New NPP Review of On-line Poker Sites

Since my last review, so much has changed. Thanks to the Republicans making a last ditch effort to save an election, they pandered to the religious right. They went after internet poker by primarily attacking the internet banking sites that poker players used to move chips around.

I blame the greed of the internet banking and poker/gambling sites for all of the chaos. We already know the government politicians are greedy crooks and extortionists that would make Al Capone blush. The on-line gambling industry refused to let the politicians ‘wet their bill’ in the fountain of money.

Hence, you get laws that shut down your business. And henceforth, the industry fights back with the Poker Players Alliance, which is nothing more than the lobbying group in charge of making donations to politicians. Notice they are asking the players to pony up along with the sites. Basically, it’s yet another rake.

Nothing has changed from the protection money Doyle and the boys had to pay on the old interstate circuit.

Anyway my criteria for what makes a good poker site has changed. Here is the new list of things that are important.

1. Safety/size of site/ Players funds held in escrow (not that it makes a lot of difference as our government already has proven how it will screw it’s citizens for no reason)
2. Ease of deposit/withdraw (using ePassport – the biggest internet bank left now that Net-Teller and our government has jointly screwed poker players over).
3. Freerolls – I want extra play available for my rake money
4. Big Tourneys available for low buy-ins (still don't trust internet poker fully - not rational as the chance of getting cheated is greater at home games and casinos, but I still have a hard time spending more than $5 on an internet tourney)
5. Software playability (not very important anymore)
6. Service (yeah right)

Here is the list of the NPP best places to play internet poker:

1. Poker Stars
2. Absolute Poker
3. Ultimate Bet
4. Full Tilt Poker

Here is the second tier where I still play. I worry about their safety and pulling a Jet Poker on me and closing without warning.

5. Jungle Poker
6. Poker Poker (the biggest of this group)
7. Bugsy’s Club
8. Poker4Ever

Here is where I still have accounts and play, but they do not have ePassport as a funding/withdraw option, so if I go tap I am done with them.

9. Tropical Poker (love the site but can’t fund)
10. World Poker Exchange (love the site but can’t fund)
11. Bo Dog Poker
12. Sportsbook Poker

What shocks me is the number of sports books that do not use ePassport as funding options. I expect that to change by football season. – Nik Faldo