If you guys are not aware of UIGEA rule, then let me tell you that Unlawful internet gambling enforcement act is a bill which was passed later in the year 2006, Under the presidency of George Bush to ban all forms of financial activities involved in online gambling industry such as online payment transfers, use of credit cards, e-cheques and other financial instruments.

Today is the day when the UIGEA will take effect and all the banks and other financial institutions has to follow the law guidance. The banking and other financial firms has to ban all transactions related to online gambling. No American player can withdraw or deposit funds to their gambling account.

According to ABA, American Banking Association, it not possible to block payment transfers as there are millions taking place on regular basis and choosing among them would be difficult.

Online poker spent most of 2009 just like the previous three years, facing wave after wave of attacks from U.S. and state governments. However, the year concluded with the two most positive events for the industry since Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act late in 2006. Let's take a look back at the key political moments for 2009, the year that could go down in history as the turning point for poker on the political scene.

Kentucky continues court battle -- Toward the latter part of 2008, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshearbegan a crusade to try to seize 141 domain names by using a law that allows the state to seize devices that are used for illegal gambling. The long list of sites included poker giants PokerStars.com and FullTiltPoker.com. If Kentucky could take control of the domain names, officials could block the state's residents from accessing sites on the list. The move initially was approved in a Kentucky court in October 2008, and the issue continue into 2009.  Visit :- pokernews .com site

Australia's popular online betting company, Bwin,  is seeking to buy out an Italian gambling firm , Gioco Digitale in order to improve its market share.

With the implementation of new law in Italy, the government is trying to legalize skill games that includes poker cash games and other online poker tournaments. Bwin already  stated in their last quarterly report that it plans to expand its Italian poker, casino and sports betting operations and talks are going on to take over popular local italian gambling firm, Gioco Digitale. Still the terms and conditions are not layed out as to what will the buying strategy.

Recently the news flashed out that one of the investors had bought 10% of share in Gioco for whooping $2.9 million.

The full tilt poker's ftops has begin. The Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) returns for its thirteenth running beginning on Wednesday, August 5th, and offers players the chance to earn their share of more than US$16 million in guaranteed prize money.

The full tilt poker events wilI features 25  events, each with a different game and tournament structure.

Prize money is $1 million guaranteed and below are the events that will be conducted during FTOPS season:-

  
    - Event #1, a US$200 + US$16 No-Limit Hold 'em tournament, begins at
  
  
      21:00 ET on August 5th and guarantees US$1 million in prize money
  
  

  
    - Event #10, a US$300 + US$22 No-Limit Hold 'em tournament, begins at
  
  
      18:00 ET on August 9th and guarantees US$1.5 million in prize money
  
  

  
    - Event #12, a US$1,000 + US$60 No-Limit Hold 'em tournament with antes
  
  
      from the start, begins at 21:00 ET on August 10th and guarantees US$1.5
  
  
      million in prize money
  
  

  
    - Event #17, a US$300 + US$22 No-Limit Hold 'em rebuy 6-max tournament,
  
  
      begins at 21:00 ET on August 12th and guarantees US$1 million in prize
  
  
      money
  
  

  
    - Event #22, the US$2,500 + US$120 No-Limit Hold 'em Two Day event,
  
  
      begins at 14:00 ET on August 15th and guarantees US$2 million in prize
  
  
      money
  
  

  
    - The FTOPS XIII Main Event, a US$500 + US$35 No-Limit Hold 'em
  
  
      tournament, begins at 18:00 on August 16th and guarantees US$2.5
  
  
      million in prize money
  
  

Microgaming , online gaming software provider has been moved to position 8th in terms of online poker network growth.  The growth was achieved when Microgaming  build up South Africa gaming platform. The online poker tracking site http://www.pokerscout.com moved Microgaming to position 8th in his latest ranking updates.

Microgaming networks were unable to crack even 12th position, they barely cracked 1000 players .  The Microgaming move pushes Cake Poker down to the number 10 position.  Microgaming recently lost the popular  Doylespokerroom to Cake after the South African poker network bailed out of the U.S. market.

The following are the ratings given by the pokerscout:-

1) Pokerstars

2) FullTiltPoker

3) ipoker Network

4) PartyPoker

5) Ongame Network

6) Everest Poker

You'll be surprised to hear that the best average players for online gambling comes from Australia and New Zealand.  Yes, Australia and New Zealand are the two best countries and hub of internet gambling.

The research was done by Robert Williams, a professor at famous US university and came to the conclusion when he did his research survey from around 105 countries.  He took 20000 people from those 105 countries and stated that  average of $440 is spent by the players from NZ and AU so the results are here, it means the best player value comes from these two countries.

