Is anyone else not that worried? - Page 2

MasterLJ · #11 10-02-2006, 06:02 AM

Let me give an intuitive explanation... Do you guys think that in the spirit in which the bill was intending, that the Federal government would say that using a foreign bank to fund poker transfers would be kosher? If that were the case all you'd have to do is have some Euro-Neteller service that accepts money from Americans and there would be virtually no change in the status quo.

Furthermore, the law specifically criminalizes the transfer of any EFT/Check/Wire/ANY PROCEEDS to an online gambling site. To me, that says they do not care how it is worked around, it is illegal for any site to take an American's money. So the only way you could transfer money from a foreign source would be by claiming that you are a citizen of a different country (fraud).

Variance God · #12 10-02-2006, 06:06 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Let me give an intuitive explanation... Do you guys think that in the spirit in which the bill was intending, that the Federal government would say that using a foreign bank to fund poker transfers would be kosher? If that were the case all you'd have to do is have some Euro-Neteller service that accepts money from Americans and there would be virtually no change in the status quo.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. It seems that the government wants to stop online gambling sites from taking in money from US sources--not to prevent US citizens from playing poker. I know it doesn't make much sense, but WE aren't the target here at all.

MasterLJ · #13 10-02-2006, 06:11 AM

This is true. As many have said, it doesn't seem like any American will be arrested for playing online poker, but you may run into cases where you simply can't get your money out. I know what you're saying, and I hope you're right but I just can't see the IRS being OK with you claiming your winnings funnlled in from an offshore account. Somewhere along the chain an American bank will have to process proceeds from online gambling, which is expressly illegal under the wording of the law. They make no mention of how the money eventually gets to the bank, but taking the extra step of using an offshore account is literally, by definition, laundering the money to make it able to clear an American bank, which, imo, could land an American online poker player in jail.

mrhat187 · #14 10-02-2006, 06:13 AM

IRS doesn't share you information with other governmental sources......It's illegal just FYI [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

oreopimp · #15 10-02-2006, 06:14 AM

Even if sites are still around, the issue of getting money to and from them seems like it could be an issue. At least from the statments coming out.

MasterLJ · #16 10-02-2006, 06:15 AM

[ QUOTE ]
IRS doesn't share you information with other governmental sources......It's illegal just FYI [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

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I honestly did not know that. Not even laundering, etc? I mean, would you still sleep well at night basically admitting you are doing something illegal, and a department of the government knows about it? I wouldn't.

New001 · #17 10-02-2006, 06:17 AM

As I've always been told, the IRS doesn't care where you got your money from as long as they get the amount they want. I don't know exactly how true that is in practice, but it seems to be at least mostly true.

TheMetetron · #18 10-02-2006, 06:17 AM

I'm chilling.

MasterLJ · #19 10-02-2006, 06:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
As I've always been told, the IRS doesn't care where you got your money from as long as they get the amount they want. I don't know exactly how true that is in practice, but it seems to be at least mostly true.

[/ QUOTE ]

If it were true that the IRS doesn't care where the money comes from, just that they get their share, why would money laundering even exist? You'd have nothing to fear even if you ran a drug cartel.

Viscant · #20 10-02-2006, 06:18 AM

This is true. You could say that you sold crack on the street and as long as you reported your income properly, the IRS won't tell anyone and you're good to go.

However, requiring that people pay taxes on something that's already illegal is frequently just a way to bust them for not paying taxes on that activity...then nailing them for that activity when they have them. See also, Al Capone. Or for a more hilarious example...the pimp tax.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/...tax/index.html