On Monday, PokerStars released the tentative schedule for the 2013 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP). The annual series is scheduled to begin on Sunday, May 12.

This year, SCOOP will boast a total of 42 events, an increase from 40 last year. As in previous years, each event will allow players to choose between three buy-in amounts – low, medium and high. This will enable players with any sized bankroll to participate in the 126 total tournaments.

There is a large variety of games on the schedule, including no-limit hold’em, no-limit draw, seven-card stud, Omaha hi-lo, pot-limit Omaha and badugi, among others.

A six-max no-limit hold’em event is the first event on the schedule for the SCOOP series. It is set to begin on May 12 at 11 a.m. ET. The highly-anticipated Main Event is scheduled for Sunday, May 26. The buy-ins for the Main Event are $109 (low), $1,050 (medium) and $10,300 (high).

Last year, Nick “GripDsNutz” Grippo was the eventual winner of the SCOOP Main Event (high), cashing for $798,675 after a three-way chop. In 2011, the Main Event winner was Sami “Lrslzk” Kelopuro. Kelopuro walked away with $505,000 after completing a five-way deal.

As indicated previously, this SCOOP series schedule is not set in stone. PokerStars is requesting comments and feedback about the various tournaments. Comments in a thread at the TwoPlusTwo forums indicate that there may be some discrepancy over the various pot-limit Omaha events as well as the start and end dates of the tournament. There has also been some discussion that both Saturdays and Sundays should have more events and that Sundays should not exclusively be no-limit hold’em games.

You may send your questions, comments, and overall feedback to SCOOP@PokerStars.com.

Here’s a look at the 2013 Spring Championship of Online Poker schedule as of March 25:

Sunday, May 12

11:00 ET: Event 01 – $27 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 ET: Event 01 -$215 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 ET: Event 01 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (6-Max)

14:30 ET: Event 02 – $27 NL Hold’em
14:30 ET: Event 02 – $215 NL Hold’em
14:30 ET: Event 02 – $2,100 NL Hold’em

Monday, May 13

11:00 ET: Event 03 – $5.50 NL Hold’em (6-Max, Rebuys, Action Hour)
11:00 ET: Event 03 – $55 NL Hold’em (6-Max, Rebuys, Action Hour)
11:00 ET: Event 03 -$530 NL Hold’em (6-Max, Rebuys, Action Hour)

14:00 ET: Event 04 – $27 FL Badugi
14:00 ET: Event 04 – $215 FL Badugi
14:00 ET: Event 04 – $2,100 FL Badugi

17:00 ET: Event 05 – $11 NL Hold’em (Turbo, Rebuys)
17:00 ET: Event 05 – $109 NL Hold’em (Turbo, Rebuys)
17:00 ET: Event 05 – $1,050 NL Hold’em (Turbo, Rebuys)

Tuesday, May 14

11:00 ET: Event 06 – $11 NL Draw (2x Chance)
11:00 ET: Event 06 – $109 NL Draw (2x Chance)
11:00 ET: Event 06 – $1,050 NL Draw (2x Chance)

14:00 ET: Event 07 -$7.50 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)
14:00 ET: Event 07 – $82 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)
14:00 ET: Event 07 – $700 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)

17:00 ET: Event 08 – $11 NL Hold’em
17:00 ET: Event 08 – $109 NL Hold’em
17:00 ET: Event 08 -$1,050 NL Hold’em

Wednesday, May 15

11:00 ET: Event 09 – $27 NL Hold’em (Super-Knockout)
11:00 ET: Event 09 – $215 NL Hold’em (Super-Knockout)
11:00 ET: Event 09 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (Super-Knockout)

14:00 ET: Event 10 – $27 7-Card Stud
14:00 ET: Event 10 – $215 7-Card Stud
14:00 ET: Event 10 – $2,100 7-Card Stud

