Congress Passes Bill to Curb Online Gambling

CardPlayer.com ^

[Lunatic Fringe]

It Was Snuck Through on the Back of Port Security Bill

It took a backdoor move by the Senate Majority leader, but the bill designed to curb online gambling in the United States has passed.

Sen. Bill Frist helped get the Internet gambling ban attached to a defense bill designed to boost security at nation’s ports. The bill passed Saturday.

The bill calls for banks to work with the federal government to stop transactions between customers in the U.S. and offshore gaming companies. The bill makes it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make transactions with online gambling companies.

The bill considers online poker a form of gambling. Recently, online poker sites have worked harder to expand its customer base outside the United States, where about 80-percent of online poker players live.

The bill will not target player but does call for prison time for people who run online gaming companies. Banks that don’t comply by the bill may also face punishment. A representive from the Independent Community Bankers of America testified to the House that its members will have trouble enforcing the act.

The United States is moving in an opposite direction concerning this issue compared to the rest of the world. The United Kingdom recently moved to tax and regulate online gambling sites, and the European Union had made it clear that it considers online gambling a product that should be allowed to be freely traded.

[Lunatic Fringe]

By "legitimate" I meant that yes, you can play cards online and you can win (and lose) money, just like in any poker room and casino.

If you see this as some type of anti-spam legislation, I'm afraid you will be disappointed.

[mugs99]

I am being educated tonight. I don't gamble, so I am a bit of a neophyte on this matter.
It's about more than gambling. It's about government dictating how you can spend your own money.
.

[38special]

Isn't this one of the reasons why we call the GOP the "Stupid Party"?

[kms61]

The D's October Surprise was the Foley thing, but this stupid piece of legislation may end up hurting GOP chances even more, and it was entirely self-inflicted. In fact, they had to work hard to even get it passed at the last minute. Foley is just another Beltway scandal, same-old same-old. This affects a lot of people who normally don't pay much attention to politics, and now they're incensed.

[mugs99]

You mean the same Bill Frist who thinks he could be President? Options for Republicans getting a Republican in as President in 2008 are getting slimmer by the day
Yeah, that Bill Frist. The Republicans obviously want to return to the good old days of Democrat rule...they miss FDR.

[kingu]

The big money is not in card rooms, but slots. Where I live, I can go to 5 different large tribal casinos that are 90 minutes or less away from me. The state legislature ruled that if a tribe buys property, it becomes de facto part of the reservation. Since non tribal gambling has no slots, and smoking is not allowed anywhere indoors except on tribal land, where do any customers of gaming go?

So it's up to you and folks like you to get several laws changed - dumping the smoking bans, permitting the establishment of casinos, allowing slot machines in those casinos, etc.

As to the non-tribal land becoming tribal land - the state can pass as many laws as they like, but unless the secretary of the interior signs off on the land transfer, it's not tribal land. It's easier to convince one person vs. convincing a legislature filled with politicians who look to tribes for campaign funding.

None of this, of course, has anything to do with internet gambling.

[Lunatic Fringe]

The bill's chief Senate sponsor was conservative Republican Jon Kyl, who, like Leach, has said he believed Internet gambling was a moral threat. He has called online betting as the Internet version of crack cocaine.

Oh, brother...

[taxesareforever]

LOL and crying at the same time :(

[Stone Mountain]

Hmmm.... that may be the Rat response, but I agree with it - those reasons are all true as far as I can see (possibly excluding a "right" to gamble, but I think peop;e whould be able to gamle if they want to).

[Stone Mountain]

I've never "done" internet gambling, and don't know anyone who has, so maybe it's a legitimate way to take stupid people's money.

I know at least two people who win at online poker consistently. One is probably up about $3000 in the last year, and the other is up at least $10,000 over the last two years or so. It is a legitimate way to take stupid people's money - most online players are atrociously bad.

[mugs99]

I say whatever we can do to disrupt the spam gangs

If you stop surfing the porn sites the spam will stop!
.

[Theo]

Funny. If you really believe that, you are ignorant of the widespread problem of spam and the spam gangs who are responsible for much of it.

FWIW, I receive over 1,000 spams per day to the various domains I own and manage.

[mugs99]

FWIW, I receive over 1,000 spams per day to the various domains I own and manage
I own two domains. I never receive spam.
.

[Kay]

I agree with you Theo. I don't understand why FReepers are upset about this.

As a mother of sons, I have seen one of their friends lose $1000 to online gambling. As a result, his parents took away his computer -- forever -- until he leaves home. He can use their computer but only when they are in the room.

I just have to say: "I'm DELIGHTED with this legislation and I never saw it coming!!" No doubt there are ways around it but it will help teenagers!

[mysterio]

I have seen one of their friends lose $1000 to online gambling.

Sometimes people lose money in real estate, so we must ban the sale of houses.



Often people lose money while investing. We must ban investments.

[rhinohunter]

a) Election time grandstanding on morality

I consider myself and my friends to be about as right-wing as they come and I have NEVER EVER heard a single complaint about gambling as an issue that anyone cares about. Our focus areas are primarily abortion, gay-marriage and pornography.

Who are these anti-gambling crusaders?

I suspect the actual number of anti-gambling crusaders are VERY few in number, and that this is really all about c) and d)

[ThinkDifferent]

As a mother of sons, I have seen one of their friends lose $1000 to online gambling.

And how did he get access to the $1000 in the first place? Even without gambling there are a multitude of ways to waste money.

I just have to say: "I'm DELIGHTED with this legislation and I never saw it coming!!" No doubt there are ways around it but it will help teenagers!

Government is supposed to be our mommy.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Good point. Just more nanny state regulation.

[stephenjohnbanker]

"It's about government dictating how you can spend your own money."

Which is outrageous! I agree.

[wireman]

If it wasn't legit, they'd run out of customers real fast!