Pokerstars responded to queries about the legitimacy of their activities in the US last week, citing that they have acted lawfully in American gambling market. These problems came into view as a stipulation was incorporated to the law working with the ‘United States House of Representatives’ that would block the firms that had violated federal or state gambling laws previously from gaining an entry into future regulated marketplace. 

This bill, known as the ‘Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act’ would lead to a regulated marketplace which permits many firms to get licenses and verification to run their virtual poker sites in America. At present time, there are no regulatory rules for virtual poker in the United States. Albeit no regulations have been brought in to prohibit virtual poker explicitly, several poker sites did not allow American players to play on their websites after the regulation of UIGEA act (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act). This was the law which made it unlawful for the United States banks to initiate fiscal transactions with internet gambling sites. 

H.R. 2267 (or Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act) recently passed first blockage on way to turning into a regulation by being introduced by House Financial Services Committee. Whilst several have contemplated that new provision in this HR 2267 can make it improbable for popular poker rooms like Full Tilt Poker and Poker Stars to acquire licenses. Poker Stars made a statement offering an entirely different perspective: 

“As reflected in legal opinions provided to Poker Stars, its activities in the US are, and at all times have been, lawful.” Further, it was added that new regulation would not ‘adversely affect the availability of a license for a respected operator such as PokerStars’. 

PPA, an interest panel that enters on the behalf of pros in the US, agreed with PokerStars site. They said that nothing in panel passed law excludes legalized online poker, only providers whom American poker pros know and show trust in from the prospect to work under regulated system. 

The possibilities of regulated poker marketplaces in the US follow same moves in last months by several other major countries. Both Italy and France have in recent times moved to licensing model which permits virtual poker as well as various other online gambling practices, but only by licensed and approved operators. When it comes to PokerStars, it has been very successful in acquiring license from both countries.