Im grabbing my friend Jesus bacause he is a friend of mine, Mosses or is it Moses, Davey and Goliath. We gonna put a little gang bang whoop ass on this canaduhian! :laugh: :laugh:
Bring it on ! Bring lot's of Clos Du Bois Merlot from Napa valley and let's party !:joker: :joker: :joker:
Wonder how many of the major magazines we read, All-In, Poker player, Card Player, Casino player, Poker Pages, Pro Poker, Bluff will go out of business since over 80% of their income is from internet sites? A friend of mine owns Mid-South Gaming a weekly here in Tunica and he has already had Party Poker, Classic Poker, and Tunica Poker sites to cancel their ads, he is lucky that the internet was only 10% of his business the rest is local casinos and businesses.
Here are some thoughts: 1) What's done is done. Some ask "Why don't you join the Poker Players' Alliance and try to help fight this?" I answered that it's too late. The PPA and other pro-internet-gaming groups made their feelings known, and they were ignored. It was a nice try, but no positive results were yielded. We have to face the facts here. Namely, regular on-line players are not as big or vocal a group as the Christian Right, nor do politicians particularly fear pissing us off or losing our votes. We can scream until we're blue in the face, but our cries will fall upon deaf ears. If this new law ever gets changed or repealed, it will be the doing of American corporations such as Harrah's, not regular-Joe on-line players. 2) The future of online gambling, if any, rests with American gaming corporations. If anyone can save us, it's corporations like MGM, Boyd or Harrah's. They have the money, influence, and clout to get this law turned around, especially if they can legitimize this rogue industry and give way to government regulation. Now that the new laws have been passed, they will never be completely overturned -- even if the Democrats eventually take the House, Senate, and Presidency. Few politicians will support bringing back the old days of unregulated offshore sites taking billions out of our economy. If there is any hope of getting legalized online poker in the US, it's in the possibility of getting legalized online poker in the US. 3) Trust least those who are proud of breaking the law. Sites that are complying with US law and closing out American players are the safest. Why? They all have a long-term survival plan, and obviously cheating US customers isn't conducive to surviving long-term. Why comply with US law if you're just going to turn around and do something even worse? It's the ones that are electing to play on that really scare me. These sites are closing their eyes and taking a sink-or-swim attitude. Some may prosper for it, but others will fail. If these sites aren't afraid to give the middle finger to the most powerful government on earth, they also won't be afraid to swipe your money if things start to turn sour. Beware. 4) Neteller ain't so tough. Way before this legislation hit, the state of Maryland ordered Neteller to stop doing business with its residents. Guess what? Neteller complied. If Neteller will bow to pressure from a small U.S. state, what will it do when threatened by the federal government? I have a feeling that, if push comes to shove, Neteller will quietly exit the U.S. market. However, they will stay with their U.S. customers for as long as possible. 5) The sponsorship gravy train has been derailed. Expect to see far fewer sponsored players in tournaments, especially given that this internet gambling ban will result in a tighter advertising/marketing budget for most sites. The biggest names like Hellmuth should stay aboard, but expect most of the B-list names to be cut soon.
Firepay Firepay pulls out 10 October 2006 FireOne Group plc (“FireOne” or the “Company”) Statement regarding United States Internet Gambling Legislation - Update On 2 October 2006, the Company made an announcement regarding the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 by the United States Congress. The Company today announces that following the approval of the Act by the President of the United States, it will immediately cease to process settlement transactions originating from United States consumers that may be viewed as being related to online gambling. The Company expects the Act to be approved by the President of the United States in the immediate near term. As previously announced, upon becoming law, the Act will have a significant negative impact on the business and results of operations of the Company, and, consequently, the Company has embarked upon a restructuring of its operations and cost base. The Company will continue to offer its multi-currency credit and debit card and FirePay electronic wallet processing to the online gambling industry originating from non-U.S. consumers and not prohibited by the Act, and will consider additional card-not-present payment processing opportunities outside of online gambling. The Company's Board will continue to update shareholders as and when appropriate. - Ends - Look for Neteller and the rest to do the same.
