Online Casino News and Information

We all need to write our Congressman, so maybe our voice can be heard at this hearing!! This will be the first time that our concerns about the UIGEA will be addressed in public, Speak Up!!

The list of who all will testify is not yet available, but The House Committee of financial Services is chaired by Rep. Barney Frank, who has a bill in committee that would essentially wipe the UIGEA off the books. Keep fingers crossed that this will happen!! You can watch the hearing live from the link below.

The hearing is for the Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology (SMPTT) committee, which is a subcommittee of the House Committee of Financial Services.

Washington, DC – Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL), chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology today announced that the subcommittee will hold a hearing to discuss proposed regulations to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 10:00 a.m.

Watch it live on April 2nd at 10 AM ET:

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hr040208.shtml

Today could be a turning point for the Gaming Industry. It shows if we continue the fight, we could get things moving!! We all could take lessons from Betfair!! When you have a legit reason to fight, never give up, you never know what will happen.

Our right to play online gaming is a Constitutional Right! If we sit back and do nothing, then our rights will be taken away.  Let’s be more like Betfair!

Today Betfair WON a high court challenge against Western Austrailian laws that prohibit residents to place bets online!

The High Court ruled today that the legislation was unconstitutional because it imposed protectionist burdens on interstate trade and therefore contravened section 92 of the constitution.

Read the whole Victory here:
http://news.smh.com.au/betfair-wins-high-court-challenge/20080327-21tu.html

Here we go again in the continuing saga, by Feds. They are now turning to websites like Facebooking for possible online betting violations. They seem to be looking for anything, anywhere.

This time the march Madness office pools on social networks caught their attention! An FBI spokesman stated “There could be a violation if there is a payout and if the operators take a cut!” Geezzz what is next??

Facebook stated: “It does not condone the use of the site for any unlawful purposes, and that user’s must agree as part of the terms of use of not to conduct illegal activities.”

Earlier this year CBSSports made is easier for Facebook users to become involved in betting pools for the NCAA division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

In February CBSSports unveiled an application that allows Facebook users to fill out brackets for the tournament and compare their picks with their friends on the site.

Leslie Anne Wade of CBS stated.” Promoting online gambling was not our intent with the application, and that these are issues that are going to require new thought processes and new answers, and that CBS will look into it.”

For whole story:
http://www.swiss-press.com/newsflashartikel.cfm?key=248668

CAMBRIDGE, MA–(Marketwire - March 18, 2008) - Harvard Law School Professor Charles Nesson and Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society (GPSTS) Executive Director Andrew Woods will speak on a panel with the nation’s leading experts on gaming law, gathered to analyze and debate the current U.S. legal regime surrounding online gaming at the “Legal Issues in Online Gambling” symposium, at the University of Richmond on Wednesday, March 19, 2008.

Professor Nesson and Mr. Woods will join Professors John Kindt of University of Illinois School of Business, Nelson I. Rose of Whittier Law School, and Frank Vandall of Emory Law School in an in-depth exploration of the current U.S. legal regime, the trade ramifications of the UIGEA and other U.S. gaming laws, and the future of online gaming in the U.S. market.

Read more:
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=833937

An investigation into the U.S. laws on internet gambling was started by the EU (European Union) today. The complaint was that Washington’s actions with the UIGEA, infringed on the world trade rules.

EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, stated that “The US has the right to address legitimate public policy concerns relating to internet gambling, but discrimination against EU companies cannot be a part of the policy mix.” And that he hoped this issue could be settled amicably.

EU companies says the U.S. ban forced them out of the American Market and was  discriminating and in violation of the WTO rules, meanwhile letting domestic gambling companies, especially those with horse races to grow.

I say WTG!!! EU!!

Read the whole story:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/10/business/EU-FIN-EU-US-Internet-Gambling.php

Today the US District Court in New Jersey dismissed a motion. This motion was brought by iMEGA that was seeking a temporary restraining order on the UIGEA. The complaint was brought against the US Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Reserve System. iMEGA was challenging the UIGEA on the grounds that the Bill violated the American’s civil rights. And that it also was being contrary to international treaty obligations.

Judge Mary Cooper dismissed the complaint on the grounds, that it was not the courts role to judge a congressional act. Although, she recognized iMEGA’s standing to bring the complaint.

Eric M. Bernstein, attorney for iMEGA, stated in a press release, presented this ruling as a victory!! He stated that Granting iMEGA standing was a major victory any way you look at it.

Read the whole story:
http://gamingintelligencegroup.com/gig/content/view/878/2/

As an internationally known scholar, public speaker, writer and recognized as one of the world’s leading authority on gambling laws, Professor I. Nelson Rose, was interviewed by CappersMall. He was asked his opinion on where online gambling stands now and his thoughts on its future.

The question was asked of Rose: Do you foresee a change in which the U.S. Lawmakers will come to appreciate the tremendous tax revenue that could be realized by legalizing and regulating the gambling industry in the U.S.?

Rose stated: Nothing is going to happen this year, because it is an election year. And he states the reasons. He also said he expects the federal law will eventually be changed to allow a state to opt-in.

This was a very interesting interview and well worth the reading!! Everyone who is involved with online gambling and the ones who love to play online should go read this interview!!

For the FULL questions and answers:

http://www.cappersmall.com/betting/articles/Online-Gambling-Interview-Professor-I-Nelson-Rose-6988.html

The Federal Reserve and the Officials at the Treasury Department, after going through more than 200 comments from banks, gamblers, church groups and members of congress on recommendations on the UIGEA (Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) of 2006, say WON’T WORK!!!

Shelley Berkley, Representative from Nevada, was very irate and said” This Legislation has a loophole big enough to drive a truck through, and was designed solely to protect betting on horse racing and lotteries over the net.” She also says that the fact that this bill was included in the GOP’s “Values Agenda” proves it is nothing more than an election-year ploy to satisfy Republicans on the far right who want to outlaw adults from gambling in Nevada or anywhere else.

Berkley said.” A Man’s home is his castle unless he chooses to participate in online gaming. Then his home becomes the province of the federal government.”

Read this story in its entirety, it is a very fascinating story:

http://www.gambling911.com/Internet-Gambling-030408.html

 Related articles:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/03/AR2008030302932.html