Online Poker

The World Poker Tour and the Travel channel have relaxed their stance on player sponsorship, but still seem to be very much against the sponsorship of players by online poker rooms.

I read the new rules, and don't see how any online poker room could sponsor players because of this clause.

"In the event Sponsor is a website, such site is prohibited from accepting wagers currently or in the future and containing links or references to online gambling or any online gambling websites which accept wagers currently or in the future in order to be pre-approved by WPT. WPT Enterprises, Inc."

Containing links or references to online gambling or any online gambling websites. To me a logo is a reference. A brand name is a reference.

Some people in the online poker industry have been celebrating this change and plan to use a '.net' version of their site to sponsor players playing in WPT events. But how is the same logo with a .net on the end instead of a .com not a reference to an online gambling website? How is OnlinePoker.net with the same logo & brand not 'a reference' to OnlinePoker.com?

A few other rooms use this tactic promoting free '.net' sites on TV to work around TV network rules in regard to advertising online gambling. But lets call a spade a spade. Everyone knows the purpose of these ads is to drive new players to a real money poker site eventually, which is exactly why the WPT & Travel channel were so specific in the wording of their new rules.

The public is not stupid. They know that businesses exist to make money. Sure, here at Poker.com we love our free players, but we wouldn't be here and wouldn't have games for free if we weren't trying to make money from our real money business. It's crazy to think that anybody is fooled by this tactic.

If the WPT does allow sites with a .net extension to advertise where the .com extension is a real money poker room, then it is against their own rules and certainly against the 'spirit' of the rules if not the actual written rules of the US TV networks.

If only the US government would take a definite stance on online poker, then all of this ridiculous cat and mouse activity would dissappear. We'd know where we stand in regard to advertising and players would know where they stand in regard to the legality of them actually playing.

We get heaps of requests every day to sponsor US sporting teams or events and advertise on TV or radio, but we are reluctant to do so because we do not want to break any rules and get in trouble with the government.

If online poker rooms like Poker.com can't sponsor WPT players, then I guess it will be alcohol companies as they seem to have been the first endorser to jump on the poker bandwagon. As we all know that drinking bourbon is so much better for the state of the union than anyone playing a few hands of their so called 'national card game' from the comfort of their home!

Hello George W if you are listening. I won't tell anyone about your Poker.com account and tendency to bluff to the river if you give us an answer on whether you consider online poker to be legal or not!

Your people love poker 'Dubbya', so why don't you want to tell them they can play?

kris @ poker.com