The professor said that "its a very interesting survey the we have conducted and many minds will be crystal clear who were thinking that United States is the hub of internet gambling before this survey".

The other news that I wanted to cover in this post is that :-

Australia's, ACMA minister is trying to put a ban on online poker sites and has asked its ISP's to block access to various poker sites.A bad news for online gambling. The list of sites has been leaked at wikileaks web site.

Dutch tax dept is after online poker players who  have not yet paid their taxes on their winnings. Dutch authorities gained access to players personal data through linking players online aliases with their true identities.

Tax dept is still investigating and further stated that there are many online poker players who have not disclosed their winnings from online gambling sites. Authorities contacted these players and sended forms and application to disclose their earnings.

Many poker players are surprised as to how come these tax authorities came to know about their personal profiles.

I expected a great start for online gambling business this year and certainly got a good news from EU country Czech Republic. The Eu country is legalizing online gambling and will give local companies to operate online gambling business.

The reports further stated that the registration for playing online will be very strict in terms of age verification. One has to submit documents to verify his or her age.

A press release from iGaming Business reports that Internet betting is officially allowed from January 5, which means the market is open to local Czech companies.

Today, business, jobs not mater what everything is hitting badly due to market crunch.  Market has even not spared online gaming business.

I have been playing poker and has been affiliate for many years but the amount of down turn I have seen in this business is massive.  I think the rosy days are gone when I use to get hundreds of poker players.

But its a very crystal clear thing that big firms like Yahoo, Microsoft, Intel and other tech giants are laying off employees and millions of people are bankrupt and loan defaulter, so in this dirty conditions how can we expect poker to flourish.

Things are not looking good at all and seems to be getting worst and worst day by day. One of my friend, a financial analyst said that it would take at least year or two for market to bounce back. God knows whne the market will pick up and my sign ups too )

Online gambling which was growing at massive pace has now badly hit by current market crunch.

 Duplicate poker room which seems to be flourishing in US market gave up and stepped down suddenly.  Many major poker rooms which were running on their private platform is now emerging with some big poker networks such as ipoker and  i-gaming .

Recently two largest poker rooms, pokeroom and europoker merged with  b-win company.  Even  retputed PartyGaming brand is trying to merge their party poker brand with some  network.

Things are looking bad for every business today, there is no one who can claim that their business are not effected with on going market crunch.

Days are numbered for current president of United States, Geroge Bush, who will leave white house in January 2009 and Obama will  take his place as a new president.  Before leaving, Bush govt is trying implement UIGEA laws and make online gambling illegal to play.

The UIGEA rules states that all form of online gambling transaction is illegal and Americans are not suppose to play or gamble  on online poker, online casino games and sports betting while exempting betting on fantasy sports and horse racing.

Banks and other financial institutions are not yet cleared with UIGEA as to what is legal and what is illegal. One of the officials of banking firm urged that we have no idea as what form of transaction is illegal as we cannot track each and every transaction that  is being  made by millions of customers.

I even heard that online gaming firms have sent letter to new president regarding their concerns on UIGEA rules and its drawbacks.

No body could have thought that poker game will bring great popularity in online or you can on internet market. online poker boom was started in the year 2003 when party gaming was making million of dollars from American market through massive advertising campaigns.

Many poker rooms made hefty money from American markets and some went public too, listing on London Stock Exchange, but even since UIGEA rules was implemented, the internet gambling companies took huge blows on their revenues forcing them to withdraw from American market in fear of prosecution.

Now, what was left for gambling companies to operate after loosing 80% of market but thanks to France, German and Netherlands market which helped online poker to blossom.

Today majority of online poker players are from Netherlands, France and Germany. Even these countries are strict in terms of gambling  but not even like US banning poker totally.

Previously, France took some major action against online poker companies but after the meeting with EU officials they declared to conduct online poker in their jurisdiction but with proper rules and regulations.

Many big affiliates are getting pissed off due to small affiliates creating brand keyword domains and making those domains to rank in Google search engine. This kind of methods and promotion activities should be banned says one of the big poker affiliate.

Poker Stars, one of the worlds largest online gambling portal has warned its affiliates that they should stop using poker stars and marketing code and other trade marks keywords in their domains to promote and to get players.  Majority of affiliates are creating new domains like pokerstarsmarketingcode.com, poker-stars-marketing-code.com and many others similar type of domains.

Poker Stars recently gave notices to all its affiliates that no affiliates should promote using their brand names nor they should advertise on other sites to get players.  If  affiliates caught doing such things their account will be banned and their commission will be seized.