17:00 ET: Event 11 – $7.50 PL 5-Card Omaha Hi/Lo (6-Max)
17:00 ET: Event 11 – $82 PL 5-Card Omaha Hi/Lo (6-Max)
17:00 ET: Event 11 – $700 PL 5-Card Omaha Hi/Lo (6-Max)

Thursday, May 16

11:00 ET: Event 12 – $27 PL Omaha (Heads-Up)
11:00 ET: Event 12 – $215 PL Omaha (Heads-Up)
11:00 ET: Event 12 – $2,100 PL Omaha (Heads-Up)

14:00 ET: Event 13 – $11 NL Hold’em (Big Antes, Rebuys)
14:00 ET: Event 13 -$109 NL Hold’em (Big Antes, Rebuys)
14:00 ET: Event 13 – $1,050 NL Hold’em (Big Antes, Rebuys)

17:00 ET: Event 14 – $27 NL Hold’em (6-Max, Turbo, Super-Knockout)
17:00 ET: Event 14 – $215 NL Hold’em (6-Max, Turbo, Super-Knockout)
17:00 ET: Event 14 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (6-Max, Turbo, Super-Knockout)

Friday, May 17

11:00 ET: Event 15 – $7.50 NL Hold’em (Ante Up)
11:00 ET: Event 15 – $82 NL Hold’em (Ante Up)
11:00 ET: Event 15 – $700 NL Hold’em (Ante Up)

14:00 ET: Event 16 – $27 FL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 ET: Event 16 – $215 FL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 ET: Event 16 – $2,100 FL Omaha Hi/Lo

17:00 ET: Event 17 – $27 NL Hold’em (Turbo, Zoom)
17:00 ET: Event 17 – $215 NL Hold’em (Turbo, Zoom)
17:00 ET: Event 17 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (Turbo, Zoom)

Saturday, 18 May 2013

11:00 ET: Event 18 – $27 NL Hold’em (10-Max, Shootout)
11:00 ET: Event 18 – $215 NL Hold’em (10-Max, Shootout)
11:00 ET: Event 18 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (10-Max, Shootout)

14:00 ET: Event 19 – $11 PL 5-Card Omaha (6-Max, Rebuys)
14:00 ET: Event 19 – $109 PL 5-Card Omaha (6-Max, Rebuys)
14:00 ET: Event 19 – $1,050 PL 5-Card Omaha (6-Max, Rebuys)

17:00 ET: Event 20 – $27 Triple Stud
17:00 ET: Event 20 – $215 Triple Stud
17:00 ET: Event 20 – $2,100 Triple Stud

Sunday, May 19

11:00 ET: Event 21 – $27 NL Hold’em
11:00 ET: Event 21 – $215 NL Hold’em
11:00 ET: Event 21 – $2,100 NL Hold’em

14:30 ET: Event 22 – $27 NL Hold’em
14:30 ET: Event 22 – $215 NL Hold’em
14:30 ET: Event 22 – $2,100 NL Hold’em

Monday, May 20

11:00 ET: Event 23 – $11 Mixed NL Hold’em / PL Omaha
11:00 ET: Event 23 – $109 Mixed NL Hold’em / PL Omaha
11:00 ET: Event 23 – $1,050 Mixed NL Hold’em / PL Omaha

14:00 ET: Event 24 – $27 NL Hold’em (4-Max)
14:00 ET: Event 24 – $215 NL Hold’em (4-Max)
14:00 ET: Event 24 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (4-Max)

17:00 ET: Event 25 – $11 PL Courchevel (Turbo, 1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On)
17:00 ET: Event 25 – $109 PL Courchevel (Turbo, 1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On)
17:00 ET: Event 25 – $1,050 PL Courchevel (Turbo, 1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On)

Tuesday, May 21

11:00 ET: Event 26 – $11 Triple Draw Deuce-to-Seven
11:00 ET: Event 26 – $109 Triple Draw Deuce-to-Seven
11:00 ET: Event 26 – $1,050 Triple Draw Deuce-to-Seven

