As you may be aware, Congress approved a bill yesterday that pretty much outlaws internet gambling. The bill prohibits credit card companies and other payment services from accepting any kind of online gambling transactions. The internet gambling ban was attached to some kind of port security legislation that’s very likely to be signed by the president in the next couple of weeks.
If you’re wondering why Congress felt it was important to do this… hell, I dunno. It’s one of those shady little deals where a dickhead lawmaker or two won’t let a bigger bill get through unless he also gets to attach some kind of douchebag legislation to it that he and maybe a couple other people want. As for why those people feel it’s important… I imagine it’s because if we gamble over the Internet, the terrorists have already won. Or perhaps we’re supporting terrorism when we do it. Or maybe it’s as simple as the fact that these colors don’t run, so, you know… let’s roll. Mission accomplished.
But if you’re one of those conspiracy theory nutjobs out there who needs a better explanation, Iowa Republican Jim Leach, who sponsored the bill, had this explanation:
“Religious leaders of all denominations and faiths are seeing gambling problems erode family values,” Leach said in a statement. “If Congress had not acted, gamblers would soon be able to place bets not just from home computers, but from their cell phones while they drive home from work or their BlackBerries as they wait in line at the movies.”
AND? You know what that sounds like to me? Convenience. It sounds like an example of someone making good use of the technology available to us. I don’t understand… what happens if someone places a bet over a BlackBerry while waiting in line to see a movie? Really, what happens? Are we concerned that this man won’t be able to focus on the movie because he’s really hoping that the Broncos cover? Would it really be that big of a loss to the nation if this guy wasn’t able to properly enjoy Jackass Number Two?
I guess that’s where we draw the line, when people use cell phones and BlackBerries. That’s when it’s out of hand. You know, I wish drug dealers would think to start using cell phones for drug deals, so then the government could get around to whooping some ass on that War on Drugs. Does this fellow think no one’s ever used a cell phone to place a bet before? Or a BlackBerry, for that matter?
And if religious leaders are concerned about it, then of course we have to act. Because that’s what our great nation is based on: making laws out of the religious values of a few people. That’s what freedom is all about. I feel like listening to a goddamn Lee Greenwood record.
Myself, I’m not really going to miss it. I’ve never placed a sports bet online, and while I’ve played a little bit of poker online, it’s not something I really made a habit of. I hadn’t played in quite some time. But putting a ban on this is absurd and does absolutely nothing to make anyone happier, safer, or better in any way.
One of two things is going to happen. Either the online sites are going to find a loophole, or some way around this… or the gamblers are going to take their business to their local bookie, to underground poker clubs… places where, if they screw up, they get their legs broken.
Mark
I think you’re right to say that the online gambling industry WILL find a loophole to deal with the new legislation. Isn’t the entire industry founded upon certain loopholes found in local and national laws?
If you want an explanation why such a law was passed, here are a couple theories, either of which probably has some sort of truth to it:
1) The less people gamble, the more they’ll have to invest in the stock market when Social Security is privatized, and then the better it can be seen that Bush’s plan for Social Security works (Never mind that this entire argument can easily be picked apart);
2) This Congress has been more interested in moral legislation than other positive legislation lately.
Bottom line: don’t like it? Vote.
October 3, 2006 at 10:44 am
HuangKong
i agree: VOTE. i know people never think voting helps, but you have to at least try. vote vote vote.
October 3, 2006 at 11:31 am
drrew
Both Iowa where jackoff Leach is from and Tennessee which Bill Frist (who put the legislation in) respresents are littered with casinos. They might want to start there if this is such a problem and is ‘eroding family values’. Whatever the fuck that’s supposed to mean.
This was strictly about the economics of protectionism. Most of the online set-ups were owned and operated in foreign locales. Less money gambled overseas means more money gambled in the areas these idiots represent. In the SeattlePI this morning, they’re already talking about how happy local casino owners are about the ruling (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/287301_gamble03.html)
This has nothing to do with morals, and you may find in surprising considering politicians are involved, it’s all about the cash.
October 3, 2006 at 11:33 am
Bouj
There are two special-interest groups behind this:
1.) The Religious Right
2.) The Casino Industry
The first don’t want you to gamble, period, and they have the ear of the people in charge. The second don’t want you to gamble anywhere except in their casinos, so they’ll make all the money off of it.
