[Legislurker]

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I think that the sanctions imposed by the WTO will greatly affect what happens with online gambling in US. IF WTO grants IP sanctions, then US will be forced to open online gambling to foreign operators. No other country attempts to regulate or tax operators in foreign countries. Even the recent UK regs and taxes only affect operators located in the UK.
So if WTO really cracks down, it will not accept a law such as IGREA that attempts to regulate foreign online gambling concerns.
Also, I really believe that these state laws prohibiting an individual from online gambling in his own home will be declared to violate the privacy rights under the US constitution. I cannot see how one has the right to gay sex in one's home, but not the right to gamble online.
Of course, Congress can regulate online gambling operators located in US, which is why I doubt that they will arise anytime soon. Most states already have licensing, taxation and other regulations that would apply to any business located in a state that offers online gambling services. I believe that such laws and/or federal such laws will prevent operators of online gambling site in US from being able to compete with foreign competitors.

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If the WTO works for us, we need to be lobbying for the US to join with the UK on the white list. Perhaps expand it. Form a government sponsored testing and auditing site. The right to advertize in an unfettered manner and be placed in people's MINDS as more safe and secure is a big carrot. They won't have to submit to it, but I think most of the long run operations will want to. Id like to see a large bond required as well, bigger than any one prize on offer at a book/poker room/casino where if they refuse to pay, the bond is pulled and given to the player. Word of mouth is strong and amateur detection as has been proved by this, but
we also need a government seal of approval to market a legitimate product to the masses.
Look at the free market in the gaming world overall, how many F rated books are there at SBR? People still give their money to be stolen year after year to rogue books. Five minutes googling should give you safe good books or casinos, but rogue ones pop up all the time. The programmers, managers, processors, and CS reps work with poker as well as those places. You think 90% of them give a [censored] if we get cheated now and then? If anything this episode( I can't even call it a debacle) has shown they can get away with it with little or no risk. But not if they lost advertizing priviliges, faced jail, or lost a posted bond.