US players have been waiting patiently for what may or may not come to fruition regarding legalization of online poker gaming. The UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) as part of the Safe Port Act imposes strict guidelines which proscribe American credit card companies and banks from processing payments and wire transfers to online gambling companies. This is especially critical to online poker gaming – which is something that US players thoroughly enjoy. The essence of US legislation on online gambling is that no real-money accounts can be funded from US banks or payment processors. This led to an exodus of all online gaming sites from US cyberspace – well, the vast majority of them in any case. Those that were left allowed their operations to continue by registering their companies in neutral territories with payment processors that allowed US players to deposit funds. Sadly some $7 billion in revenues was lost within days off the LSE after the pullout.
Poker is the players’ game. It’s enjoyed all over the world in more ways than one. Now Microsoft has found a way to provide competitive poker action to players across the USA. And there’s nothing illegal about their operations either because players don’t play for cash. I can see you getting a little antsy here – if there’s no cash, what’s the point of playing? Well, the cash maybe non-existent for now, but that certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not competitive poker gaming. There are Microsoft points and prizes to be won – this makes this 100% legal. Points cannot be redeemed for cash so the provisions of the UIGEA do not apply. Players get to enjoy these poker games with the powerful in beta FULL HOUSE POKER. MS recently canceled the 1 versus 100 and replaced it with something far superior – the namesake of this blog post. This new poker gaming phenomenon looks more like a primetime poker tourney where MS points are essentially what comprises the poker pot. Get this: the gaming has kinect support and incredible avatars too. Don’t fret if you’re looking for big tourneys because up to 100 players can kick back, show their poker faces and enjoy the steaming hot poker action.
What’s in store for Microsoft poker gamers?
Lots and lots apparently. I say that because poker fundis have yet to provide feedback on the action. There are certainly going to be lots of nightly freeroll tourneys taking place for Xbox Live Gold Members. And how’s purchase prescription drugs without a prescription this for a bit of baiting: the HU4mspRollz may be a real possibility based on the eventual success of Full House Poker. We’re all gunning for real-money poker prizes but that’s a ways off yet – if at all, based on US legislation. Big time poker rooms in Full Tilt and Pokerstars are unable to process and/or accept US-based players. As I mentioned earlier there’s no worries processing payments for MS points. Indeed we’ve got Facebook and loads of other social networking sites allowing players to buy poker points as they compete for the Texas Hold’em champions’ league. Suffice it to say that our monolith Microsoft is holding the nuts and the XBL Gold Members will be first in line for big-time poker prizes.

