If Congress has its way, playing online poker may no longer be a way for students to pay off loans or buy new cars. A new federal law against Internet gambling is stifling online poker rooms, though its effectiveness in stopping the online gambling craze is not yet clear.

Some of the more popular online gambling sites, including PartyPoker.net and PokerRoom.com, have already announced that they will stop serving U.S. customers.

“We will have implemented the technical solution to restrict all customers within the U.S. from accessing our real money games starting Monday, Nov. 6,” said PokerRoom.com in an email to its clients. The company will continue allowing U.S. players to access its “play money” games.

Other online poker rooms, meanwhile, are flouting the new rule and continue to allow U.S. customers to play with real money. Full Tilt Poker and Pokerstars are two that have seen more players, including Stanford students, flock to their sites since the new regulations.

Despite the new restrictions, Stanford’s cyber poker sharks don’t expect to stop betting big anytime soon.

“I suppose they’ll just switch to whichever sites are still operational,” said senior and Daily columnist Nate Solon about other online players. “Though that itself is somewhat troubling, since only the least law-respecting sites will keep running.”

Other students confirmed that they plan to continue playing online, even if it means taking their business to more difficult tables.

“The games are much tougher, as people who take the trouble to redeposit onto other sites are probably good regulars anyway,” said one Stanford student, who wished to remain anonymous because they plan to break the new law. “However, I’ve still found it profitable and will continue to play online poker.”

While several online poker venues remain open, it is not clear if...more