Is the underground poker scene getting out of control?
Sunday 25th January 2009
As speculation continues to mount that the US government is on the verge of a serious U-turn with regards to the online poker ban, many prominent members of the sector are starting to become concerned about the underground poker scene which is apparently getting out of control. The banning of the online industry forced many companies to reinvent themselves and target different areas of the community in order to make ends meet. This would appear to have encouraged an increase in the underground poker scene which is illegal and often dangerous.
Anyone who plays poker in an unregulated premise or via an unregulated online poker site is risking the chance that even if they win they will not be paid out. There are many nightmare stories of players winning substantial amount of money only to find that they have no legal recourse to claim their winnings as the operations are effectively illegal. However, there is a grey line between what is legal and what is illegal in the current market, something which the authorities need to address as soon as possible.
The potential risks to the long-term future of the online poker and off-line poker markets are there for all to see and it would seem inevitable that the governments of the world will unite sooner rather than later to address the situation.
As speculation continues to mount that the US government is on the verge of a serious U-turn with regards to the online poker ban, many prominent members of the sector are starting to become concerned about the underground poker scene which is apparently getting out of control. The banning of the online industry forced many companies to reinvent themselves and target different areas of the community in order to make ends meet. This would appear to have encouraged an increase in the underground poker scene which is illegal and often dangerous.