Funny thing happened on the way to Bismarck… (true IG content)

[BBill]

I’m in Bismarck North Dakota on business for a couple of days, staying at the Radisson on East Broadway.
Monday night I after dinner I stepped outside for a smoke and started talking to this local guy.
He asked me if I was there for the Internet Poker convention.
I said “the what”??
He said “do you ever play Internet poker”?

He went on to explain that right inside in the conference room there was a meeting of poker celebrity types that are there to support North Dakota’s efforts to make Internet poker legal in their state.
I was invited to join the gathering so I did.

Sure enough I walk in the room and first off recognized Greg Raymer “FossilMan” signing autographs. I shook his hand and talked with him for a while he’s a funny guy and friendly. I got Greg to sign a copy of Barry Shulman’s book “52 Tips” which was being given away at the gathering.

Then I saw Lee Jones over near the buffet table so I introduced myself. We talked for a few and I got him to autograph a copy of his book “Winning Low Limit Hold’em” which was also being given away there.

Someone then pointed out Mrs. Allyn Shulman playing in a tournament and I introduced myself to her and told her I think “Card Player” is a great magazine.

They were also giving away Poker Stars shirts and Poker Stars hats and the March issue of Card Player.

There were three tournament tables and they were running continuous single table sit-n-go tourneys (not real money) of which I played two, didn’t place in either.

As I said the gathering was to support N. Dakota’s desire to make Internet Poker legal.
Members of the North Dakota Poker Association (NDPA) were explaining to me that if the state bill is approved, an executive officer of Pacific Poker, who was in attendance but I did not get the chance to meet, would seriously consider relocating Pacific Poker operations to North Dakota.

The rumor was that Stars and Paradise would do the same.
I asked Lee Jones, who represents Pokerstars, if Stars would actually move operations to N. Dakota if the bill passes and he said he could not really say that they would or would not.
This could have been wishful thinking on the part of the NDPA members but it’s sure interesting that Pacific and Stars had representatives at this conference. It’s also interesting to consider the possibilities.

Overall this was a rather interesting evening. I suppose it wasn’t actually a “funny” thing that happened on the way to Bismarck, It was however a lot funnier than my prior plans for the evening, which consisted of watching “Elektra” alone on the hotel pay-per-view movie channel.

So, do you think Pacific, Stars and Paradise would actually relocate to North Dakota if Internet Poker becomes legal there?
Would there really be any benefits for these Internet Poker site to be a regulated industry in North Dakota?

[BBill]

Here is the link to the North Dakota Internet Poker Bill

also of interest on the ND poker bill
article in Bismarck Tribune
and
February press release from Card Player
and
another article

[AncientPC]

I wonder why this thread hasn't gotten more attention.

As I see it, this is a great step for ND and would probably give the state economy a good boost if it can monopolise US poker sites. This also might start some of the more liberal states like California or some others to start legalising online gambling.

[2ndGoat]

[ QUOTE ]
I wonder why this thread hasn't gotten more attention.

[/ QUOTE ]

Because of the thread title

[BBill]

agreed - lousy title for the post.
I typed this post off-line after the gathering. The hotel I was in did not have web access.

Now I'm in Montana and I have web access so I got the chance to read more about the Internet Poker bill after posting my story.

In particular I found the following items showing how serious this effor really is:

"On March 8, 2005, the ND House approved HCR 3035, 50 to 44, to allow the people of ND to vote on an amendment to the state's constitution that would mandate the legislative adoption of an internet poker licensing bill."

and

"Bruce Stubbs, marketing director of Paradise Poker, said he would theoretically be interested in locating in the state.“ Hopefully the tide is turning and we will begin to see other states follow North Dakota’s lead in recognising poker as a game of skill,” Stubbs said."

An attention getting title would have been

"Paradise Poker considers relocation of operations to North Dakota"

that would have gotten some more views eh?

[AncientPC]

How about a title like, "Internet poker finally becoming legal in the US?"

[BBill]

good idea, since this truely represents considerable progess for Internet poker I think I'll re-post a link to this with a better title.

[TylerD]

I don't think Stars will relocate. Last I heard they were thinking of moving all their operations to the UK (Isle of Man possibly?).

I think this is the first step on the way to full legalisation of online poker in the U.S.

Interesting post.

[chunk]

North Dakota and online poker seems like a perfect match. Check out the Real Estate prices. You could pay your mortgage playing .5/1.