House Committee to Hold Internet Gambling Hearing 6/8

[Wongboy]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's the witness list so far for this week's hearing:

<ul type="square">Howard Lederer, Professional Poker Player and Poker Industry Software Consultant
Radley Balko, Senior Editor, Reason Magazine
Jon Prideaux, Chief Executive, Asterion Payments
Gerald Kitchen, Chief Executive Officer, SecureTrading Ltd
Pastor Greg Hogan [/list]
So that's a total of one name I know that's friendly. I'm guessing the Pastor isn't on our side. The other two I'll have to research.

You can keep up with developments here:

Can Internet Gambling Be Effectively Regulated to Protect Consumers and the Payments System?

[/ QUOTE ]

Count one more supporter in that group (per Google):

Reason Magazine
Political journal advocating the gamut of libertarian causes.

[Jestocost]

Oh great, Pastor Greg Hogan is the father of the idiot kid at Lehigh who robbed a bank to pay his gambling debts. I'm sure he can blame that on Internet gambling vs. crappy parenting.

[Wongboy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Here's the witness list so far for this week's hearing:

<ul type="square">Howard Lederer, Professional Poker Player and Poker Industry Software Consultant
Radley Balko, Senior Editor, Reason Magazine
Jon Prideaux, Chief Executive, Asterion Payments
Gerald Kitchen, Chief Executive Officer, SecureTrading Ltd
Pastor Greg Hogan [/list]
So that's a total of one name I know that's friendly. I'm guessing the Pastor isn't on our side. The other two I'll have to research.

You can keep up with developments here:

Can Internet Gambling Be Effectively Regulated to Protect Consumers and the Payments System?

[/ QUOTE ]

Count one more supporter in that group (per Google):

Reason Magazine
Political journal advocating the gamut of libertarian causes.

[/ QUOTE ]

and some bad news:

DeSales in the News


The Morning Call, Thursday, August 17, 2006
How online gambling toppled Greg Hogan's world

Story by Matt Assad focuses on Lehigh University sophomore Greg Hogan Jr. who robbed a local bank to feed a gambling addiction. According to Assad, in a little more than a year, the Lehigh class president and accomplishment musician lost $8,000. Hogan's father, a Baptist minister in Barberton, Ohio, wants his son's story to be a cautionary tale for the 1.7 million college students who now gamble online. He will be among the guest panelists discussing online gambling during the Center Valley Forum hosted by the Salesian Center for Faith and Culture at DeSales on Aug. 30.

[TheEngineer]

Howard Lederer, Professional Poker Player and Poker Industry Software Consultant
with us, obviously

Radley Balko, Senior Editor, Reason Magazine
big-time libertarian....regular on Foxnews.com, where he wrote a nice article on our behalf after UIGEA passed, and reason.com..with us

Jon Prideaux, Chief Executive, Asterion Payments
used to work for Visa (I think)...not sure what side he's on

Gerald Kitchen, Chief Executive Officer, SecureTrading Ltd company handles electronic payments

Pastor Greg Hogan
bad news....his son had problems with a claimed online poker addiction..... http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/magazi...3d0&amp;ei=5070 ... frequently cited by groups like the Family Research Council

[oldbookguy]

Well, I would saty all in all the hearing is a pretty well stack deck, 4 on our side, 1 against.

Give me that deck any day.

obg

[bossplayer]

[ QUOTE ]

Well, I would saty all in all the hearing is a pretty well stack deck, 4 on our side, 1 against.

Give me that deck any day.


obg

[/ QUOTE ]
Sorry cant resist....

So would it be luck with this deck too?
[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Wongboy]

[ QUOTE ]

Well, I would saty all in all the hearing is a pretty well stack deck, 4 on our side, 1 against.

Give me that deck any day.

obg

[/ QUOTE ]


I'd say 3 on our side for sure (secure trading will definately benefit from increased EFT's and less regulation), Visa is also a probable on our side.

I think the key is to ensure that we focus on the fact that sites can ensure no underage gamblers / fraud, etc. Basically, make the case that controls can be put in place to ensure that degenerates with no personal responsibility like the the Pastors son can be stopped from violating the law.

This is a challenge since online sites do not currently do a very good job of blocking underage gamblers, but this is still where we should focus our efforts IMHO.

[frommagio]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh great, Pastor Greg Hogan is the father of the idiot kid at Lehigh who robbed a bank to pay his gambling debts. I'm sure he can blame that on Internet gambling vs. crappy parenting.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, while I would agree that poor parenting is by far a more relevant factor, it is good to remember that the other side does have some legitimate points. Families do get hurt by these guys who can't control their gambling.

Anybody remember 2+2's own Cero, the self-described "pro player" and respected poster on the strategy forums? He donked away the family savings when his hot streak ended: http://www.slate.com/id/2144866/. Cero's wife and kids were innocent victims; they did nothing wrong.

Our hobby/passion/profession does have an unfortunate underside. It's wise to respect our opponents, as there's a bit of truth on all sides.

[Uglyowl]

[ QUOTE ]
Our hobby/passion/profession does have an unfortunate underside. It's wise to respect our opponents, as there's a bit of truth on all sides.

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be nice if they could show why keeping poker "above ground" would be better for all involved including problem gamblers.

[daedalus]

Pastor Greg??....I think he's the guy that plays $5000/$1000 NL on Full Tilt (screenname: Reverend Jim)