More sites pull out! Leisure & Gaming's VIP.com, Nine.com and BetGameDay entertaining bids for sale Leisure & Gaming's flagship North American facing brand, VIP.com, said it had suitors looking to purchase it in the wake of L&G's announcement Tuesday it would no longer be accepting customers from the US. The group is represented on Gambling911.com by VIP.com, BetGameDay.com and Nine.com. The vast majority of customers from this branding group (if not nearly all customers from Nine.com) are derived from the US. L&G recently purchased BetShop, which is exclusively comprised of European customers. Shares jumped 9.4 percent to 8.75 pence. VIP.com was one of the first ever online casinos and sportsbooks. Speculation is that the company, which went public via a reverse merger, wants to delve back into the private sector with the realization that going public has brought with it unnecessary headaches. VIP.com and BetGameDay.com have been quite profitable over the years. More information is expected throughout the day. Two other British online gaming groups have announced they too will be leaving the US market. FireOne (FirePay), a payment processor, and Fairgrounds Casinos. A bill passed in Congress September 30 that would attempt to restrict some forms of online gambling via credit card, though the banking sector insists it cannot prevent electronic checks from being used for eGaming purposes. Some unscrupulous lower tier offshore bookmakers have also used the opportunity to stiff their customers including one called ActionBets, which had been delinquent in paying customers prior to the bill's passing. With the bill, ActionBets announced it would be closing shop and customers would not be paid. Atleast none of the BJ sites have pulled out yet!
More from Firepay After the bill is signed on the 13th, Firepay will stop allowing you to transfer money to gambling merchants. 10 days after this they will stop allowing you to receive (cashout) from gambling merchants to your firepay account.
More bad news Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland to halt online gambling transactions: NETeller could follow suit Barclays (BARC.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) will shortly advise corporate customers to avoid taking Internet bets from the United States, banking and gaming industry sources said on Thursday. "The two banks will be telling corporate clients they're not prepared to do business with companies that take online bets from the United States," said a gambling source. "Then they'll look at ways of stopping (U.S.) retail customers from online gambling." Gambling companies were left in shock last week after the U.S. Congress unexpectedly passed a bill making it illegal for banks or credit card companies to process payments to online gaming firms. The measure has been passed to U.S. President George W. Bush to sign into law, which the industry expects on Friday. "Once the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement provision has come into force on President Bush's signature, it will be illegal for an online gaming company to accept payment in connection with unlawful Internet gambling," said a Barclays spokesman. "We are therefore contacting our customers to ensure that they will conduct their business and operations in full compliance with the legislation," he added. An RBS spokeswoman said: "The Royal Bank of Scotland Group will take the necessary steps to ensure that we are fully compliant with this legislation." Gambling sources said both banks were expected to ask corporate customers to find new banking facilities if they were not closing their U.S. operations. Sources said other major banks were likely to follow suit to avoid any legal or reputational risk. British online money transfer firm Neteller Plc (NLR.L: Quote, Profile, Research), which does a lot of gambling business, says it is reviewing the situation and would have a clearer view when regulations are drafted in the 270 days after the act becomes law. RBS owns Citizens Financial Group, which is the eighth biggest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits. It has more than 1,600 branches operating across 13 states, and has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. (Reporting by Pete Harrison and Steve Slater) --- Reuters Originally published October 12, 2006 11:06 am ET Neteller uses both banks.
Hey Joep Just ask joep and you will get an answer. Since Firepay has pulled out and now it looks as if Neteller will do the same what is the best way to fund online gambling accounts? I trusted Firepay and Neteller as they are publicaly traded companies I don't like the idea of giving a small unknown company free access to my checking account.
pokernut confirmation: Today, Oct. 12, 2006: Reviewing e-mail. Notice from Firepay. SOL. Back to traveling unless UBT can construe a preliminary event as a sweepstakes,drawing or legal contest.
More to pokernut: Agreed it is an uphill battle for on-line gaming. Would rather hope it isn't left to the Megacorps to revive it. With all the benefits to them. Particularly hard fighting against what had been decreed illegal, but circumvented. However, with Nelson Rose and his legal opinions on the illegality of the legislation and the already in place Poker Players on line group and the On line gaming group, there exists a foundation for an effort. It's tough for a group to fight for legalization of what is decreed illegal. But, marijuana groups, prohibition, abortion rights, etc, tried and did. Many a Supreme Court Decision, was overturned or reversed years later, based on the dissenting opinions in the original, given the current political and social attitudes. I think we all know, that when uncle Sugar can get his tax cut, it would be hunky doory. We can't ever have it as it was, but as in any successful effort, enough backing and sustaining voice, action, lobbying could achieve something close. At least to the point of achieving an "alternative convience "principal. You know, build it off American's with disabilities Act, having equal access to gaming activities, particularly as it relates to those so totally disabled they are "HOME BOUND." An effort at something, beats rolling over giving in and playing dead.
