First Bill: Online gaming to be finished

[jonnyblaze]

Copied this one:

Republican Leaders Reach Port Security Conference Deal ...

A major maritime security bill will head to the House floor
tonight with a last-minute provision that would crack down on
the $12 billion online gambling industry but without other
controversial additions, such as court security measures and
protections for phone companies that cooperate with government
wiretapping, House Homeland Security Chairman King told
CongressDaily today. King said the text of the conference report
is done and will be brought to the House floor tonight for a
vote. House and Senate Republican leaders were trying earlier
today to attach last-minute measures to the bill. The only one
that survived was from Senate Majority Leader Frist that would
crack down on Internet gambling, King said.

A last second victory for Frist will ban online gambling for good. This will put the banks in charge of stopping payments to sportsbooks, and theoretically places like Neteller as well.

[uva3021]

freakin communists

[cman]

it will only become law if it makes it thru the senate for confirmation...othjerwise it is just another bill the House passes to look busy

wde

[jaypasco]

wher you guys moving? I am thinking the netherlands, austrtalia or maybe even move in with my friend dave nz if thats ok with him.

[Seanie Mac]

sweden

[goterps74]

Originally Posted by cman

it will only become law if it makes it thru the senate for confirmation...othjerwise it is just another bill the House passes to look busy

wde

UGH

The senate passed it with flying colors

[goterps74]

Internet Gambling Bill passes Senate attached to Port Security Bill
written September 29, 2006

Source: XXG dot com

Republican leaders reach a port security conference deal and the Internet Gambling bill also was included and passed tonight.

A major maritime security bill headed to the House floor tonight with a last-minute provision that cracked down on the $12 billion online gambling industry but without other controversial additions, such as court security measures and protections for phone companies that cooperate with government wiretapping, House Homeland Security Chairman King told Congress Daily today.

King earlier said the text of the conference report had been completed and would be brought to the House floor tonight for a vote. House and Senate Republican leaders were trying earlier today to attach last-minute measures to the bill. The only one that survived was from Senate Majority Leader Frist that would crack down on Internet gambling, King said.

Sadly, a bill to make 361 seaports safer from biological, chemical or nuclear attacks was passed tonight in the House and Senate. Democrats complained it shorted security for railroads and mass transit. Republicans successfully added a measure to restrict Internet gambling.

The bottom line is that the our government has now passed a bill making Internet gambling a crime for both the operator and any individual or institution involved in online gambling.

All that's left is for the President to sign it before it becomes law.

George Orwell had it right over 20 years ago when he wrote, "1984."

"Big Brother" is indeed watching you.

God bless America, land of the free?

[cman]

this is bad......for the longest time we have relied on the senate to to protect us because of their rules they cannot get things called to the floor for a vote....

what crap

wde

[fitchjr1]

Can I ask you guys...now what? How would this be enforced? Just a sad day...big brother is watching way too much of our lives now..

[cman]

Well I am assuming GWB signs it or pigeon holes it and then it becomes law after a certain time..

It is definetly going to be a federal issue and enforced by the Feds to prosecute individuals...which lets you know off the bat they are going to target the company CEO's themselves

wde

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by fitchjr1

Can I ask you guys...now what? How would this be enforced? Just a sad day...big brother is watching way too much of our lives now..

From what I can tell, the bill prohibits banks from processing money transfers to gambling sites. Credit cards got scared out of the business a while ago, so no real change there. Online books will have to come up with another way for US bettors to fund their online accounts.

[The Judge]

Internet Gambling Bill passes - Congress welcomes back Prohibition
September 30, 2006
By: Kenneth Weitzner

Many local Bookmakers such as "Benny the Bullet" were seen partying and rejoicing in Central Park, New York late last night and into the early morning hours today. Their business is expected to quadruple, just as bootlegging did years ago.

I also imagine that some Poker houses are equally ecstatic to welcome back basement games.

The reason for all of this jubilation is due to Prohibition returning to the United States once again. Only this time, Prohibition is disguised in the mask of an Internet gambling bill.

