Will Online Poker be made illegal in Europe?

Bananna man

This is probably old news, but I wondered if this article about banning online gaming had any possibility of becoming a reality. At present it only states that the USA will be effected, but seeing as how there is talk of live casino's being closed down in Ireland what is the likelyhood of Europe going down the same route?

http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3585871

shoutman

"The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act is vital to protect our children and communities from the problems of addiction, crime, bankruptcy and family difficulties that come from gambling."

HAHAHAHAHA

handsfree

i could be wrong but i think it is already illegal in italy

hotspur

The bill has already passed at committee stage in the American House of Representatives. Here is the bill if any of you care:
http://www.house.gov/goodlatte/bobs%20bills%20109/internet%20gambling/Internet%20Gambling%20Prohibition%20Act.PDF

The law if enacted would contravene the World Trade Organisation's ruling in the America - Antigua fight, which is interesting.
It looks like the bill will pass at the moment, one of the reasons a similar one didn't in 2000 was due to extremely influential Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff who now is a disgraced defrauding felon who's ratting out politicans he bribed.Read this to find how how he got his name Casino Jack -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/01/07/do0704.xml&sSheet=/portal/2006/01/07/ixportal.html

Anyhoos you might think that the gaming industry is so powerful and rich in America that it could effect any outcome it wanted in these matters, well yes they are and they could but with the exception of a few casino corporations the view of the big hitting American Gaming Association has been that online gambling is a competitor to its bricks and mortar members' operations -
"AGA's position has been consistent for the last eight years," says AGA President and CEO Frank Fahrenkopf Jr. "We are opposed to Internet gambling because we do not believe that the technology or software exists to properly regulate it with the appropriate law enforcement oversight."
Which of course is true (although I know some of you believe in the inherent goodness and integrity of online gambling firms) but a BS reason.

However it is inevitable that online gaming will continue in America in the future and that the major bricks and mortar gaming corporations bring their products online properly (MGM Mirage really want to). So it will be regulated there in a few years time no doubt about it.

As for Europe, there is no similar movement toward shutting it down generally and since the UK decided in their Gambling Act last year to move to regulating online gambling from within the UK it is inevitable that it will be followed by others. It'll all be rosey, gambling will be ubiquitous and we'll all live happily ever after

Atlas_IRL

how could they ban it... ips??

RasTa

Its illegal in OZ anyway, or was when i was there. Although that was two years ago. But i remembered i couldnt log onto paddy power to place a bet.