Poker Refugees Service Helps USA Poker Pros Relocate

When the US government came down hard on online poker, many players were inconvenienced, but no group had it harder than American professional poker players who made their money online. Many vowed to move to other countries, but the process of setting yourself up in a new nation is far from simple. However, a new service from PocketFives seeks to simplify the process, allowing more USA professionals the chance to play online poker from a new home.

The service, known as Poker Refugees, is being headed by Kristin Wilson – a realtor who lives in Costa Rica and has specialized in helping people looking to relocate to the country. According to PokerFives, Poker Refugees will handle much of the hard work that goes into moving to a new country, including guidance on how to set up a bank account in the new location, finding a place to live, and finding English-speaking professionals who can help with other tasks.

At the moment, the Poker Refugees service is available for three different countries. The simplest option is a move to Canada, a chance that would involve only minimal travel and few cultural differences for most American players. More exotic relocations to Costa Rica and Panama are also offered.

According to the Poker Refugees website, the cost for participating in the program is $1,000. While other expenses are still the responsibility of the player, one of the services provided is budget-preparation, which can help players better plan their moves. Roommates or families qualify for a total reduced rate of $1,500.

While it is unclear how many players have relocated temporarily (or permanently) to new countries, it is certain that at least some professional players have taken this route to have access to online poker games. Several stories of relocated players have been shared with the public, including that of Dan “jungleman12” Cates, who was turned back at the Canadian border while attempting to move to the country in order to play online poker. Other players have chosen to remain in the USA, either playing live poker, switching to smaller sites, or waiting for potential regulation by the federal government.