My friend responds to previous posts as follows:
I know that Phil Ivey and friends share their checks almost monthly. I've heard Suzie Lederer
talk about it. And as for PokerStars, this is true as well. Stars goes out of the way to recruit
their team. You can check out their ads in Card Player Magazine. They make a point of
connecting their site with winners.
The getting around UIGEA is true as well. The only problem is that most college kids and
Midwest homebodies (the bottom of the food chain) can't or won't "break the law". And until
it is changed, most people won't mess with it.
If ever there was a place for an academic case study of the effects of brands and brand trust,
this field is ripe.