online poker ban

I can't help with poker, but I just heard that there are now slots at the racetrack in Yonkers.

http://news.google.com/news?q=yonkers slots

The ban is another attempt to dictate morality. Some people like to gamble, some don't. Some people like to drink, some don't. People find their pleasure in various places. But, Senator Frist doesn't like online gambling and he's not gonna let you do it. Nope, the same guy who killed cats from animal shelters in med school thinks he knows whats best for me.

The main points to the bill and why they are flawed:

(1) Frist's bill outlaws gambling online, this includes casino games and poker in all its forms. However, Frist excludes online horse betting and online lotteries in the very same bill. Protecting Americans from online gambling are we? Can you say hypocrite. Why the exception? The racetrack operators have a powerful lobby that lines certain Senators pockets.

(2) Frist claims the bill protects children. Since you can't use a credit card these days you need Firepay or Neteller which requires a bank account and an electronic transfer of funds. I don't know many children with access to online banking without supervision, but maybe there are a few. I can think of many more serious "scourges" I'd want my children protected from online than gambling. Let's just start with, say, emails from a certain Senator.

(3) Frist claims that online gambling (vs. onshore) does not contribute to the US GDP. Well, here's a an argument that almost makes sense. The Economist reported that about $6 billion was wagered online by Americans last year. All these online casinos and poker rooms are offshore (Costa Rica, UK, Canada, etc) due to US laws. So there is a money vacuum here going to other countries (still nothing like our very own govnt's budget defecit). Solution: Legalise, tax and regulate. Legalisation would bring lots of operators to US soil and create new jobs. Taxes on gambling sites would be provide a nice revenue stream. Regulation would allow consumers more protection from any unhonest online operators, though most casinos are already regulated in the UK which allows online gambling and taxes it.

In the big picture, this bill is small fry. But, it pisses me off to have another freedom eroded. By the way, it does really change things if you play online. Party Poker cut off US players and most of the other big ones are following suit. These are big, publicly traded companies on the London exchange and they don't want their execs getting arrested in the US.

More info go to Bonuswhores.com forums.

Senator Frist picked up a $40,000 campaign contribution (pre ban) from Harrahs and then Harrahs stock went up 20% the day the ban was announced. Meanwhile, all the UK gambling stocks plummeted and are now ripe for takeover by landbased US casinos.

Frist also picks up thousands from tobbaco and alcohol companies. When he commented on his bill he said that it fulfilled the wishes of the "pro-family" coalition who want to protect our children from addictive behaviors.

I haven't played Full Tilt yet. It's day by day now. Think it really depends on Neteller now. If they stay open to US customers then there will always be an online room willing to circumvent US law. Bodog's another one that said it's going to stay. We'll see. In any case half my accounts are closed as of Friday.