Online Gambling Prohibition?

[blud]

Today the US House of Representatives has approved a new restriction on online gambling. This will in effect make gambling online as severe as owning child pornography. Both will be classified as a Class C Felony. This is a 12 billion dollar industry, with a good chunk (> 30%) of users based out of the USA. The House voted 317-93 for the bill, which will allow officials and ISP’s to setup blocks of internet gambling sites.

Some may look at this law stating that it is a violation of being able to do whatever they want, however the USA has always had restrictions on gambling, and internet gambling was just a way around them. Unfortunately for gamblers, when they are using these online sites, there is a very large risk of their personal data being used, or scammed out of money. Many US credit card companies have already rejected charges from online gambling sites in effort to cut down on the fraud transactions that occur, but this only forces gamblers to go through third party money transfer companies, like Paypal.

Personally, this bill doesn’t affect me right now, but what is going to happen when they find other online services are at risk? Will it eventually affect any of the current tasks that I perform online? This bill has yet to be approved by the Senate, but analysts say the bill wasn’t even expected to pass the House.

['Stein]

Very true...

I'm not a gambler myself, but hey, we have a God-given right of "the pursuit of happiness" (according to the Founding Fathers, at least)

[movielad]

I can perhaps see WHY they're doing this - to stop people running up massive gambling debts - but it's a step in the wrong direction and implies that the US is becoming a Nanny state (okay, 50 of them, then).

M.

[sail_knot]

If the Gummit cannot tax it, they will not allow it. Is simple 8th grade/? math. But it is done for the good of society. As is the prostition that is legal in (someplace) and the law that says I CAN own a Gun, if and if and if and as long as and if and ($5000 later) Here is your Concealed Permit Mr Chi. So now I have my AK-47, [to defend myself, you know, when you absolutley, posatively HAVE to have 1400 rounds per minute) Freedom is just another word for, [can we still quote Janice Joplin] /? So many lawes to wrirte, so little time. The law that doesnt affect you today is the tornadoe that you didnt build that stoopid shelter for.

[odtaa]

It's a crazy world. In Merry Old England we've scrapped the tax on betting, so that the local bookmakers can compete and more importantly the owners of spread betting businesses, which are doing so well that they can afford to give a million or two to political parties, can stay in business.

Which probably explains how the person arrested yesterday operating one of the world's biggest off shore betting businesses was English. Apparently 50% of the income comes from illegal America transactions.

We probably need the electronic equivalent of a bookies runners - say a prgram that says you're buying DVDs and ever so often gives you a massive 100 to 1 cash back.

However we're very tight on casinos and are terrified that a Los Vegas type setup might happen over here, until our Deputy Prime Minister, spends some time at the Texas ranch of one of your bigger operators.

We're also uptight about guns, so that no-one not even our Olympic shooting team can own hand guns. So the gun club weirdos play with carbines, cut down rifles.