Internet Gaming news and...

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wnanhee
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  • I was thinking to create a thread about any new Internet Gaming news and Regulations...so if you have new updated information please post it away!!!

    Thought this was interesting...

    Google has said that they will allow gambling and online casinos adds for the first time in the UK on YouTube. The possibility exists because the video site’s have eased advertising rules. Ladbrokes is the first to advertise on YouTube.

    Google owns YouTube, and the new ad rules are in line with the easing of rules for Google Adwords, online casino operators may advertise through Google Adwords since 2008. Under the new advertising rules it is allowed for online casino gambling companies to launch ad campaigns with an age restriction, this includes pre-roll ads on the homepage of YouTube, the video pages and in the channels of trade marks. You can only view the contents of the ad, when it is asserted that you are over 18 years via the Age Verification System, if you indicated in your account that you are over 18 years, you be able to see the Internet gambling ads.

    English bookmaker Ladbrokes is the first online casino operator who advertises on YouTube, but other online casino operators will soon follow. James Cashmore technology officer of Google UK said: “We are confident that the ads will only reach people over 18, and that industry and legislators will be happy with the restrictions in place. We have already had more than two years of discussion with brands and companies about this. Google has worked with charity GamCare, but the support group for compulsive gambling have not received information about the expansion of advertising.”

    All internet casino ads will run through renewed the Google Display Network, which replaces Google Content Network. Cashmore said the name change shows how display is central to the advertising offer from Google. “Display, covers a large portion of the Content Network, so it was logical to change it.” Says Cashmore...

  •                                      

    Illegal immigration is not all Arizona has been contending with recently, as the Department of Gaming has begun sweeping the state to shut down illegally operating gambling dens. These raids have proved successful, as many machines have already been seized.

    The Office of the Arizona Attorney General, backed by the Department of Gaming, has already seized more than 70 illegal wagering devices in the Phoenix area. These Coin-Pushers, as they have been dubbed, are still in the process of being seized by agents working for the state.

    These coin pushers are similar to some games found in children’s arcades. A player would drop in a coin, while a block would push other coins already dropped in the machine over a ledge and down to a chute where the winnings can be redeemed. Prizes are also in some of these machines, such as jewelry, watches, bracelets and more. Only the prizes that move off the shelf are recoverable by the player.

    Due to the nature of these machines, the player does not face a sure chance at winning. All returns on investment are determined completely by luck. Some players could pour dozens of coins into these machines and still yield no returns.

    Over $200,000 in illegal gambling revenue is set to be seized. Seizure warrants have been filed to recover these funds.

    Arizona online gambling remains an option for players who wants to make some cash off of a game of chance. These sites, like the coin pushers, are not regulated, though the online gambling sites are not illegal like the push machines.

    Oh, Geez...I love those machines...

  • LOL.. great story.. i used to play these machines, they are also not age regulated or they weren't at the time i played them. I've won some money but i always put it back.. sad lmaaaooooo

  • Thanks Nan...

    I have never won on those machines, story of my life I guess....:'(


    lmao


    :-*

  • lol i remember playing these when was a kid winning was impossibole, but seen tons of times people kicking the machine by "mistake" and managers came running like crazy.

  • Theres also a timer on them so you cannot cheat the machine..

    One time there was one that was dollars and alot of them were hanging off the edge, my daughters father was playing it and ran out of coins, so he bumped it a little and they all fell shocked but nothing came out.. so he calls over the floor person and tells them, they told him.. there is a timer on it explaining that if the coins didn't fall when he put his coin in within a certain time it fell to another area... I was laughing at him.. dum-dum they knew what he did, so did the machine... hahahaha

  • Ha ha ha...

    How about the machine with full of cute dolls...ahaaaaa drives me crazy...so close every time and eats my coins like crazy! cheesy


  • Ha ha ha...

    How about the machine with full of cute dolls...ahaaaaa drives me crazy...so close every time and eats my coins like crazy! cheesy


    Actually won 1 doll and 2 teddybears on 1coin small ones though but dont even think ive seen any ever winning on these machines, but made the kids happy cheesy
  • Exactly...that's the reason why I wanted to win something so bad for my kid but oh,no...
    and especially your child begs and cries...dang...had to take him to the store instead... cheesy

  • My husband is good at those claw machines...I couldn't win if my life depended on it, he goes to the store and always comes back with a stuffed animal, or a ball...


    :-*

  •                            
                                          -------By Bryan Cross-----
    In total, there are 11 casinos in the United States second-largest gaming industry in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  While the industry in Atlantic City continues to struggle, the casinos wage another battle against Internet gambling that they have taken on in the recent weeks.

    The Casino Association of New Jersey has recently come out saying that they would be against the set up of legal online gambling through their casinos, eluding to the fact that it would violate laws in place on the federal level disallowing online sports betting and gambling.

    Joe Corbo, the President of the Association wrote a letter stating the concerns of the casinos.

    “As the industry seeks to work with government to revitalize the economic engine that the Atlantic City casinos bring to the state of New Jersey, the last thing that the state needs at this time is to undermine the destination resort model by expanding gambling to other parts of the state,” the letter read.

    Some of the provisions being considered would be letting the casinos filter sports betting online and featuring online table games.  Corbo stated that the company behind this, the Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association, deals in large part with offshore online casinos and Internet gambling.

    “New Jersey, which has set the gold standard for its gambling laws, should not now have its gambling laws driven by a group like iMEGA that is made up of offshore Internet gambling sites that are not permitted to accept wagers in the United States and are thumbing their nose at the United States Department of Justice,” he said in the letter.

    President of the iMEGA company, Joseph Brennan, stated that the company would not treat the New Jersey Online Casinos any differently.

    “We sought out New Jersey because they have the toughest gaming regulators on the planet, and they’ll probably be even tougher on anyone that wants to fill this space,” he remarked.

    “We advocated all along for the existing Atlantic City casinos to be the apex of this industry and this effort,” Brennan added. “The revenue would flow through them. The opportunity for Internet operators is to ink partnerships with casinos, which don’t currently have the expertise, the technology or the manpower to get this business up off the ground.”

    Brennan stated that as many as 57,000 jobs could be created and over $7 billion in revenue.  

    Whoa~~~

  • This is another reason I am against "legalized internet gambling" in the United States.  It would choke the fun spots like Atlantic City, and even hurt Vegas.  I say keep it shady and off shore like it is now.  While I have had occaisional problems with withdrawal delays, I have always gotten my money. 

  • I have to say when i have spent weekends on the Las vegas Strip or downtown, i can use the term "it's nuts to butts" out there, but not everyone is gambling.. so unless online internet gambling can touch what Vegas has in all aspects, it won't be such a problem

  • Lord of the Ring Slots Game to be released...  



    Online casino group Microgaming, the world’s largest provider of online gaming software, has announced that it has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, to create a series of cutting-edge, graphic rich video slots, based on the popular The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy

    The agreement gives Microgaming permission to develop online video slot games using animation material, themes and characters from the motion pictures The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

    Lord of the Ring deal illustrates Microgaming’s commitment to license the right brands, at the right time.  It is a strategic and timely decision to secure exclusive, online video slot game rights to a trilogy that generated $3billion in worldwide box office and was nominated for a total of 30 Academy Awards; of which they won 17, including Best Picture.

    Roger Raatgever, CEO of Microgaming said, "We’re excited about creating state-of-the-art video slots from the best movie trilogy of the decade. We look forward to bringing The Lord of the Rings into the online gaming sphere, where our expertise in game quality and speed to market will ensure its success. The Lord of the Rings has a huge entrenched fan base with over 97% awareness of the film franchise, as well as phenomenal and unprecedented home video success.”

    The announcement comes hot on the heels of the launch of Microgaming's latest flagship branded video slot, Hellboy, which has been hugely successful amongst the player community.
  • Waaaaah!  I wanna play it..but can't cause I'm in the bad place called USA when it comes to online gambling.

    Oh well, someone review it when you play it please.

