What will happen to Poker websites when the US Government makes all online gaming/gambling sites illegal?
In the October 3, 2006 SEO Rockstars show talked about the online gabling industry. With the recent Government bill proposals, which is just a few days from approval will not allow online gambling sites in the United States, I wonder what will happen with Online Poker websites? Many affiliate sites make money out of Poker and other forms of online gambling where almost every online gamble site is powered by affiliate networks. Now if these sites will no longer be allowed in the United States, will these websites still make enough money to rely on US offshore markets? Will this online industry still be as lucrative as it is today, not only from the online gabling companies but from the affiliates as well?
Greg Boser’s guesstimate, knowing that in the proposed bill does not include horse racing, believes that many online affiliates might move their attention into that direction. Imagine if this goes out of the US, not only the online gambling websites are affected, but the online gabling affiliates as well, and also the online media selling companies are also losing a large customer base where this online media companies include Google Adwords, Yahoo Marketing and MSN as well.
In previous laws, online gambling companies were not allowed to be physically present in the United States so most of these companies are based offshore. But people from the United States could still join the games online no matter where the company is based since it is on the Internet. But in the new proposed bill which I have not read page by page, but has heard from the affiliate community, that when the new bill is passed, these online gaming companies will not even be allowed to have game players from the United States. If you love playing Party Poker, better start or continue playing while you still can and think of your poker strategy.
Before that US Law was implemented, many sites blacklisted the Philippines. I think they tagged us as high risk or something. You can not join or open an account and for some people who are already members (from US or other parts of the world), they can not log in while they are in the Philippines. I know one guy who even had his credit card suspended because he tried to transfer money to his online poker account while here in Manila.
Right now since the bill was already implemented, more poker sites are opening their doors to other markets, like the Philippines.
The Philippine poker scene (live and online) is quickly growing. I am proud to be a part of it.