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Casino Times
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Articles
13 February
2007
 Internet
Gambling Thrives In Spite Of US Legislation
A month after President
Bush signed into law the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling
Enforcement Act, the national advocacy group known as
Americas Watchdog initiated its own investigation to
determine how effective the new legislation had
been.
Americas Watchdog
discovered the new legislation has had little effect with
Online
Casinos. With the
exception of one indictment, its been business as usual, or
the off-shore online casinos have invented new schemes to
circumvent the new US laws.
After the 2006 legislation
was signed by the President; many casinos in England or
other countries moved their online gaming/casino web sites
off shore, and created or fortified business-banking
relationships with German banks or other financial
institutions that began to, or continued to openly assist in
wire transfers of US bets or gambling proceeds to and from
the internet casinos (money laundering).
In one specific case, a
German Bank wiring gambling proceeds & writing checks is
owned by one of the worlds largest financial institutions,
and in another case a German-based internet payment service
openly talked about "laundering money for thousands of US
clients".
According to Americas
Watchdog, the number of US gamblers using Online
Casinos is
probably in the millions, involving all ages, genders and
races.
In one instance, an
offshore casino operator openly boasted about the fact that
his casino was "clean" compared to online casinos operated
or run by the "Russian Mafia".
The same operator made the
statement that his casino had four US players lose $500,000+
each in December of 2006.
What does all this mean
for US citizens? According to Americas Watchdog, "this
situation is very, serious and nothing will change unless
the US decides to make it legal for individual states like
Nevada or Native American Tribal Nations to permit US
Citizens to play on line, in a regulated and controlled
environment".
Its a war-prohibition that
will never succeed unless we change the tactics and regulate
the environment.
As importantly, legal
US
Online Casinos
would bring in most international players, because these
individuals would see it as safe and a transparent way to
gamble on line. Who wants to gamble on line with organized
crime?
The American Gaming
Association is on record as saying the new Internet Gaming
Legislation is "confusing".
Americas Watchdog believes
that the American Gaming Association or affiliated
Associations should begin to lobby Congress & the Bush
Administration for immediate amendments to the Unlawful
Internet Gambling Enforcement Act that will allow for
licensed US
Casinos to be able
to offer their services to US Citizens or International
players. This would have three positive affects.
1. US Citizens who go
online to US licensed casinos would get a regulated gaming
or casino environment. A regulated environment is not
offered by existing offshore casinos or sports books. The
offshore gaming industry would effectively be out of
business losing the bulk of even their European or Asian
clients to the US.
2. Off shore-Internet
Gambling is a multi billion dollar a year business. Why not
tax it and control it? Further by taxing & regulating
the US online casinos and effectively shutting down
off-shore gaming, US law enforcement could pursue other
criminal activities because this particular issue would no
longer be a major problem, provided US banks actually comply
with anticipated federal banking regulations.
This change would also put
most illegal US bookmakers out of business because US
consumers could actually place a legal wager on a sporting
event, or other gambling activity with a licensed US
casino/sports Book. Illegal bookmaking-sportsbook in the US
is also a multi billion dollar a year business.
Why not tax & regulate
this activity?
3. The entry of licensed
US casinos into online gaming would effectively shut down or
cripple all offshore gaming web sites. This could create
thousands of new tax paying jobs in the US. Why support some
other countries economy, when the US should be able to
control & regulate its own?
The United States has a
poor at best record on prohibitions. From alcohol in the
1930's to its current 'war on drugs'. The new US legislation
will not stop offshore online casinos or gambling. Why not
create a sensible regulated environment that will be a win
for US Citizens, and for the US Government and individual
State Governments that can control the activity, and tax
it?
Also see:
US
Online Casinos
Online Casinos where USA players are accepted.
UK
Online Casinos
Reviews of the leading, approved UK online casinos. Includes
details of the free money welcome bonuses offered to new
players by the online casinos.
Euro
Online Casinos
Online Casinos where you can play in Euros
currency.
British
Online Casinos
The best in British online casinos for UK
residents.
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