my initial knee-jerk reaction to the new port security bill passed out of the senate a few weeks ago was to cash out all my online poker accounts and never look back. what does poker have to do with port security you say? well, those pandering religious-right senators in congress have successfully attached a restriction on U.S banks to disallow funds from going into online gambling (except for the “good gambling” like horse racing, bingo, and state lotteries). some of the initial “bad news” is that poker companies are plummeting big time in the wake of the bill, and some of the “middle men” pay services (*cough* firepay *cough*) are jacking up their rates and changing their TOS to put the screws into anyone who is trying to abandon ship.

but, it does seem as though their are a few rays of hope if you believe the online poker companies. according to full tilt poker, poker stars, and full contact poker, as long as you use a middle man service (like Neteller, who coincidentally has not changed their TOS), you will be able to play online poker just like you did before the bill was passed. also, to add to this, it seems membership in the poker players alliance has been increasing dramatically ever since the pass of the bill. i’m hoping that this means a lot more money and voice flowing into the legitamized skill of professional poker… we could definitely use your help to keep the fight going. keep your fingers crossed.