Online Poker Report – Unbeknownst to most people outside of the state legislature, California’s online poker bills are up against a deadline coming at the end of this month. The time limit is legitimate, and requires that all bills must pass their “house of origin” by May 30, according to the California legislative calendar and the California legislature’s joint rules (page 39 has the pertinent information). The deadline was first brought to attention by Washington Internet Poker Initiative founder and OnlinePokerReport.com contributor Curtis Woodard, who pointed out several upcoming deadlines. The legislative calendar reads, “May 30 Last day to pass…

Poker News – While Norway keeps working towards the introduction of a new gambling law, a report from the University of Bergen provided authorities with interesting data about poker and problem gambling. According to a survey conducted by the institute on a sample of 10,000 people, poker is one of the “safest” games in Norway, even if people think that a new piece of legislation should explicitly include limitations on losses and on gambling advertising. Trying to understand which gambling games are the more “dangerous” for people at risk of problem gambling and compulsive gambling behaviors, researchers found out that…

Radio Boston – Online poker could soon be legal in Massachusetts. An addendum to this year’s budget proposal has been signed by no less than 18 state representatives and would see three online poker licenses issued. With delays to the various brick and mortar casino proposals across the state, residents could see online poker rooms open for business before they ever set foot in an actual casino. Boston author Ben Mezrich knows all about the world of online poker. His book, “Straight Flush: The True Story Of Six College Friends Who Dealt Their Way To A Billion-Dollar Online Poker Empire…

Card Player – Online poker players, especially those in California, have a new enemy. Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco (1996-2004) and previously a California legislator, said last week that he is joining billionaire Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson in the latter’s quest to stop online gaming in the United States, the Los Angeles Times reported. Brown’s commitment to the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling is perplexing because of Brown’s previous work to support online poker legalization in the Golden State. Brown said he is the new national co-chair and California chair of Adelson’s coalition. “There are…

Poker News – Fast-fold poker is popular on just about every online poker site in the world. Could these games now be in jeopardy in the United States? At the end of April 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) made a decision to issue a patent to the Rational Group for fast-fold poker. The Rational Group is the parent company to both PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, the latter being the first in the world to offer fast-fold poker. As initially reported by Pokerfuse, on May 20, 2014 the USPTO will issue Patent Number 8,727,850 listed as…

Poker News – Two of the UK’s most prominent professional players agreed to chop the UKIPT Nottingham High Roller and take an even £68,000 each. The £3,300 buy-in event saw 86 unique entries and 15 rebuys, which helped beat the £300,000 guarantee by £2,650. The last men standing were World Poker Tour Dublin champion and double World Championship Of Online Poker winner Dave Shallow and Richard Kellett. Shallow went down in the history books as the tournament’s champion by virtue of having more chips at the time of the deal, but both players agreed to an even chop citing being…