Lawmakers stayed up late as well, making sure to throw our country back into the Dark Ages. It became apparent that Republicans spearheaded by Senator First would stop at nothing to prohibit Internet gambling. In a last ditch desperation move, the Senate majority leader was able to attach legislation to ban online gambling to a Port Security bill that had no correlation whatsoever with online betting. And it was automatically passed in the Senate without even a debate or a formal vote.

To summarize what was passed, this bill is designed to prevent the use of payment instruments (credit cards, fund transfers, etc.) for certain forms of online gambling that are defined as “unlawful Internet gambling.” The bill requires financial institutions to identify and block payments related to so-called unlawful Internet gambling transactions. If there is a violation, the government may file a lawsuit (known as an injunction) to prevent or restrain the violation. The bill provides a special exemption for three types of Internet gambling: (1) horse racing under the Interstate Horseracing Act (IHA), so OTBs and account wagering systems can remain in business, (2) Indian gambling that takes place on a reservation or between two reservations; and (3) Internet gambling that occurs solely within a state’s own borders, referred to as Intra-state gambling.

It is hypocritical of our government to make exceptions for some forms of online gambling, while declaring it illegal for most others to compete.

According to our Friends at onlinegamblingmythsandfacts.com, this bill should not be signed by President Bush for the following reasons:

1-it interferes with private personal freedom- Americans have the right to engage in recreational activities from the privacy of their own home.

2- it is opposed by the majority of voters and supported by a small minority.

3- it is opposed by leading newspapers and scholars who cover the realm of Internet gambling.

4- it will not work because Americans want to gamble online and will find a way to do so whether it is legal or not.

5- it will drive revenues and potential tax revenues offshore.

6- it violates US trade treaty obligations and a WTO ruling because among other reasons, this bill favors US remote gambling (online horse racing, online lotteries, etc), while seeking to ban foreign remote gambling (offshore casinos and sports books, etc).

7- the bill is totally out of line with a number of forward thinking countries-including the United Kingdom– that have decided to regulate online gambling rather than seeking ineffective ways to try to ban it.

8- it will not accomplish its purported goals (propoganda) of fighting money laundering, organized crime, problem gambling or underage gambling.

9. it will burden Internet service providers, search engines, and banking/financial services companies, third parties who will bear the cost and responsibility to try to comply with the new law.

10. it is detrimental and contrary to the concepts of freedom of expression and ‘Net neutrality’ embraced by Congress.

In fact, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D) from New Jersey called the entire process a "sham" last night by saying no one among the committee had even seen the final language of the Bill and the head of the conference board wasn't even there in attendance.

It is a travesty and a tragedy to witness our government cram the Senate majority leader's agenda onto a much needed Port security bill that has nothing at all to do with Internet Gambling.

It is comical to imagine Americans getting arrested for playing Texas holdem in their homes or for taking the 6 points on the New England Patriots against the Bengals on Sunday.

If my interpretation is correct, the President will sign this legislation within two weeks, but it allows 270 days before it is regulated and enforced.

The clock is ticking and time appears to be running out. Whether or not this bill will ever really be enforced remains to be seen.

In my opinion, it won't happen, but I will save that for another column.

[uva3021]

Olgc Rules!!!

[Bobtheicon]

Republicans suck.

[BigdaddyQH]

This is just the beginning of on line gaming within the United States. I have just returned form a seminar for potential investors in Las Vegas. Knowing that this bill would probably pass one way or another, Vegas is now prepared to go ahead with plans to open up on line gaming sites, once they get the green light from the Feds. This will happen once the Republicans and Democrats compromise on the issue, and allow such gaming if it is controlled and conducted within the borders of the U.S. The income taxes collected from the winners, plus the cost of enforcing the soon to be current law will force a compromise, possibly by next football season. It's a control game. The Feds want control over the industry and the only way they can get it is if the industry is run within the borders of the U.S.

As far as the rest of this year is concerned, this bill should become law before the November election. At least there is some time to prepare for the inevitable. All the crying in the world is not going to change things. I have been telling people to find alternate sources of wagering since the season started. Well now is the time to act. It is not like people did not see this coming. You still have time to find an alternate source. If some of you live near each other and wager big money, then it is within your interest to form a cartell and send someone to Vegas once a week to make your wagers. For most, you will have to find a local. Others can develop contacts in Las Vegas.