Poker players in the U.S. are hoping for the regulation of online poker as soon as possible, but how soon can this realistically happen? It should come as no surprise that Black Friday and the Full Tilt Poker Ponzi scheme accusations have hurt the public reputation and perception of online poker in America. The problems caused by the Full Tilt Poker scandal, however, are possibly worse than you might initially think.

One of the main advocates for online poker legislation has always been the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). The PPA, however, had received the majority of their finances from Full Tilt Poker before the scandals. Knowing that plenty of eyebrows would be raised at this fact, the PPA is now trying to distance itself from Full Tilt as much as possible. There is concern that Americans will question the legitimacy of the PPA since it was almost entirely funded by the site.

Lawmakers that had received money from the PPA and Full Tilt are also in a tough spot. These people are now trying to distance themselves from both entities, especially Full Tilt. Some of them have pledged to donate the money they have received from the PPA and Full Tilt to charity. Such lawmakers include Shelley Berkley, Joe Heck, and Barney Frank.

It is discouraging to know that some of the biggest backers of online poker have pulled back in light of recent events. “Online poker, frankly, is way back in my head,” said Senator Harry Reid in a recent interview.

With elections in the U.S. rapidly approaching, the quick legalization of online poker seems highly unlikely. Politicians know that online gambling is a dangerous issue to deal with, so there is a high chance that its issues will be put on the back burner for quite some time.

Free to Play Site in California

On a brighter note, CalShark.com has been introduced by a few Indian tribes in California. These tribes operate a number of successful brick-and-mortar casinos, and they are pushing for legal online poker in their state.

While these sites are created for “educational and instructional purposes only”, the tribes believe that they are a great marketing tool. If online poker should become legal in California in the future, it is possible that people will remain loyal to these sites as they move to real money gambling.

It looks like residents of California will have plenty to choose from as other Indian tribes are also planning on launching these sites.

The Californian Senate will be looking at the issue of online poker again in January 2012.