Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: rgr

No such thing.

This was an exercise in an industry trying to maintain a very tight monopoly - in this case, the companies that run Las Vegas gaming properties.

When Internet gaming (especially sports betting, poker and blackjack) first appeared, the servers were located in “legal gaming” states and localities here in the US - such as Nevada. They were subject to US and state laws on gambling and the gaming authority of the various states in which they operated.

The big casino operators in Vegas & Nevada had themselves a hissy fit. How were they going to continue to rake in money if you could gamble for REAL MONEY on the ‘net?

So they bent Harry Reid’s ear and Harry wrote up legislation banning the evil Internet Gambling monster that was going to addict your kids to gambling. Harry passed it with the usual sleight-of-hand tactics that Harry is so well known for. Most people inside NV thought that Harry was as full of crap as a Christmas goose when he carried this legislation for the bit casinos - it was so transparently an attempt to maintain an monopoly status that it wasn’t funny, even by Nevada standards.

So the ‘net gaming operators moved their servers to off-shore locales, and set up business again. They were FULLY in compliance with the US and off-shore laws.

Harry got his hand-sewn prayin’ britches into a knot and kept going after these companies, even after they were OUTSIDE US jurisdiction - because people INSIDE the US were still using these services and thereby (in Harry’s view) guilty of not giving their money to Las Vegas-based casinos and mobsters.

So you get what we have here: A complaint to the supra-national WTO for a ruling, and a ruling that is utterly and completely expected by anyone who has been following this charade since the beginning.


34 posted on 03/26/2009 1:24:32 PM PDT by NVDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies ]


To: NVDave

WTO for a ruling, i did not vote for them


36 posted on 03/26/2009 1:31:59 PM PDT by rgr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson