Legal Issues

Legal Issues

by Mike Masnick




Congress To Keep Rolling The Dice On Anti-Online Gambling Laws

from the came-up-snake-eyes-again! dept

Yes, we get the fact that there are some folks in the US government who really dislike the concept of online gambling and are trying to do anything possible to stop it. It's already illegal, but plenty of Americans still play at online casinos. For a while the government tried to go after sites that advertise legal, offshore online casinos, which seems like a violation of free speech. Lately, though, they've been pushing to make it illegal for banks or credit cards to work with offshore online gambling sites. However, every time lawmakers roll the dice on such a bill, it gets blocked somewhere. Looks like the anti-gambling crowd just doesn't have luck on their side, as the latest attempt has been blocked again. Better luck next time.

3 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments

(Flattened / Threaded)

    Sep 18th, 2005 @ 2:23pm
  • Gambling is a surtax on stupidity

    by BobWhatAbout

    Everyone who gambles knows that the odds are against you. The part they're not thinking through is that the odds are massively against you.
    Now about online gambling sites outside of the United States... let me ask, What regulating body is making sure that these games are being run fairly? The Cayman Islands Fair Gambling Commission? (There's none such.) If any offshore gambling website does not completely open up its source code for review, I would call it highly suspect. And even then, who is to say that the code they are running is the same code they've published?

    And I bet their actual payout ratios don't begin to match US casinos, which are heavily regulated.

    Offshore online gambling is a scary, scary thing.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    • Jan 20th, 2007 @ 3:47pm
    • Re: Gambling is a surtax on stupidity

      by patrick

      Probably so - but who checks out the odds out at the Indian gaming casinos? The State, as they now get a cut of the profits. Not really the point. As a tax paying caregiver for an 81 yr old spouse, I don't get out much except for work (full time) and the grocery store, I did enjoy spending a little at online gaming but can't do that even, as I can no longer fund. Final result - have probably read every post at this site and other as well. Thank you Kyle and Frist for saving me $30 this week!!!!!!! p.s . Anonymous Coward, I beat you again - surprised not to find your comments here.

      (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

    Sep 18th, 2005 @ 10:09pm
  • Banks have the money.

    Did or does anyone really think hat we or our Govt. can do anything to stop banks. Credit card companies are just as bad. More than half of Americans are in some form of debt to some institution. Thus we'll barely ever see the banks and credit card companies lose anything much less when involved with gambling.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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