Comments on: Is Internet Gambling Legal?

By: ab

ab — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:34:46 +0000

I used to work for the fraud dept for a major credit card issuer. Cards would get blocked when suspicious transactions were processed or when they were blocked systematically for being overlimit etc. Online gambling came up all the time and is illegal in this jurisdiction. Some of those customers got angryyyyyy that we were telling them their business and “if it’s illegal, why have I been able to put the card through before?”
I remember one customer in particular who had called in with his account manager to put a note on the account never to authorize transactions with X company. He would call regularly after that trying to get the block removed so he could gamble. Sad.

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:50:39 +0000

Well there is $10 billion going over seas. The Feds should legalize it and tax it. It isn’t like the US economy is so great that the government should pass up an opportunity. Obviously many states have legalized gambling for the tax revenue. I just hope they’re smarter than my home state of Indiana. We have so many gambling & alcohol laws that just make no sense. For instance my favorite for gambling is a corporation can build a casino.However they have to build it on a boat (ship ….some sort of watercraft), however that vessel doesn’t have to move, just initially prove that it could move a few feet in either direction.

By: Steven

Steven — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:53:49 +0000

I bet that there is a way to attract these people into spending this money in certain sanctioned and regulated gambling houses. Anyone want to throw down? 12-1 the government will do this in a year.

Seriously though, my state of Delaware has recently passed a bill legalizing sports betting. This move is expected to raise the revenue in our casinos. Only four states – New Jersey not being one of them (sorry Atlantic City) – have made this move. What gets me is why we we haven’t legalized this and online betting in places that can support it. As the article states, online gambling is a $10 billion a year industry. We should find ways to make that money flow through our system. Keeping it illegal will not stop the gambling sites, sports bookies, or other illegally operated businesses from doing what they’re already doing.

By: Janie

Janie — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:52:53 +0000

Whether or not it’s illegal, I know you can get fired for doing it on the clock. My boss was cut loose after someone complained that he was playing poker at work. Not exactly sure where my company draws the line — I’m leaving this comment at work. I’ve seen other people watching porn in their office. And another co-worker regularly does freelance work for another company at his desk.

By: Bert

Bert — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:23:52 +0000

My (ex) roommate lost tens of thousands of dollars playing online poker. He seriously thought he was going to “get good” and “turn pro.” I had to call his father and tell him he needed help — and more importantly, I needed him off my lease. That was five years ago. I think he’s still living at home, waiting to ‘get good.’ He has a better chance of playing in the Little League World Series.

By: randompokerpro

randompokerpro — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:37:45 +0000

I love me some mental floss, but I think legal issues, particularly those surrounding complex topics like online gambling, are best left to those with more than a cursory knowledge.

Law professor Nelson Rose on online poker: â€œThere is no chance of being prosecuted if youâ€™re a player. If youâ€™re a company, you might be violating the law.â€ (except for in a few states like Washington where it is explicitly mentioned in the law)

http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/is-online-poker-legal-770/

Former professional online poker player turned political analyst Nate Silver on the legality of poker:

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/07/this-post-brought-to-you-by-poker.html

By: dbus

dbus — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:32:15 +0000

So somebody out there answer me this. Few years back I “bought” into a internet casino franchise, where I would purchase a domain name which I would advertise and get people to visit. My domain name would roll into the real casino website, by which I would get a cut of any losses by said customer, tracked through my domain name.
Legal, Illegal? I didn’t really think about the legality that much then, especially since I didn’t make money then. I would say not illegal since I did not “own the casino” but I am not a lawyer. Not the place to really question it but the article topic made it pop into my mind. If you don’t to respond here my email address is linked to my name. SORRY FOR THE LONG POST