Poker on TV

Poker on TV has been the catalyst that allowsanyone can play in to get a chance to be a
millions of people to view real poker being playedtelevision star competing for big bucks. Even
by today's young guns and poker legends. A daystates within America such as North Dakota,
does not go by without advertising for anotherIllinois and Georgia are competing to pass
Texas Hold'Em TV poker scheduled event forlegislation to legalize poker over the Internet for a
cable or television. It is becoming the basis forpiece of the revenue pie, despite the direction of
corporate investment in a growing industry and athe federal government. Outside of the U.S.,
motivation for players to enter numerousEngland is at the threshold of permitting its
tournaments that offer millions of dollars.land-based casinos to take bets online from U.S.
Software is being developed for hand held devicescitizens.
and cell phones to play poker. Deals are beingProponents of the game state that the effects
made to broadcast live tournaments over theof the televised tournaments toward society are
Internet from land based casinos. And if that's notpositive. Enough to where a person can find
enough, then there are a growing number of"family nights" for playing being offered by
television shows based on poker. Even charityorganizations promoting the game. Many of the
events are bringing in money for those who needpresent day champions have stated that they
it behind the affection started by televisedlearned how to play from ages as young as 5
tournament events. Plus women are coming tofrom their parents or relatives at home. Kids and
the tables in droves, along with magazines onteenagers with guidance can learn how to plan
different versions of the game like Texas Hold'Emstrategy, manage money, solve complex
marketed especially to women. And the end isproblems and understand the psychology of
not in sight for this trend as more people learn tohuman beings. But every coin has two sides. A
enjoy and watch the game of poker.concerned number of people are voicing the
With an estimated 50,000,000 people in the Unitedopinion that the creation of gambling addicts is
States alone who play the game, corporationstaking place. More and more land-based and online
began scrambling to capitalize for all the moneycasinos are taking this seriously by offering help
that could be made when tournament eventfor gambling addiction and the creation of new
ratings showed reflection of the public's appetite.programs for assistance for those who have
ESPN's poker audience went from 408,000problem issues. Having help available for players
viewers in 2003 to 1,300,000 per broadcast inwill become increasingly important as the
2004. The 2005 World Series of Pokerenthusiasm of the game goes forward.
broadcasts will have over 2,000,000 peopleIs there a limit to the "all in" attitude for Texas
watching each televised episode when ESPNHold'Em tournaments being watched by the public?
starts showing them in June. World Poker TourWith retail sales, record ratings for television and
episodes will be shown in 60 countries and ifcable plus big business pouring millions into it, the
Steve Lipscomb has his way this will increase totrend is still clearly reflecting the upswing. And if
200 countries. And others are close behind withstate legislation moves in favor of regulation of
programs like Celebrity Poker and Poker at thethe online gambling industry for the tax revenue,
Plaza which are pulling in big ratings. Online pokerit might not go away anytime soon. Because no
rooms are now becoming a billion dollar industry.one sits down at a table looking to bust out early,
They provide many satellite tournaments thatthey sit down to win.