Bonomo and Haxton ponder US departure

Bonomo and Haxton ponder US departure

Thursday, 12 May 2011

The Black Friday indictments have scuppered the career prospects for thousands of players in the US leading many to consider moving overseas.

That eventuality could be on the cards for high stakes pros Isaac Haxton and Justin Bonomo who are both considering a fresh start in a new territory. Haxton told Time magazine that Melbourne, Malta and Madrid (why no Manchester?) are all possibles. The 25-year-old said, “Ultimately, it doesn't really matter where I end up. So long as I can get myself to a country with good Internet connections, a country that allows me to earn a living again, I'm there."


Bonomo highlighted some of the practical difficulties that could face players wishing to relocate. "It's not like you can get a work visa if you're playing online poker full-time. When [your paperwork] expires, you've got to leave the country and get it renewed; it's not a big deal, but it isn't something you can ignore."


With no taxes (yet) on poker winnings, a thriving live tournament circuit, legal and regulated online poker and no hassle of learning a new language it's a surprise that more US players haven't headed over to Blighty. With all that sunshine in Nevada maybe they don't fancy the rain.


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Tags: Justin Bonomo, Isaac Haxton, Black Friday