As if the fact that online poker sites were forced offshore in 2006 by UIGEA was not bad enough, professional online poker players in the US are also now being forced offshore. Life has changed for these professionals since the 15th April 2011, or Black Friday, when many players had their only means of income taken away. The signs of imminent departure were showing early in May when a number of online poker pros were already looking at countries from where they could still comfortably play and make a living without undue hassles or harassment. Not only did online poker in the US build a whole industry around the game; it also grew an entire generation/population of online poker professionals.

These players perceive themselves to be "hardworking American individuals", the Government does not see them in the same light, but by the same token, also cannot provide enough jobs to keep people off the streets. We would call this one of the strangest paradoxes of all time. If people have a way to earn money online and pay their bills and taxes, then honestly, what is the problem? However, players such as Isaac Haxton are looking to leave the so-called 'land of opportunity' and migrate to more conducive shores. Malta, Mardrid and Melbourne are three of the locations on his short-list. He says that ultimately it does not matter where he ends up - all he needs is a good internet connection.

In a Time Magazine report – written by Matt Villano on the 10th May, 2011 - Vanessa Peng, also a 28-year-old Las Vegas resident and online poker professional, planned to leave the USA for good. She says she "thought this was a country of freedoms" and knows better now.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, this is a well known Newtonian axiom, and it applies in many situations – even for online poker, and its affects on the already beleaguered economy of the United States. Not only do poker palying residents – many of them who live in Las Vegas and also play in live tournaments – quit the city and take their tax money elsewhere. They also stop spending money in already financially troubled Las Vegas casinos. They stop paying rent or mortgages, for their motor cars and other luxury items, stop dining out, shopping, and generally spending their profits in the USA. This spend will go to Canada, Mexico or Costa Rica, or wherever they choose to go. In effect, this speaks of a US poker brain-drain.

The state of Nevada knows they need effective legislation in place to regulate internet gambling activities which includes online poker, but on an intrastate level this won't be enough. This regulation and legalization needs to take place at federal level for it to be effective. The nature of the internet is such that it provides online gambling without borders, and it is this factor that allows massive liquidity. The more liquidity (people playing), the better the income opportunities in terms of prize money, tournaments (both live and online), sponsorships and all that goes hand-in-hand with this industry based around a world-wide, phenomenally popularly played game.