  • Ohio Unemployment Rate Will Soon Be Helped By Casino Gambling

    Voters in the state of Ohio had turned away casino gambling so many times in the past that pro-gambling groups had reserved hopes when they brought the issue in front of Ohio residents last November. The economy, however, proved to be the needed boost to get gambling approved.

    Ohio has been sitting on one of the highest unemployment rates in the country since the economic recession. Voters expressed their fears of job loss when they approved four casinos resorts, one each in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo.

    The path to new jobs started slowly in Columbus where business leaders came out against the Arena District location of the casino being built by Penn National. The gaming company agreed to change the location to the former Delphi auto plant, but voters needed to approve the move because the initial amendment had specific locations listed.

    Earlier this year, Ohio residents approved the move, and now the state is preparing for construction of the four casinos. The construction jobs alone are expected to bring temporary work to thousands of Ohio residents. Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has the rights to two of the casinos and he may choose to give the construction rights to local contractors.

    Once the casinos are built, thousands of additional jobs will be created. The casino floor, bars, and restaurants will all need full time employees. How much these hirings will affect the unemployment rate is yet to be determined.

    Ohio is one of many states across the US that has turned to casino gambling in the wake of the economic recession. The casinos have provided not only a way to increase employment, but also has brought millions of dollars in tax revenue into the states.

    Thought this was so cool!!!
  • New US Online Gambling Laws May Lead To Video Game Betting

    In the aftermath of the House Finance Committee's approval of new legislation that would regulate Internet gambling in the US, many industry insiders are questioning how the new law would affect their business. One of those industry's is online video gaming.

    PlayStation and Xbox have cornered the market for online gaming. Players all across the US can currently log into their network, and play other games in popular games such as Madden, World of Warcraft, FIFA soccer, and other games developed for the PlayStation and Xbox consoles.

    Players are competing for bragging rights, but that may soon change. If online gambling becomes regulated in the US, there is a strong chance that some of the biggest video game company's would start offering cash tournaments and matches.

    "The video game industry is one of the few in the US that can stand up to online gambling," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "If players had the opportunity to gamble on their skills at a particular game, they may take that option over playing online casino games of chance."

    The focus of the new legislation that Representative Barney Frank has proposed is online poker. Millions of people in the US play poker online, and they are not protected by the government against fraud. Frank's bill would lay the regulatory framework to ensure that online poker players were receiving a fair game, and their money was secure with licensed online gaming sites.

    The makers of the PlayStation and Xbox games unveil new versions of the same games on a yearly basis. This alone would prevent sharks from becoming so good at a game that they would have an unfair advantage if gambling was involved. Even more of an emphasis on new features would be required to keep the playing field even.

    Online poker tournaments can attract so many players that the prize pool sometimes exceeds a million dollars. With video games, similar tournaments could be run, and the potential to make video game playing a job would become a reality.

    Of course, this is all speculation being that the online gambling law must still be passed by both the House and the Senate. In that process, lawmakers may choose to make video game online gambling illegal. At the very least, the new law has gamers all across the US tuned in to see how the Internet gambling law shakes out.
  • An online gambling fix

    Congress cracked down on most forms of online gambling four years ago, concerned that the explosion in unregulated (and questionably legal) poker and sports betting sites was promoting organized crime, money laundering, underage betting and a host of other ills. The effect, though, was simply to drive U.S. residents to sites in other countries where online gambling is legal — no less convenient and, potentially, just as unregulated.

    House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) now wants to take the opposite approach; his bill (HR 2267) would create a licensing program for online gambling sites that would permit them to accept wagers from players in the United States. Rather than pretending that Americans aren't gambling online, Frank's bill would bring more protection to players and minors in states that are ready to stop the charade of prohibition.

    Federal law has long banned betting remotely on "any sporting event or contest," with the exception of remote betting on horse races at off-track betting parlors and tracks. Nevertheless, online gaming had grown into a multibillion-dollar business in the U.S. by the end of 2005, prompting Congress in 2006 to bar banks and credit-card companies from processing transactions linked to Internet gambling.

