Berkley Introduces Measure to Study Online Gambling --  Too bad the folks with common sense didn’t have a chance to work on laws before the UIGEA went into effect.  Last week, U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) introduced a measure calling for a 12-month study into online gambling.  The measure doesn’t choose sides in the debate, but is instead intended to explore the topic in general to determine if and how the online gambling world can be regulated.  Berkley’s bill quickly attracted roughly 60 co-sponsors.  The measure, HR 2140, now heads into committee for further consideration.

World Series of Poker (WSOP) Announces Flattened Payout Schedule --  A little bit more money for the players who survive days of grueling play to make it into the money in a WSOP event, and a little bit less for the ultimate winner and the other players at the top.  The WSOP responded to player requests to reward cashing players with a bit more of a prize for making it into the money.  The WSOP’s move makes sense; it spreads the wealth around to a few more players and may provide added prize-money liquidity in the player population... certainly something of importance in a year when player attendance is likely to step back for other reasons.

WPTE Posts Mild Loss --  In a tale of "first you make some, then you lose some," World Poker Tour Enterprises (WPTE) announced a $2.3 million net loss for the first quarter of 2007.  The result was slightly worse than expectations, causing a mild dip in WPTE stock prices in reaction.  New expenditures related to the launching of the World Poker Tour’s online poker room were part of the mix, helping to drag the result down from the comparable quarter in 2006, when WPTE posted a $3.6 million profit.

Florida Increases Poker Accessibility, Texas Does Not --  Efforts in two different U.S. state legislatures regarding poker had contrasting results.  A Florida measure to increase the very low betting limits mandated in Florida casinos passed through that state’s House and Senate and is poised to be signed into law; while a new measure in Texas to expand and regulate legalized poker died, due to a procedural technicality.  That bill failed to come up for a second reading before midnight on the last day it was eligible to be heard, meaning that the question of expanded poker in Texas is not likely to be introduced again in the state until 2008 or 2009.

Bots Almost Sighted On Full Tilt --  If it tastes like butter, but it’s not, is it a poker bot?  A recently publicized accusation against a small ring of Pennsylvania no-limit grinders turned up some suspicious statistics and circumstantial evidence of highly automated assistance, but no direct use of a poker "bot" as it’s generally understood by players.  A bot is a pre-packaged software application that runs by itself without continuous player input.  The incident, however, highlighted the problem of defining computerized aids players may not use.  It’s an issue sure to receive increased scrutiny by online sites in the months ahead.