Internet Gambling: US Businesses Still Taking A Piece of the Pie

[vinnie]

The news that Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO), the California based internet service company, has opened an online poker room which would target primarily U.K. residents seemed to be a surprise to many people. And it should not. Not just because gambling is by far the most lucrative business in the world after baby food manufacturing, but it's because this illustrates the business practice of most US companies.

Many people saw the news about Yahoo getting its own poker room due to the high Internet profile of the company, but if they were to keep with the online gambling industry on a daily basis - they would not have been all that surprised. People seem to be surprised mostly because Yahoo! Inc. is an American company which operates online gambling website, where foreign online gambling websites are not allowed to operate in the US.

Well, folks, though stuff, but it's the E.U.'s and other countries fault. They should have hammered better laws to prevent US companies operating online gambling websites in their countries, the same way US did. But that's not my point. My point is that the fact that Yahoo! Inc. has an online poker room in the US is nothing new.

US gambling company to launch online casino - The Las Vegas Sands is opening an online casino which targets U.K. citizens. The new online casino will have its license issued by the U.K. and Cantor Gaming will provide the software. On the same note, Harrah's Entertainment was the last to try online gambling in Britain, but failed just six months after it opened virtual doors in 2004.

How about a "little somethin'-somethin' for the online gambling advertisers? Well, how about the fact that The Walt Disney Company (NYSEIS) is running advertisements for online betting and gambling websites? You didn't know that? Oh, yeah, the ESPN.com, which is owned by Disney along with ABC and FamilyFun, runs advertisements for Bet365 and Skybet. So the good ole Disney is making money off of online gambling, too.

Do not be surprised if more US companies start opening their own online casinos, poker rooms and online betting websites. It's just too lucrative for them to miss on such an opportunity. Will MySpace have a gambling website? Possibly. MySpace is owned by News Corp. (NYSE:NWS.A) and everything is possible when it comes to Mr. Murdoch.

We all know that Congressman Jon Kyl, and the rest of the sponsors of the Internet gambling ban in the US, claim that Internet gambling is addictive and hurts minors. I would love to hear what those prominent US legislators think about the fact that US companies are benefiting from the minors and addicts in other countries. And Disney for Christ sake...

 

[Dell Dude]

This will all come back to haunt the United States. Already is. Called the Iraq War. Other than Great Britain, every other country told us to fuk off. No one looks up to America anymore. In fact, we have become the most hated country in the world. Deservedly so. This is just one example why. A far more serious example is the killing of innocent people and blowing them off as collateral damage. How many thousands in collateral damage, Mr. Bush? How many thousands?

 

[Penguinfan]

Dell Dude, I saw your name as the latest reply to this message and I just had to open it, you did not dissapoint.

While I don't dissagree that Bush is a criminal, I am not sure how the ban of funding options to offshore accounts equates to the world hating us because of the conflict in Iraq.

Anxiously awaiting your explanation.

 

[Dell Dude]

Dell Dude, I saw your name as the latest reply to this message and I just had to open it, you did not dissapoint.

While I don't dissagree that Bush is a criminal, I am not sure how the ban of funding options to offshore accounts equates to the world hating us because of the conflict in Iraq.

Anxiously awaiting your explanation.

This whole internet gambling thing is a metaphor for how we treat the rest of the world. Our values, our national interests, and especially our laws trump every other country. We make the rules, and they not only apply to us but the entire world because we are America, we are the greatest country in the world, we have separation of Church and state but God is an American and He will always be on our side in any conflict, we are the shining symbol of democracy, every other country should strive to be like us, the rest of the world needs to accomodate us in every way we ask and always do as we say because we are good, we are great, we are America, God Bless America, God damn anyone or anything that goes against America.

That's how it is possible to ban internet gambling and go after all these foreign companies and individuals unilaterally while promoting all kinds of gambling in the United States and allowing US businesses to provide internet gambling offshore.

This kind of colonialistic nonsense couldn't come at a worse time. Iraq War shows we are not as great as we think. Getting our asses kicked. We are going to need to mend fences with the rest of the world or we will have greater problems than banning internet gambling. Al Kaida is a little more dangerous than Bet On Sports, and a little harder to intimidate into submission.

Just a metaphor. This didn't start with the current Bush administration either. But it has really exploded during his tenure, and is now coming to a boiling point.

If 9-11 happened again, I am doubting we could do a third major war and also doubting how much help we would get from other countries.

 

[Dell Dude]

I checked for myself. This is 100% true. Went to Yahoo UK. Nice.

http://yahoopoker.stenodoc.com/yahoopoker/poker/home/index.html

 

[Dell Dude]

You must be over 18 years of age to play Poker online.

Participation in online poker is illegal in some countries. It is your responsibility to ensure that the laws of the country in which you are resident or are located permit you to play Poker. You must not play Poker on this site where it is illegal or otherwise prohibited in your country

This is laughable.

 

[Dell Dude]

And so is the $1000 signup bonus for a $10 deposit. You have to read the fine print. I'm about ready to call Gomer Kyle and tell him to stick UIGEA up his ass.

Promotions
Sign Up Bonus

Get a massive $1000 just by signing up today! Just deposit as little as ?10 and play poker to receive your bonus.

For example, every time you play through $10 we will give you $1. So the more you play the more we pay - it is that simple!