    Players have found it easy to circumvent the law by letting gambling sites credit or debit their bank accounts directly. Although some of those sites are reputable and well regulated by foreign governments, many are not. And if they breed crime, there's not much U.S. authorities can do to combat it. As professional poker player Annie Duke told Frank's committee last month, the 2006 law "does not keep a single child off an Internet gaming site, nor does it provide any protections for problem gamblers or mechanisms to prevent fraud and abuse; it only regulates the banks, not those who operate the games."

    Frank's bill, which the Financial Services Committee approved last month, accepts that Americans gamble online but tries to bring more oversight to their wagering. Through its licensing mandate, federal, state or tribal regulators could require sites to use age-verification techniques to deter gambling by minors, implement programs to identify and block problem gamblers and guard against money laundering. The mandate would also deter criminals from operating sites, although as Nevada's experience with casinos has proved, licensing is an imperfect defense against unsavory owners.

    By licensing operators in the U.S., Frank's proposal would make it easier for financial companies to block transactions with unlicensed gambling sites. The measure also would let states and Indian reservations continue to prohibit their residents from gambling online, although the likely result is that those residents would merely be barred from gambling at regulated sites. That's already the policy in the U.S., and it's just not working.
  • iGaming Busness releases U.S. report on gambling

    LONDON, England -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Leading online gaming trade publication, iGaming Business, has announced the release of a unique report into the political forces driving regulation of Internet-based casino gaming, sportsbetting, poker and lottery sales in US states: The 2010 United States iGaming Report: State by State Analysis of Legislative Progression.

    The report, published by iGaming Business, identifies three specific US states that offer a plausible chance of early adoption of iGaming legislation. Among the states analysed, New Jersey is found to be a very likely first state to authorize iGaming.

    According to the report, 48 of 50 states are dealing with budget gaps in 2010, meaning that Internet gambling has been widely targeted as a revenue-generative way to help close those gaps. The report assesses the landscape in California, Florida, Iowa, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and the territory of the Virgin Islands. In addition, it covers, in detail, the progress of the Internet ventures of the state lotteries.

    "This report, researched and written between April and June 2010, relies on over 200 primary sources and over 50 interviews conducted with lawmakers, lobbyists, regulators, trade association heads, lottery officials and others who are directly or indirectly involved with – or who have a direct or indirect interest in – US Internet gambling," explained the report's author, Chris Krafcik.

    "It will give the market badly needed perspective on how developments in US states are trending. It caters to all entities with an eye on U.S. developments – from London brokerage houses to Vegas casinos, from venture capital firms to technology suppliers – and offers a level of insight into state-level politics hitherto unavailable in any single report," Krafcik continued.
  • Online gambling legislation gaining traction

    It's still a long shot, but the push to create a regulatory framework for online gambling is picking up steam.

    According to a report on the politics news Web site NationalJournal.com, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) is pushing Rep. Sander Levin to schedule a markup session for the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010 (IGRTA). McDermott's tax bill is a companion bill to Rep. Barney Frank's legislation that would create a licensing and regulatory framework for online gambling. Frank's bill was passed by the House Financial Services Committee last month.

    Levin, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, has not decided whether McDermott's tax bill should be marked up, according to NationalJournal.com. If the tax bill is marked up and passed, a full floor vote on both the Frank and McDermott bills could be schedule before the House goes on break in October to campaign for the November elections.

    While Levin hasn't decided whether to schedule a markup session, another powerful Democrat has indicated for the first time that he's willing to consider limited online gambling legislation.

    The Reno Gazette-Journal is reporting Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is willing to support legislation that would regulate online poker -- and online poker only.

    Reid told casino executives of his new position at a meeting last week, according to the Gazette-Journal.

    This is the first time Reid has publically supported any form of online gambling. He is also the highest-ranking Democrat to support a form of online gambling.

    The Frank bill takes a much more expansive view of online gambling than Reid does. Frank's legislation would license online poker, online casinos and online bingo. Sports betting would remain illegal.
  • Can you believe this??? makes me so mad and sad! How can some people would do such things...

