Internet gambling bill
I have a confession. I like to play poker. Not that I’m all that good at it, but I like it. I’ve been tempted to try my chops at online poker but, thanks to the US congress, that urge will no longer be an option:
To summarize what was passed, this bill is designed to prevent the use of payment instruments (credit cards, fund transfers, etc.) for certain forms of online gambling that are defined as “unlawful Internet gambling.” The bill requires financial institutions to identify and block payments related to so-called unlawful Internet gambling transactions. If there is a violation, the government may file a lawsuit (known as an injunction) to prevent or restrain the violation. The bill provides a special exemption for three types of Internet gambling: (1) horse racing under the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA), so OTBs and account wagering systems can remain in business, (2) Indian gambling that takes place on a reservation or between two reservations; and (3) Internet gambling that occurs solely within a state’s own borders, referred to as Intra-state gambling.
The bill doesn’t define “unlawful Internet gambling”. So, I guess he horseracing folks have some pull, since it is a sport for rich dudes. Anyway, it’s a stupid bill.
The bill passed by an overwhelming margin because it was attached to a port security bill. CJ says:
What this Congress is saying, then, is that it is more important to attack the scourge of online gaming than it is to make sure our buses and trains do not blow up. This is the Congress we elected. This is the Congress we have to get rid of.
Terry Frank tells us that all Tennessee congress monkeys voted for it, except for Jenkins. Good for Jenkins. (Update: Terry comments that Jenkins was a no vote and not a nay – that is, the dude didn’t vote not that he voted no. Stupid reading comprehension).
Party Gaming, the largest online gambling site, issued a statement:
After taking extensive legal advice, the Board of PartyGaming Plc has concluded that the new legislation, if signed into law, will make it practically impossible to provide US residents with access to its real money poker and other real money gaming sites. As a result of this development, the Board of PartyGaming has determined that if the President signs the Act into law, the Company will suspend all real money gaming business with US residents, and such suspension will continue indefinitely, subject to clarification of the interpretation and enforcement of US law and the impact on financial institutions of this and other related legislation. Access to PartyGaming’s online gaming sites for the Group’s US free play customers will be unaffected. Access for all of PartyGaming’s non-US customers will also be unaffected.
The back-alley sports-book and poker games will be on the uptick. Poker is now more popular than it ever has been and there will be an expansion of criminal activity as a result of this legislation. Yes, illegal gambling has been around but, with poker’s popularity, it’s bound to increase.
October 2nd, 2006 at 11:12 am
I do play penny-ante poker online including tournaments and regular cash games. I tend to win a lot more than I lose and I enjoy playing. Of course I’m interested in this topic, but I can’t read all the links thanks to net-nany software at my work and I don’t know the details.
I can say though that I’m really diasppointed that our Congresscritters would find this so all-fired important that they have to ban it. They’re trying to pander to those people who see online poker as a sin while at the same time pleasing casino bosses who might feel threatened by this form of poker.
I’ve got news for them, while some people consider gambling in any amount a vice, those and others also consider any dancing, any alcoholic beverages, any pork, any showing of a female ankle, etc. a vice and a sin. They’re going to have to pass a lot more laws to please everyone and the American people will one day wake up to the one-by-one loss of our freedoms. They’ll find themselves on the un-employment line if this keeps up.
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Uncle–the record said Jenkins was a “no vote”–that is distinguished from a “nay.” So I guess Jenkins either wasn’t there or passed or something. I’m not really sure.
Any how, thought I’d let you know—
October 2nd, 2006 at 2:13 pm
woops. thanks.
October 4th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
it’s good to see that our congress is willing to put the extra hours and all come together to assure this bill was passed (haha) … meanwhile they can’t all come together on “important issues”.
gambling, regardless of what type, has been around forever and is not going away. i’m sure all those people that have been betting on-line will be booking their flights to vegas so they can bet “legally” …. not!!
how would congress have voted, or would this have been an issue, if the government was getting a piece of this action int he form of taxes?
let’s beat them at their own game – if in ohio … vote YES on issue 3 … allow slots in the ohio racetracks!!!!!