In defense of poker sites

[Jeffro]

I know this is going to against popular opinion here but it needs to be said. A lot of my thinking is from listening to the 888 Holdings Plc Analysts' Conference Call/Q&A yesterday. If anyone is interested in listening to this it is available at:
Dial :+44 (0)1296 618 700
Pin: 200001

888 Holdings stance of why they are not allowing U.S. customers is upon review of this bill their lawyers infer that it is illegal for them to accept wagers from U.S. citizens. I’m by no means a lawyer, so I can not comment whether this is clearly stated in the bill or not, but somebody who makes a whole lot more then me has interpreted it this way.

So I don’t understand the mentality around here. Why would you expect the companies to openly violate U.S. laws? By the reasoning around here as long as something is legal somewhere, then it should be legal in the U.S.

These large companies need to protect their long tem viability, and I don’t think openly violating U.S. law would be a good way to go about if they have any hope of ever getting back in to the market and to protect their business today.

But this still does not mean I’m happy about any of this.

[otctrader]

[ QUOTE ]
So I don’t understand the mentality around here. Why would you expect the companies to openly violate U.S. laws?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well you're right in a way, the public companies have their hands tied. Animosity should be directed at the boneheads who put this legislation into effect, although poker sites are partly culpable in that they didn't have more vocal opposition to the legislation (probably too busy quietly selling stock before the sky fell)