    Parx Casino Has Another Incident Of Gambler Leaving Children In Car

    The scene this weekend has become all too familiar at the Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. For the sixth time this summer, a parent left their child in the car while the adult was inside the casino gambling.

    Paul Vargas was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. The District Judge set bail at $250,000. The charge is a misdemeanor, but could come with heavy consequences for Vargas. Previously, protective services have taken the children left in automobiles from their parents custody.

    Parx Casino was warned just one week ago about their security measures to ensure that this type of activity did not continue. The casino assured gaming regulators that they were taken all the precautions necessary to keep the situation from repeating.

    Almost defiant at the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's assertions, Parx now has added another incident to their resume, not exactly the type thing a casino wants to happen after giving assurances. Despite the additional incident, Parx is standing by their belief that they do enough to monitor these situations.

    "Our security is top notch and constantly patrolling the parking lots to identify something like this," said Parx Spokeswoman Carrie Nolk Manelli. It is a similar statement to the one given to the Gaming Control Board last week.

    The casino does ban the parents caught leaving their children in the car from ever entering the casino again. Unfortunately, the threat of expulsion has not stopped parents from following with the heinous behavior. Vargas was said to have been playing slots and table games while his seven and twelve year-old children, and a family pet pit bull, were left in the car.
  • Democrats May Lose Support If Online Gambling Bill Is Not Passed

    Democratic leaders have for four years been championing the cause to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Although leaders such as Representative Barney Frank have appeared as allies to the industry of millions of Americans, they have done nothing to change the laws.

    As the new election cycle comes into full swing, Rep. Frank and other Democrats are up against the wall on overturning the UIGEA. Frank has proposed legislation that has made it through the House financial services Committee, but he has yet to advance the bill to the House floor, and he acknowledges that may not happen before the mid-term election.

    "I'm not optimistic," said Frank in an interview with The Hill, when speaking about the prospects of H.R. 2267 passing this session. It would be another delay and one that may start costing the Democrats votes in November.

    For years, Democrats have held the vote of millions of online poker players that had hoped that by supporting these officials, the current laws would be changed. With nothing getting done, some supporters of Frank and other Democrats may turn their attention to the economy.

    "If the economy is taking center stage and the Democrats do not have time to fit in our agenda of changing the online poker laws, then I am going to have to reassess who I vote for in the upcoming election," said Maury Bell. "It has been a frustrating four years, and I'm not going to allow them (Democrats) to hold my vote hostage any more on the hope that they might make my issue a priority."

    This November, the Democrats are faced with the possibility of losing the majority in both the House and the Senate. The Senate majority appears more stable, with the Tea Party candidates likely to cost Republicans the majority in the chamber.

    In the House, however, there is a real possibility that the Democrats would lose control. if that occurs, the chances of the UIGEA being overturned in the next two years would be slim. Even with bi-partisan support, it is likely that Rep. Spencer Bacchus and anti-online gambling regulation lawmakers would keep Frank's bill from passing.

    There is still a chance that during the lame duck session that Frank's bill gains steam. There also is the possibility that the Democrats attach Frank's bill to a jobs creation bill before the November election. If that does not happen, it could mean the balance of power will shift in the House with thousands of people in the US possibly switching their allegiances during the election...


  • US Government Last In Race To Legalize Online Gambling

    The US government prides itself on being out in front of the curve on important economical and social issues. That is one of the reasons that President Obama recently called for other countries to keep the Internet free.

    In the US, however, the government has not backed up the requests of the president. While President Obama has criticized how other countries restrict their citizens, the US is dealing with their own prohibitions in regards to Internet gambling.

    The US has fallen behind such countries as Italy, Germany, France, and the Netherlands in Europe. The UK has developed one of the most free online gambling communities, and they have prospered with billions of dollars and citizens that trust the government to make important decisions.

    Even Canada has moved ahead of the US in the online gambling industry. Several provinces in Canada have already regulated online gambling, and more are soon to follow. All the while, the US government has continued to alienate their citizens by keeping the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act in place.

