Both poker and football have an appeal to a wide male audience but poker players are finding out that their appreciation for football may be a one way street.  The NFL continues to be one of the most verbal opponents of online gambling and has thrown its considerable weight behind stopping the regulation and licensing of online gambling. 

Why this opposition to online gaming?  Well, I don’t have an answer though my feelings are that there’s a bit of hypocrisy involved on the NFL’s side.  Now, I understand it when a church or religious organization opposes online gambling because they are against gambling in general.  I may not agree with their stance, but at least the stance is not usually — gambling is bad, unless it’s with us.  Which is what the NFL is doing.

According to what I’ve been able to find out, the NFL’s official take on legalized online poker is that it is a “gateway drug” to other gambling.  They’re worried that it will lead to more online gambling and online sports betting as a way to raise funds for the government.  So, where do I see hypocrisy in this?  Well, the NFL lobbyist managed worked hard to make sure the Fantasy Football, which involves betting and online Fantasy Football sites, was not included as part of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Perhaps another sign of how poorly written that act is.  Now, I know far more people who play Fantasy Football than I know who play poker (online or land based). I know people who casually join Fantasy Football leagues who’d be terrified to sit down at a poker game.  So, it seems to me that if anything is the gateway drug to online gambling, it’s Fantasy Football.  So perhaps it’s time for the NFL to come off their pedestal and support all their fans, including the poker playing fans.