Online gambling on its way back???

[Thewebmaster]

Hi all,
I've not heard of this group until today, my wife found this site with this following info :
iMEGA vs. Congress: Is online gambling on its way back?

J. Holden : August 12th 2007

All eyes are on iMEGA, the trade organization that is currently the top challenger to the online gambling ban. It is true that many are going up against the law, but politicians who want the law repealed might have to wait for months until something happens. iMEGA wants to get the court to declare the UIGEA unconstitutional and unenforceable. Furthermore, they claim that he act violates the First Amendment’s rights to freedom of speech and commercial association as well as the Tenth Amendment’s protections of states’ rights to regulate online gambling.
The organization's actions are getting everyone's hopes extremely high, and donations are streaming in as they are requesting money in order to pay for court fees. Many feel that this is the last real chance at overturning the bill, and fear that if iMEGA loses the case, the big name online poker sites still catering to US players will be forced to shut down, at least to the US market.



I found the official iMEGA site and their last entry is this dated 31st July :

Update: iMEGA Files Brief, Seeks TRO Hearing

iMEGA's legal team, as part of our strategy for aggressively pursuing our challenge of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), today filed a brief in US Circuit Court in the US 3rd District (New Jersey), supporting our request for a temporary restraining order against the enforcement of the Act, in advance of a full court challenge on the Act's constitutionality.

"We've laid out our argument on the merits of granting a TRO for the enforcement of UIGEA for the Court," said Joe Brennan Jr., iMEGA's founder. "From iMEGA's standpoint, we did not want the defendants (US Dept. of Justice, Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve) to use the allowed 60 days in their summonses in order to stall and give themselves more time to promulgate the regulations for UIGEA."

I could be just ignorant but this is the first real thing i've seen lately that someone is actually doing something about this. Let's hope we get what we want, was a crazy idea in the first place.

Tony

 

[starrpats]

I would LOVE to see the UIGEA thrown out.... there are a few publicly traded companies that would stand to grow a LOT with that kind of news Plus I hear poker is an awesome game to play online...

 

[dj11]

Thanks a bunch for that update Tony.

My heart swells in anticipation, no, no, thats my colostomy bag.

 

[Wlokos]

I'm sure that online poker will be legalized again not too long from now. It only ever was made illegal by being hidden in the back pocket of a different, much less controversial bill - in all fairness, it shouldn't have been passed. So, it's only a matter of time before the error is remedied.

 

[Thewebmaster]

Still much controversy

Hi all,
I've been searching for some more recent updates and came across this little article, i'll keep updating this thread from time to time as long as people show interest. Here is the article in question regarding the state of Utah:

Utah Warns Online Poker PlayersThe state of Utah has been sending out letters to online poker players warning they could be in violation of state laws.
A grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, charged seven people and four companies with multiple felonies related to processing credit cards for gambling Web sites this spring.

The defendants are accused of helping gambling sites process US $150 million in payments from U.S. bettors, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Charged in the indictment are Baron Lombardo, 46; Richard Carson-Selman, 51; Henry G. Bankey, 49; Francisco Lombardo, 52; Count C. Lombardo, 43; and Kimberlie Lombardo, 43, all of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Tina I. Hill, 32, of Sandy, Utah, and Las Vegas.

Companies facing charges are CurrenC Ltd., also known as CurrenC WorldWide Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands; Gateway Technologies LLC, based in Draper, Utah; Hill Financial Services Inc., based in Draper, Utah, and Las Vegas.
The state has since received customer names and addresses from these companies of those online poker players residing in Utah.
In 2005, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and 28 other attorneys general wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman calling for a greater states' voice in future trade talks following a ruling that favored the Caribbean nation of Antigua's policy on Internet gambling.

"Antigua has no business trying to write Utah's gambling laws," Shurtleff said at the time. "The Trade Representative needs to know that we have too much at stake to remain silent."

