Allowing players in poker room establishments to earn money across the Internet was anathema to the government organizations that focus on maintaining these types of entertainment and gambling efforts.  The concept of allowing players to earn money without paying the government their cut was simply out of the question, and the government eliminates the the ability to earn income online as a proprietor by enforcing some of the more vague descriptions in the Wire Act, a law passed in the 80s that prohibited the practice of gambling or running numbers over phone lines or any type of communications devices regulated by the United States government.  Interpreting this law to pertain to online poker rooms and casinos, the the government forced the very first businesses that facilitated the playing of poker and other forms of gambling over the Internet to move to foreign locations such as Costa Rica, Antigua and Aruba to continue to operate legally.  But the government has continued to pass laws and enforcement regulations that make it difficult for online poker rooms and casinos to function, not to mention the effect on those who play at these types of online poker rooms and casinos such as Fulltiltpoker.com.  The effect has been debilitating on the players as well as the establishments.

With the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the government has made it a crime to allow transactions between United States banking institutions and online poker rooms and casinos.  Having any type of transactions with these online poker rooms is considered a crime in the United States since the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.  While some online poker rooms and casinos, such as Fulltiltpoker.com, still offer service to United States users, it is at a significantly decreased rate, as United States users continue to be disappointed by the restrictions placed on online poker rooms and casinos.

Consider to be the straw that breaks the camels back, a new law that will pass a 2% tax on the players poker room deposit has many players up in arms and ready to leave the country in a mass exodus to friendlier areas.

Considering how much some poker players earn on the Internet, it is very likely that moving from the United States to a more friendly area to online gaming would be quite profitable for these professional online poker players.