In a scene that we’ve become used to in the US poker industry, a high European court has ruled that the Netherlands is legally allowed to stop online gambling operators from entering the company’s market if the government’s aim was to “combat fraud and crime.”

While the majority of European countries are slowly seeing the reality and viability of opening up their markets to competition in a bid to introduce a regulated and legalized system, the Netherlands (surprising, considering this country’s liberal outlook on many other issues) has stood steadfast in its decision to block with brute force any other operator except its own lottery operator, De Lotto.

Ladbrokes and Betfair online betting sites both brought separate cases to the European Union Court of Justice, claiming that the Netherlands’ policy counters the free trade charters signed between member states. Ladbrokes said that Holland’s policy was “hard to reconcile with its expansive gambling policy, which is characterized by the introduction and active advertising, marketing and promotion of new gaming products.”

Betfair called on the European Commission to take a lead on the issue of online poker and gambling on the continent “so that we can separate fact from fiction and settle the online gambling debate once and for all.”

The group also scoffed at the idea that online gambling was more detrimental than other forms of gambling, as claimed by the Dutch in their case, and said that these claims were simply “without foundation.”

The Secretary General of EGBA, Sigrid Ligne said that the internet raises new questions and challenges that are not possible to resolve through the judicial process.

She called on the Netherlands to examine its gambling policy once more and to introduce reforms that we have come to see in more enlightened countries such as France, Italy and Denmark.

With poker becoming a reality in casinos across the state of Pennsylvania, dealer schools have popped up in a bid to train professionals to enter these gambling establishments. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and state police are also being given a course in poker – but from a different angle. State authorities are under no illusions that the introduction of poker could also bring with it the temptation by some people to commit crimes around the gaming tables.

As such, those who have experience working at the tables have been training control board employees and the police how to spot cheater at the tables when card games are eventually introduced into casinos by this summer.

“Quite frankly, we don’t want to be caught with our heads in the sand,” said a spokesman for the gaming control board, Richard McGarvey, who, along with his colleagues has already being undergoing an intensive course of over 5 weeks with professional dealers.

Each casino that has applied for - and received – a license to run poker and other card games on their floors have been training their new dealers to spot potential cheats or cheats in action. Each casino is in fact responsible for its own training, however the board was keen to ensure that its own people were able to identify criminals as well and are therefore also undergoing training.

“The number one job of the Gaming Control Board is to ensure the integrity of gaming in Pennsylvania,” said the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Gregory Fajt. “When a person comes into a Pennsylvania casino, they need to know they are getting a fair shake and they aren’t being cheated.”

It is believed that over 4,000 new jobs will be created with the introduction of poker in Pennsylvania, and millions of dollars will be generated for the state.

The Russian government made a big hoo-ha about banishing its poker and gambling establishments to the four remote corners of the country last year, but recently, experts on the ground tell us that the ban on poker is nothing more than words. In actual fact, they say, poker has never been more popular in the country, as more players than ever pitch their skills at an ever-growing number of poker rooms.

One typical area is Novey Arbat Street in Moscow, which used to draw the crowds with bright flashing neon lights. While the lights have been dimmed, industry experts say that behind closed doors, poker players are just as active and enjoying poker more than ever. While the police are requested to arrest these players and close down the establishments, they simply do not have the manpower or resources to do so.

Russia has certainly tried to clamp down on poker, and even banned the Russian Sports Poker Federation earlier this year. However, as an act of defiance and total disregard for what they consider a very bad law, the federation continues to operate quite openly.

“I heard something about the ruling [of being banned],” said the President of the Federation, Dmitry Lesnoy half mockingly. “But no one notified me personally, so I can’t say – did it take place or not?”

By the looks of it, poker is definitely not going anywhere in Russia. Besides the fact that poker and gambling clubs still flaunt their services in public in full view of the authorities, internet poker is still very much an available option for players who want to enjoy quality poker form the comfort of their own homes.

In addition, even those who can’t find poker clubs in their hometowns can take a quick flight to any of the neighboring countries and play to their hearts’ content.