I'm writing an essay, need your opinion on the UIGEA

[itachi]

Hey,
I'm currently writing an essay for a German poker website.
It will mostly deal about the UIGEA, its history, if it makes sense etc.
I would really like to hear some of your opinions on that whole matter. If you find the time to share your opinions on a few questions, I'd be very happy:

- Do you think the act has a real use, say, for people who really are gambling addicted? Do you see any problem at all?
- If so, can you think of a better solution than banning online gambling for everyone in the USA?
- There are discussions to declare the UIGEA invalid. What do you expect to happen in the future? What do you hope to happen?
- What do you think of the discussion at the moment? Is there any chance that the law will be abolished again?

Sorry for eventual (quite sure) bad English, and thanks in advance for your answers.
--Alex

[TheEngineer]

You came to the right place. Just click that Search link at the top of the page and check out some of the discussions we've had here. If you don't mind doing some research, you'll have more than enough for your paper.

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey,
I'm currently writing an essay for a German poker website.
It will mostly deal about the UIGEA, its history, if it makes sense etc.
I would really like to hear some of your opinions on that whole matter. If you find the time to share your opinions on a few questions, I'd be very happy:

[/ QUOTE ]

Well how long is the paper and how long do you have?

[ QUOTE ]
- Do you think the act has a real use, say, for people who really are gambling addicted? Do you see any problem at all?

[/ QUOTE ]

Problem gaming is a problem on a number of levels. First off it is one of the more common "opposition" tools. They mistake their cause by overstating the problem in terms of size and magnitude. Or side for the most part is simply happy to point out their over reaching. However, New Zealand and other countries have used part of the regualation revenue stream to address the problem. I believe South Africa and Great Britian have good models as well.

The technology does exist to spot most of the most outragious problem gamers. GB is even proposing a farther reaching method requiring it's gaming industry to "better know" its players.

The US has missed the boat to some degree by not following this political manuver of making the groups really attempting to treat problem gambler as people not just a political weapon as allies in our political strategy.

[ QUOTE ]
- If so, can you think of a better solution than banning online gambling for everyone in the USA?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well the UIGEA only attempts to stop the flow of money out of US banks to foreign gaming sites. You posted to a poker forum and here in the US, the legality issue is controled for gaming mostly at the state level. That is the major problem for implementation of the UIGEA as pointed out by me and recently by the Center for Responsible Regulation or whatever the groups name was. Depending on where you sit in this country, where the server is located, and to some degree what type of gambling or wagering takes place determines if any law has been broken.

Sports betting and your usual casino games face the largest legal hurdles. The 1960's Wire Act is a Federal Law that pretty much closes the door on Sports betting in the US, even though it was written long before the Internet. Various case law of the years has make it clear that sports betting is illegal almost no matter the transmission or communication method used to accomplish the wager, unless it is inter-state in a state that specifically allows sports book making.

In Germany you do not have the same Federal State's rights battle that has been waged through out this countries history that I know of so some of this may not make much sense.

The Federal Government simply doesn't have the power to ban all gambling in this country, regarless of our opponets dreams. The difficulty of identifing where a wager exists in cyber-space has really frustrated their efforts to ban gambling in total.

But to direcly answer your question, of course there better ways to address the concerns of the National Gambling Impact Study that was used to in part justify the UIGEA. There are at least 50 various ways to address every issues raised in that report, from problem gamblers to criminal uses of the gambling industry.

[ QUOTE ]
- There are discussions to declare the UIGEA invalid. What do you expect to happen in the future? What do you hope to happen?

[/ QUOTE ]

That to a large degree is a political question, and very hard to answer. At best the UIGEA is an attempt by the Gov't to stall and buy time to figure out what they really want to do with this issue. Others will disagree but the Banking industry is the key to unlocking this door IMO.

If they go along and do not oppose the regulations and allow the regulatory process to continue for as long as stated in the proposed regulations the Gov't had bought perhaps 18 months of time. There are factors both in the US and from the reat of the world wide gaming community and industry that may or may not eat into this time frame.

IMO unrestricted on-line sports betting faces the biggest problems and has its hopes tied to WTO or similar type action. Given that poker is simply the smallest but fastest growing segment of the gaming industry of the major issues and games involved, the strategy of getting a "skills game" exemption as well as a few others, is a likely outcome IMO. This would solve the WTO issue and keep most of the legal issues still controled at the state level.

But as it is, we are looking at mid '09 for resolution, in most senarios. The change in Administration as well as a new Congress willing to blame the problems on the past is the most likely course of action, again IMO.

[ QUOTE ]
- What do you think of the discussion at the moment? Is there any chance that the law will be abolished again?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you mean unrestricted on-line gaming of all kinds, no not for quite a long time if even in my lifetime. Various segments of the gaming industry have various chances of sucess in the near term.

But ultimately in this country it is a matter of political effort and sucess. I know most of the rest of the world thinks we are nuts the way we run things here, where logic and reason take a backseat to sheer political might, but hey we don't have a King, Dictator, or Anarchy. However much at various time we seem close to each.

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry for eventual (quite sure) bad English, and thanks in advance for your answers.
--Alex

[/ QUOTE ]

Well given my track record here, perhaps it is I who should apologize for the bad English, your's is likely better than mine.

Feel free if you wish to PM me and I would be happy to help you with a number of links to published articles to help you footnote your paper if needed.


D$D

[Lottery Larry]

Their primary mistake is in believing that prohibition will solve the degenerate gambling problem.

[SmackinYaUp]

It [censored] sucks

[whangarei]

[ QUOTE ]
It [censored] sucks

[/ QUOTE ]

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
It [censored] sucks

[/ QUOTE ]

Can he quote you in his essay on that?

D$D

[itachi]

[ QUOTE ]

Well how long is the paper and how long do you have?


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm free to choose the length.
By now I wrote a quick history of gambling in America, the IGPA and UIGEA, and read the responses of various senators postet on 2p2.
Now I'm writing about some contra-uigea opinions. I'll quote you on your long response if you don't mind (big thanks for your time, btw).
Also, I wrote a mail to Barry Greenstein via his homepage. I've been told he's quick to response.

Does anyone have more ideas for known pros I could contact?

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Well how long is the paper and how long do you have?


[/ QUOTE ]

I'm free to choose the length.
By now I wrote a quick history of gambling in America, the IGPA and UIGEA, and read the responses of various senators postet on 2p2.
Now I'm writing about some contra-uigea opinions. I'll quote you on your long response if you don't mind (big thanks for your time, btw).
Also, I wrote a mail to Barry Greenstein via his homepage. I've been told he's quick to response.

Does anyone have more ideas for known pros I could contact?

[/ QUOTE ]

No I never had the nerve to ask for e-mails of the few I've met. But I do have a number of links like, RIGT where they show that my ramble has some sicentific foundation. I think their are links to the New Zealand group there as well. If nothing else the footnote value is there and you aren't relying on a wind-bag like me.. [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]


D$D

[itachi]

The RIGT link is nice, thank you. I'll have a look if I can find something useful on that page.
You said you had more helpful links? I googled UIGEA and IGPA, and searched the 2p2 forums. If you have more information, woudld be nice [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]