People often criticize the notion of playing poker as they consider it to be nothing more than a gamble – like other casino games such as roulette and slots – however these people miss the point: winning poker hands requires both strategy and skill to do well.

No wonder that poker has become such a widely played game among gamers. Its convenience and accessibility online have only increased its appeal to a wider range of gamers, and thousands play each day – some professional gamers even! Additionally, numerous gambling websites provide poker as an entertainment form to their customers; whether or not some may consider poker as gambling depends on individual views and experiences; some people may argue it does not constitute true gambling, whereas others view it more as entertainment.

Legality of poker gaming remains an area of contention both domestically and abroad. The founders of multiple major online poker sites have been charged with violating the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in a case known as United States v. Scheinberg; however, most states have not banned such activities – in fact some even passed laws permitting their operation.

Though still controversial, the industry remains optimistic that US government’s crackdown will end quickly. Professional poker players have moved their operations abroad such as Costa Rica or elsewhere to escape prosecution risk; others have found new hobbies or computer games that keep them busy until federal ban is lifted.

Yahoo has established itself in both real-money fantasy sports and online poker markets, so if states legalise either, Yahoo should be well equipped to take advantage of them both. Their Texas Hold’em portal does not assign any value to virtual chips – this ensures compliance with state and federal gambling laws when considered a game of chance.

Yahoo could provide more monetization options than most free-to-play online poker sites by offering various game types and a free-to-play model, like Candy Crush does, that could generate increased gameplay or provide rewards similar to Candy Crush’s boosters and bonuses – although it remains unknown whether this model could offer cash prizes should the game ever return to US shores.