Black Fridayevents since the infamous have left the United States en masse, poker players to continue playing online poker. Phil Galfond Brian Hastings , and Vanessa Selbstare just a few notables who made the decision to move. In addition, has PokerNews brought you Supernova Elite -interviews with two PokerStars, players "Dumbo" and MeleaB "Mike" Brooks, to put everything that they knew to leave earning a living.
These players, among others, are so profoundly influenced by the US Government actions regarding online poker they felt forced to take radical action of leaving the country. While that may seem extreme, online play is often the only source of income for these players and if they say, "Drastic times call for drastic measures."
Justin Bonomo on August 18, 2011, his name added to the list of Pros by announcing that he was leaving the United States while most online poker pros choose to travel to Canada, Bonomo went a little more exotic in Malta. His timing was undoubtedly deliberate, since it came at the end of the World Series of Poker and just in time for the World Poker Tour Malta and WSOP Europe.
PokerNews recently sat down with Bonomo to discuss his plans to go to Malta and has had the effect Black Friday on his life.
Before Black Friday, moving out of the country ever had your occurred?
For Black Friday, I would never have considered moving abroad. I have a friend who I love very much, a large group of friends who live in Panorama towers, with me and all my family is here.
Which process you went through when deciding to go?
My plan from the outset it was based on the fact that the WSOP was coming up. I stayed calm without any decisions to the WSOP was about it. I talked to a lot of people about possible places to move. I wanted to make sure that I had some good friends with me wherever I went.
Is anyone else moving with you? If so, who?
I Isaac Haxton, will move with his girlfriend and Steve "MrTimCaum" O'Dwyer.
You contemplate all transition to strictly play live? Why or why not? Why do you feel moving out of the country is a better option than trying to live in the us to play?
Happiness is more important than anything when making a decision like this, and frankly, I miserable when I play live poker. It is incredibly slow, and I'm often surrounded by people who I don't want to be around. Live poker is not intended for a cynical person like myself. Far less important than that is the fact that I expect to get much more money to play online. I can get in hundreds of thousands of hands on high stakes, which I never live can replicate.
What kind of things you must do to prepare for your move to Malta? You have to secure a visa? Can you describe the process for us?
I have to do a lot of financial accounting. I have to figure out what to do with my furniture and my apartment (I think a few friends going to live here with my stuff). Malta actually goes through immigration reform now, so I have a pretty good idea of what was needed, but that would all be able to change as I sit here. There are a lot of documents that I need to in order to get. The FBI on Thursday I'm going to get my fingerprints taken Malta the criminal background check that required. I have never arrested or something, so it should just be a formality. That is just one example of the many documents I will need.
What types of things are you solve for your move?
I want to keep my car for when I come back for the World Series of Poker, but I have a lot of people to offer good care of it for me while I'm away.
How much money you have captured on FTP and UltimateBet online yet?
I don't want to give an exact number, but the amount I've locked online is six digits. It is a very big part of my total bankroll.
Do you believe honestly you will see that money again if you have the written off?
I think I have a favorite to get back money from FTP. Of the UB? Maybe pennies on the dollar--maybe.
It came as a complete shock to you that FTP and UB had such loose financial practices or you ever were tired?
I had already running cashing out on UB for obvious reasons. There was no surprise there. FTP is definitely a bit more shocking. It is (or at least was) a company billions of dollars. They had to seriously screw up in this situation. I think Black Friday showed how perfect that PokerStars is running a business. The other sites can learn a thing or two from them. They have consistently the best decision while retaining their players for a decade.
What was your withdrawal regime? You only keep a certain amount of money online at a time? If ever your balance a certain hit, you make a habit of anything about that to withdraw amount?
I don't have a specific withdrawal regime. I took my money completely safe with stars and FTP was and had no problem keeping a large percentage of my net worth there. Think I was wrong. As for the UB, as I said before, I was a little more careful and aware of the risks. My number one rule was always the big sites trust. They have a lot more to lose if there is something vaguely than the smaller sites. Historically, it has always been the small shady places to go under, not the big ones with history. Always be cautious if you're on a site that plays little traffic, even if it's a skin of a larger site.
Have you always felt that your money is safe online?
I've always felt that the larger sites were safe. For smaller sites, or from other sites with a corrupted history you must of course be much more carefully.
What have you heard about the online games post-Black Friday? Feel that it's worth your move?
For years I have heard that the Euro-sites much softer than PS and FTP. Based on what I've heard post-Black Friday, certainly seems as though the will as soon as I get set games super soft. I guess it just boils down to many countries, four to five years behind us in terms of experience, just because the first poker boom hit the us.
Do you think online poker will eventually be legalized and regulated in the US? If so, would you move back?
Yes, I think poker comes back to the us in full power. If so, I be there.
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