Weekly Roundup February 6 2015
Restore the Wire Act Reintroduced
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) has reintroduced the Restoration of America’s Wire Act. The bill would destroy the existing regulated online poker and casino industry in the U.S. This same bill failed to pass in the previous Congress, even with a late push to attach it to must-pass legislation in December 2014. The bill was drafted by an attorney for Las Vegas Sands, a company founded by Sheldon Adelson. He has opposed all forms of regulated online gaming in the U.S.
World Series of Poker Adds Online Bracelet Event
This summer’s World Series of Poker will include an online event that includes a bracelet for the winner. The $1,000 buyin tournament will be held on July 2, 2015 at noon at WSOP.com Nevada. The tournament will play down until it is heads up. It will be paused at that point and restart the following day at Rio in Las Vegas. While WSOP.com players won hundreds of seats to live events last year, this will be the first time a bracelet event will be offered over the Internet.
Online Poker Bills Fail in Two State Legislatures
Attempts to legalize and regulate online poker will need to wait another year in Washington and Mississippi. Bills in both states failed to make it out of committee due to a lack of interest. Curtis Woodard of the Washington Internet Poker Initiative published an article at Online Poker Report calling the efforts of getting a bill into draft a success simply because it brought the topic up for at least a short debate. Both states are expected to consider these measures again in 2016.
Carbon Online Poker Series Starts This Weekend
The Carbon Online Poker Series starts on February 8. The combined guaranteed prize pool is $2 million. There will be 76 events spread through February 22. Games include No Limit Texas Hold’em, HORSE, Pot Limit Omaha High/Low, No Limit Omaha High/Low, and Pot Limit Omaha. Buyins start at $5.50 and run as high as $530. The main event is on February 22 and has a $215 buyin with a $250k guaranteed prize pool.