Why Online poker get warns letter from the state Utah?

Tofu_boy · #1 08-07-2007, 04:01 PM

They are not on the list of 11 states.

http://www.gambling911.com/Utah-Onli...er-080707.html

Utah Warns Online Poker Players
The state of Utah has been sending out letters to online poker players warning they could be in violation of state laws.

A grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, charged seven people and four companies with multiple felonies related to processing credit cards for gambling Web sites this spring.

The defendants are accused of helping gambling sites process US $150 million in payments from U.S. bettors, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Charged in the indictment are Baron Lombardo, 46; Richard Carson-Selman, 51; Henry G. Bankey, 49; Francisco Lombardo, 52; Count C. Lombardo, 43; and Kimberlie Lombardo, 43, all of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Tina I. Hill, 32, of Sandy, Utah, and Las Vegas.

Companies facing charges are CurrenC Ltd., also known as CurrenC WorldWide Ltd., based in the British Virgin Islands; Gateway Technologies LLC, based in Draper, Utah; Hill Financial Services Inc., based in Draper, Utah, and Las Vegas.

The state has since received customer names and addresses from these companies of those online poker players residing in Utah.

In 2005, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and 28 other attorneys general wrote to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman calling for a greater states' voice in future trade talks following a ruling that favored the Caribbean nation of Antigua's policy on Internet gambling.

"Antigua has no business trying to write Utah's gambling laws," Shurtleff said at the time. "The Trade Representative needs to know that we have too much at stake to remain silent."

Antigua went to the WTO claiming the Americans were in violation of a trade agreement where the United States had in 1993 signed off on cross-border supply of gambling and betting services. And Utah's prohibition against gambling was a central part of Antigua's argument. The WTO found in favor of Antigua and called the US actions "protectionism" since a law passed late last year exempts horse betting.

Utah, however, does not permit any forms of gambling or a state lottery. The state itself is likely in compliance with the WTO decision.

txbarbarossa · #2 08-07-2007, 04:19 PM

The most pious state in the union. Next door to the most libertarian too which is super ironic.

meleader2 · #3 08-07-2007, 05:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
"Antigua has no business trying to write Utah's gambling laws," Shurtleff said at the time. "The Trade Representative needs to know that we have too much at stake to remain silent."

[/ QUOTE ]

For those that don't know, Utah is a child of it's parent, the United States. Much like classes, Utah inherits properties (laws) from it's parent class. Alas, poor Utah, you have no choice in this matter.

You, just like all the other states in the US, will be forced to follow federal law which Antigua is going to change with the help of the WTO (or is it the other way around?).

Either way pouting or stomping ur feet isn't going to help. So sad. Oh so sad.

Skallagrim · #4 08-07-2007, 05:25 PM

Also, no Court in Utah has ruled on whether a) Utah gambling laws apply to the internet and b) whether poker, being a game predominantly determined by skill, is "gambling" under Utah law.

Skallagrim

oldbookguy · #5 08-07-2007, 05:49 PM

I am only slightly aware of the case mentioned but does not that case deal with tranfering money for online sports betting.

My guess is also they are trying as do the feds to still claim there are federal laws against poker, I.E. The Wire Act.

This position seems to mirror that which is on the FBI web about online gambline in total.

obg

MiltonFriedman · #6 08-07-2007, 06:02 PM

This report, if true, would mean that the US Atty in Utah, during the pretrial phase of a Federal prosecution, had decided to totally taint the jury pool. That is possible, but unlikely.

It may be that he referred information to the State regarding a possible violation of Utah laws by players.

I would challenge Gambling911 to substantiate this story. If it is untrue, I likely will let folks who advertise there that it is cutting their throats for them.

HOWEVER, it seems more likely that sportsbettor were involved, if anyone was contacted, since the Defendants reportedly mostly handled uncoded transactions for sportsbooks.

IF, and it is a BIG IF, the names and addresses HAVE been circulated to various States, expect a deluge of letters around the time the football regular season opens.

MiltonFriedman · #7 08-07-2007, 06:05 PM

I kind of doubt it was poker specific, if it even happened as described.

In Nevada, Mormons received a special LDS decision to allow them to work in casinos.

MiltonFriedman · #8 08-07-2007, 06:09 PM

" Utah is a child of it's parent, the United States. ..."

Uh, thanks for clearing that up. You clearly know more than we do about US politics and international trade rules.

MiltonFriedman · #9 08-07-2007, 06:12 PM

If you are referring to Nevada as libertarian, the real irony is that Mormons basically run Nevada also, and, Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader (D-Nev), is a Mormon.

txbarbarossa · #10 08-07-2007, 08:11 PM

[ QUOTE ]
If you are referring to Nevada as libertarian, the real irony is that Mormons basically run Nevada also, and, Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader (D-Nev), is a Mormon.

[/ QUOTE ]

Someone should do a PH.D. thesis paper on how exactly this occurred.