Tag: iPoker

Hawaii Considering Online Poker and Sports Betting Bill

Posted on by Kelley N.

As we go deeper into 2024, proposed legislation in Hawaii seeks to legalize online poker and sports betting, marking a major departure from the state’s traditionally rigid attitude toward gambling. Senator Ronald Kouchi, a Democrat, is the driving force behind this bill, which has the potential to bring about a sea change in a state that up until now has not had any legal casinos or card rooms.

Ambitious Plans for Revenue Sharing

If approved, the bill would pave the way for the Aloha State to welcome its first casino as well as other forms of internet gambling including poker and sports betting. A fundamental component of the plan is a revenue-sharing agreement with one casino operator, where the state’s portion gets smaller over time.

The proceeds that are produced via all of this will be designated for the wildfire fund of the state, to reduce the destructive effects of wildfires such as those that occurred in Maui in August.

The bill also seeks to establish a regulatory framework that protects Hawaii residents while collecting taxes from online gambling, since it recognizes that many locals use offshore gaming sites. Supporters of the proposal want to divert monies from offshore online sports betting and poker into public coffers, which they believe would be good for everyone in the state.

Currently, the bill does not include provisions to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), which allows shared liquidity among poker operators in other states. However, this aspect of the bill may evolve as the legislative process progresses.

A Growing Trend

Whether Hawaii’s unique approach, coupled with its focus on wildfire relief, will garner enough support to pass the bill remains to be seen. Still, the proposed legislation in Hawaii reflects a broader trend across the United States, with other states like New York and Maryland also exploring the possibility of legalizing online poker.

The regulated US online poker market is currently dominated by operators like WSOP/888 network, BetMGM, and PokerStars, each with a significant presence across several states. Now iPoker is poised to join the fray and players in state markets like Hawaii may soon have more options. The exact timeline for iPoker’s entry remains uncertain, but there’s optimism about significant progress soon. iPoker’s potential presence in the US market could unfold through partnerships or its network by late 2024 or 2025, promising an exciting period of growth and diversification.

iPoker-Network

iPoker Rolls Out New Cash Game Changes to Improve Player Experience

Posted on by Kelley N.

As part of its bid to make its gaming platform friendlier to recreational players, the iPoker Network has recently implemented a host of new changes. Most of these changes are intended to help in the reduction of predatory behavior that is often exhibited by some pro players and hardcore amateurs. As it turns out, that kind of behavior has been having some rather detrimental impacts on traffic since it has made keeping recreational or casual poker gamers on the site quite difficult.

According to iPoker Network Manager Joerg Nottebaum, the move involved activating some features that will go a long way in making their games “fairer and more fun for players.” The company prides itself on being customer-focused and this fairness is one of the biggest priorities.

The Changes

Perhaps the most notable change for people who love the anonymity that comes with some online casinos especially those that utilize crypto and blockchain is the anonymous cash game lobby. This change makes it impossible for malicious players to use seating scrips as they will not be able to track other players throughout the lobby. Seating scripts are usually used by some pro or hardcore amateurs to find and take advantage of weaker poker players.

To further add an extra layer of anonymity to the platform, the Pay to See Names feature has been included as part of the new changes. In essence, this keeps players from being tracked throughout the game lobby. This happens even when a player joins one of the site’s cash game tables – their opponents’ names will remain hidden until that particular player posts a big blind.

Ideally, some players would be very happy if iPoker made the table completely anonymous but this does not seem to be in the network’s agenda at the moment. Perhaps this is to ensure that even though new measures are added to the site, the experience remains just as good and familiar as it was before.

Another significant change is in the inclusion of a global sit-out function which essentially forces players to sit out all other tables once the hand they are in is over. This applies when players who multi-table cash games chose to sit out one of the tables. Like all the other changes, this one is also meant to prevent malicious players from sitting out, occupying a seat, and waiting for weaker players to join or the game to better in one way or the other.

About

Every one of our writers and editors on BitcoinPoker.us are either poker aficionados, Bitcoin enthusiasts or just plainly enjoys sharing awesome information for Bitcoin poker bonus deals. We are openly happy to share our passion for hunting bonuses and informing those about to embark on the journey of education, for after even a little reading, any player will be better off for it having the confidence to play poker without worrying about risks to your time, funds or entertainment. We’re always on the brink of the latest deals but if you spot any amazing bonus offers that we’ve missed which should be included, give us a nudge!

Gamble Responsibly

Despite our passion for poker, we deeply respect the rare but unavoidable issue of problem gambling and thus sincerely encourage you (and anyone you know that may show signs of gambling addiction) to moderate your gameplay and educate yourself on gambling addiction and steps to prevent what can be a perfectly healthy form of entertainment, spiralling into an unhealthy habit. There are fantastic institutions and organisations worldwide and accessible online or by phone that will provide excellent free advice and consultations around the clock.

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