June 9th, 2010
With the internet changing how almost every industry functions, it’s not surprising that it might affect gambling laws too. There were already some uneasy grey areas in the laws that apply to real-life gambling, but with the advent of online casinos, the proliferation of poker websites, and a million opportunities for betting online, governments are now having to create a whole new regulatory environment for this burgeoning phenomenon.
In 2006, Congress passed a law that was meant to ban the means people used for placing online bets. The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act effectively forbids American banks to transfer funds to or from any online gambling site. This meant Americans theoretically couldn’t place bets, even on websites registered in other countries and entirely legal there. American government protectionism has even gone so far as to prompt the arrest of executives of any company taking American money, if they set foot on American soil. Once this law passed, all gambling sites publicly listed on stock exchanges stopped taking bets from American customers. However, most privately-owned sites still allowed Americans to place bets.
And more than a few people noticed a bit of selectivity in how Congress wrote this law that supposedly blocked all betting online. For some reason, the ban wasn’t universal, with certain types of online gaming and gambling still allowed. And those exemptions, such as horse racing, fantasy sports sites, Indian gaming and state lotteries, just happened to be types of gambling the government received revenue from already. It wasn’t surprising that a few eyebrows were raised.
December 1, 2010 is the date when this law blocking betting online and similar gambling is set to be enforced. Yet the story isn’t over yet, because certain Democrat legislators are trying to introduce new laws to legalize and regulate internet casinos and other gaming, while certain Republican legislators are warning that this will destroy the very fabric of society, unlike the currently legal online horse race betting and state lotteries. It may be that 2010 will be the year where the legal status and fate of online betting in the United States will be decided once and for all.
Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed panic attacks help as well as tips on the various medications for panic disorder available at www.anxietydisordercure.com.
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May 15th, 2010
With internet gambling becoming more and more popular, in America as well as the rest of the world, it’s unfortunate that the position American gamblers are in is not very clear. On one hand, since 2006 it’s officially been a felony for banks to send or receive funds from any online gambling website. Yet many experts say individual bettors, if they find another way to transfer funds, can make online bets with impunity. Well, unless they live in one of the states that penalize the individual as well as banks. How is a person to know what to do?
What will happen if someone places an online bet? According to the www.vegasclick.com site, nothing will happen. No individual has ever been prosecuted for doing so. Even the 2006 law was aimed at banks, not individual bettors. So if a person finds a way to get their funds to their favorite offshore betting site, they can carry on. Michael Bluejay, writing at the site in 2007 following passage of the law, said Americans are going to continue online gambling and nobody is likely to stop them, law or not.
Of course, most major offshore gambling sites didn’t quite see it that way. Several resisted at first, scoffing that a law made in the United States shouldn’t have jurisdiction over websites fully registered and legal in their own country. But eventually they decided that the hassle was just too great, especially when a couple of executives from those sites were arrested on American soil and prosecuted. So one by one, most of them announced they would no longer be accepting online bets from Americans.
American gamblers who are determined are going to find ways to place online bets, even if they can’t use banks to transfer funds. After all, in 2009 they did it to the tune of about eight billion dollars. So the gambling law trying to block the flow of money doesn’t actually work. As a result, legislators are now trying to change the law so online gambling becomes legal, and can be taxed and regulated instead. If this happens, bettors will finally have a better idea where they stand, and the government will have discovered a new and badly needed source of revenue.
Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed panic attacks help as well as tips on the various medications for panic disorder available at www.anxietydisordercure.com.
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May 14th, 2010
Even if you’re curious and interested in trying to play at an online casino, you may hesitate. For many people, the idea of engaging in financial transactions on the internet is still very new, and it’s understandable that you would be worried about fraud, identity theft, and having your bank account emptied. After all, it does happen, and an internet gambling site seems like the perfect place for criminals to commit these crimes. So you may simply think better of your impulse, and decide not to try.
One way of discerning an honest online casino from one that is shady is to trust the experts. These would be people like the Michael Shackleford, proprietor of the www.wizardofodds.com website, for example, or Michael Bluejay who currently writes at the Wizard of Odds, but also maintained the www.vegasclick.com website until 2008. They give expert advice on playing games at casinos in general, but also refer people to the best betting sites and casino gaming sites.
Remember also that for an online poker site to make money in the long term, they can’t cheat their customers. Unless their gaming programs are on the up and up, not only won’t they get repeat business, but their bad reputation will make their initial business dry up too. Of course, that still doesn’t protect you from fake casino sites set up just so crooks can collect your credit card info. But again this can be prevented by reading the experts’ websites to learn about the best internet casinos. As well, if you play at sites affiliated with poker pros, such as www.fulltiltpoker.com and www.pokerstars.net, then you can be confident they are on the up-and-up.
What experts in online gaming can do is guide you away from the any online casino that has shady practices and toward the ones that operate with more integrity. With the understanding that all games in casinos, whether online or in real life, are created so that “the house always wins,” it’s not hard for the experts to recognize when a casino has rigged their games to go well beyond that. They can help you navigate this new gambling world, and show you where you can play with some peace of mind.
Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed panic attacks help as well as tips on the various medications for panic disorder available at www.anxietydisordercure.com.
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Tags: gambling online, Internet gambling, online casino, online gambling sites | No Comments
October 9th, 2009
Gambling has been around for ages. People in ancient China gambled as well as in ancient Rome. Today, you will see that gambling is still part of everyday life. It is a fact that the game of chance can be considered to be part of the human culture. Everywhere you go, you will see people gambling. Today, you can even see online gambling where people can gamble right at the comforts of their own home.
From online sports betting to online casinos, you will see that online gambling can provide every type of gambling there is. If you love betting on the NBA Finals, or in MLB or NFL, online sport betting is for you. But, if you love playing black jack, roulette, poker, video poker, or even slot machines, then you may want to try your luck in online casinos and websites.
So, why is online gambling very popular?
First of all, unlike traditional gambling, online gambling will enable you to gamble right in the comforts of your own home. All you need is a computer with an active internet connection and a credit card. You don’t actually need to travel to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to be gambling in a casino. All you have to do is visit one of the many online casinos available today in the internet, open an account, and start trying out your luck.
The good thing about online gambling is that it you are likely to get the same excitement as betting traditionally. You will be able as well
to gain access to every type of gambling online. From horse races, to NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and even NCAA games, you will be able to bet on your favorite teams.
There are also online casinos that will let you play poker against other online players. You may want to try out if you are a beginner at games like this
the free versions of card games where you will be given virtual or fake money that you can use to practice with other people.
Although this won't give you the same excitement as the real deal can, you will be able to experience first hand what online gambling is all about. And, at the same time, you won’t be risking any of your hard earned cash.
As you can see, there are quite a lot of benefits that gambling online can provide. In fact, if you are in to sports betting, you will find a lot of professional
guidelines that can help you make good decisions on which team to place your bet on.
These are the reasons why online gambling is so popular among a lot of people.
However, you also need to keep in mind that whatever form of gambling it is, it is still gambling. And, this means that it will involve the risk of losing cash. Also, because it is gambling, you have to remember that it can be addictive. That rush that you feel when you win as well as the urge to make up for the money you lost will always remain there. So, always be careful whenever you gamble. You might end up losing a lot of cash and get deep in debt.
Whenever you try your luck in online gambling, just remember that you need to set a limit on the cash you are willing to lose. Don't ever set unattainable goals such as
this will push you even beyond your limit to keep on betting.
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