World Poker Tour Club blocks Florida players

Tuesday April 16,2013 : POKER REPERCUSSIONS FROM FLORIDA SWEEPSTAKES BAN (Update)
 
World Poker Tour Club blocks Florida players
 
Last week, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into state law a bill designed to kill off internet cafe sweepstakes gambling in the state following the multi-million dollar Allied Veterans of the World scandal around the pastime .
 
This week the wider repercussions of the bill have been highlighted by an apparent WPT Club ban on Florida poker players.
 
The problem with the new law is that it is so constructed that it can be interpreted as applying to a wider target than it was intended for, and that opens up the risk and possibility that it could also be deployed against other online and mobile gambling genres in Florida.
 
It also creates problems for Florida lawmakers, should that state ever consider legalising online gambling at state level.
 
The WPT Club ban embraces any Florida resident who tries to take part in its online poker sweepstake games, and effectively represents a withdrawal from the Florida market by WPT.