US Poker – The face of the US online poker industry has changed at several points during its 15-year life. The biggest contributing factors were the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and Black Friday. The online poker industry has always learned to adjust. The biggest hurdle currently facing it is access to reliable and legitimate payment processing.
One other factor facing the US-friendly offshore poker sites is that regulation in the US is inevitable. Three states have already regulated online poker and many more are expected to do so in the coming years. The PPA predicted California, which is 12% of the US population, will legalize it in 2014. Offshore sites could see an instant impact if California players are given regulated poker options.
Offshore poker sites have responded to this by becoming diversified gaming companies. Gone are the days of poker-only sites like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. Poker has become a secondary offering to sports and casino games.
Sports betting is the next logical step for US-facing sites. It is only legal in two states. In Nevada, serious players have been known to keep offshore sports betting accounts open. This is due to the fact that Nevada sports books tend to offer similar odds. The opportunity for line shopping, which means searching for the best line available for a particular wager, is expanded when offshore sports books are added to a serious Nevada sports bettor’s options.