    Individual states have started to make the move towards regulated Internet gambling. Fearing that the federal government will remain stuck in the mud on the issue, California, New Jersey, and California have all considered regulating online poker on their own.

    Recently, the Indian tribes formed a group that will eventually bring online gambling to the US, and the government will likely receive none of the profits from these operations. It is the same type of activity taking place in countries such as Panama and Costa Rica, where online gambling companies are set up, and are syphoning billions of dollars out of the US economy.

    President Obama ran his campaign on change, and millions of online gamblers took him at his word. These gamblers even pointed to the premise that Obama is a noted poker enthusiast as a reason for hope.

    Two years into his presidency, however, the laws regarding Internet gambling remain the same, and the US is falling further and further behind other countries, countries that used to look to the US for guidance on these type of social issues. Now, it appears the US has resorted to following instead of leading.  sad
  • Netherlands to regulate egaming

    The Dutch government is planning to license and regulate all forms of egaming on a non-exclusive basis, according to media reports in the country this morning.

    Newspaper De Telegraaf, crediting “sources in The Hague”, reported on its front page today that the Dutch government is planning to sell licences or establish a competitive tender process. “Total revenues of this [plan] are estimated at €100m, but that could increase up to €270m per year,” said the paper.

    This follows the recommendation last month of the Dutch Ministry of Justice that poker should be legalised in Holland under a non-exclusive licensing system. However, today’s report suggests the Dutch government has now decided to regulate and tax all forms of egaming based on the Italian and French licensing model.

    With the exception of sports betting offered by state lottery and betting monopoly De Lotto, all forms of online gambling are currently illegal in the Netherlands.

    Despite losing a five-year court battle against De Lotto with Ladbrokes in June, Betfair recently confirmed to eGR that it plans to re-apply for a licence in the Netherlands “at the first opportunity”.

    This followed the ECJ upholding its view that sports betting licences in the EU should be allocated in a transparent and equal manner, to allow Dutch consumers to benefit from competitive bids for the Dutch market.
  • Harrah’s Owner Supports Harry Reid and Online Gambling

    In an important show of support for Senator Harry Reid (who for the past couple of years did not hide the fact that he was against legalizing online gambling in any shape or form but who has recently changed his stance by supporting legalizing online poker) Harrah’s Entertainment has contributed $75,000 to the Patriot Majority PAC. The Patriot Majority PAC is one of the biggest supporters of Senator Reid’s, which has spent over one million dollars to keep his Senate seat. With this bold move by Harrah’s Entertainment, many believe that it’s a first move for backing of legalizing online gaming by Senator Reid. Harrah’s is in support of Rep. Barney Franks bill to repeal the UIGEA bill and implement his HR 2267 bill which would allow online gambling to become regulated and licensed in the US.

    Once opposed to this bill, Senator Reid felt that the legalizing of any form of online gambling would take jobs and revenue away from his State (Nevada), but with the support of some big named casino operators also joining in the online gaming industry, Senator Reid has announced he would support the legislation of online poker only. Harrah’s Entertainment has already opened a few online gambling sites that are being promoted overseas until such a time when the US allows online gambling. Other big named operators out of Vegas have taken the opposite side of this issue, namely the Las Vegas Sands that contributed one million dollars to the Republican Governors group. The Republicans do not want legalized online gambling in the US, while the Democrats, on the other hand are mostly supporters of Barney Frank’s proposal. Although the internet gambling issue is not decidedly split down the Republican/Democratic lines, it was a majority ruled Republican Congress that sneaked the UIGEA bill in and it’s been the Democratic leaders who have been working with Barney Frank to overturn that same bill.
  • Republicans Pushing To Ban Same Earmarks They Used To Ban Online Gambling

    Republican lawmakers are showing their true hypocrisy this week as they push for the elimination of earmarks in Congress. Without the earmarks, the Conservatives may have a tough time getting bills through in the future without proper debate.

