Second Life has banned gambling

[pdxhero]

I've observed before that online multiplayer games ("worlds") might have trouble with UIGEA too:

http://theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=41240

[DrewOnTilt]

I remember reading a WSJ article a few months ago that stated that the FBI has been scrutinizing Second Life for some time now, part of the reason being virtual gambling, the Second Life virtual economy, and the fact that it's possible to trade Linden Dollars (the Second Life virtual currency) for real dollars. This has been brewing for awhile now.

[MiltonFriedman]

Gambling is the least of their worries. Press reports accused them of grossly inflating their subcriber numbers.

[yahboohoo]

Maybe this is where The Engineer needs to take the fight -- into Second Life. We'd probably have a lot better chance of getting virtual politicians to pass virtual laws declaring poker a game that's virtually skill.

[ubercuber]

No Gambling in make believe world! What a joke. Stupid. In theory this should help us, due to the ridiculousness of it. I don't have much confidence in lawmakers to recognize when something has gotten out of hand though. Idiots.

Do you guys realize what they do to gamblers in virtual prison? *shudder*

[DrewOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
No Gambling in make believe world! What a joke. Stupid. In theory this should help us, due to the ridiculousness of it. I don't have much confidence in lawmakers to recognize when something has gotten out of hand though. Idiots.

Do you guys realize what they do to gamblers in virtual prison? *shudder*

[/ QUOTE ]

The issue is that it is possible to trade the virtual dollars for real dollars, and vice versa. I think that it is safe to assume that the casino owners in Second Life did in fact turn a profit in terms of real dollars.

[prodonkey]

[ QUOTE ]
No Gambling in make believe world! What a joke. Stupid. In theory this should help us, due to the ridiculousness of it. I don't have much confidence in lawmakers to recognize when something has gotten out of hand though. Idiots.

Do you guys realize what they do to gamblers in virtual prison? *shudder*

[/ QUOTE ]

This is like saying no sex on the sims

[meleader2]

[ QUOTE ]
I remember reading a WSJ article a few months ago that stated that the FBI has been scrutinizing Second Life for some time now, part of the reason being virtual gambling, the Second Life virtual economy, and the fact that it's possible to trade Linden Dollars (the Second Life virtual currency) for real dollars. This has been brewing for awhile now.

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW i made a post about this a while ago in BBV cuz i was looking for untapped resources to gamble. the HIGHEST they had was 2L$/4L$...which...was about .02/.04 US$.

it is not a huge loss.

[Valhalla1]

also there is no regulation of second life casinos, there's no stopping someone from programming a game that cheats or has like a 90% house advantage, and theres no recourse or regulatory body to go to as a player if u get ripped off or something

[Ramon Scott]

I lost my job as a poker dealer in second life as my place of work was shut down. Now I won't make in LD so I can't get into virtual bars and hit on women.