The day has come, and feared late effect of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in the U.S..

UIGEA regulation is in full effect, but still online poker sites do not appear as an empty desert and post apocalypse. At this moment, 41.356 are playing cash games on PokerStars and other 17.532 at Full Tilt Poker, according to the website traffic of online poker PokerScout. “I had already announced that this date would not be a catastrophic event for poker players that would see the dimming of the online sites in the U.S.,” said John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance. “I think there will always be channels through which players can deposit. It should not have effect on the deposit ACH (Automated Clearing House) or those outside the system of credit. So it should take effect even on people who want to deposit money on the sites.

” The PPA has had no response from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke about the petition to clarify the effects of the UIGEA on games like poker. In this case, no news is bad news. “We have not received any notification on the acceptance of our petition but either no notification has been declined,” said Pappas. “I think we can accept the petition even after the entry into force of the law but this is very unlikely. There expect most banks to comply fully with the regulations. However, we have heard from several people who can still make deposits. ” What will the UIGEA now we know only a couple of weeks. Players must be patient with deposits and withdrawals will be clearer and the consequences. By law, the PPA will focus its efforts to push Congress to a new regulation that prohibits Americans to participate in what is traditionally one of the most popular games in America. “Our efforts are always concentrated in two directions, to see what you can do to counteract and delay the UIGEA, which we did successfully in the past four years, and try and get the regulation and licensing of online poker “Pappas said. “The next step will be the presentation of Barney Frank (his draft law on the authorization and regulation of online gaming to the House Financial Services Committee), which will take place in July. We’re focused on this and will do everything possible to get the best possible result from this vote. “