Online Poker Websites Shut Down Real Money Games

A sad day it is for ol' Monte as I bring you the latest weekly Poker News Update.  Some of my favorite websites on which I play poker have shut down real money games including heavy hitters that you probably play on such as Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars. 

According to Julio Rodriguez of Cardplayer.com, "The U.S. Department of Justice released a press release about the indictment, naming 11 site representatives as defendants for allegedly violating the terms of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006. The allegations state that the poker companies illegally coerced U.S. banks into processing payments after the UIGEA was passed. In addition, restraining orders were issued against 76 different bank accounts and payment processors who were named in the Department of Justice’s recently unsealed indictment."

Full Tilt will continue gaming around the world but as for now, the real money action on the website from here in the US is on hold.  Yikes!  Big Rich caught me off guard recently with this news, apparently it happened over night!  At least ol' Monte wasn't sitting on a deep stack when it happened ;)  In the mean time, who wants to teach me pinochle?