14:00 ET: Event 27 – $27 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo
14:00 ET: Event 27 – $215 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo
14:00 ET: Event 27 – $2,100 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo

17:00 ET: Event 28 – $11 NL Hold’em
17:00 ET: Event 28 – $109 NL Hold’em
17:00 ET: Event 28 – $1,050 NL Hold’em

Wednesday, May 22

11:00 ET: Event 29 – $27 Razz
11:00 ET: Event 29 – $215 Razz
11:00 ET: Event 29 – $2,100 Razz

14:00 ET: Event 30 – $27 NL Hold’em (Knockout)
14:00 ET: Event 30 -$215 NL Hold’em (Knockout)
14:00 ET: Event 30 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (Knockout)

17:00 ET: Event 31 – $27 NL Omaha Hi/Lo (Turbo, Zoom)
17:00 ET: Event 31 – $215 NL Omaha Hi/Lo (Turbo, Zoom)
17:00 ET: Event 31 – $2,100 NL Omaha Hi/Lo (Turbo, Zoom)

Thursday, May 23

11:00 ET: Event 32 – $27 Eight-Game
11:00 ET: Event 32 – $215 Eight-Game
11:00 ET: Event 32 – $2,100 Eight-Game

14:00 ET: Event 33 – $27 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 ET: Event 33 – $215 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 ET: Event 33 – $2,100 PL Omaha Hi/Lo

17:00 ET: Event 34 – $27 NL Hold’em (Turbo, 3x Chance)
17:00 ET: Event 34 – $215 NL Hold’em (Turbo, 3x Chance)
17:00 ET: Event 34 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (Turbo, 3x Chance)

Friday, May 24

11:00 ET: Event 35 – $27 NL Hold’em (1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On)
11:00 ET: Event 35 – $215 NL Hold’em (1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On)
11:00 ET: Event 35 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On)

14:00 ET: Event 36 – $55 FL Hold’em (6-Max)
14:00 ET: Event 36 -$530 FL Hold’em (6-Max)
14:00 ET: Event 36 – $5,200 FL Hold’em (6-Max)

17:00 ET: Event 37 – $27 NL Omaha Hi/Lo
17:00 ET: Event 37 – $215 NL Omaha Hi/Lo
17:00 ET: Event 37 – $2,100 NL Omaha Hi/Lo

Saturday, May 25

11:00 ET: Event 38 – $55 PL Omaha (6-Max)
11:00 ET: Event 38 – $530 PL Omaha (6-Max)
11:00 ET: Event 38 – $5,200 PL Omaha (6-Max)

12:30 ET: Event 39 – $215 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up, High-Roller)
12:30 ET: Event 39 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up, High-Roller)
12:30 ET: Event 39 – $21,000 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up, High-Roller)

14:00 ET: Event 40 – $27 H.O.R.S.E.
14:00 ET: Event 40 – $215 H.O.R.S.E.
14:00 ET: Event 40 – $2,100 H.O.R.S.E.

Sunday, May 26

11:00 ET: Event 41 – $27 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 ET: Event 41 – $215 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 ET: Event 41 – $2,100 NL Hold’em (6-Max)

14:30 ET: Event 42 – $109 NL Hold’em Main Event
14:30 ET: Event 42 – $1,050 NL Hold’em Main Event
14:30 ET: Event 42 – $10,300 NL Hold’em Main Event

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One year ago, the Iowa Senate approved an online poker measure that allowed state casinos and racetracks to offer Internet poker. Despite a study by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission that showed the legalization of online poker could generate $3-$13 million in state tax revenue, a “general lack of interest” in the Iowa House saw the bill wither up and die.

In January of this year, State Senator Jeff Danielson, cosponsored by Sens. Wally Horn and Randy Feenstra, proposed Iowa Senate Study Bill 1068, a poker-only bill that called for Iowa to consider establishing requirements for issuing Internet gambling licenses. Unfortunately, that bill also died in the legislature despite New Jersey’s historic passing of online gaming legislation.

