The Global Gaming Expo, also known as G2E, was held last week appropriately enough in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas is known as the brick-and-mortar capital of the United States gambling market, but all the talk last week at G2E 2012 was on the virtual world of gambling. As you probably know, Nevada was the first state to legalize online gambling in the form of poker after the United States Department of Justice ruled that each individual state should be allowed to develop their own online gambling destiny in December of last year. Delaware has joined Nevada in offering online gambling, and several states are pushing for that virtual reality as well.

Most online poker players and those who play in the more traditional brick-and-mortar format are well aware of the Chris Moneymaker story. Making the proverbial rags to riches tale a reality, the 27-year-old accountant claimed his entry for the main event of the 2003 World Series of Poker by winning a $39 satellite tournament hosted by the online poker room PokerStars. He ended up besting the entire field of 839 players, becoming the first WSOP champion ever to win his entry through an online tournament. Each year the WSOP is the largest brick-and-mortar poker tournament offered, and was Moneymaker’s first live poker tournament ever.

If you happened along the beautiful Rosarito Beach, you would be forgiven if you didn’t recognize one of the many celebrities who have recently made the Mexican town home over the past year. These wealthy American celebs are estimated to spend a combined $75,000 minimum each month in this town of 65,000 residents located approximately 35 minutes south of the U.S. border. Easy access to the United States, coupled with friendly online poker legislation, means that many US poker players who make a living online find it a desirable destination for their new digs. As you probably know, on April 15, 2011, US online poker was dealt a huge kick in the pants when the four major online poker providers located in the US were shut down. Some players moved to the Far East and locations like Thailand, and some headed north to Canada. Those preferring a tropical climate have been heading to Rosarito Beach, Mexico.

What to do online poker and outdoor stadiums have in common? Not much seemingly, but that is all due to change in London in May of 2013. Online poker tournaments are common fare, and generally allow you to relax in your favorite recliner, cozy up on the couch or crash in your computer chair while you take part. But a movement which began over a year ago is gathering steam as well as sponsors, and plans to drag more than 30,000 online poker players out of their homes and deliver them to one of the most famous and storied English football stadiums for what could possibly be the largest dual online and live poker tournament ever.

PokerStars has been working with the United States federal government to settle charges filed against Full Tilt concerning their involvement in fraudulent banking and Ponzi scheme practices. As you probably know, Full Tilt was shut down last April by the US Department of Justice, and millions of dollars of Full Tilt account holder money was frozen. This deal should make those account holders with unpaid balances extremely happy. As part of the three-way agreement, PokerStars will pay the United States government $547 million on behalf of Full Tilt Poker, and also fund an account with $184 million to reimburse non-US customers of Full Tilt that had remaining account balances within the next 90 days.