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Old 11-27-2007, 07:27 PM
Skallagrim Skallagrim is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: The Live Free or Die State
Posts: 1,071
Default Re: Proposed internet poker ban in MA

Randy isnt wrong. The only Federal Law that can be interpreted to make a Poker site illegal is the Wire Act and the case cited says the Wire Act only applies to sportsbetting. It was the highest court to rule on the issue so far.

Poker is not specifically mentioned in Mass statutes. Generally, a game is "gambling" and hence illegal in Mass if its a game of chance. If its a game of skill its legal. Which do you think poker is? Same with online poker, but there is even more reason to believe Mass law does not apply online (it never mentions online, it criminalizes places of gambling and private residences are not among those places, and it arguably violates the Constitution's commerce clause).

Under the new law, any online wagering on anything becomes illegal (unless permafrost is appointed to the Mass court and rules, for the first time anywhere, that wagering can only happen on games of chance) and players can get prison sentences.

Skallagrim
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