Important! Contact your congressman now.

What are the implications?

Hi

How likely is this bill to become law? If it does what will the impact be on internet-based gambling? Will the effects be felt outside of the US? What are the loopholes (there must be some)?

Cheers

Reachy

 

Watch it live....

On CSPAN (Dish network channel 201) you can watch the - US House of Representatives hearing about the internet gambling bill "LIVE".

 

Special offer to Kenneth.

Another reason to be a Canadian right now. Need an address? You can transfer your winnings to my account for safekeeping. :joker: :joker: :joker:

 

In the US Senate the minority rules!

True, but you were not entirely wrong.

The Senate rules provide unlimited debate and lacking unanimous consent a cloture vote, requiring a 3/5 majority, must be taken to end debate.

Thus a minority of 41 senators can block a bill (or a supreme court nomination) by not allowing it to come to the floor for a vote.

--jr

 

Co-Sponsors of the Internet Gambling Prohibitation

Is your Congressman among these???

COSPONSORS(35), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)




Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] - 11/18/2005
Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] - 11/18/2005
Rep Barrett, J. Gresham [SC-3] - 3/15/2006
Rep Bass, Charles F. [NH-2] - 11/18/2005
Rep Blunt, Roy [MO-7] - 3/1/2006
Rep Boehlert, Sherwood [NY-24] - 11/18/2005
Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 3/15/2006
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15] - 11/18/2005
Rep Ehlers, Vernon J. [MI-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] - 11/18/2005
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 12/8/2005
Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T. [MD-1] - 11/18/2005
Rep Gillmor, Paul E. [OH-5] - 11/18/2005
Rep Hooley, Darlene [OR-5] - 12/8/2005
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4] - 2/15/2006
Rep Kennedy, Mark R. [MN-6] - 12/8/2005
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] - 11/18/2005
Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] - 11/18/2005
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 11/18/2005
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 1/31/2006
Rep Osborne, Tom [NE-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6] - 11/18/2005
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6] - 2/15/2006
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16] - 11/18/2005
Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Rogers, Mike (MI) [MI-8] - 11/18/2005
Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] - 12/8/2005
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] - 3/1/2006
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] - 5/11/2006
Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] - 12/8/2005
Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] - 2/14/2006
Rep Walsh, James T. [NY-25] - 11/18/2005
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 3/1/2006
Rep Wicker, Roger F. [MS-1] - 1/31/2006
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] - 2/14/2006
Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] - 11/18/2005
Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] - 11/18/2005
Rep Barrett, J. Gresham [SC-3] - 3/15/2006
Rep Bass, Charles F. [NH-2] - 11/18/2005
Rep Blunt, Roy [MO-7] - 3/1/2006
Rep Boehlert, Sherwood [NY-24] - 11/18/2005
Rep Bordallo, Madeleine Z. [GU] - 3/15/2006
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15] - 11/18/2005
Rep Ehlers, Vernon J. [MI-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] - 11/18/2005
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 12/8/2005
Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T. [MD-1] - 11/18/2005
Rep Gillmor, Paul E. [OH-5] - 11/18/2005
Rep Hooley, Darlene [OR-5] - 12/8/2005
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4] - 2/15/2006
Rep Kennedy, Mark R. [MN-6] - 12/8/2005
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] - 11/18/2005
Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] - 11/18/2005
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 11/18/2005
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 1/31/2006
Rep Osborne, Tom [NE-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6] - 11/18/2005
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6] - 2/15/2006
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16] - 11/18/2005
Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Rogers, Mike (MI) [MI-8] - 11/18/2005
Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] - 12/8/2005
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] - 3/1/2006
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] - 5/11/2006
Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] - 12/8/2005
Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] - 2/14/2006
Rep Walsh, James T. [NY-25] - 11/18/2005
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 3/1/2006
Rep Wicker, Roger F. [MS-1] - 1/31/2006
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] - 2/14/2006

 

I just wrote Sen. Jon Kyl who is one of the main supporters of the bill (I'm a constituent of his). I'm sure I'll get a reply, albeit surely a genreic one, and I'll post it here when I do.

 

Funny or sad?

Sometimes I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the inept people who are our elected representatives. Then I think about those who elected them and that conundrum continues to the next level.

Ken, I'm going to be ahead of the curve and start up HorseRacingTournaments.com right now. That'll take the place of this site when the government gets through pissing in our Corn Flakes. :joker:

 

I didn't realise that all you guys were breaking the law

So internet gambling is already illegal in the US?

You've even started arresting people now...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5189906.stm

Cheers

Reachy

 

Is it spreading?

Received this Email link from 3 of my so-called friends who have all delighted in telling me that it is all over for me on the gaming net and that I should come back to the real world.

What do you think?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5189906.stm

Andy

Ps I know Reachy has already posted this. Should we be worried?

