online poker carries 16% tax rate, of which 10% goes to the state where the player is located, 4% goes to the operator and 2% would go to the government. If the revenue is $1.6 billion, states would be able to pay up most of the $26.5 billion dollars that they owe the federal government, for unemployment fund loans.

Bill Might Get a Chance in the Congress

The bill, which is for allowing online poker but restricting all other forms of gambling, has been sponsored by Harry Reid, the senate majority leader, and John Kyl, the Senate Minority Whip. The bill allows sales of lottery tickets online, but prevents lotteries from expanding into other casino activities. According to the AGA CEO Frank J Fahrenkopf Jr., the congress has to act in the lame-duck session, or the country is going to see an aggressive expansion of online gambling, with states trying to generate revenue with it.

According to the bill, the games offered by American Native Indian casinos will be regulated by the Commerce Department of the federal government. The commercial casino operators’ games, however, will be under regulation of certain states like Nevada, New Jersey or Mississippi that have experience in regulation of gambling.

The wait for legal online poker, however, could be too long according to Fahrenkopf. The Reid-Kyl bill proposes a wait period of 15-months for setting up of the system, but the PPA hopes and wants the system to be ready much before that.

While the senators are pushing for the approval of this bill, The North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries, which represents all the legal lottery operators in the US and Canada, is strongly lobbying against it.

State-by-State Online Poker Likely in 2013, Says Analyst

The AGA may be trying one last time for legalization of online poker, but you may have to be prepared for an entirely different scenario, according to one analyst. Andrew Zarnett, who is a gaming analyst associated with Deutsche Bank said that the possibility of individual states approving online poker legalization next year is high. Zarnett said that investors should prepare for a state-by-state rollout of online poker in 2013, even if it seems like legalization of poker has been stalled for now.

At present, Nevada is in the forefront of approving legalization of online poker in the US, with casino operators apply for licenses and gear up for the situation. According to Zarnett, the issue would be more about generating revenues and cash flows. He also said that for a successful roll out of legalized online poker state by state, issues such as tribal gaming authority, inclusion of the lottery system and most importantly, tax revenue distribution should be addressed.

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