[Midnight Rose]

[Along the same lines of my previous post about the House bill. By the way, this part of the forum is called "Home Poker and the LAW"; my assumption is that "LAW" is the operative word, and most internet poker is played at home. But if it's not cool to post these "reprints" from pokerlistings.com here, just say the word and I'll stop.]

Ohio Attorney General supports ban of Internet gaming

2:12 PM, Monday, April 3, 2006
by Lianne Elias

Jim Petro, the Attorney General (AG) of Ohio, became the 49th AG out of 50 to come out in support of prohibiting Internet gambling when he released a statement calling on Congress to enact federal laws aimed at banning the popular American pastime recently. A letter addressed to Congress and signed by all 49 Attorneys General says the issue of Internet gambling "transcends state and jurisdictional boundaries and presents special problems for states that are responsible for enforcing consumer protection and gambling regulations."

The Attorneys General lay out a list of issues they believe are associated with Internet gambling, including "game integrity, effective consumer dispute resolution procedures, access to gambling by minors, money laundering and other criminal activity, as well as compulsive gambling. Without federal action, the states will be left to clean up the problems online gaming creates."

"We encourage the United States Congress to help combat the skirting of state gambling regulations by enacting legislation which would address Internet gambling, while at the same time ensuring that the authority to set overall gambling regulations and policy remains where it has traditionally been most effective: at the state level," the letter concludes.

For details on Rep. Jim Leach's H.R. 4111, please see H.R. 4111 and U.S. House Committee Clears Anti-Internet Gambling Bill.

For information on Rep. Bob Goodlatte's H.R. 4777, please see Details Released On Goodlatte's New Bill and Stop The Threat!.

[BlondWidow]

What it sounds like to me is that the state of Ohio isn't able to generate revenue from online poker rooms so they want to get rid of them. And they won't let us have any casinos either. Anyone up for a short drive to Indiana? I'm feeling rebellious and I'd like to donate to a state that's willing to use some common sense and improve itself at the expense of people who like to play cards and throw dice.

[jojobinks]

4aces:

i appreciate these reposts...a lot of us, um, have an interest in the future of this legislation...

thanks.

[WolfPack]

This stupid state p***** me off. Ohio wants internet gamong shut down because they can't get a piece of the action.

They won't allow casinos because the catholic churches and racetracks are afraid of losing business and paying people off what a joke. It's time for a trip to AC.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yeah, the momentum this seems to be gaining this time is a little worrying. They've tried variations of this bill for years now, but it always gets shot down.

I'm still very curious to see how the US plans to enforce this US law on non-US based internet sites and banks. In any case, because of the pressure from the "Won't somebody think of the children" crowd, they're being completely stupid about this. Legalize and regulate it, and create a gigantic tax revenue stream.

[Manity]

OK here is something that any computer guy could understand and what legislation would do about it.

OK so if the prohibit use of online card rooms would you be able to terminal to a PC in say CANADA and then connect from that computer to the card room via a Terminal Services connection? Maybe a loophole, because you can argue that you are actually using the computer in Canada?

[Midnight Rose]

I saved a few of the important replies to the link I posted on this subject over at HPT, before Barry banned legal threads. I haven't asked those posters for permission to reprint it here, but I'll take the chance since they'd obviously WANT people to know that there are tangible things that concerned citizens can do:

-"Actually, would it be a bad thing if this bill hit the House floor? Think about it ... every legislator who has a real-money online account is going to vote against it ... thereby outing them as poker players!

Congress is not trying to do something about what they feel is "illegal" poker. They see it as an untapped revenue stream. If somebody's making money, Uncle Sam wants his 15% or 28% of it.

The top Democrat on the House committee, Massachusetts Democratic Representative Barney Frank, on the other hand, came out in opposition to the bill along with the Poker Players Alliance.
Frank believes "Adults are entitled to do with their money what they want to do," regardless of the moral opposition some lawmakers harbor towards gambling.
Said Michael Bolcerek, president of the Poker Players Alliance, "It is disingenuous to oppose Internet gambling and then write a bill that makes select forms of online gambling legal."

Way to go Barney and good point Michael. The bill excludes money "gambled on fantasy sports". Who they kiddin, playing fantasy baseball/football/etc. ain't gambling, it's pure skill. I've won two championships and two other times had the best regular-season record and didn't win the title since 2001. It's because I know how to draft.

And an update here in Florida ... a bill was passed calling tournament poker "paramutual betting". It basically lets you have buy ins and give away cash prizes in public places (i.e. bars) as long as there's no rake and they don't advertise for players (then it becomes a commercial enterprise and you need a license to do it). But our attorney general Tom Gallagher did what attorneys do best ... he filed an injunction. So I dunno what the deal is around here now."

-"This is actually very bad for all of us, everyone on this forum and all your friends need to contact their state representatives and be heard.

Some people are under the impression that this bill is just an add on to current legislation found in the Partiot Act where it is illegal to transfer money and process payments for online gambling activities. THIS IS NOT THE CASE! This bill will amount to basically a prohibition of all internet gambling including poker.

If this bill passes expect the US Government to enforce it immediately. How they will do this is by contacting all ISP's operating within the US and forcing them to comply by blocking ALL internet gambling sites. In addition to straight gambling for profit sites, sites where the majority of the content is gambling ( LIKE THIS ONE) will also be blocked.

We elect our officials so please take the time to contact them and let them know your opinion on this issue. I encourage everyone to find out who represents you in Congress and email or call their office telling them you would like them to vote no.

If anyone here would like to know more about this issue I can post some links to comments from Jay Cohen who for those of you that don't know is the only person who has ever been prosecuted for internet gambling in the US and spent 3 years in Nellis Federal Prison outside Las Vegas Nevada. He is the former owner of WSEX."


-"Check out this link, It is basically a lobbying group for poker players to fight laws like this. Linda Johnson is the chairwoman.
http://www.pokerplayersalliance.org "


-"If this bill goes through you can kiss all the money making opportunities in front and behind the scenes goodbye. I really don't think people understand how serious this is. If this bill goes through on it's own or even shadier if Goodlatte tries to attach it to another bill like Sentor Kyl has done in the past the internet as we know it will be changed.

Italy has already passed similar legislation in their country and have been very successful with ISP blocking software that is keeping people off hundreds of websites globally.

Poker Players Alliance is a good resource for players and fans of online poker to stand up and let their feelings be heard by their lawmakers. I strongly suggest that is you are for gambling or just for still being able to do what you want with your own money in the United States you visit that site and voice your opinion."

[Midnight Rose]

Oh, and by the way, before anyone decides to take a torch to the Ohio Attorney General's office, remember that he was the 49th AG to jump on the ill-informed bandwagon. Meaning that all but one of the states' AG's beat him to the punch. There's enough blame to go around on this one, folks.

[goblaise]

Who here thinks that these online gaming companies "tweak" their computer programs JUST A LITTLE to create a bigger rake. Like, instead of the odds of hitting AA being 1/200, you hit it like 1/150, making you more likely to bet. And the odds of a monster flush vs a full house on turn up more frequently than chance?

When I play online, i have seen full houses lose to bigger full houses; full houses lose to quads; trips lose to two pair. you get the idea. That being said, I got quad Jacks on the river in a tourney last weekend. but it was on an all-in bet from a dude who was severely short stacked. I didn't win much with that hand.

Fed. Regulation would force companies to play fair.