Online gambling bill hits snags in Congress

From Reuters

Online gambling bill hits snags in Congress

By Thomas Ferraro and Peter KaplanTue Sep 26, 7:05 PM ET

Efforts to win U.S. congressional passage of a bill to ban most forms of Internet gambling by tacking it onto a must-pass bill hit a roadblock on Tuesday, but aides said Republican backers were exploring other ways to make it law.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, a Virginia Republican, raised a "strong objection" to attaching any unrelated legislation to a pending defense bill, which has been viewed by supporters of the Internet gambling bill as a prime vehicle for it.

"I have firmly opposed putting any (unrelated) bills in the conference report," Warner wrote in a letter dated September 25 to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

Warner did not cite the Internet gambling bill specifically, but he said other senators have sought to tack at least nine unrelated items to the defense bill.

A Republican aide said Frist has not given up on passing the Internet gambling bill before lawmakers recess at the end of this week to campaign for the November 7 elections. He and other proponents are looking at other possible vehicles, such as a pending measure to bolster port security against potential terrorist attacks, aides said.

"He wants to get it done," one aide said. "We are still working things out. Everyone is still talking."

A senior Democratic aide said, "I wouldn't pronounce it dead yet."

Efforts to win support for a version of the House bill in the Senate have been opposed by lobbyists representing casino owners and horse- and dog-racing interests.

The bill would prohibit most forms of Internet gambling and make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

Investors in British-based gaming companies such as BETonSPORTS Plc, Partygaming Plc and 888 Holdings Plc are closely watching the U.S. legislation.

Democrats have criticized the Republican-backed measure as an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base, particularly the religious right.

Frist is a potential 2008 presidential candidate. He recently appeared at a congressional field hearing in Iowa -- the state that holds the first presidential nominating contest in 2008 -- to hear concerns about Internet gambling.

Supporters of a crackdown on Internet gambling say legislation is needed to clarify that a 1961 federal law banning interstate telephone betting also covers an array of online gambling.

 

Looks like the port security bill passed, but no mention of this amendment being added

 

Money transfers

I would think that the sites would allow you to send them an email and ask them to put your money into your neteller account for you and then you could transfer the money to your bank account.

It is a shame that they are going to these measures.

 

it's just another sign...(/rant)

...that it's time for a revolution. The fact that the gov't is stashing this in with terrorism is appalling. There are 1,000 casinos in the US,they are in nearly every state now. They drive a $75 billion/yr business. This is not a bad thing! A gov't that tries to legislate what we do in the privacy of our home,with money we earned legally...now that's a bad thing. Free America from the GOP on November 7!!!!

 

The B&M casinos in this country want your money and if you lose money online it is money they can not get, and the B&M casinos have more control of the politicians than the online companies do.

 

Funny thing at the wsop circuit event in Tunica, if you even mentioned the name of an on-line gambling site while in a hand your hand was declared dead.

 

US Congress and gaming bill:

Pokernut: interesting comment. Thanks for the advance warning about mentioning on line sites. Funny that Party Poker and Poker Stars get bragging rights at WSOP.

Said before, a couple of times that in this short session, nothing would be done and interesting that some legislators were aware of serendipitious manuevuers..

Problem is that if it got this close this time, watch out the next. But don't think YOU contacting YOUR rep is going to change the final outcome.

It will be intricate and complicated for the US Gov., or any law encacted to be enforced for on line activities, since, they still can't figure out how to tax on line sales transactions.(let alone collect them.)

Now as Wayne Allen Root said, a deep pockets, special interest, such as Harrah's, having gabazillions to throw around, might be able to sway a majority of the numbnuts with their hands out, that pretend to enact OUR laws. But watch out for the Berman types and coalitions that might structure some comprimise that allows all interested money sides to benefit. Either way, when it finally happens, it'll be all of us shmoes who'll lose out.

Many of you know, Berman's organization has managerial rights to most of the Indian Casino operations. And, in case you missed it, Abermouth was the bagman.

And in one kind of interesting local(to my area) DEAL. An executive for Boyd's, top management at the BLUE CHIP boat, in Michigan City, IN, resigned his post, some six and a half years ago to join, actually start, a citizens against land based Indian Casino operations speculated to start within a five mile radius of the Michigan City Boat. That Indian deal was to a tribe that had only recently received federal recognition and the congressman who helpled push for their federal status was embarassed and chargrined to learn they would use that status to develop a land casino.

The Boyd's exe, received, from Boyd's a multimillion dollar bonus for delaying the institution of the Indian Casino implementation for five years. That was the deal. Delay it for five years and receive the bonus. He did and he did.

