It is yet to be seen how this will impact the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, but this recent change on the Wire Act could take the teeth out of the UIGEA. After all, if online poker and casinos are no longer viewed as violating the 1961 Wire Act, what authority does the Federal government have to prohibit money transfers to these sites? I would argue they lack the Constitutional authority to pass either of these acts, but since when has that stopped them?

We will follow this story as it unfolds and are looking forward to any positive effects this may have for online poker and casino games.

What is so great about Dwolla?

Dwolla simplifies the exchange process and cuts out the typical middlemen which include credit (debit) card companies, ewallets such as PayPal, and ACH services.

As a result, they control the transaction process which allows for the main attraction, incredibly low transaction fees. They only take $0.25 (a quarter) from every transaction no matter the amount. The fee is charged to the person that receives the payment.

This is potentially huge for the online gaming industry. Massive amounts of money are paid to transaction companies by online poker rooms, casinos and sportsbooks. The fact that it is creating its own system, makes the transactions instant as they do not have to go through an intermediary first.

How does it work?

The system allows two parties that are connected through the Dwolla network to make direct transactions. Again, the important thing to remember is that there is no middle man so this speeds up the transaction process. It allows for quicker authorization and transfer of funds.

They have the stated goal of making the transfer process as easy as communicating with people on facebook. If you send money to someone that does not have a Dwolla account a message is sent to them telling them they have money waiting for them, all they have to do is sign up for Dwolla to claim it.

To make the sign up process easier, they will connect it to social networks such as facebook.

They already have several banks that connect with Dwolla, so it becomes another option for users to send money.

Do any gaming companies accept Dwolla?

No, Dwolla is still a relatively new company and operating on a regional scale. However, when they do grow into larger markets, they have full control over who can use their service, it will be a company decision. However, if Dwolla does allow for gaming operators to connect with players, it would be a huge progression for the transaction process.

Sites such as BetOnline.com and Bodog.com who were not charged along with the other big four poker sites are still open and accepting US players.

If you visit FullTiltPoker.com you will see that it is shut down and an FBI and DOJ seal on their page which declare they have seized their domain. The DOJ is alleging money laundering and fraud charges against the big four poker sites, including Pokerstars, Ultimate Bet and Absolute. These charges are in relationship with the UIGEA which was passed in 2006. All indications suggest that these sites will fight a legal battle to get back their domains. No one can be sure what the out come will be, but in a statement released after the Full Tilt Poker shutdown, the company made the following assurance: “We are working to resolve these issues as soon as possible and will keep you updated as information becomes available to us.” The statement also indicated that their .co.uk is still in operation for players outside the US, but also that all player funds were safe and they were working toward a fast resolution.

Find more about Poker Sites Accepting US Players.

Some have reported they can still views PokerStars.com, but this is only because the change had not fully propagated for the servers. Pokerstars has since moved all traffic to Pokerstars.eu.

Is it over for US online poker?

No, there are still sites eagerly accepting US players. Most of which are finding a new home at BetOnline.com and Bodog.com, because they are known to have the highest credit card acceptance rating among US poker sites. There are others poker sites still accepting US players as well.

Some think this will force the issue of regulating US poker. We will be sure to stay on top of all developments related to US poker sites.

Can US players still play at Pokerstars?

No, Pokerstars has ISP blocked all US traffic, but is still fully operational for other markets outside the US.

Can US players withdraw and deposit onto Pokerstars?

It has been reported that players cannot currently withdraw or deposit onto Pokerstars.com, however, these sites have assured players that their money is secure and intend to pay out when the matter is resolved.

The Department of Justice has seized the domains of these sites under various charges related to the UIGEA. However, these sites have released statements assuring they are cooperating with the DOJ and they are doing everything they can to ensure that player’s balances are safe.

Not all US poker sites were effected however and some sites are still accepting US players. See a current list of US poker sites.

These sites were closed according to charges by the US DOJ and FBI that include money laundering and fraud. It is yet to be seen if these charges will stick, but all indications are that these sites will fight these charges and work to reclaim their domains.

Read more about Pokerstars shutdown and Full Tilt Poker shutdown.

Many have been asking what affects the UIGEA has had on echecks. Short answer, not much.

There were initially a few reports that PokerStars echecks were having a few problems, but those issues appear to have been very isolated and not a problem as a whole. It was expected that echecks would be relatively unaffected by the UIGEA. A statement by the President of the American Bankers Association prior to the official implementation of the law revealed that banks would not realistically be able to restrict deposits using checks and wires. Since echecks work very much the same as paper checks with regard to processing final payments, it was expected that echecks would enjoy the anonymity that paper checks were expected to have.

Be sure to see our complete guide to echeck poker sites.

The echeck poker deposit option will work much the same as before, but now have some different deposit maximum.

The first deposit must be $50 to $100. After your first deposit has varified, you will be able to increase your maximum deposits as follows:

$100 USD per week

$400 USD per 30 days

Keep in mind, after you have made several deposits and they have cleared. You may want to ask the cashier if they will increase your deposit limits. There is no guarantee, but with special exceptions you may be able to increase the maximum deposit amount.

After you make your first deposit, you can choose to make echecks a “1-click” reload option. Which helps speed up your next deposit using echecks.

Full Tilt echecks will work the same as the did before, however there are a few deposit maximums that may have changed.

Your first echeck deposit can be from $10 to $100. After 7 days, which allows account verification you will be able to make more echeck deposits. The maximums are as follows.

Daily $600

Weekly $1500

Monthly $2000

Full Tilt echecks require the same simple information to set up the deposit option. Once you make your first deposit, that information can be stored for fast, simple and safe deposits.

We have found that the echeck deposit option is still available at PokerStars.com.

Alternate Deposit Option:

If you are having trouble depositing with echecks, we recommend using an ewallet such as PICclub or UseMyWallet.

Depositing by Credit Card:

If you prefer using the tried and true method of credit cards, try PlayersOnly.com. They have the highest acceptance of credit card deposits among US poker sites.

June 22, 2009- PokerStars echecks are still experiencing some problems, however they are available on a limited basis.

The problems with echecks that began the first week of June have shown some signs of resolution. A few sites such as Absolutepoker.com and Ultimatebet.com have fully restored the echeck deposit option to their network. However, Pokerstars and Full Tilt are still experiencing some issues. These networks have made the deposit option available again, however it is only on a limited basis. The reason for the limited availablily is not known for sure, but it is speculated that there is a pent up demand for this deposit and withdraw method, so the processor who handles these deposits and payments are currently being overloaded.

We are unsure of when echecks will be fully restored to Pokerstars.com, but we expect a full resolution in a few weeks. The only way to know if the echeck process will work for you is to try a deposit and see what happens. It may also help to try different times of the day. If you find that the echeck deposit options does not work, Pokerstars recommends that their players use one of their alternate deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club International, Western Union or Money Order/Cashier’s Check. All of which are US deposit methods, but of course some US players may have trouble with the credit card options.

Below is a Pokerstars.com customer care response to the echeck issue:

Hello,

Thank you for your email.

Due to capacity restrictions, eCheck deposits are currently available on a limited basis. We hope to offer you this option again in the near future.

In the meantime, you may want to use an alternate payment method to deposit. If you need help in using some other deposit method, please send your phone number and an appropriate time to call, to dad@pokerstars.com. Please include ‘phone request’ in the subject line of your email, so that we can contact you quicker. Alternatively, we may provide assistance by email.

We appreciate your continued patience and understanding.

Best regards

Andrew
PokerStars Payment Services