Pro Poker Player Ponders Propects...

[JakeStratham]

This is a year old, but still an interesting read:

Poker Black Friday: An online poker pro ponders how he'll make a living. - Slate Magazine

Background: Shane Schleger is a pro poker player in the U.S. He wrote the above article shortly after Black Friday. In it, he considers his options - including getting a job - now that the DOJ has essentially backed him into a corner. You might find similarities between his story and challenges in your own business as you maneuver through the state's roadblocks.

Schleger's résumé from wiki:

Known for online poker tournament success under the name shaniac, he has made two World Series of Poker (WSOP) final tables as well as a World Poker Tour (WPT) final Table.

Schleger finished fifth place on two separate occasions in the WSOP $1K w/ Rebuys event (grossing $132,110 in 2005 and $111,445 in 2007). In February 2006, he won $230,000 in a $300 no-limit hold 'em rebuy tournament at the Commerce Casino's LA Poker Classic. In July 2007, he finished fourth at the World Poker Tour (WPT) Bellagio Cup III, cashing for $232,490.

In February 2011, Schleger became a member of Team PokerStars Online, a group of internet poker players who are sponsored by the site.

As of 2011, his total live tournament winnings exceed $1,150,000.

Life is always uncertain, of course. But here is yet another example demonstrating how the state creates unnecessary chaos in the lives of peaceful people.

 

[JCash]

You could make an argument that online poker and negative-option-based affiliate marketing were two small but lucrative tech industries that failed to police themselves adequately and establish advocacy and lobby groups, and were therefore smacked down when their wheels got squeaky enough.

 

[IceToEskimos]

You could make an argument that online poker and negative-option-based affiliate marketing were two small but lucrative tech industries that failed to police themselves adequately and establish advocacy and lobby groups, and were therefore smacked down when their wheels got squeaky enough.

solid.

 

[g1c9]

deleted.

 

[momchil9]

poker regulation is necessary though.

The FTP fiasco proves this.

 

[transistor]

I heard there are some sites that still allow US players. Is that true?

 

[MSTeacher]

something tells me he won't be getting a j.o.b.

 

[danke]

Call me crazy but...

1. Create Canadian Corporation.

2. Get Canadian Bank account.

3. Come back to America.

4. Get offshore Windows Dedicated Server

5. Install Poker software.

6. Remote Desktop to Dedi.

7. Play poker.

Am I missing something?

 

[BradleyT2p2]

In 2005, the year I left my job waiting tables to play poker full time

It's not like he left some high tech job where his skills are now obsolete.

Move to Florida, SoCal or Macau and play live poker. Or for the mega-ballers that were killing it online - Thailand is really nice and Canada is close. That's the fucking beauty of having a job that can be done from a laptop (except where it's illegal) but most of the online players didn't appreciate that.

In fact it looks like the OP of the original story did in fact move to Vancouver -
He started this thread about Vancouver a few months ago
Vancouver Chatter Thread - MTT Community - Multi Table Tournament Poker Community

 

[JakeStratham]

I heard there are some sites that still allow US players. Is that true?

I think Bovada and BetOnline are open. But I'm just a casual observer of the field. Anything Fatbat says on this matter trumps anything I say.

something tells me he won't be getting a j.o.b.

I'm with you on this.

 

[Fatbat]

poker regulation is necessary though.

The FTP fiasco proves this.

Why? Had the feds not shut them down they would still be operating without any problems.

 

[scottspfd82]

Am I missing something?

Yeah. A couple million U.S. fish who made the games soft that are no longer playing.

 

[Kerkat]

I heard there are some sites that still allow US players. Is that true?

The main ones that held out and kept US players on were Poker Stars, Full Tilt, UB and Absolute poker. Some got their sites seized and others refocused on the European market.