Senate Panel Approves Internet--Gambling Ban

[Jeffro]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Senate committee on Thursday voted to outlaw credit-card payments to Internet casinos, in a move designed to choke the offshore gambling sites that draw billions of dollars from U.S. customers.

The Senate Banking Committee unanimously approved the bill in a brief session with no debate, a marked contrast to the extended, acrimonious debates in the House of Representatives before that body approved a similar bill last month.


Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said online casinos evade the reach of U.S. states that typically have regulated "bricks and mortar" gambling operations, requiring the federal government to step in. Internet casinos encourage pathological gambling and enable children to participate, he said.


"While gambling has always been subject to state regulation and should remain so, there is no way for the states to effectively control the reach of the Internet at this time," Shelby said.


Most Internet gambling is already illegal under U.S. and state laws, but those laws have little power over the 1,800 offshore gambling sites that are expected to take in $2 billion from residents this year.


Lawmakers have instead sought to prevent credit-card companies and payment systems such as PayPal to block money transfers to online gambling sites. Credit-card issuers, stung by disputed charges, now voluntarily block roughly four out of five online gambling payments.


Violators would face fines and up to 5 years in prison, in contrast to the House version that contains no criminal penalties.


The bill would not apply to horse racing, dog racing or other remote-betting operations already approved by states and American Indian tribes.

[Sarge85]

So this means exactly what?

I live in Washington State. I want to play online, I was going to mail a check to UB. (Canada right?) - Anyway am I breaking the law?

Sarge [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

This doesn't mean anything - yet. Now that the bill is out of committee, it has to go to the floor for a vote. If passed, it (and the similar bill passed by the House) go to Conference Committe to be merged into one bill. After that, the bill goes to the President to sign. From what I understand, according to the wording of the bill, it goes into effect 6 months after it is signed.

Once it is signed, you can mail all the checks you want to UB, your bank just won't release the funds.

Find a way to open a Canadian bank account and fund your playing through that.

[thomastem]

Ok what if I already have funds in Neteller and at sites. Does this also effect cashouts?

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

My undestanding is it will not prevent you from getting your money out. Since one of their stated purposes for this is to "protect" from losing our money, it would be pretty hypocritical to use the law to make us lose our money. (yes, I know, what's so unusual about government being hypocritical)

[RollaJ]

Is my girlfriend going to have to wear a burka anytime soon?

By the people and for the people.....LOL

Hmm
I can understand that they want to prevent people from losing money but poker is not the same kind of 'gambling' as regular casino games where the house always wins and the odds are always in the favor of the house....so it's sad that the bill also affects poker.
/knö[img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

[J.R.]

The law will prevent/punish banks who transact business with online gaming sites or third party payment services (ie neteller) who deal with these online gaming sites. Does hypocrisy in the U.S. Congress suprise you?

[MS Sunshine]

"The Senate Banking Committee unanimously approved the bill in a brief session with no debate"

Dear Senator Bennett

I'm writing to let you know how disappointed I am in your vote today and your stance on what folks can do in their own homes, with their own money without our OWN banks watchdogging us.

I have never written a US Senator before, except on this single issue. I live in a small town 200 miles from a casino, which doesn't matter because I don't gamble at casino games. I enjoy playing poker on the internet those nights I wish to. I don't like my government telling me it is illegal for me to play an AMERICAN card, played in my own home.

I hope in the future you might take my views into consideration when this issue is before you again.

Thank You.

Sincerely,

MS Sunshine

[ZeeJustin]

Those that have already voted probably won't change their stance. I would suggest sending your mail to those who have not yet voted.