Today the USA killed the online poker industry

From an online professional blackjack article.

"Keep the dealers and pit bosses ignorant of your ability and they will be happy. Never, never let on that you are playing any sort of a winning system. You will be asked in a conversational way if you count cards or have read any books on blackjack. Do not admit to anyone that you are counting cards. (You might pretend that you think counting means adding the indexes to find the hand total.) Do not admit to having understood any book on blackjack. You can act stupid, lucky, unlucky, drunk, sleepy, or whatever, but do not act like you know that you are playing a winning system or you will find the welcome mat withdrawn."

Comment: In other words... If you win or show some proficiency in the game you will be asked to leave.

http://www.online-blackjack-news.com/blog_winning-blackjack-gambling.php

"its funny with the tops casino you win about 10,000 a bloke gives u a drink then i won 37,000 on the slot machines and they kicked me out"

"If you winn to much in one casino you will get kicked out FOREVER"

http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/43594/t1585092-kicked-out-of-casinos/

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/The_Courier_Who_Broke_the_Bank

Who kicks the casino out when they rob from their patrons?

First of all, blackjack isn't poker. Secondly, they are talking about brick-and-mortar casinos, not online casinos.

How on earth is any of that supposed to be relevant to this thread at all?

Good Q & A guys. I'm much more enlightened on the issue now.

And today a buddy of mine, and probably over 100 others, lost their jobs as it seems like one of these sites is simply going to fold up their poker operations.

Seems so pointless. Protecting Americans from inside straights and flush draws is daft.

I'm glad you are, Infra.

1. It's not illegal for Americans to gamble online. [Is online gambling something that is generally restricted in many/most countries?]

2. Online gambling sites are not located in the USA.

3. Online gamblers, Americans included, could hold offshore accounts in a country/countries where banks can legally make payments to the online gambling company.

4. Everyone is happy. Except possibly some US and other countries' officials.

What am I missing?

It sounds like there are some tremendous business opportunities here considering the dollars being spent.

Over here since gambling was deregulated you can't move for adverts. There's about four channels on the telly dedicated to on line poker. There's adverts all over the tube (London Underground). Television programmes are sponsored by on line bingo. You can't wantch football without seeing ads for various bookmakers, paddy power ladbrokes etc. I'm not a gambler so it doesn't effect me, but it is all a bit OTT.

Paradoxically it's always been legal to gamble in pubs for modest stakes if it's a game of skill, pool darts etc, but nobody bothers. The most we bet on is winner stays on in pool. If you win you play the person whose name is on the blackboard, they pay for the table etc.

When I was in Texas where such activity is illegal, every time I played pool, my opponant wanted to put some money down. Which just proves if you want to make something popular, make it illegal.