D.C. Poker Site to Begin Service, But Future is Uncertain

Residents in Washington, D.C. will soon have the ability to play legal online poker in hotspots around the city and – eventually – in their homes. But not everyone is convinced that this idea will ultimately work out for players or the city.

The first test runs of the online poker system in D.C. will begin sometime in the next week, as 20-30 locations around the city (namely hotels and bars) are set to be allowed to offer access to regulated online poker sites by September 1^st. Assuming there are no unexpected complications, players will be able to begin accessing the site as soon as the end of the year.

The online poker regulations were introduced along with the 2011 city budget, and were not objected to by Congress (which has oversight of the D.C. budget). According to city officials, the online poker regulation could generate around $13 million in new revenue over the next three fiscal years. The city will get to keep 50% of the rake gathered at the online tables, and will also collect local taxes on winnings of $600 or more.

However, many observers have wondered if the nation’s capital has a large enough population to keep an online poker room afloat. With a population of just 600,000, it’s unclear whether there is enough demand in the city to provide a “critical mass” of players to attract players.

For instance, professional poker player Phil Hellmuth told the Washington Post that while the site might get off to a fast start, he was concerned over its long-term viability.

“I still think that people are looking for a place to play poker and it wouldn’t be surprising if you had a lot more players than you think start playing,” Hellmuth said. “It’s a nice test, sure, but I think there’s so few people…that you might not achieve critical mass for players on the site under those conditions.”

While there appears to be momentum in Congress towards regulating online poker, and several states have also investigated the issue, Washington D.C. is the only place in the United States that has so far successfully passed legislation to create an online poker network.