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Poker-TV: Who Will be the King of Vegas?
Published: 2006-01-10
 For those that have perhaps grown tired of the tournament poker format of specialty
programming, SpikeTV has come up with what could potentially be a fresh look on gambling
on television. While celebrity poker and made for television tournaments have become
almost the norm, there isn't a wide ranging program that presents a gambling challenge to
viewers. That will change in January as SpikeTV attempts to crown the "King Of Vegas".
Premiering on January 17th at 10PM (Eastern and Pacific Times, 9PM Central), "King Of
Vegas" is going to present perhaps the most challenging gambling format that has been seen
yet. While poker is going to be a part of it, there are many other forms of gambling that
the twelve players will have to succeed at before they can capture the crown. Blackjack,
baccarat, roulette, craps, Pai Gow, Caribbean Stud and horse racing are only some of the
components of gambling that will be used to help to determine who is the "King Of Vegas".
There will be some familiar faces from the poker world that will be a part of the show.
World Series Tournament of Champions victor Mike "The Mouth" Matusow will be taking part
in the proceedings, as will fellow poker professionals Evelyn Ng and 2004 WSOP Main Event
runner-up David Williams. There will also be a professional blackjack player in the mix
as "Hollywood" Dave Stann will be there competing as well. For those that have seen
Stann's antics on blackjack tournament broadcasts, it could be worth the price of
admission alone to see him run up against Mike Matusow!
Just as in the normal life of poker and gambling, these people aren't playing for pride or
for free either! At stake for the competitors is a $1 million first prize and the title
of "King Of Vegas" (it could result in a name change if Evelyn Ng takes the crown!). Over
the span of ten weeks, the battle will be intense as the best gamblers in the world
attempt to beat each other and be at the top of the mountain and take the grand prize.
There could be more to come as "King Of Vegas" has the potential to become a running
competition. The program is co-hosted by Max Kellerman (from ESPN and Fox Sports) and
Wayne Allyn Root, the most prominent handicapper in America today. "We think "King Of
Vegas" will create a mania and could become like "American Idol," Wayne Allyn Root
recently said when we were talking about the program. "Imagine the future, with thousands
lined up at each city for "audition tours" to be the next "King Of Vegas!"
So if you are looking for a little more gambling in your life, be sure to check out "King
Of Vegas" when it premieres on SpikeTV Tuesday, January 17th at 10PM. It promises to be a
rollicking ride as we find out who the best gambler in the world is! For more information
on "King Of Vegas", be sure to check out spiketv.com.
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Barring Adults From Playing Poker
Published: 2006-01-08
 by I. Nelson Rose
Many cardclubs and casinos won't let anyone under 18 in their gaming areas. This does not present any legal issues, since in every state the age of majority is 18, meaning anyone younger is legally a minor. But gambling is also often barred to individuals older than 18, but younger than 21. This is particularly common in states and on Indian land where alcoholic beverages are served and the minimum age to drink is 21.
Is it legal to prevent 18-year-olds from making bets, when they are legally adults?
The Supreme Court of Louisiana has answered that question with a strong, "Yes."
The case is particularly important because the Louisiana Constitution has an unusual "Individual Dignity Clause." As Justice Kimball of the Louisiana Supreme Court put it, Louisiana has a "unique constitutional provision which gives greater protection against age discrimination than either the United States Constitution or any other State Constitution."
The majority of the State Supreme Court looked to a prior case, in which it upheld the State Legislature's raising the drinking age from 18 to 21. In that case, the Court looked at the evidence, experience, other states and common sense in concluding that keeping the group most likely to become involved in drunk driving accidents off the road protected not only those young adults, but society in general. The problem for the Court in this case is that there is not the same type of extensive evidence of the dangers of letting young adults gamble.
When the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 during the War in Vietnam, it made sense to lower the age of majority to 18 for everything, including drinking.
But soon experience led lawmakers to conclude that some things are just too dangerous for too many individuals who are only 18 years old, and too dangerous for society. Well-organized advocacy groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), had tremendous political success. By 1993, the National Transportation Safety Board reported that "no state allows the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 21."
The proliferation of legal gambling occurred during this era: from the early 1970s, after the age of majority had been lowered to 18, to the mid-1990s, when many dangerous activities were limited once again to adults over 21. The result is a mishmash of gambling age limits, differing not only from state to state, but even within a single state.
Louisiana, for example, now prohibits anyone under 21 from playing casino games, including poker, buying a lottery ticket or playing a video poker machine. But an 18 year-old can place a parimutuel wager at a Louisiana racetrack and bet at charity bingo, including bingo machines.
We all know it is a legal fiction to state that individuals are incapable of making decisions on the day before their 18th birthday and completely competent adults the day after.
But what else is the law to do? Hold a hearing every time a young adult, or an older child, wants to do something that society regards as risky?
Even without detailed, scientific studies, the Louisiana Supreme Court probably made the right decision. Not that adults under 21 cannot play poker. But that setting age limits is a political decision, which a society should make through its elected representatives.
And if 18-year-olds don't like having to wait til they're 21 to gamble, they can vote to change the law.
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