Neteller new charges Have you noticed that Neteller now charges $10 for a EFT withdrawal that used to be free, maybe they expect a run on withdrawals and want to make money on the withdrawals like Firepay is doing. They were not charging this fee last week.
another site leaves Paradise Poker, as part of the SportingBet PLC group of companies, is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and is obligated to act in accordance with the new legislation. After much deliberation, our Legal Team has advised that in order to comply with the new legislation Paradise Poker will be required to stop accepting deposits from all US players. In addition we will no longer be able to offer US players the ability to transfer funds to each other using the ‘Send Money To Player’ function or to transfer funds to Sportsbook.com. Please be assured that all US customers will continue to be able to access their accounts and submit cashout requests as normal. Although we will no longer be able to accept additional deposits, players will continue to be able to play at our real money tables with the funds they already have on deposit at Paradise until November 13th 2006. The only players that will not be able to continue playing at our real money tables are players located in one of the following states, where some form of online gambling legislation already exists: Utah Hawaii Michigan Indiana Oregon Nevada Washington Illinois Louisiana South Dakota Please note that all players will no longer have access to our casino products or sports betting products. Any Paradise Poker players that have open bets at Sportsbook.com will have the bets cancelled and the funds, along with any other funds held at Sportsbook, transferred back to Paradise Poker. The funds will be transferred back to Paradise Poker within 12 hours. We very much regret the unfortunate environment in the United States that has prompted us to take these steps. Should there be any positive changes regarding the legal landscape, we will certainly inform players immediately.
DearXXXX, It is with deep regret that we inform you that Royal Vegas Poker will stop accepting bets from our customers in NEW JERSEY, as from mid-day, Eastern Standard Time, on October 13th. The Safe Ports Act passed by the US Congress on Friday, September 29, makes the transfer or direct processing of money to online gaming institutions illegal in the USA. As a result, Royal Vegas Poker has no choice but to lock your poker account, and return all cash balances to you via check, or your preferred method of payment. Please log into your account as soon as possible and withdraw or play through any remaining cash balance you may have. Any cash balances remaining in your accounts after Friday, October 13th will be returned. We would like thank you again for your loyalty and patronage and confirm that customers, such as yourself, have always been at the heart of Royal Vegas Poker. We will be following all developments extremely closely and should the situation change, we will advise you accordingly. Please direct any queries that you may have, or balance withdrawal requests to our support team on enquiry@fortunelounge.com or 1-866-534-1595. Kind Regards, The Royal Vegas Poker Team This letter was sent to everyone living in these states: Michigan Illinois Louisiana Oregon Washington Wisconsin Indiana Nevada South Dakota New Jersey New York
Sporting Bet has sold it's US arm to concentrate on its European business. See link for details - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6046674.stm Cheers Reachy
Poker players battle crackdown on Internet gambling By Richard Clough Chicago Tribune (MCT) WASHINGTON - Online poker players are nervously awaiting President Bush's expected signature this week on legislation that would kick them out of their virtual casinos. The measure, designed to block the financial transactions that have fueled Internet gambling, was quietly attached to a port security bill in a flurry of last-minute activity before Congress adjourned in late September. The legislation threatens to cripple the $12 billion online gambling industry, cutting off about half of the world's Web-based gaming revenue. It has already forced the suspension of several Internet gambling companies' lucrative U.S. operations and has sent shock waves through the gaming world. "Who is Congress to tell people what to do in their own home when it doesn't bother anybody else?" asked Mike Sexton, a professional poker player and commentator for the World Poker Tour. "We feel like our rights have been violated." Most of the 2,300 gambling Web sites currently operating are based outside the United States, often on Caribbean islands or in Central America and Europe, to avoid U.S. law, which prohibits many types of gambling under the Federal Wire Act. Enforcement of the law is difficult, however, and the companies have made billions of dollars annually from American bettors. The bill that Bush is expected to sign adds considerable enforcement muscle, prohibiting banks and credit card companies from processing online gambling transactions based in the U.S. Chad Hills, a gambling research analyst for Focus on the Family, a conservative group, applauded the bill's passage, saying the laws in place had been flouted for too long. Online gambling operations, he said, "were