[davmcg]

[ QUOTE ]
As others have pointed out, it has nothing to do with free speech and everything to do with money laundering.

I would agree with the government's current contention that online gambling makes laundering money easier than B&M gambling -- especially poker. I mean, come on, there's no better or faster way I know of to pay someone a big chunk of money than in a HUNL game. It only costs $3 per $10,000.

The problem with the government's argument is that it is circular:

1. Online gaming isn't regulated.
2. Because online gaming isn't monitored by the government, it is more likely to be used for money laundering (duh...).
3. Ergo, unregulated online gaming should be illegal.

It's a Catch 22. If online gaming was regulated (and taxed, of course, to pay for its regulation), then the government could insist on controls and measures to be implemented that fight money laundering and various other forms of financial fraud.

With the debt this country is racking up, it's no doubt Congress is looking at the financial boon that awaits a legalized online gaming industry in the United States. But they have to wrestle with phooey like "morality" first.

Why they think this is their responsibility, I have no idea...

Legalize. Regulate. Tax. Monitor. Control. Just leave the issues of "morality" and "cultural welfare" out of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really wish that you people would read a bit about money laundering before spouting off.

The traditional definition of money laundering is the three stage process of placement, layering and integration. I say traditional because legislative changes (not sure what exactly maybe Patriot Act) meant that any cash transaction in relation to a crime automatically could also be money laundering, even though there was no attempt to hide the origin of the cash.

Placement, getting cash into the financial system, is by far the most difficult stage of the process and as online casinos don't handle cash they can't be utilised for this purpose. Clearly B&M can and offer a facility to move the cash into the financial system by cheque or bank transfer.

OK there is some argument that online poker could be of some use in the layering (multiple transactions to obscure original source) and integration (transaction(s) that present funds as legally acquired), but virtually any commercial transaction can be used for these purposes, many with far less transparency than fully recorded hands of poker.