I read the respected opinion of Wild Bill that it is beleived that any new law passed will have no teeth in so far as punishment of the player. That it will simply make it "illegal", but no punishment of the player and therefore a non-issue. ( I don't understand how a law could be passed which has NO penalties or range of penalties for violation written in and asked about it in that thread.) Simply put can a law be passed which has no penalties making something illegal. I asked in that same thread if ANY other such law existed or if rather with no expressed penalties a judge COULD make up his own penalty?. I'll bring up that article under this one. But what would you do IF there are penalties for a player?
I would lean to stopping for some of the reasons Lander says and WHY put yourself in a bad situation. Most of us have families do we want the police knocking on our door to arrest us for gaming online in front of our kids and wife..
I would stop but I do not think it will pass to that point
I would stop but I do not think it will pass to that point
Actually, B4L, that's a damned fine point - in fact, that weighed very heavily in my decision months ago to scale back my exposure, because if the s-h-i-t ever does hit the fan, it could start a run on the books with people who, unprepared for it, decide to pull out just after the law goes into effect. A snowball affect could then happen, as a lot of players follow, and my thinking is that NETeller balances would be high and dry very fast as people pulled out - it wouldn't take a lot for this to happen, and I am thinking a lot of high-money players would stay no matter what. The inevitable slow/no pay posts would result, making the situation worse. Again, I recognize a lot of gamblers would find alternate ways to deal with it, but there are a HECK of a lot of people who would just say '**** it' and leave. And for those who do stay, then the uncertainty of knowing exactly how strong a book would be financially would weigh heavily, and I'd predict that futures betting would plummet as people would be unwillingly to chance getting paid months down the line. So with my already reduced exposure, which I'm still reducing and consolidating the remaining amount in only top-notch books, I'm hoping to avoid possible no-pays. Naturally, if the law doesn't pass, you can always move in again.
I'd go back to the old way...call my local up on the phone. Highly unlikely the govt. could do shit to you when you work through a local. With offshores, there's a paper trail, but all locals I've ever dealt with don't really know shit about me, and certainly don't keep detailed enough records to result in prosecution.
I'm going to keep betting on sports with or without the govt's permission...
I'm going to keep betting on sports with or without the govt's permission...
They won't pass such a bill, it just makes no political or practical sense to do so. Its really as simple as that, its like anything else you punish the "pusher" and hope to put a little meaningless scare into the users. We are not as a society ready to throw people in jail for betting on things, its just too hypocritical and too obviously stupid to tell your voters that I don't like you and I am going to get you thrown in jail. I can rant against foreign businesses or illegal business all I want, but I am not going to kill myself in the direct view of those that vote me into office. Now think about that view that a politician would almost have to have. Because bottom line is that a hell of a lot of people are out there betting, whether its pools, friendly wagers, bookmakers, offshore, whatever these people bet and you can't jeopardize their support on something stupid that few think you can honestly stop from happening.
I agree with WildBill -- such a law is almost certainly never going to be passed. FWIW, if it ever were, I'd just keep right on playing. I don't need the government to tell me right from wrong; my real mommy did a fine job thanks.
Given that nations where gambling is legal and common, such as the UK, are shitting their pants laughing at the US right now, and even some of the staunchest anti-gambling people are blushing at Spencer Bachus' idiotic accusation that offshore sportsbooks "specifically target pre-teenage children" and that Americans should react to this in the same fierce manner that rabbits do when their young are threatened (no shit; read the post! Fierce bunnies with great huge fangs! Run away!) I doubt that any of this will have much more momentum than it does now.
Phaedrus
Given that nations where gambling is legal and common, such as the UK, are shitting their pants laughing at the US right now, and even some of the staunchest anti-gambling people are blushing at Spencer Bachus' idiotic accusation that offshore sportsbooks "specifically target pre-teenage children" and that Americans should react to this in the same fierce manner that rabbits do when their young are threatened (no shit; read the post! Fierce bunnies with great huge fangs! Run away!) I doubt that any of this will have much more momentum than it does now.
Phaedrus
Well Oldman, you and others can continue to worry and think about the worst case scenario all you want, but I choose to stay in reality. After all I have said OVER AND OVER that I have heard these arguments every year since the beginning of offshore wagering it seems and yet still nothing definitive has been passed despite tremendous efforts by many. Now either that is because I am right and there is no true will to do anything but state that as a politician you are against these things, or its because the someone found a way to stop them. Bottom line is nothing has really organized to stop them. Oh yeah there are groups here and there trying and others that are in some politicians pocket, but really I will stick with my assertion. These guys have nothing better to do. After all the average "lawmaker" thinks that was what he was elected to do, make laws. Protecting and serving their constituents is about number 4 on the list. If the world was pretty good and not a whole lot of bad things existed then these guys should be happy, but NOOOOOO they still feel they have to pass meaningless laws to justify their offices in DC. That is reality, plain and simple. So sure someday maybe something terrible happens and some really good law is passed, but quite frankly I will only believe it when I see it.
Furthermore, I pretty sure any financial transaction if reported would only be to the IRS. If they wanted to go after people for gambling then I would think all they would have to do is obtain the records from Neteller. But since Neteller "assures" us that no info is turned over to the authorities then I guess we have nothing to worry about right? If you signed up with Neteller after you had to give your SS# then I don't know what to tell you. Then only thing that concerns me is Paypal turning over all the info to the authorities when they closed down last year.
Terry,
I was involved in a CIVIL SUIT, not a criminal trial, a few years back and yes, I took the stand to defend this site against ESB...
Also, we were recently involved in a case against SBG, and we WON baby..
We can still call them thieves, and a place that no one should do business with...
Lastly, the main guy from ESB tried suing us again and the Judge threw out that case...
I was involved in a CIVIL SUIT, not a criminal trial, a few years back and yes, I took the stand to defend this site against ESB...
Also, we were recently involved in a case against SBG, and we WON baby..
We can still call them thieves, and a place that no one should do business with...
Lastly, the main guy from ESB tried suing us again and the Judge threw out that case...
Thanks Shrink yeah now I remember. Shrink, whats your opinion. If you don't want to answer I understand but since you have posted on this site that you too have accounts at various sportsbooks, I would think that if there were any thing to worry about from a "betting" standpoint then surely you being the owner of this site wouldn't openly declare you wager if you were worried about being prosecuted. Now booking, that is a different story. On the other hand, the Wire Act penalty is only for the "business" of wagering. Being that alot of us posters on here don't place wagers "for fun" but rather because we believe we can or have made money, then I dunno. If you bet and make money doing so consistently, then you shouldn't be penalized for being good at it and thus be given the label "engaged in the business of wagering" Unless ofcourse you are a bookie