Clearly, some prominent Iowa lawmakers are taking online poker seriously, but why aren’t others? PokerNews reached out to Matt Eide, a native of Fort Dodge, Iowa who serves as an Eide & Heisinger, L.L.C. lobbyist for the Winnebago Gaming Development Corporation. If ever there were a expert on the gaming landscape in Iowa, both live and online, it would be Eide, who graduated cum laude from Drake University in 1988 and from Drake University Law School in 1993.

Eide was kind enough to talk to PokerNews about the current online poker situation in Iowa:

Can you give us a little background on yourself and your experience as a lobbyist?

Matt Eide. Photo courtesy of Eide & Heisinger, L.L.C.

I’m a multiclient lobbyist based in Des Moines with about 20 years of experience. I represent a wide variety of clients from companies like UPS to health care organizations to nonprofits. We represent these clients primarily in front of the Iowa legislature and state agencies in Iowa.

On the gaming front, I’ve worked with regulators for quite awhile. I do represent a horse group in horse racing in Iowa, and I’ve represented casinos in the past. I’ve represented applicants, and I’m currently representing the Winnebago Gaming Development Corporation, which is affiliated with the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and Iowa.

What sort of things are you doing with the Winnebago Gaming Development Corporation?

The Winnebago Tribe does have a casino south of Sioux City called WinnaVegas. We’ve set up separate companies, LLCs, in our new venture. I’ll give you a little backdrop on the Sioux City license. The regulators in Iowa, the Iowa Gaming and Racing Commission, came in and didn’t like the way the operator was running. It was Penn Gaming, a large publicly traded company out of Pennsylvania. They wanted Penn to do land-based [gaming] and get away from the riverboat that’s there. Penn and their nonprofit partner struggled to find an agreement, so our regulators came in and said we are going to open up the license for Sioux City and took applications.

Applications were due November 5. Three entities are vying for the license, and in Iowa, it’s not the operator but a nonprofit partner that holds the license. So each applicant is really an applicant that has what we call a qualified sponsoring organization – a nonprofit that they partner with. The three potential applicants are Warrior Entertainment, which is our name and our brand for our project, and that’s associated with Winnebago Gaming Development. We have Warner Gaming, that’s doing business as Hard Rock; and the incumbent operator, which is Penn Gaming.

The next step is on April 18 when the commission will announce their decision of who will be the operator. So that’s the Sioux City situation.

Does that situation have any implications for the possibility of online poker in Iowa?

I have followed the online gaming debate for the last couple years. I’m a contributor to iGaming Business North America, I write occasional articles for business magazines, and so I track the Iowa legislation quite closely. I have a pretty good hold of that, and who’s interested and who’s not.

Last year in 2012, a bill did pass the Senate by 29-20 with bipartisan support, meaning we did have some Republican votes on it. This year it came out of subcommittee and it was determined that the Republican-controlled house was not going to take it up, so the Democrat-controlled Senate said lets not waste our time. Our governor has remained neutral. He said he’ll take a look at whatever hits his desk. He has not given a position.

The bottom line is, our online poker bill is dead for the year in 2013.

There seemed to be more aggressive movement with Iowa’s 2012 online poker bill compared to this year. Why is that?

One difference we had in 2012 versus this year, we had the major service providers, the platform providers, engaging lobbyists and [were] putting in a lot of resources to get that bill moving. They were noticeably absent in 2013, so we only had our incumbent casinos, Iowa-based and some of the nationally-based ones that are here like Harrah’s and such, but we didn’t have the top service providers who made a big push last year. I think they’ll have to be reengaged.

Was there a change of perspective among any Iowa leaders after New Jersey passed their online poker bill?

I think it’s coming. The answer to your question is yes, but I think a state like Iowa, which has been pretty progressive – they have many forms of gambling – we’re going to need more than New Jersey and Nevada. I think as more states advance it beyond those two states, just because Iowa is a little more conservative compared to those two big gaming states that are out their with Atlantic City and Las Vegas. I think when another state or two takes it up and passes it, I really think Iowa is going to take a long hard look at it. One from a regulatory perspective knowing that Iowans are playing online poker right now, and also for sub legislators it’ll be from a revenue perspective. I think it’s secondary, but it’s not to be dismissed. There is a revenue aspect to it for the state, and that is attractive to a certain segment of our legislators.

In regards to the Winnebago Tribe, are they interested in online poker?

Yes. They just want to make sure that if Iowa does proceed to regulate and pass legislation and laws pertaining to online gaming, online poker in this case, that they don’t want to be shutout from that. They want to participate. So, yes, the answer is they definitely want to be there.

*Picture courtesy of the Iowa Republican.

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New Jersey is the third state to approve online poker, but it’s likely to have a greater impact on the rest of the country than its predecessors.

Nevada and Delaware didn’t exactly open the floodgates for other states to seriously pursue online poker, but that makes sense. Nevada is viewed as a different entity than other states. It’s a gaming state, and for a gaming state to expand its gambling options isn’t going to be trendsetting. As one of the smallest and least populous states, Delaware doesn’t command the spotlight.

This time is different. When New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed the online gambling bill into law last week, political leaders in other states were taking notice.

If there is a state that is going to begin a chain reaction of Internet poker spreading across the country, it’s New Jersey. In a few years, perhaps New Jersey will be better known for giving us online poker than Jersey Shore.

“New Jersey is a very big domino to fall,” said John Pappas, executive director of the Poker Players Alliance. “Hopefully it will reignite some enthusiasm for other states to move forward. I think people view it as much more significant progress because it’s in a state that’s not just a gaming state. In Nevada, gaming is ubiquitous throughout the state. In New Jersey, it’s just in a small pocket.”

Previously, gambling in New Jersey was focused in Atlantic City. Once online gaming goes live – which is expected this fall – the servers will be hosted by Atlantic City casinos but available for play to people throughout the state.

New Jersey is the 11th-most populous and most densely populated state in the nation. It is also the third-wealthiest U.S. state by 2011 median household income.

“It’s one thing to have a state like Nevada go ahead with Internet gaming,” said New Jersey State Sen. Ray Lesniak, the leading sponsor of the bill. “It’s another thing to have an urban, wealthy Northeastern state like New Jersey take this step. I believe it will have tremendous reverberations throughout the country.”

Another important factor is the backing from Christie, one of the most prominent governors in the country who is considered a leading contender for the Republican Presidential nomination in 2016.

By first vetoing the bill two years ago and then conditionally vetoing the new legislation last month before signing after his proposed changes were made, Christie certainly showed that it was an issue he long considered before deciding it was the right move for his state and its people.

“This was a critical decision, and one that I did not make lightly,” Christie said last week in his statement following the signing. “But with the proper regulatory framework and safeguards that I insisted on including in the bill, I am confident that we are offering a responsible yet exciting option that will make Atlantic City more competitive while bringing financial benefits to New Jersey as a whole.”

Christie’s popularity is running high after his public handling of the aftermath from Hurricane Sandy.

“The high-profile governor that they have there in Gov. Christie being supportive I think adds greater credibility to the issue,” Pappas said.

Pappas believes the two states that could follow in New Jersey’s footsteps to pass legislation by the end of this year are California and Pennsylvania. If Pennsylvania – a border state to New Jersey that has yet to introduce online poker legislation – moves quickly to pass a bill this year, the influence from New Jersey will be unmistakable.

“People view New Jersey as a bellwether state of things to come, and there will be things to come,” Pappas said. “But the dominoes won’t start falling immediately. People have to understand, in New Jersey this has been going on for several years.”

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Check out the original source here! Originally from PokerNews.com