making a mockery of our U.S. policy, they were making a mockery of our Congress, they were making a mockery of our ability to enforce this legislation." But gamblers aren't buying in on the idea. On the gambling Web site Cardplayer.com, poker professional Thor Hansen called the passage "a bad day for poker" and Shannon Shorr, a professional poker player, called the measure "both frustrating and devastating." Michael Bolcerek, president of Poker Players Alliance, said outlawing online gambling will just push it underground rather than eliminate it. Leading the charge against the legislation, the Poker Players Alliance has begun to focus its efforts on securing legal exemptions for online poker. Poker, some players argue, is a skill sport and should be afforded an exemption from gambling bans, like those currently given to fantasy sports, horse racing and state lotteries. In advance of the bill's signing, major betting firms have taken severe financial hits. The British online gambling firm World Gaming, which derives as much as 95 percent of its revenue from U.S.-based gambling, asked the London Stock Exchange on Monday to stop trading its stock over fears for the company's future. The value of the company's stock declined by 88 percent last week. Many publicly traded online gambling companies have also seen their shares crumble in the past week, draining the industry of an estimated $8 billion in market value. On Tuesday, European online gambling outfits Fairground Gaming and FireOne announced the immediate suspension of their U.S. operations. London-based Fairground, which derives a large percentage of its profit from the U.S. market, said in a press release that it is "attending urgently to appropriate cost-cutting measures" to offset the significant losses it expects to incur as a result of the legislation. Similarly, Dublin-based FireOne said in a press release that it "has embarked upon a restructuring of its operations and cost base" as its awaits Bush's bill signing. The world's largest Internet gambling company, Gibraltar-based PartyGaming, which derives about 80 percent of its $1 billion annual revenue from the U.S., said it will end its U.S. operations if the bill is signed. "This development is a significant setback for our company, our shareholders, our players and our industry," Mitch Garber, chief executive of PartyGaming Ltd., said in a statement. But not all companies are closing up shop in the U.S. The gambling Web site Poker.com, based in Brisbane, Australia, said the legislation would have little or no effect on its U.S. operations. "We will not be stopping U.S.-based players from playing at Poker.com and all player account balances are 100 percent safe and will always be readily accessible," the company said. --- © 2006, Chicago Tribune. http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/15735149.htm
I'll remember THIS :flame: CWA Applauds Congresss Passage of AntiInternetGambling Bill 2006-10-12 -- WDC Media News -- WASHINGTON, DC (AgapePress) - The U.S. federal legislature has tried to head off potential problems associated with gambling by passing a bill to limit that kind of activity on the Internet. Ashley Horne, congressional liaison for Concerned Women for America (CWA), says her group is happy about this last-minute action taken by Congress before the election recess. "The Internet gambling bill that we had been working on for quite some time was passed, so we were very pleased with that," Horne says. However, she notes that the bill made it through Congress not as a stand-alone piece of legislation but as an attachment to the Defense Authorization bill. But even though this is "not exactly how we would have liked to have seen it" happen, the legislation "got through," Horne says, "and that's what matters." And this anti-gambling measure, she points out, takes a unique approach to the problem. "The bill goes after the gambling transaction," the CWA official explains, "not directly after those who are providing Internet gambling or the person who is doing the Internet gambling." What the legislation does, Horne adds, is not target the online gambling site operator or its patrons; but rather, it "seeks to stop the money transaction from taking place." Lanier Swann, director of government relations for CWA, says the organization is "ecstatic about the bill's passage," even though it had to be attached to another measure. "Most Americans don't realize that Internet gambling is a crime," she observes. "This is a monumental victory for families who have loved ones who are getting hooked to their 'home casinos.'" What CWA wanted to avoid was "a safeguarding of easy, click-of-a-mouse access to gambling," Swann asserts. She says this newly passed legislation will give authority to the Department of Justice and to state attorney generals to enforce the laws on the books and to "strangle illegal Internet gambling by cutting off the flow of money." As Concerned Women for America celebrates the passage of the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, the group is also commending Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona for his sponsorship of this important anti-gambling legislation. Also, CWA has thanked Senator Bill Frist for "exemplary leadership" on the issue. http://www.wdcmedia.com/newsArticle.php?ID=2043
