Feature: Three Bold US-Based Online Poker Predictions For 2014

It's the end of 2013 and the beginning of the new year, and of course that means it's time for prognostication! ProfRB.com offers up three bold predictions (in no particular order) for 2014 that cover some of the ever changing landscape that is the US-facing online poker world.

It's eventual inception is likely inevitable - the United States, at least federally, wil legalize and regulate online poker. The question is how, when, and where. 2014 seems an unlikely target with far more "pressing matters" at the forefront of government attention. But it's hard to imagine that even if it were to happen in the not-so-distant future that it would mean online poker for all in America. An emerging "take it to the states" mentality is becoming more prevalent; this likely means a significant portion of poker players in the US will be faced with moving to a poker-friendly state, or being left in the regulated dark.

It's interesting to note that, without citing specific examples at the recent Congressional hearing regarding online poker (here's looking at you, Lock - see #2 for more on them), those seeking regulation have been touting the sometimes uneasy relationship players currently have with off-shore gaming sites as a benchmark for why regulation in America should happen. While it goes without saying that there are shady operators in the online poker industry abroad, painting a broad brush is unfair to those who do operate legitimate businesses. Some of them will doubtlessly continue to operate even with US legislation.

In any event, whatever the face of broad American legislation looks like (New Jersey and Nevada aside), its unveiling is likely another year or so away. 2015 might be an attainable target as the lull between elections could be seen as an opportune time to get a smaller scale bill (compared to Obamacare or immigration reform, for instance) through the process.
 

You can say a lot of things about Lock Poker - how they've screwed players for more than a year, how their payouts arrive about as fast as a trip to Pluto, how they lie through their teeth and live to tell the tale. But one thing you have to add to that is their uncanny ability to keep a handful of players depositing in their poker room. No poker room on the planet has been able to wade through the incalculable amount of deserved negative press and still manage to keep their doors open.

ProfRB.com's own "IHasTehNutz", whose work on the Lock Pending Cashout Report begun in May of 2013 with a handful of submitted player data on payout timeframes, grew to 273 players by years end. Lock left the Revolution Network in late October, and throughout the year revelations came to the forefront of some of their shady dealings and practices. ProfRB.com reported on a few such instances with a comprehensive commentary in the fall. Yet still, by years end, the poker room still attracted enough depositors to continue to stay afloat; mostly through affiliated websites and a handful of loyal "Lock Pros", both of whom willfully mislead players with false information and ridiculous rakeback deals.

While many have predicted their imminent demise, and despite their two flagship Sunday tournaments consistantly bleeding money through big overlays and freeroll-awarded seats, Lock continues on. As long as there are players unaware of their practices, and as long as the net deposits continue from players who will never have to endure their stagnant payout system, Lock will continue to exist. Unfortunate as it may be, and as the saying goes, there are still suckers born every minute.
 

If they aren't there already, they will be within the next 365 days. The Winning Poker Network, led by US-facing rooms ACR Poker, Black Chip Poker, and True Poker, have made big inroads over the course of the previous year and look poised to become the leading alternative to Bovada Poker for American poker players.

It's almost a combination of what WPN is doing and what their competition isn't doing. The online poker network structure heading into the new year is a pretty big mess by most people's view of the situation. Bovada stands alone via Bodog and is basically above the fray when it comes to online poker networks, but others, such as Merge and Revolution, have either shot themselves in the foot several times or have been unable to regain previous levels due to inconsistency and issues between partner members.

WPN seems to be a network that wants to be in the game, and they've tried all sorts of promotions and gimmicks to get people to their poker rooms. But it's their relative consistency with tournament offerings and series like "High Five" that have kept players playing at their tables. Not to mention, the oft-controversial Beast promotion and their new "Sit & Crush" race have both increased traffic and brought more players into the tourney pools. If they can once and for all fix relatively minor software issues, and remain in their current mode of taking it day by day as opposed to trying to topple the market by the end of the week, then the Winning Poker Network will become the solidified #2 option for US players in the new year.