GamingPublic.com, the centre for investment information on internet gambling, highlighted the positive aspects of a version of online poker called, “Duplicate Poker” this week, claiming that it could be the workaround for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
Setting the scene for its pitch, the company reviews the reversal of fortunes of major listed companies as a result of the UIGEA but points out that private companies like Pokerstars.com and Fulltiltpoker.com have seen massive increases in their numbers, proving that poker remains an popular pastime.
“These two private companies may be in breach of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, although there have been arguments bantered about that poker is a game of skill. Nothing could be further from being correct,” opines GamingPublic. “Whilst nobody could ever dispute that Poker doesn’t involve a great deal of skill, the simple fact that cards are drawn randomly from a deck precludes this fact, and defines the game as one of chance.”
The company announcement recalls that in 2001, then RCMP detective Randy Peterson, a court accredited gaming expert, invented a new version of poker that could be played online and meet the strict definitions needed to be a skill game, and thereby be legal in most American States. On leaving the force, Peterson began marketing the game with an online operator but found it difficult to compete with existing operators and the project remained shelved until last month.
Peterson’s concept, systems and methodologies for the playing of games of chance based on user skill are protected by US patent and patent applications, and he told GamingPublic.com that Duplicate Poker does not change how poker is played, only how it is judged. It was not designed to replace conventional poker; but rather as a tournament methodology that would lend itself to legitimate online play, exemplify skilful play in broadcast events and make possible for the first time a truly judge-able format for team play.
Peterson is looking to market his inventions seeking equity partners, GamingPublic informs. There has been some interest expressed from both online and land based operators who see the upside potential, the least of which allows them to utilize their American player databases legally.