For more information and if you are a poker stars affiliate you can view that message  when you log into your affiliate account.

Recently kentucky's county circuit court judge, Thomas Wingate has rejected all the objection brought by the representatives of gambling side.

Thomas Wingate announced that until Nov17th all the owners of those 141 domains should bar kentuckians from accessing their sites and should not alowl any Kentuckians to play or gamble online.  If the steps are not taken by any gambling company until NOV17th their sites will blocked and the domain ownership will be transfered to the Common Wealth Game of Kentucky.

Those gambling sites will be set free if followed the above decision.

I think this is disgusting and it may hurt very badly to gambling industry.

Portuguese, one of the EU nations is trying to put a ban on online gambling business in their country. Portuguese has filed a case in EU court of justice and waiting for the hearing.

Many countries are coming forward against online gambling business, the reason behind this is the local business are getting effected. online gambling operators have attracted many off line players thus resulting in low revenues for off line gambling business. Some countries are legalizing it and some are following US path.

A case in which kentucky's governor,  Steve Beshear  is reluctant to block and seize those 141 domains which included some big ones such as full tilt poker, poker stars, doyles room and ultimate bet will be decided tomorrow on Oct 7th.

Steve and its lawyers are all set to fight against  IMEGA, Poker Player Alliance, which holds some of the most reputed lawyers in United States.  Lets us see if governor or the poker community wins this case.

This will be the most important decisions to come.

Many of you guys know party poker very well, its a room that created boom in online poker with their massive advertising and marketing campaigns.

I played a lot at party poker and the competition is mere less. Party poker has now changed their promotions and they have come up great promotional of $500 bonus.

Party poker has brought new tables with new stylish looks and with great back ground. I usually play at party poker, poker stars , full tilt poker and ultimate bet. But ever since Ultimate bet has come under cheating scandal I am bit afraid of  playing for real money in that room.

Party has brought new free roll tournamnets and other interesting promotions.

 WTF is happening to Kentucky's governor,Steve Beshear.  He is trying to strip all online gambling domains  in order boost their local casinos and horse betting firms.

The governor reported saying that online poker is illegal and is hurting million of local state people and is a serious threat to community and a leeches in community.  The governor already seized 2 domains and trying to lay his hand on major ones such as full tilt poker, poker stars , doyles room and bodoglife .

25th Sept is the date when court will declare whether to seize all domains or not.  This is a great threat to our freedom and liberty. 

Ever since Barney Frank's internet gambling bill  passed the house, the hopes for online poker has  rosed.  Many congressmen says that online poker has a chance for getting exempt from UIGEA rules.

If the bill, HR6870, passed senate, it will make it easier for Internet poker players to make deposits and cash out winnings online.

Efforts to overturn the law are followed closely in Las Vegas, which has become the home of many major players with online gambling interests. I hope the bill gets through senate and I will first download my favourite party poker room and deposit $500 . and HURRAAYYY !  play and win money .

I hope everything goes well.

I was wondering how come Duplicate Poker room operates from US despite UIGEA rules.  UIGEA rules states that online poker, casino games are illegal for US players and banks and other financial institutions can't  accept or transact gambling funds.

How come Duplicate poker says that playing in their room is totally fair and legal for US customers.  Poker Stars, Full tilt poker and other poker rooms still accept US players but these rooms provide services outside US jurisdiction . Duplicate Poker room operates from US.

Barny Frank is trying his level best to exempt online poker from UIGEA and allow online payment processing to process payments to online gambling sites.

House committee  and chief of financial services and congressman 'Barny Frank' has introduced a new bill for online gambling that will abolish  UIGEA.  According to UIGEA rules no banks or financial institutions  should allow players to fund their money in gaming sites.

Barny Frank aim is to abolish law that makes online payment processing illegal. The election is approaching and Bush govt will be planning to pass as much bills as possible in senate.

Barny Frank's bill will be heard on Tuesday and let us see if the last possible attempt could bring charm to online players.  All the very best Frank.

Hi guys, my name is Kiran, I am from India and am very fond of playing online poker. Since our country do not allow to gamble online I still take risk and play poker and casino games. I don't thing there any problem in doing that. many countries are against online gambling industry but still many of us over here regularly play poker and other casino games.

I am blogging about coming trends in our online gambling industry, news, new poker rooms that could be good in order to win tables as the competition is way too high in party poker, poker stars and full tilt.

Daily or weekly poker news will be blogged. I'll keep myself and you guys touch with latest happenings in the online poker industry.I would like to thanks administrator for providing me this blog. Cheers.