October 3, 2006 at 12:51 pm
Mr. Bojangles
Hey, is that Jackie Treehorn?
“Do you see what happens, Congress? Do you see what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass?”
October 3, 2006 at 12:59 pm
BA
The thing is that online gambling ALREADY has found ways around this legislation. A few years ago most CC companies voluntarily stopped allowing cardholders to transfer funds to offshore online gamblins sites. So what happened? Places like NetTeller and FirePay picked up the slack. The “e-wallet” sites will still accept US funds and you can still transfer funds to gambling sites. All this is doing is scaring off new gamblers which only helps the bricks and mortar casinos. Anyway you cut it this bill is stupid.
October 3, 2006 at 1:33 pm
HuangKong
bojangles, you might be my hero with your post.
October 3, 2006 at 6:03 pm
the mighty mjd
BA, I didn’t realize that NetTeller and FirePay were already a workaround. I thought this might put the kibosh on those sites, too. Good to know…
Places like Bodog, though… are they going out of business?
October 4, 2006 at 2:07 am
insomniac
The response of the online pokerrooms and sportsbooks have been mixed. However the 3rd party e-wallet sites seem to be taking things in stride. This was a recent message from Neteller:
US Member Update: 1st October 2006
On Friday 29 September 2006, the US Congress passed legislation which includes certain provisions to prohibit unlawful internet gambling through the restriction of payments to such sites.
The Bill states that there will be a period of up to 9 months for the US regulators to prescribe regulations requiring each designated payment system and all participants therein to identify and block or otherwise prevent or prohibit restricted transactions.
It is currently unclear how NETELLER, a European company, with no assets, presence or employees in the US, would be affected by this bill. Once the regulations have been written, NETELLER will have a clearer view of which companies are affected, how those companies will be expected to comply, and any possible resulting impact on NETELLER and its US facing business.
NETELLER continues to operate its business as normal.
Over 3 million customers in 160 countries trust NETELLER to transfer over $7 billion each year. NETELLER (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority and listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. To protect its customers’ money, all deposited, in-transit, and un-cleared funds are held in Trust Accounts.
October 4, 2006 at 5:16 am
Wes Mantooth
drrew -
I hate to disagree with you, but I’m from Tennessee originally and we don’t have any casinos. We are so backward on the gambling issue that we don’t even allow the local VFW to have bingo night fundraisers because they are “games of chance”. We had to amend the state constitution just to get the freaking lottery a couple of years ago. People in East Tennessee go over to the Cherokee Indian reservation casino in North Carolina and people in West Tennessee go to Tunica in Mississippi and do some riverboat gambling.
Our state and federal officals are complete asshats on this issue and remain beholden to the church leaders who beat this issue into the ground with their parishoners. And, unfortunately, those people vote in greater numbers than the pro-gambling crowd; so guess who wins out?
October 4, 2006 at 9:54 am
drrew
Wes, either TN doesn’t mean Tennessee anymore or the names of these joints are really deceiving. There’s another dozen or so that I didn’t list.
Fitzgerald’s Casino
711 Lucky Lane ,
Memphis, TN
Gold Strike Casino
1010 Casino Center Dr Robinsonville , PO Box 459 , Robinsonville, TN
Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall
1477 Casino Strip Boulevard
Robinsonville, TN
Sheraton Casino & Hotel
1107 Casino Center Drive
Memphis, TN
October 4, 2006 at 12:13 pm
raj
Those 4 casinos you mentioned are all actually in Tunica, Mississippi. And the city of Robinsonville is also in Mississippi.
But I’m sure the Tennessee politicians receive pat on the backs (if you will) for making sure Tunica casinos are able to have any advantages possible via legislation.
October 4, 2006 at 12:49 pm
WBRS Sports Blog
This will hurt the most the people that have no lives and stay in on Friday and Saturday nights to play online poker. Now what will they do with their new free time? Probably start sports blogs…
October 4, 2006 at 5:49 pm
Mark
The “Sportsblog writer insults the concept of the Sportsblog” joke is getting really old.
October 4, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Wes Mantooth
drrew -
All of those places are across the state line in Mississippi. Trust me (or look them up online if you don’t).
October 5, 2006 at 9:37 am
Drake33
I’m going to submit this in letter form to my Congressman whom I’m sure voted for this piece of shit bill, hell, he probably wrote the damn thing, Sen. Norm Coleman from Minny.
October 5, 2006 at 10:59 am