The Poker Boom
Interest in poker has been steadily rising since the late 1980s, but the poker boom that exploded at the turn of the 21st century was phenomenal. Poker is a card game that historically was played by a group of men at one of their homes. Camaraderie, cigars, pizza, and beer symbolically were the picture of poker night. In 1970, Benny Binion changed all that. He decided to host a one-time poker tournament of the best players around. The game was timed, the winner decided by secret ballot and the winner only won $30,000. Somehow this one-time game turned into the World Series of Poker and has been staged annually ever since.
During the 1970s and 80s, poker was still being played and there was a devoted following, but it was not until 1982 that entrants in the World Series of Poker finally surpassed the 100 mark. By now, other casinos were starting to put in poker rooms and the start of widespread interest was beginning to be seen. In 2003, the World Series of Poker was televised and by in 2004, the World Series of Poker saw the number of contestants rise from 839 to more than 2,500. The poker boom was officially on. The Internet took full advantage of the interest in poker and online poker sites sprung up like weeds.
The media could not seem to get enough of poker, and between magazine covers and blockbuster movies, the gambling scene was a hot topic. What used to be a household hobby for men only, was finding new life as a glitzy and even glamorous cultural "sport". When Ben Affleck won the 2004 California State Poker Championship, it caught the attention of the collective public. Between this and the increasing television coverage, poker was becoming an unparalleled obsession. Many people became addicted to the intellectual stimulation more than the potential winning of cash prizes.
Unfortunately, by 2006, U.S. President Bush signed the Safe Port Act, which was intended to increase Internet security in the United States. The bill included a provision called the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Under this provision, unlawful gambling meant to place, receive, or otherwise transmit a bet by means of the Internet where the bet is unlawful in the State in which it was initiated or received.
Most poker sites shut down their American operations, as they were unable to conduct financial transactions with American banks. Internet gambling and poker sites still exist, as the World Championship of Online Poker can attest to, but casinos are not suffering. Harrah's casinos own the World Series of Poker and each year there are more participants and the stakes get higher.
Some predict the poker boom is almost over, as the televised poker tournaments are down in the ratings, but actually, the numbers just are not growing as quickly they did at the beginning of the boom. Perhaps interest in poker is starting to plateau, but that does not mean it is not holding steady. Head over to sanriot.com for more up-to-date information about everything poker.
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