Antigua went to the WTO claiming the Americans were in violation of a trade agreement where the United States had in 1993 signed off on cross-border supply of gambling and betting services. And Utah's prohibition against gambling was a central part of Antigua's argument. The WTO found in favor of Antigua and called the US actions "protectionism" since a law passed late last year exempts horse betting.
Utah, however, does not permit any forms of gambling or a state lottery. The state itself is likely in compliance with the WTO decision.
---
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com
Originally published August 7, 2007 1:06 pm ET


Tony

​

 

[Thewebmaster]

On a more promising note

Hi all,
A promising article just found is this one, these are the latest updates I can find (notice the dates) :

Congressman Ron Paul Against UIGEA

There is one more opponent of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). According to United States House of Representatives, 110th Congress, 1st Session, Presidential hopeful Ron Paul will be offering his support to Congressman Barney Frank's revised gambling bill, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act or IGREA.
The act would create an exemption to the ban on online gambling for licensed operators, allowing Americans to lawfully bet online.

Paul called UIGEA an, "Outrageous affront" to individual freedom. He went on to state the importance of respecting the American people's right to decide for themselves whether or not they gamble online.

Paul is a prominent Republican Congressman from Lake Jackson, Texas, who is now serving his 10th term. He is a long-time libertarian and has voiced a strong opposition to the Iraq war. Following a recent debate in Iowa and more mainstream coverage Paul's popularity seems to be rising. Gambling911.com recently slashed his odds of becoming president from 15 to 1 to 8 to 1. Many pundits have him pegged as the Internet's favorite candidate.

IGREA, also known as HR 2046, was introduced on April 26, 2007, by Frank, who is a member of the Democrat Party. Frank has since continued his battle against the Internet Gambling Ban while bolstering support for his revised bill.

"The existing legislation is an inappropriate interference on the personal freedom of Americans and should be undone," said Frank when he introduced the bill.

IGREA would establish a federal regulatory and enforcement framework to license companies to accept bets and wagers online from individuals in the U.S. To the extent permitted by individual states, Indian tribes and sports leagues.

Poker Players Alliance Chairman and former U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato has also put himself firmly behind the bill.

"Congressman Frank's bill is a common sense approach to Internet gambling," he said when it was announced.

Support of IGREA seems to be growing. There are currently 34 co-sponsors with Neil Abercrombie (D-Hi.), Joe Baca (D-Calif.) and Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) the most recent to sign onboard.

Aides to Frank's office have said they are receiving a massive amount of phone calls and e-mails from individuals voicing their support for the bill as well.

Frank and Co. have their work cut out for them, however, as it currently takes 218 votes to ratify a bill.

courtesy of Arthur Crowson
News Added: 09 August, 2007



Tony

 

[ProducerK]

That is great news! I think with time the online gambling industry is slowly coming back... especially in the US!... All we have to keep on talking to our leaders and tell them that banning online gambling is an invasion of human rights...

That is just my two cents...


ProducerK

 

[TheJace]

If you don't know who Ron Paul is... He's the next president of the United States! I've been following his political career for a couple years now (before he even planned to run for president) and he's brilliant. Do yourself a favor and look him up on Google/YouTube if you've never heard of him. If he doesn't get elected president I'm moving to England (seriously) peace.

 

[belladonna05]

If you don't know who Ron Paul is... He's the next president of the United States! I've been following his political career for a couple years now (before he even planned to run for president) and he's brilliant. Do yourself a favor and look him up on Google/YouTube if you've never heard of him. If he doesn't get elected president I'm moving to England (seriously) peace.

I've made it a point not to vote for either major party (meet the new boss same as the old boss)in the last 20 years...but yes he is the first true patriot for the american people I have seen in years, so he won't stand a chance.

 

[quads]

Just a matter of time, before what I believe was the U.S. intentions from the beginning. Remove the clever visions of profits from overseas sites, bring it to the U.S. market, place it in Las Vegas casino's lap, and cash in on over est. 4 billion in tax dollars. Vegas money invested through out (Harrahs).

Just think of how many more players would sign on, once it's regulated in the U.S. Four billion in tax revenue might just be the tip of the iceberg.