During the delay, Boyd's built the largest BOAT in the country, in a ditch, barely big enough to hold water and seperated from Lake Michigan, by about, two hundred feet. Close enough, I guess. The BOAT, must employ a certified Great Lakes Captain, even though the regulations no longer require the boats to move more than two feet.

Ground has been broken for the Indian Casino, but it could have been up and running three years ago. So, while I don't have all the inside, the between the lines from published accounts is Boyd's beat out Berman for five years.
And put itself after the button on the last bet to see what the Indians do.

With all that intrigue, one of those two playas will get into the online deals. And with the grease they've already spread, be ready to get YOU, and me JOE SHMO.

So, if you're nockin down bucks playin on line poker, or takin newbees in the elimination bj games, gear it up and get more now.

These guys didn't have to introduce a CSM to online, as we know it, the fix is already in. It's just a matter of when the s*** hits the fan.

 

The bill did pass, if the president signs it you will find it almost imposssble to fund your on-line account.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it passed in the House...hasn't hit the Senate yet, right?

 

Poker:

scuse me. It didn't.

 

About time !

"Gambling911.com has learned that online gambling and online poker industry giants plans to release a statement as early as this coming Monday. NETeller, the largest eGaming funds transfer system and company most likely to feel the early affects of this measure, are also scheduled to issue a statement on Monday.

A number of online gambling and online poker giants have been in discussions all morning Saturday to discuss ways of confronting this legal measure head on as opposed to rolling over and departing the U.S. market.":flame: :flame: :flame:

 

GOP has a war going , an idiot leading it and they are worried about online gambling....

I realize there were poor choises...but didnt anyone remember his father???

People need to vote less with their hearts and more with the grey matter..

Why is anyone surprized...these guys actually have wasted time on wether same sex partners mean anything at all while sending our children to a idiotic war without proper flak jackets.

Is it a wonder that we are held in such low esteem in the world...we voted (not me ) a fool into office .............twice........whats the old saying "Fool me once...???"

I know this isnt a political site...but Im a Vietnam Vet and Im taking liberties today.

I doubt this train wreck can or will be stopped....someone will find a way around it though or else it wont be able to be enforced...

The fact that its an issue should have you lining up at the polls this fall....probably wont though.

 

It did pass it was hidden in a port authority senate bill

 

very true...

My point is that Vegas,or AC,or the tribal casinos wont cease to exist if it is legal to gamble online. Certain places may close,but chances are they were already heading that way...and not because of online gaming. In the long run,it may even help live gaming as online games will encourage some people to try live action who otherwise would not. I love to play online,but it doesnt mean I'm going to stop going to Vegas or the local houses. Live action is still king,and always will be.

 

Ive got a crappy Indian casino with a terrible game..... because they have the only game in town....of course they want internet gambling to go away.

Pizzes me off that they can pay off these elected Richard Cramiums to even bother with this....it's all about powerful PAC's....nothing to do with morals, tax revenue, etc...legal bribes...as simple as that.

 

It's always puzzled me

why B&M casinos don't operate online versions. Seems to me that it would be a good way to bring punters in and to generate loyalty and brand awareness. If you could get people to play online at your casino, allow them to build up online comp points that they could also use in B&M and vice versa surely you would increase your business.

Actually, thinking about it, I'm pretty sure it's illegal, certainly within the US to open an online casino and would probably cause the B&M casinos lots of problems if the opened an online one elsewhere. Regardless of that I'm suprised they don't see online gambling as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Cheers

Reachy

 

Online casinos are a double threat. They sap gambling money the BM casinos would like to have. US casinos are forbidden by law to operate online. BM casinos, conversely, are legal, and they are taxed. (Apparently BM casinos are moral even in the bible belt?)

More importantly, the online gambling proceeds are not taxable to the US government.

Which do you think our lawmakers see as the bigger threat?

Our government will not rest until it either finds a way to tax online gambling or make it illegal in order to shunt those funds into the BM casinos where it is taxable. It takes money to buy all those votes.

Meanwhile our travel costs? And opportunitites to play tournaments?

 

Online gambling increased the pie

Surely since the advent of online gambling the size of the overall market for gambling has increased exponentially. Have B&M casinos seen their revenues go down in the past 5 years? I don't know the answer for sure but my money is on an increase. A smaller slice of a much bigger pie is better than a large slice of a small one. What is really driving this legislation? Is it some sort of misplaced moral position on gambling or are there commercial concerns that are behind it, or what?

Incidentally the news from the US has hit the UK markets with PartyGaming and 888 holdings seeing their shares drop dramatically in the wake.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5397920.stm

Cheers

Reachy