First U.S. prosecution for online gambling

[M.B.E.]

Sorry if this has been posted here before, but I hadn't seen anything about it:

North Dakota prosecutes a man for gambling on the Internet (http://www.heydary.com/loc/20030904.htm#_U.S._First_-_North Dakota Prosecute)

The funny thing is, when he found out it was illegal in North Dakota, he upped and moved to Kentucky.

[M.B.E.]

I searched 2+2 on the term "North Dakota" and found that the story was discussed last month:

Post by C M Burns about North Dakota prosecution for online gambling (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Number=347847)

[Brian]

Wow, that's freaking ridiculous. I live in Tennessee (and gambling is illegal here), and recently posted a question on the Internet forum about filing taxes in the Internet forum. I am a law abiding citizen and pay my taxes every year etc. etc. etc., but if there was ever an excuse NOT to pay the tax man, this would be it.

I was told by a former F.B.I. agent that anything I report to the IRS will not be shared with the part of the government that prosecutes this sort of thing, so I don't have anything to worry about. Apparently he was wrong.

As you all know, Chis Moneymaker is from Tennessee and won an online tournament to qualify for the WSOP this year. I figured if govt. wanted to set an example, they'd do it with him... Apparently Joe Schmoe from North Dakota is better.

-Brian

[M.B.E.]

[ QUOTE ]
I was told by a former F.B.I. agent that anything I report to the IRS will not be shared with the part of the government that prosecutes this sort of thing, so I don't have anything to worry about. Apparently he was wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]
I really doubt that the IRS saw this guy's tax return and said, "we better report this to the North Dakota D.A.". On the other hand I suppose it's possible that his state tax return got him in trouble.

[Losing all]

Scary stuff. North Dakota can lap the bag.

[HUSKER'66]

This man was prosecuted for online sports wagering. North Dakota law states that any bet over $25 is an infraction and any bet over $500 is a misdemeanor. As long as your not playing 30/60 online, you'll be fine. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[thomastem]

[ QUOTE ]
This man was prosecuted for online sports wagering. North Dakota law states that any bet over $25 is an infraction and any bet over $500 is a misdemeanor. As long as your not playing 30/60 online, you'll be fine. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

One minor point you forgot to add. When playing $15-30 you are ok as long as you always check/fold on the turn and river.

[Oski]

[ QUOTE ]
One minor point you forgot to add. When playing $15-30 you are ok as long as you always check/fold on the turn and river.

[/ QUOTE ]

Lol! Maybe you should write a book titled Holdem For Avanced North Dakota Players. Some adjustments would be necessary depending on whether the game consisted of players all from N.D. or a mix (more common). For the pure N.D. game, I see a lot of bets going in pre-flop hoping to wreck the implied odds (remember if you hit your small set or draw, you wont pick up much after the flop - except a citation if you bet).

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
One minor point you forgot to add. When playing $15-30 you are ok as long as you always check/fold on the turn and river.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm not so sure. If someone bets into you on the flop and you raise, is that a $30 bet or 2 $15 bets? Any North Dakota lawyers know the answer? If a raise counts as a single bet, anything higher than 6/12 could be a problem.

[Oski]

Separate bets. To consider "calling a bet" and "adding a raise" one bet is a strained interpretation. Commonly, a player will announce his raise by saying, "two bets" or "three bets", etc.

[TheRake]

From article in card player magazine...

"The State Gaming Division acknowledged that a tip from an outside source started their investigation. Jeff says he thinks it was the IRS. This is unlikely, because the IRS is bound by the “silver platter” doctrine, which prevents the IRS from turning over a gambler, and his required tax returns, on a silver platter to local law enforcement."


http://www.cardplayer.com/?sec=afeature&art_id=13564

[Ashe]

The feds are trying to make internet gambling illegal too. Theres currently some stuff being batted around in the houses. CSPAN covering it @ 9:20am eastern tomorrow.