 

[Dell Dude]

And of course they have WSOP satellite tournaments. Yeah, why not, makes sense to me. Ban Americans and let everyone else play. It is the *World* Series of Poker.

Bill Frist: "Gambling is a serious addiction that undemines the family, dashes dreams and frays the fabric of society.

Bill Leach: "Internet is the crack/cocaine of gambling."

John Kyl: "Click a mouse, lose a house."

 

[MadJack]

And of course they have WSOP satellite tournaments. Yeah, why not, makes sense to me. Ban Americans and let everyone else play. It is the *World* Series of Poker.

Bill Frist: "Gambling is a serious addiction that undemines the family, dashes dreams and frays the fabric of society.

Bill Leach: "Internet is the crack/cocaine of gambling."

John Kyl: "Click a mouse, lose a house."

but play our lottery and horses and everything will be fine.

 

[IntenseOperator]

not to get all rah rah (I know dopes like Pony Tail love that)

Not disagreeing with anything said in this thread.....

but I for one could give a F what the rest of the world's opinion is about anything. This is not out of any arrogance on my part. The fact is, this country can never please the rest of the world no matter what it does. Of course there have been many mistakes and wrong decisions by the US over the years. There exist no gratitude for all this country has done for the rest of the world. All the foreign wars fought and lives lost, all the foreign nationals taken in, all the inventions and advancements created here, all the billions and billions "loaned" (never to be repaid) and given away. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't IMO. You can look at countless times were the intervention was the wrong thing to do or countless times when not intervening was the wrong thing to do. Everything is a conspiracy and all the right answers come from Monday morning quarterbacks that can't make a decision when it's time to, but are sharp as hell after others have made the necessary choices. Losers in Europe do nothing but take advantage of countries around the world. They won't even stop mass killings in their own backyard, but feel free to criticize the US on countless issues. Germany and France can both F u c k off as far as I'm concerned. Both those sorry shitholes will need the US again sooner or later. Seems both those dumps are on the verge of civil war anyway. Let's get on with the show!

 

[Dell Dude]

Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 16:48:38 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: UIGEA
To: yahoopoker@pokerresponse.com

How is it that I as an American can no longer play poker at Party Poker nor use NETeller for deposits, transfers and withdrawals yet Yahoo (which I *think* is an American company) is doing all of that for people in the UK? Is it a crime for Party Poker based in the UK to offer online poker to the United States but legal for Yahoo based in the US to offer online poker to the UK?

Yahoo indeed.

.....

 

[ImFeklhr]

I hope we can change our laws, but I don't find anything weird about this.

Jack Daniels is free to sell booze to 18 year olds in countries where that is the drinking age, but not in America.

Laws are different all over the world, that is probably a good, not a bad thing.

 

[Dell Dude]

But whiskey is not banned inside the United States. Maybe it's just me, but this seems like the proverbial smoking gun. Is internet gambling a serius addiction that undermines the family, dashes dreams yada yada yada for Americans, but in the UK internet gambling is just good times and rock 'n roll?

Another thing that "puzzles" me is the distinction between game of skill and game of chance. Game of skill, good. Game of chance, bad. Ok, why? What if it was a game of body odor? Is there some kind of formula that determines what kinds of gambling is good and what kinds are bad. Betting on horsies, good. Betting on NBA players, bad.

Ah fuk it. I'll wait for President Hillary to fix this.

 

[freelancc]

Dude.. you have been making too much sense lately..:shrug:

 

[lewehands]

I don't see any other countries that are as great to live in as ours.. If i did I would probably move there!

 

[vinnie]

I don't see any other countries that are as great to live in as ours.. If i did I would probably move there!

I agree I just break the laws I don't believe in :00hour

 

[Franky Wright]

I hope we can change our laws, but I don't find anything weird about this. but not in America. Laws are different all over the world, that is probably a good, not a bad thing.

Exactly, but...

Is internet gambling a serius addiction that undermines the family, dashes dreams yada yada yada for Americans, but in the UK internet gambling is just good times and rock 'n roll?.....
Another thing that "puzzles" me is the distinction between game of skill and game of chance. Game of skill, good. Game of chance, bad. Ok, why? What if it was a game of body odor? Is there some kind of formula that determines what kinds of gambling is good and what kinds are bad. Betting on horsies, good. Betting on NBA players, bad.
Ah fuk it. I'll wait for President Hillary to fix this.

WTF, not Hillary, Noooooo:142smilie
You make some good points D-Dude! But some on here could argue that being able to predict a winner vs a spread or money line takes some skill also :SIB

Dude.. you have been making too much sense lately..:shrug:

I too am impressed by the Dude :com:

Franky

 

[Lucas10101]

I;m not that impressed though Franky...:00hour

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Wouldn't put too much credit in Dell's review of rest of world hating the U.S.--

While liberal media and blogs feed you that 24 hours a day--you might want to look at the facts-

Within the last 5 years--Canada-Australia--and Europe have voted in Conservative leader--with France (believe it or not) being the latest this month voting in a pro U.S. conservative over anti U.S. liberal.

Books did well in these elections due to those following the media hype as they did here in 04.

Cardinal rule in wagering on elections--Media polls are much easier to munipulate than votes--and conservatives poll much better when voting is involved

 

[Franky Wright]

I;m not that impressed though Franky...:00hour

Ok, maybe I should rephrase it :mj07: ...
I'm like Freelance, for the Dude, this is a step in the right direction :SIB ...

:com: