Black Friday hit the North American online poker industry over a year ago and one of the group that is often buried amongst various regulatory attempts to get the industry cranked up again are the pros. Some recreational players simply dismissed them as people that had enough money anyways and with some of them running the beleaguered Full Tilt Poker there was little sympathy out there. This all glossed over the stone cold facts – this is their job and if they didn’t move or take significant risks they would have been on the breadline at some point.
Lacey Jones, a pro from the U.S., has seen first hand what Black Friday did to the industry in which she works and admitted that it was life changing.
“Before I was playing online poker everyday and was host on a lot of TV shows,” she told CalvinAyre.com at the recent GiGSE conference. “It’s very different after Black Friday. As far as poker goes I’ve been playing when I get the chance, getting ready for the World Series. It’s all live games now.”
Being in the industry as long as she has her friend list stretches to the moon and back. This has presented problems for Jones as most of them are in the industry she works in and it means the fun time in Vegas she once had is a distant memory.
“Most of my friends have moved to different places and are out of the country. I go to Asia often and a lot of them are in Europe,” she admitted. “Skype friendships instead of everyone living in Las Vegas and having fun together are now the norm.”
The solution that most players are hoping for is the market to become regulated in North America and players can then start their careers once more, something that Jones added would be “fantastic”.
Luckily for Jones the alternative work opportunities haven’t dried up and she has had more offers of modeling than before – and is it any surprise with her smoking hot looks?! It has enabled her to continue travelling and fill a considerable void left by her friends being dotted all over the place. For anyone looking to hook up with Jones, we hate to be the bearers of bad news but she’s off to tie the knot in Bali on August 15. Jones “lost a lot of followrs” when she got engaged but has no regrets and we wish her the best of luck on the special day. Now just for the U.S. to sort out its regulation and Jones will be eternally happy!
