Quote:
Originally Posted by webair
I don't see why they just don't make it legal and tax the fuck out of it...
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Because that makes way too much financial sense to do something like that.
Instead of proper onling gaming reform, Bush signed it into law the Safe Port Act with the Unlawful Internet Gaming and Enforcement Act on the back of it. The UIGEA had no business being on that bill, but they snuck it on their before anybody could appeal because they knew Bush would sign it without question.
Most gambling sites pulled out and stopped new US players from signing up. Poker sites stayed and tried to fight that poker wasn't gambling. It didn't go over well the past few years, so all poker sites used .NET address as a free gateway into their paid .COM product.
The UIGEA went into full effect last June, and now with COICA and ICE, the US can effectively stamp a guilty verdict and break 1st Ammendment rights and take yo shit by taking the domain. I don't even know if that is actually legal for them to do in this instance.
The main problem with the UIGEA is that it excludes fantasy sports, doesn't mention state lotteries and does not clarify if horse racing wagering is illegal, which fall under the Federal Wire Act. I can't remember the needledicks name that pushed hard on this bill and snuck it on the Safe port act.
The US fucked themselves out on billions of tax revenues they could have been earning to fund their wars if they would have just imposed a Gaming tax like the UK did.