I've had to stay on top of U.S. laws affecting online gambling since I began researching and writing my book, "Freelance Poker Writing: How to Make Money Writing for the Gaming Industry." Playing poker online for money is illegal in the U.S. -- and supposedly has been illegal since the Internet came along due to the outdated 1961 Wire Wager Act. Yet millions of poker players in the U.S. have been playing poker for money in popular poker rooms.

On Friday, Congress passed a new law aimed at shutting down online gambling (for money) in the U.S. The new law is called the "Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006." While this new law does not make playing poker online for money illegal, it does prohibit credit card companies and banks from transferring funds from U.S. customers to online gambling sites (all of which operate offshore, outside of the U.S.).

Who knows what the future holds for online gambling in the U.S. The U.S. will be losing approx. 3.3 billion dollars in taxes annually as a result of abolishing online gambling (for money) instead of regulating it.

Online poker (for money) is legal and regulated in many countries, including the United Kingdom and several nations in and around the Caribbean Sea. It is also legal at casinos and licensed barrooms and gambling establishments.

Playing poker online for fun (with fake money) is legal. I play at PartyPoker.net (http://www.partypoker.net) under the screenname "bskcom2006." I usually play at night, after work. Look me up and join my table.