How long until this bill becomes a major threat?

[Trouthunter]

now - it's a major threat now. It needs to be nipped in the bud before it gains too much momentum.

[ginko]

Thanks for reading and taking the time to respond guys. From what I've gathered, this Bill has the potential to be bad, but there is a good chance it will get squashed somewhere a long the way. 1-2 years is a good way off, I'm at ease for now. Let's think happy thoughts.

[MicroBob]

There is a HUGE chance it gets squashed somewhere along the way.

Very similar legislation to try to inhibit/prohibit online-gambling has been introduced no fewer than 9 previous times I believe (going off memory)...usually by Sen. John Kyl of AZ.


So basically, this legislation keeps getting proposed over and over again and hasn't really come close to passing yet.

Should we be concerned about this one?
Sure. It's certainly not a good thing that it's bing proposed again.

But the most likely outcome is that it will suffer the same fate as the very similar pushes that never got very far.


However, even if it WERE to pass that would very likely not mean that you are suddenly trapped from your pokerstars account and now lose all your money. That would be ridiculous and I hope there aren't many people out there who are that paranoid about it.


however, if one person is thinking it then others must be also. And I suspect that SOMEWHERE out there are potential future online-poker players to be who are deciding NOT to take the plunge because they are actually worried about this stupid legislation.


I, personally, had an uncle tell my Mom to warn me that the government was trying to make online-poker illegal and I better get all my funds out to be safe.
My Mom was a bit concerned by this. He saw it on CNN so it must be true.
This was 2 years ago by the way.
(true story).


That's my greatest concern. News organizations and viewers/readers misinterpreting what is happening and general paranoia about online-poker flying all over the place.
People need to believe it's completely safe.
And if there's stories out there about it being illegal or the government is going to ban it outright then obviously many potentially interested Americans will decide that it isn't worth the risk.
Even the TALK that this stuff is 'illegal' has to be pretty scary to lots of current and would-be customers.

[LinusKS]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
P.S. - Has anyone emailed Party // Stars about this? Maybe I might drop them a line and see how they are reacting to the situation.

[/ QUOTE ]


whatever they are doing (and im sure they are)

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't count on that. Party and Stars are big businesses by ordinary-person standards, but when it comes to swinging their weight around on Capitol Hill... they're fish.

Plus, being foreign corporations doesn't help. I suspect there are strict rules about their ability even make a campaign contribution.

I doubt they have much ability to control the American government.

I mean, they're big, but they're no oil industry.

[MycroftX]

[ QUOTE ]
So if they were to get it though and ban internet gambling it wouldnt be until atleast 2007? Thats great news for me, Ill be out of college in 07 and have a real job by then, I was kind of scared if worse case it went though then I would have to get some crap part time job (although I could probably get a job as a dealer in the local casino which wouldnt be that bad (i dont think))

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm in the same boat as that guy. Amen.

[loveinvain]

[ QUOTE ]
...

So basically, this legislation keeps getting proposed over and over again and hasn't really come close to passing yet.

...



[/ QUOTE ]

Well one poster said that last year it got 60% of votes which was less than the 66% required. To me that's pretty darn close.

[Python49]

is there any such act that says the US cannot try to stop or attack online gambling sites that are overseas?

[ohead]

Im not even from USA but this [censored] worries the hell out of me anyway, god damn america if they take away my fish, then i'll never stop hating them.

[MOMOwheeler]

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?...109search.html|

I'm glad I wrote my congressman about this.... he happens to be one of the F-ER's supporting this thing! [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] - 11/18/2005
Rep Bachus, Spencer [AL-6] - 11/18/2005
Rep Bass, Charles F. [NH-2] - 11/18/2005
Rep Boehlert, Sherwood [NY-24] - 11/18/2005
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15] - 11/18/2005
Rep Ehlers, Vernon J. [MI-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] - 11/18/2005
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 12/8/2005
Rep Gilchrest, Wayne T. [MD-1] - 11/18/2005
Rep Gillmor, Paul E. [OH-5] - 11/18/2005
Rep Hooley, Darlene [OR-5] - 12/8/2005
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4] - 2/15/2006
Rep Kennedy, Mark R. [MN-6] - 12/8/2005
Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] - 11/18/2005
Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4] - 11/18/2005
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 11/18/2005
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] - 1/31/2006
Rep Osborne, Tom [NE-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6] - 11/18/2005
Rep Petri, Thomas E. [WI-6] - 2/15/2006
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. [PA-16] - 11/18/2005
Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN-3] - 11/18/2005
Rep Rogers, Mike [MI-8] - 11/18/2005
Rep Shadegg, John B. [AZ-3] - 12/8/2005
Rep Terry, Lee [NE-2] - 12/8/2005
Rep Upton, Fred [MI-6] - 2/14/2006
Rep Walsh, James T. [NY-25] - 11/18/2005
Rep Wicker, Roger F. [MS-1] - 1/31/2006
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] - 2/14/2006

[Berge20]

[ QUOTE ]
2006 to try to pass the house, if it does, then 2007 in the senate...

[/ QUOTE ]

We need a government 101 class apparently here....

Bills can be introduced in either chamber and be considered by the other chamber as soon as it passes the other. There is no year waiting period or anything remotely close. In addition, at the end of 2006 is the end of the 109th Congress and any action taken on legislation that has not become law is null and they will have to start over again in 2007.

Frequently bills will have companion measures, ie. they have an exact duplicate dropped in the other body (House/Senate) so that the committees can review them at the same time. At this point, no companion bill has been dropped in the Senate, but it wouldnt surprise me if it did.

The chance of any bill passing and becoming law is always slim. That's just the nature of our system. About 10k bills are introduced each Congress and not many pass. That said, this is a bill that was considered under UC in the Senate and on the House suspension calendar the last time it was brought to the floor (6 and 7 years ago) which are procedures generally reserved for non-controvertial measures. A lot has changed in the poker relm since then, but it is important that we do our best to voice our opposition to the measure.