2 Responses to “How do the laws cracking down on Internet poker work?”

1. B J says:

   September 30, 2011 at 8:37 pm

   I don’t understand why the US Leaders are so against online gambling, I’m sure G W Bush likes to play poker.
   Maybe the US Leaders have connections with all the casinos in Las Vegas, Online poker might harm their cashflow.
   As far as the US laws against Online Gambling I don’t think there is much they can do except make it hard for you to deposit money into an online gambling site.
   Unless of course they say that because you gamble online you are a terrorist. Then they can lock you away for the rest of your life.

   http://www.levelupinfo.com

   B J

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2. Sanjay M says:

   September 30, 2011 at 9:03 pm

   The main law passed was the Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act (UIGEA). It was added as a rider to the SAFE Port Act, which everyone knew would pass.

   Essentially, the law only targets financial institutions that handle money transfers to and from the online gaming sites. They specifically did not outlaw the act of gambling online (though some states do have laws against it – I think there’s only been one or two cases of actual enforcement).

   After the law passed, the justice department became more hostile toward companies involved in online gaming. They began arresting certain executives that came into the country. Companies were faced with a choice: withdraw from the United States or be treated as fugitive criminals. Many voluntarily withdrew, including some sportsbooks (ie. Pinnacle and poker sites (ie. Party Poker). Many firms decided to stay though. Poker is still available on Full Tilt, PokerStars, Absolute, etc., and Bodog, WSEX, TheGreek, 5Dimes, BetJamaica, Diamond, etc. are all sportsbooks that are still available.

   There are efforts to overturn the UIGEA, but until then everything is in a strange legal situation. That’s why some sites, both poker and sports, are still going strong, and others have left.

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