Obama Goes All In
It went as expected: Barack Obama is again the President of the United States of America for four more years, which is the time he wanted to introduce his Change that was so much talked about four years ago. Nevertheless, this time the election’s result is especially important for you and me, the poker players, as it seems that Obama himself is a supporter of the game… so to say of course, as by legalizing online poker the American government would pocket BILLIONS… and because Obama himself ACTUALLY PLAYS POKER BECAUSE HE LOVES THE GAME! But why is it the talk of the day?
Black Friday
Usually, the Black Friday refers to the first day after thanksgiving day in the United States, and it is commonly associated to Christmas shopping madness. For poker players though, Black Friday means something much less festive and actually dark: it refers to April 15, 2011, when the FBI closed Pokerstars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker, causing losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars figures, which left a bitter taste on hundreds of thousands players mouths. That was then, this is now.The main aspect being discussed here is whether poker is a game of luck or skill, and truth is IT’S BOTH, but legislators across the country don’t seem to come to an understanding about it. Let’s be practical here: EVERY game has luck thrown in the mix, no matter how low the percentage is. Let’s see it from a reason angle: in football, no matter how good you are, luck is also part of the game. Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi or any other top football star may shoot the ball and it may bounce back in the goalpost, no matter how skillful the player is. On the other hand, any player may score if the ball is diverted by a gush of wind and enters the goal. Things aren’t as black as white as this in Poker though, as there’s money involved (bundles of money really!), which makes this an issue that must be deliberated with care by the American gaming commissions, legislators and so on. We have news for them though: President Obama loves poker, and he is planning to review the laws on online gambling and freedom as well, which is the staple of the American constitution. There are bright days ahead, so stay tuned on more casino news about this topic!
The downside of it all
Of course there are a lot of reasons that must be thoroughly considered before the approval of legislated online poker. The most debated issues are in regard to WHO is playing online, as you don’t know if the person you are playing against is legal of age, if he is a gambling addict or not, etc. This raised valid questions and concerns, as after all it is people that we’re talking about. Every parent knows (or should know) what is the best for their sons and daughters, and we’re sure that if they see that their cubs have what it takes to become poker pros, they will support their decision if it’s what they want. Of course, poker is an elusive world for many players, and the pros are a handful worldwide, and this should be explained to youngsters who play, so they know it’s not la-la-land we’re talking about. As for gambling addicts things can get very nasty, including destroying their lives in the end (ending their marriage, losing their house, car, friends, etc.). In this sensitive case, relatives and friends can help immensely by supporting the player and trying to end his addiction through programs, institutions, etc., though in the end it will all be the player’s decision on what to do. Tough as it is, and when having a problem, it must be faced or we lose the chance to ever solve it, and this is no different in any way. We are obviously anxious to know how it will turn out, including decisions and legislation that will introduce the new gaming changes, so stay with us for more news on this issue as soon as they are revealed.