Andrew Yang Beats Drum for US Online Poker Legality

Online poker has an ally on the election trail in Andrew Yang (Image © PA)

Andrew Yang may be 33/1 to win the 2020 U.S. Presidential election but if the voting was restricted to online poker players the Democratic candidate would be clear favourite to be the next permanent resident in the White House.

And that’s not an exaggeration, it’s an educated projection based on the 36,000+ likes a recent tweet from the 44-year-old – calling for the nationwide legalisation of online poker – received.

In it the entrepreneur, lawyer and philanthropist called for clarity in “the rules”, suggesting online poker should be made “legal in all 50 states” and that “US players and companies would benefit and new tax revenues could be used to mitigate addiction."

Online poker is legal in 4 states. The state-by-state rules are variable and push many players to offshore sites. We should clarify the rules and make it legal in all 50 states. US players and companies would benefit and new tax revenues could be used to mitigate addiction. — Andrew Yang🧢 (@AndrewYang) October 26, 2019

Yang is the first legitimate Presidential candidate from either major party to come out in unambiguous support of nationwide poker legalisation. Other candidates, even those seen as pro-gambling, have preferred to leave the legalities of online poker to individual states to decide.

There’s a Party at Party

It was Partypoker that collected the coveted ‘Poker Operator of the Year’ prize at the recent EGR Global Operator Awards 2019. The win represented a third consecutive victory for the online poker site in the category, one of 31 classifications voted for by an independent panel of industry experts.

Unsurprisingly the No.2 online poker site – in terms of liquidity – was quick to issue a press release stating: “For the third year running, Partypoker was awarded the title of Poker Operator of the Year, something that would not have been possible without your feedback. We are striving to give you, the players, the online poker site they deserve and one that is shaped by poker players.”

Declaring Partypoker to be the award’s 2019 recipient EGR Judges declared: “Reporting any growth in poker would be impressive in a market where the dominant market leader is reporting high single-digit declines. But reporting well over 20% growth suggests a highly successful focus on player protection and tournaments.”

A Monthly Fire Breather at 888Poker

Starting this coming Sunday 888Poker will host a new monthly feature tournament called ‘The Dragon’. Demanding a $1,050 buy-in it will feature a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool and give players a generous $50,000 chip starting stack.

Blinds will increase every 12 minutes and second-chance rebuys will be available during the late registration period. Satellite start from .50c and this Sunday there will be a $109 buy-in satellite guaranteeing 20 seats along with a $215 buy-in satellite featuring 10 seats guaranteed.

Jackpot in Canada Card Room

Quebec’s Casino du Lac-Leamy might not be one of the best known card rooms in the world, but it hit the headlines after paying out a stunning $500,000+ bad beat jackpot on Sunday.

Two players, Fadi Semaan and Yvon Lalonde, probably went at it hammer and tong clutching four 10’s and quad-Jacks. Semaan, with the lesser hand, was the loser on this occasion but his bad-beat triggered a jackpot which had accumulated to CA$676,443/US​$516,777.

As the holder of the lesser hand he later collected 40 percent of the progressive prize-pool, Lalonde took 20 percent (meaning his four jacks were worth US$103,343). Five other players sat at the table also collected a share, US$20,670 apiece, and the remainder, US$103,349, went to those in the poker room at the time.

The Next Poker Movie is Inbound

Oscar-nominated director , a revenge thriller titled 'The Card Counter'. Written and directed by the filmmaker, Golden Globe-winning actor Oscar Isaac will take the lead role, depicting a gambler and former serviceman, who sets out to reform a young man seeking revenge on a mutual enemy from their past.

According to the official synopsis “William Tell (played by Isaac) just wants to play cards. His spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when he is approached by Cirk, a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel.

“Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk. Gaining backing from mysterious gambling financier La Linda, Tell takes Cirk with him on the road, going from casino to casino until the unlikely trio set their sights on winning the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.”

All sounds achievable then!