Internet Gambling Ban: Why You Should Oppose It

[JeffreyS]

The following is an article by Reason magazine senior editor, Radley Balko, on a recent WTO settlement related to Internet gambling and motivations of those fighting to keep internet gambling illegal.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,319316,00.html

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online. To learn more and contact your elected representative about this issue, please visit www.safeandsecureig.org.

With your support, we can protect the right to engage in a recreational activity without government interference.

Jeffrey Sandman
Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative

[SoFlaJDM]

[Galactic Gigolo]

Prior to seeing your post I was 100% opposed to internet gambling regulations.

You come into my house, disrespect my family? I'm now for banning internet gambling.

[WickedLou9]

There is nothing anyone can do about the ban. I don't like it either. But it will not go away.

[goldenponderbob]

How does the U. S. ban work if the "bookie" is in Thailand, the "bet" is placed
in Nassau, the ISP provider is Canadian, and the credit card company is based in the UK?

The gambler may live in Chicago, but the internet is global.

That scenario could apply to a great many internet accessible "vices" that also involve money changing hands, besides gambling. We sometimes kid ourselves when we fail to appreciate how global the internet and the world ecomony is?

It is somewhere and somehow ordained that the U.S. Federal government must control every aspect of every commercial transaction made by every being on the planet. Just to cover the possibility that one of those deals will bypass their share of the take.

All of that, silly-logic though it may be, is far from being beyond the realm of possibility.

Get it? It isn't about gambling!.

It's a means (an excuse) of getting the federal government more involved with your local ISP, which ultimatley will affect all our pocketbooks in dozens of tiny ways that have nothing to do with gambling, but lots to do with revenue and control.

That gambling transaction above doesn't positively affect the government's
coffers, and that's the rub. Whenever the government loses money to globalization, it has to be made up elsewhere.

In this case by convincing us that it has to tax your local ISP.

If the tax is spread across the board, it's tiny enough to not be noticed much, they hope, when we pay our bills each month.

[RMNIXON]

Originally Posted by Galactic Gigolo

Prior to seeing your post I was 100% opposed to internet gambling regulations.

You come into my house, disrespect my family? I'm now for banning internet gambling.

[WickedLou9]

Originally Posted by goldenponderbob

How does the U. S. ban work if the "bookie" is in Thailand, the "bet" is placed
in Nassau, the ISP provider is Canadian, and the credit card company is based in the UK?

The gambler may live in Chicago, but the internet is global.

That scenario could apply to a great many internet accessible "vices" that also involve money changing hands, besides gambling. We sometimes kid ourselves when we fail to appreciate how global the internet and the world ecomony is?

It is somewhere and somehow ordained that the U.S. Federal government must control every aspect of every commercial transaction made by every being on the planet. Just to cover the possibility that one of those deals will bypass their share of the take.

All of that, silly-logic though it may be, is far from being beyond the realm of possibility.

Get it? It isn't about gambling!.

It's a means (an excuse) of getting the federal government more involved with your local ISP, which ultimatley will affect all our pocketbooks in dozens of tiny ways that have nothing to do with gambling, but lots to do with revenue and control.

That gambling transaction above doesn't positively affect the government's
coffers, and that's the rub. Whenever the government loses money to globalization, it has to be made up elsewhere.

In this case by convincing us that it has to tax your local ISP.

If the tax is spread across the board, it's tiny enough to not be noticed much, they hope, when we pay our bills each month.

They havn't banned internet gambling outright. They just made it illegal for all banks and financial institutions to transfer money to or from the gambling sites. So there is almost no way to deposit money. If you can't put any money up you can't gamble.
Yes there are ways around it, but they usually involve putting money into some intermediary who is out side of US law and then transfering it from there to the gambling site. You can also use VISA gift cards that you buy at places like Walgreens but I bet it's only a matter of time before that goes away. Maybe it already has. I havn't tried it.

[motivez]

I don't understand why the government is telling people they aren't allowed to gamble or whatever in the first place..

It's time we ditch the moral police and legalize stuff like this.

[WickedLou9]

Originally Posted by motivez

I don't understand why the government is telling people they aren't allowed to gamble or whatever in the first place..

It's time we ditch the moral police and legalize stuff like this.

And even beyond that, it's more hipocritical because we DO allow gambling in this country. Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Reno, The river boat casinos in Louisiana, horse and dog racing all over the country, then there is the state run gambling( lottery and scratch of tickets). Philadelphia is now opening slots casinos too. Of course we also have the casinos on Indian reservations but Since those are technicaly not subject to US laws I won't include them.... But playing poker on line?! OH GOD THE MORAL FIBER OF SOCIETY IS FALLING TO PIECES!!

Give me a break. I would be willing to bet that there are powerful lobbyists from Vegas and AC greasing some palms on this one. They don't want the competition.