Gambling industry insiders say the recent U.S. law that bans gambling online could reduce the number of entrants to the biggest poker (or any other card game) tournament in the world - the World Series of Poker.
The number of players in the tournament, yearly run by Harrah's Entertainment Inc., has increased thanks mostly to online poker sites in which millions of people play poker. In 2003, only 839 participants took part in the WSOP when Chris Moneymaker emerged from a $40 Internet tournament and went on to win the $2.5 million grand prize. This year, 8,773 players gambled for part of an $82.5 million prize pool, and more than half are estimated to have won tournaments over the Internet to play.
With the law banning banks from processing Internet gambling transfers set to be enforced before the tournament in 2007, the well of poker players is expected to dry up.
The number of poker tables in Las Vegas has surged from 142 in 2003 to 405 in 2006, with many citing the growth to Internet players seeking to test their skills on the felt.
It remains to be seen exactly how the new law will affect the game of poker and how yearly tournaments such as the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour will fare with the new reality.
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