Uncle Sam's Bad Bet

LAS VEGAS

Across the desert they've swarmed again -- in their 20s and in their twilight, card sharpies and card novices, doctors and patients, house painters and housewives, teachers and students, plus dropouts from all walks of still life -- thousands upon thousands thrill-seeking millions of dollars at the World Series of Poker.

They love to gamble.

Alas, the government doesn't want them to gamble.

Last year, a record 8,773 persons entered the $10,000 buy-in World Series of Poker Main Event. This year, the Main Event, which begins Friday -- come one, come all, but BRING CASH -- might attract fewer entrants, largely because a new law shut down many online poker sites several months ago.

(Don't get me started on government and gambling. State coffers are fattened by state-run lotteries. The feds turn the other cheek to Wall Street, arguably the largest gambling hall in the New World. And then some hysterical, head-up-their-butt Congressmen are shocked -- shocked!!! -- that gambling is going online.) The legislation in question is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Essentially, it doesn't allow banking institutions to accept transactions for gambling services, effectively blocking the money path that permits people to play poker online.

To which I say:

You can enact 52 laws from here to Deadwood preventing folks from playing poker online -- they will still play poker online.

(Because I am a poker commentator for ESPN, some people might assume I have a built-in bias here. My friends, I could be a spackling-and-drywall commentator for Home & Garden TV and I would tell you the same thing: You cannot stop the flow of multimillion-dollar commerce. Remember Manifest Destiny? Well, I'll tell you what's more obvious and more certain: people making money keep making money.) From the dawn of time, morally righteous leaders have tried to eliminate or criminalize three basic areas of daily living:

1. Alcohol.

2. Gambling.

3. Prostitution.