I had an ezboard for awhile, I was frustrated with it because I couldn’t do what I wanted as far as html, even with the platinum package.. If you’re making decent money, your not really going to want to move that forum.. or at leaste I wouldnt. (By the way, i started out with a yahoo group and a free server (with adds) webpage) But you could build a website.. then instead of uploading a forum, you could build around the forum so to speak …. whereas your forum link went to your ez board.. Major announcements n such could be on the website.. (when I had groups instead of sites, I intentionally announced all private tournaments on my freebie add served site (angelfire.com) so that yahoo group members would have to visit the site.. see all the banners etc.
You could do the same kind of thing with an actual .com of your own 
You can get a domain cheap at godaddy, thats about all I use them for though..
Some of the little things I’ve heard about buying domains.. None of its verified, just what I read in forums 
.. when I buy my next domain, we’ll get to that verifying business.
If gambling might become illegal in your state, you might want that private registration that the company selling the domain says is to reduce spam.
Google looks more favourably at domains that are purchased for more than one year in advance..
Google prefers addys without numbers, and symbols in them .. Like ?
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Once you get a site, and want to start putting things in it, you usually upload via ftp, you can build in software meant for that, in a CMS, or in notepad for that matter, it looks real intimidating after ezboard, but it isn’t so bad once ya get used to it
Good Luck
~LadyH