Congress considers BANNING Online Gambling...

[GoPC]

This could REALLY hurt domain sales, online gambling, PPC revs and a great many domaineers.

" Internet gambling is addictive, dangerous and should be outlawed, lawmakers argued Tuesday as the House took up a bill to prevent people from using credit cards or other payment forms to settle online wagers.

"The ease of Internet gambling poses a very serious threat to our families and our society," Rep. Tom Osborne, R-Neb., said in support of the bill."... read more...

I don't like the smell of this. What's next? Whatever they think they can make a quick tax buck on, I suspect.

LOOK OUT!

GoPC

 

[accuname]

I can think of a thousand things more dangerous to families and society. But most of them aren't politically correct to go against. It's just about politics and money, nothing to do with family and society.

 

[JMJ]

Well actually if they would legalize and regulate it then they would make a quick tax buck. Instead they would rather make it illegal and spend tax payer money on enforcing that law. A complete waste of tax payer money and doesn't solve any problems. A bit like the war on drugs and other unnamed wars. This is just another example of how our government is spinning it's wheels on not so important subjects.

 

[Peter]

how do they expect to ban it, all they can essentially do is stop sites runing from within the US. It just means sites will move elsewhere and the people will still gamble.

Also presumably gambling is taxable in the US, if so they will lose alot of taxes.

 

[Phoenix]

Right.. so gambling in real life isn't all of those things *sigh*.

 

[fonzie_007]

how do they expect to ban it, all they can essentially do is stop sites runing from within the US. It just means sites will move elsewhere and the people will still gamble.

Also presumably gambling is taxable in the US, if so they will lose alot of taxes.

How about the same way China prevents websurfers from checking western websites?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/191707.stm

Even though I have a few gambling/poker domains, I wouldn't be too sad if Congress moved on this issue. The sad fact is that gambling addiction often causes families to disintegrate and crime rates to increase.

 

[Sam]

How about the same way China prevents websurfers from checking western websites?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/191707.stm

Even though I have a few gambling/poker domains, I wouldn't be too sad if Congress moved on this issue. The sad fact is that gambling addiction often causes families to disintegrate and crime rates to increase.

Where there is a will theres a way. I dont see how this will help at all. Hell, just go to a real casino then if online casino is banned or go to a foreign operated site.

If all fails... it will go underground.

You cant enforce this.

 

[fonzie_007]

Where there is a will theres a way. I dont see how this will help at all. Hell, just go to a real casino then if online casino is banned or go to a foreign operated site.

If all fails... it will go underground.

You cant enforce this.

You raise a good point; however, if societies agree wholeheartedly with that reasoning, there would be any speed limits, police officers, the IRS, or laws against illegal drugs. Yes, there is a question to be discussed over how enforceable a program/policy is, but just because a program/policy can't be 100% effective doesn't mean it should be scrapped or ruled out.

 

[Domainate.com]

Alcohol and cigarettes ruin a lot more lives than gambling ever will. What's this bill going to stop? Offshore payment processors like Neteller will just start accepting money orders and whatnot (if they don't already) and people will keep doing what they've been doing. Online gambling might suffer a little, but it's the US credit card companies and consequently the US government they pay taxes to that are going to suffer. I didn't know the government was put into place to be our puritan parents. What next, no sex because we might get AIDS?

 

[fonzie_007]

What next, no sex because we might get AIDS?

If the Republicans had their way....

 

[Domainate.com]

If the Republicans had their way....

But they've stopped going after violent video games because they probably realized a lot of those kids that have grown up on them are now using those skills in combat in Iraq for them. You wonder why they haven't gotten the bright idea to make gambling legal and regulate the casinos. They're losing tons of money to Native Americans and offshore gambling sites. Politicians cave in to money with other things...why not with gambling?

 

[RogueWriter]

If the Republicans had their way....

Now, now, stay nice, we Republicans are all in favor of bountiful sex - unless you are sexually harassing an intern on government property, doncha know.

Back on topic:
It's crazy the way most states seem to handle gambling anyways, by building 'river boats' that don't actually move. Everything can be addictive, if you are weak willed. Whether it is smoking, gambling, drinking, sex, spending, eating, sleeping, stealing, dieting, etc.

It's not the government's job to regulate fun. It's the government's job to make people play fair. I think the government needs to look at online gambling as an opportunity. If they want to slow it down, tax the crap out of it, like they do smoking. Then use the money to verify that all the casino sites are on the up and up.

 

[GoPC]

I don't think it's an attempt to BAN Online Gambling as I read it again... the line:

"Critics say policing the Internet is impossible and that it would be better to regulate the $12 billion industry and collect taxes on it."

says it all.

The THREAT of banning online Gambling will be "compromised" with an acceptable taxation of the $12 Billion Dollar a year industry. Acceptable opposed to banning that is.

Just like charging $4 a gallon for $2 a gallon gas... then making us feel relieved to pay $2.90 when it all settles.

This is about tax dollars and nothing more and advocates of the ban are on BOTH sides of the isle. It is not a partisan politic issue. This is about GREED and everyone in Politics is guilty.

GoPC

 

[mojojo]

what about Las Vegas?

 

[Domainate.com]

It's also interesting to note that NOT included in this bill are online lotteries and online horserace betting, which would still remain legal...because they're...uh, not gambling? Wait, they are...hmmm... But no one's ever lost their shirt on horserace betting and the lottery hasn't reaped millions of dollars from poor people in what can be labelled as "stupid/poor people tax". Oh wait, yea they have...hmmm...

Yea, nice to see political logic at its best. This bill is nothing about morality and everything about making rich people of power richer and saying FU to everyone else.

 

[Keynes]

Well, we have a "moral" House of Reps right now but we also have an election coming up soon...this should set the stage for moving toward regulation, not banning, of online gaming. Think evolution not prohibition....

 

[ekal]

This law goes ahead and there'll be only one winner..... anyone with domain names related to IP masking is going to see their value go through the roof.

 

[GoPC]

I was going to point out the Horse and Sports Betting establishments are BEHIND this ban. In their own words, it will drive online gambling back to them (as it should be, right?). Kinda makes you wonder of these guys are BEHIND the new ban legislation.

hmmm....

 

[HuskyDomains]

Congress doesn't care about you or I.. They simply care about the tax money that isn't coming in due to online gambling.

Most of the sites that offer online gambling are based off shore and money is typically transferred through e wallets.. I wouldn't worry much about them attempting a ban..

 

[Keynes]

Under every bill there is POLITICS:

"It's also intended to aid the political fortunes of Republicans who are worried about losing control of the House of Representatives in the November election. Last month, House Republican leaders announced that the bill would be part of a 10-part "American Values Agenda," along with a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage and further restrictions on stem cell research."