Justice Department Takes Down Online Poker Sites

A screenshot of the PokerStars.com homepage, which was seized by the Department of Justice last Friday.
Screenshots/FullTiltPoker.com, PokerStars.com

Michael Kaplan
Posted: April 21, 2011

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Then maybe I'll consider putting some money into a small site and resuming play elsewhere—though I will miss those great 90-mans on Full Tilt.

While most of us might be losing a form of recreation that is (or is not) slightly profitable, a select number of truly gifted poker players are actually losing their livelihoods. On Friday night, after getting locked out of Full Tilt, I Skyped my friend Nick Rainey, the online pro who actually taught me how to beat the 90-mans.

He Skyped me back some words on the inevitability of this happening, his habit of keeping as little cash as possible online, and impending plans to hit the Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida, for live poker and a shot at the upcoming World Poker Tour tournament that is due to take place there.

That said, with so much of the WPT's TV sponsorship now dried up, Rainey is smart to buy in while he still can.

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Comments 3 comment(s)

Mike Klink — Salisbury, PA, USA, — April 21, 2011 8:43pm ET

"Before feeding more cash into online poker, I'm hoping to get my funds back from Stars and Tilt—which, according to Wednesday's announcement of cooperation between the D.O.J. and those two sites, is beginning to seem increasingly likely."

Mike, I'd say your chances of that are the same as the those who ordered the cuban stogies from overseas only to be seized by the Customs and Border Patrol at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

James C — April 22, 2011 10:04am ET

I heard there were two countries that banned on line poker - USA and North Korea. One of those is touted as the Land of the Free.

Mike A Cardinal — April 22, 2011 11:06am ET

thats some wishful thinking about getting ur money back.im glad i busted out the other day... lol

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