    Back in 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was created by a Republican-majority Congress. The online gambling ban, however, would never had come to fruition had the Conservatives had to propose it as a stand alone bill.

    Instead of allowing time to debate the merits of the online gambling ban, Conservatives attached the bill to a must-pass port security bill. This gave some liberal lawmakers no choice but to vote in favor of the port security bill, while in the process creating the UIGEA.

    By many accounts, the UIGEA has been a colossal failure. The law criminalizes only the processing of online gambling transactions by financial institutions. The banks paraded officials into Congress detailing how hard of a task blocking the transactions would be. The financial institutions also told of how it would take millions of dollars to set up a system to block the transactions.

    Legislators understood where the banking officials were coming from, but the problem was that their voice was not heard until after the UIGEA was in place. No research had been done leading up to passing the UIGEA, and no consultations took place. It was simply far right Republicans, finding a way to get online gambling banned by attaching it to an important piece of legislation.

    Today, some of those same Republicans that were a part of playing the dirty politics in regards to the UIGEA, were calling for a vote to end earmarks. Just the idea that these Conservatives would call for the elimination of earmarks is somewhat amusing to those within the gaming industry.

    "It is amazing that the use of earmarks are the reason that we have these ridiculous Internet gambling laws in the US that are not in line with most other countries, and now Republicans want to eliminate earmarks, is almost comical," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "I know there will be millions of online poker players that will not fall for this lame political maneuvering. If they really want to get rid of earmarks, maybe they should start with the UIGEA."

    Representative Barney Frank has the ability over the next month to return the favor to Republicans in Congress. With several major bills expected to be passed in the lame-duck session, Frank could attach his new online gambling bill to one of these major bills. If he does so, it is likely the UIGEA would be overturned, and US residents would finally have the freedom to choose what they wish to do with their entertainment money.

    The chances of that happening, however, are slim. Over the years, Conservatives have used earmarks much more efficiently that liberals. That is why their latest attempt to ban a practice that they are largely responsible for facilitating, is, well, in the words of Schwartz, "comical."
  • N.J. Senate approves online gambling bill

    The New Jersey Senate voted 29-5 Monday to allow Atlantic City casino operators to offer online gambling to New Jersey residents.

    The bill was amended to allow residents of other countries to wager on the Atlantic City sites. People living in other U.S. states would not be allowed to play on the sites.

    The amended bill also includes a 15 percent tax on gross gaming revenue.

    If the New Jersey State Assembly passes the bill, and it is signed into law by Governor Chris Christie, New Jersey would become the first state in the U.S. to offer licensed intra-state online gambling.

    The bill, authored by Sen. Raymond Lesniak, authorizes the online offering of "poker, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, craps, big six wheel, slot machines, minibaccarat (sic), red dog, pai gow, and sic bo; any variations or composites of such games, provided that such variations or composites, and any above listed game or variation or composite of such game to be offered through Internet wagering."

    The bill also specifies that Internet gambling operators have to be licensed Atlantic City casino operators, and that all equipment used to conduct Internet gaming be located either in Atlantic City casinos or a "secure" location in Atlantic City.

    In an interview at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) last week, Sen. Lesniak told the APCW he expects the governor will sign his bill into law before the end of the year.

    "It's going to be presented to the governor and I don't think he's going to have any option but to sign it before the end of the year," Lesniak said.

    "We have to put forward regulations...so that will take some time, but we're very well versed in regulating gambling... so we're in good shape to get this rolling as soon as possible."

    Lesniak said he also understands he's raising international trade issues by allowing people outside the U.S. to gamble online in New Jersey.

    "We are going to be raising World Trade Organization issues by taking international gaming in New Jersey and showing how juvenile our federal government's policy is with regards to gaming," Lesniak said. "It makes no sense, we're trying to isolate and segregate something people want to do, they do everywhere, and we create a mass of restrictions that's unconstitutional and quite frankly just dumb in terms of governmental policy."

    Is this mean we have a chance too in someday?...
  • Thanks for the info nan and let's keep our fingers crossed that one day we can legally play too...lol!!!

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