NBC Heads-Up Success Proves Poker Popularity
April 30, 2008
NBC's National Heads-Up Poker Championship series continues to pull bigger numbers than last year, a very good sign for the poker industry. Of course, viewers are watching the best poker show on TV. A cast of A-list poker pros, sports figures and celebrities combined in a single elimination format modeled after college basketball has proven to be a winning combination. Now, bring in a sports entertainment giant, NBC, to produce the shows and viewers are assured of top quality poker.
More good news for poker? Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) have teamed up to introduce legislation that would remove the stigma cast on Internet poker by the Port Security Bill (Frist Folly). The Frist legislation (UIEGA) was to be enforced by the banking industry thru a credit/debit card transaction filter "thingy" with the ability to discern right from wrong and cancel all illegal transactions. Moving money to your Internet Race Book, that's legal and right, keep betting. Moving money into your player account located in the cage of an Internet poker room, that's illegal and wrong, stop, go directly to jail, don't pass go.
The banking industry, after a year of seeking a solution to this mandate (remember, these are the very same people that have to solve the sub-prime mortgage debacle), sent a letter to all members of Congress declaring the bill to be impossible to enforce. Barney Frank's bill will instruct the banking industry to ignore UIEGA. Mission accomplished.
What a strange, convoluted world we live in. The 9/11 inspired Port Security bill gets harpooned by the Frist anti-poker UIEGA bill, something conceived in such hast it contained an overlooked fatal flaw, it is impossible to enforce. Now we need new legislation that says, "Never Mind." In the future we really should give our full attention when deciding which people we will grant the honor of leadership and the right to serve our collective trust. Click here for a list of supporters for the Barney Frank bill. Check for your politician on the list and what to do if they are not there.
For those poker players watching the Sunday Noon Heads-Up Poker series on NBC and have decided they must play in the next championship I've included a list of criteria that will earn an automatic invitation to the card dance, after the jump...
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