 

By Keith Regan
www.EcommerceTimes.com
Part of the ECT News Network
07/18/06 11:45 AM PT

The indictments against BetOnSports and its principal officers allege violations began as early as 2001 and continued into this year. Specifically, the company was charged with breaking the Wire Wager Act, which has prohibited other major betting sites operating in the UK and elsewhere from entering the U.S. market.


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With debate over the regulation of online gambling continuing in Congress, law enforcement sent a clear message that existing laws would be aggressively enforced Monday by seeking the arrest of both the CEO and the founder of a leading online sports betting site.

David Carruthers, CEO of BetOnSports, was arrested, and an arrest warrant was issued for Gary Kaplan, the company's founder. UK-based BetOnSports takes the majority of its business from U.S. customers.
Possible Prison Time

The two men face a range of charges -- some of them felony offenses that carry potential prison sentences -- including racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.

Another nine people have been arrested or are being sought by authorities in the case, and the U.S. Department of Justice said it will seek court-ordered forfeiture of some US$4.5 billion worth of cars, computers and other assets belonging to those being charged.

In addition to the individual charges, a federal judge in St. Louis also issued an injunction ordering BetOnSports to stop taking bets from U.S. Internet users, and the FBI instructed four telephone companies to stop providing services to the company.

"Illegal commercial gambling across state and international borders is a crime," said Catherine L. Hanaway, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. "Misuse of the Internet to violate the law can ultimately only serve to harm legitimate businesses. This indictment is but one step in a series of actions designed to punish and seize the profits of individuals who disregard federal and state laws."

The timing of the sweeping action underscores the tensions around the online gambling debate. So far, lobbyists have held off Republican-led efforts to pass a law banning most forms of Internet gambling -- with exceptions for horse racing and state-run lotteries -- labeling such efforts an election-year stunt meant to appeal to conservative voters.

The arrests are a reminder that online gambling is considered illegal, though law enforcement has largely looked the other way in the past, and what few attempts have been made to enforce the laws on the books have run into international complications due to the off-shore operations status of the companies involved.
Ripple Effect

Monday's legal action was felt by investors in London, where many gambling sites are traded publicly. Trading in BetOnSports was halted Tuesday after losing 17 percent in trading the day before, as word of Carruthers' arrest began to spread. BetOnSports is one of the largest public betting companies, having reported handling $1.77 billion worth of bets for the fiscal year that ended in February, with profits of just over $20 million.

While Carruthers remained in custody as of Tuesday morning, authorities were seeking Kaplan, who rose to fame as the founder of the betting site after setting up gambling operations in Costa Rica in the mid-1990s, following a previous arrest on gambling charges in the U.S.

The BetOnSports indictments were handed down June 1, and a judge unsealed them Monday following Carruthers' arrest.

Also facing charges are Kaplan's brother and sister, and several other BetOnSports executives. Three Florida-based companies and the principals from each are facing charges as well: Direct Mail Expertise, DME Global Marketing and Fulfillment and Mobile Promotions.

The indictments allege violations began as early as 2001 and continued into this year. The alleged violations include breaking the Wire Wager Act, which the Department of Justice noted has prohibited other major betting sites operating in the UK and elsewhere from entering the U.S. market.

The Justice Department alleges that Kaplan failed to pay federal taxes on more than $3.3 billion in wagers taken from the United States and seeks forfeiture of Kaplan's assets to recover those taxes. It also charges that bets were taken from undercover agents based in St. Louis. The Florida companies are charged with providing BetOnSports with the equipment used to complete its bet-placing and payout processes.

To keep the operation going, the defendants allegedly engaged in "a pattern of racketeering," including "repeated mail fraud, wire fraud, operation of an illegal gambling business and money laundering," the Justice Department said.
Global Issues Ahead?

In the past, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has sided with Caribbean-based Internet gaming sites the U.S. has sought to shut down, saying the U.S. is being inconsistent in allowing a patchwork of state and national laws to govern gambling. Currently, horse race wagering is viewed as exempt from a 1930s-era law banning telephone-based betting, for instance, and the existence of state lotteries, the WTO argues, means the U.S. can't ban similar offerings which originate outside the U.S.

The U.S. has been on a divergent path from most of the world, where Internet gambling is being embraced and, in some cases, heavily regulated, said Christiansen Capital Advisors analyst Sebastian Sinclair.

"There is an argument that regulating is a more effective tool than a ban, and the law enforcement problems that come with enforcing a national law internationally are obvious," he noted.

Global operators of Internet gaming sites have targeted the U.S. market despite the risk of prosecution because the market is massive, especially in the sports book arena, and the Internet is well established as a commerce channel, continued Sinclair.

"The risk has always seemed minimal, but now we know that can change quickly," he added.