As the tournament director for one of the events (TPF) that the sports book has chosen to take bets and post odds, to anyone considering betting: please be aware that all organizers, TD’s, players, Scorekeepers, and tournament volunteers will be strictly prohibited from betting on TPF. Anyone who violates this will be immediately disqualified and removed from the tournament area for TPF2019 and also prohibited from future TPF tournament participation for an indefinite # of years.
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I can understand the conflict of interest here. But how would you even know if someone has bet if they don’t go running their mouth?
There are lots of situations where the only way to find out is from a player talking about what they did or why they did it.
It’s a good decision.
Has Mybookie published a list of the US states in which it is legal or illegal?
I thought it was offshore because gambling was illegal in the US (except Indian reservation, Casino…)?
Sports betting sites are legal in 8 states with more on the way, but the Wire Act of 1961 prohibits betting across state lines.
Pinball isn’t big enough for individual gambling sites to each offer bets within a single state. I haven’t checked, but I’d be shocked if even one USA site offers pinball betting.
Offshore sports books get around that by offering a one-stop shop to every state. It’s legal to place offshore sports bets from any state. The UIGEA of 2006 prohibits payments from financial institutions (in the 42 not-yet-legal onshore states) to gambling sites, but enforcement is spotty. Credit card cash advance deposits are often declined, but debit cards usually work.
To clarify, the UIGEA regulates financial institutions, not individuals. If you can get the money there, you can place the bet legally. Of course you still need to report any winnings on form W-2G when filing your taxes. I mean, unless it slips your mind. These things happen.
Incidentally, the UIGEA all but killed online poker in America.
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Disclaimer for the above information: I am not a lawyer! But I am a semiprofessional poker player, and it’s my business to know that stuff.
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Thank god they didn’t get their shit together to make this happen during the first dotcom bust, when online poker was the only thing keeping me afloat.
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Is the “no placing bets policy for anyone involved in the tournament” just for TPF? Prior to the announcement, I was seriously thinking about putting down a little money to make things a little more exciting once I got knocked out.
I’m playing in Pinmasters, but do not want to be banned indefinitely from future events. There is no line on me specifically. Can I bet on other players? What if I place bets now only to have Pinmasters or Pinburgh subsequently announce a similar indefinite ban?
Notes: IANAL. I’m not sure I’ve ever bet on sports (aside from a March Madness bracket), but I’ve played a lot of poker. I know professional athletes aren’t allowed to bet on themselves, but I assumed that was based on specific rules put in place by the respective sporting organizations they play for.
Other notes: I would not recommend betting on me at TPF. If you do, your investment is more sound if you wait to reveal it to me until I’ve been eliminated…the extra pressure won’t help. (Unless it’s a situation where I’m all but eliminated and need a miracle).
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The IFPA is working on a formal player conduct policy regarding this. Don’t place any Pin-Masters bets if you’re playing in it … Or get that time stamped BEFORE our announcement is made public on it 
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Updated Section III, Paragraph 8:
8. Wagering or Gambling
Players are strictly prohibited from placing, soliciting, or facilitating any bet, whether directly or indirectly through a third-party, on any IFPA sanctioned tournament in which they are a participant. This rule extends to Tournament Directors, Scorekeepers and tournament volunteers of that event. This includes betting on game outcome, statistics, score, performance of any individual participant, or any other kind of “proposition bet” on which wagering is offered.
The penalty for such offenses will be a 1-year suppression of that person from the IFPA World Pinball Player Rankings (WPPR) system, forfeiting their right to any IFPA related perks during the time of suppression. In addition, the IFPA grants full authority to the organizers of the IFPA sanctioned tournament in question to levy any additional penalties as appropriate to the offending person at their discretion.
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So I was planning on driving down to the event with my daughter (some kind of father/daughter bonding trip) then selling my vehicle down there and then placing a huge wager against my underdog 32-1 odds. After I won the championship I was going to live out my dream scenario and start my own arcade Thomson and Daughter. This is the kind of story that movies are made of. Josh thanks for now crushing my aspirations and dreams, looks like no movie will be made and I will have to live in mediocrity for the rest of my life.
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Who’s going to be the Pete Rose of pinball?
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This is great. But doesn’t this need to be in the WPR rules as well. It is not an IFPA requirement to use the IFPA / PAPA rules, but this new clause seems to extend to all IFPA sanctioned events
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What’s determining whether you’re in the ‘field’ or not? I see Eric Geddes name in there, but my IFPA rank is slightly better than his?
Updated in the “Basic Rules” of the WPPR rules page:
- Please note that the IFPA/PAPA rules regarding gambling are in effect for all IFPA sanctioned events. This includes IFPA sanctioned events that don’t incorporate the IFPA/PAPA ruleset as part of their tournament rules. Please visit Section III, Paragraph 8 for those details HERE.
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Any player you can’t bet on individually is part of the field.
Yes, I understand the implications of what the field means, but who determined what the field is? If they took N number of players, what was the sorting order? It doesn’t appear to be IFPA rank.
The bookmaker. Their selection criteria is secret/proprietary. There are lots of reasons you could be “skipped” in a contest where lower ranked players are available to bet on.
Is it considered gambling if you pay for a portion of soneone’s entry fee/flight/lodging in exchange for a cut of their winnings?
Sounds like a sponsorship to me 