What is the UIGEA?

Many disappointed gamblers gather together to discuss their country’s ban of internet gambling. On October 13, 2006, President George W. Bush signed a bill into affect that banned internet gambling. More specifically, banks and other credit cards, e-wallets, etc, which transfer the money back and forth. Though many see it as a clear-cut case of Christian values being forced upon a "free" country, the logical see it as nothing more than the government’s way of cracking down on tax evasion.

If a person visits one of the United States’ legitimate casinos, i.e. one of the Trump monstrosities in Atlantic City, then he or she is taxed on their winnings. But if that same person has free reign to slowly drain $50,000 from their internet account, $3,000 at a time, how would it be taxed? Regardless of what is true and what is false, this situation is sticky for all gambling lovers.

This Nation of Nations, which was constructed to be an equal opportunity land, by the people and for the people, has always been about the few, discarding the many. In ancient Rome, members of the senate would crucify a citizen for not paying homage to the gods. Even in Tudor England, 2,000 years later, men and women were slaughtered for not abiding to the chosen faith.

The United States of America was supposedly better than that. Since its inception, people have fought hard just to live. All the while, non-believers have been crucified due to some black book which has herds of people believing they can reside in the belly of a whale. Not that religion is evil by and large. People in power just tend to take things to the extreme. And for the United States, this is the first among many, many things that make the powers-that-be total hypocrites. They’re supposedly fighting religious fanaticism, yet they demonstrate and impose their misguided righteousness on their citizenry’s pastimes.

The bible clearly states, depending on which thumper you ask, that gambling is a sin against God almighty himself. So even if the legislation to ban gambling has nothing to do with America’s affinity for ghostly obsession, it will be a cold day in Hell before the 99% religious congress ever does anything to overturn the decision. If only that were the real reason for the ban on gambling, it may be simpler to swallow the bitter pill.

As gamblers, we can eat a teaspoon of sugar while attempting to backdoor the crazies. But it’s deeper than that. It’s more important than tradition. It has to do with money. Sure, you would think that the government stands to profit by letting us play, but they won’t. How many gamblers would actually report their winnings honestly?

Let us not forget that the Republican Party is all about family values. If John Q loses his money gambling, Jenney Q and Johnny JR are without a breadwinner. Not to mention that John can’t pay an outrageously high percentage of his paycheck if he loses his job.

The UIGEA says that we cannot deposit or profit from online gambling, but they left us a loophole that the 400-pound elephant can easily jump through.

As of now, we’re left as a group to find alternative means of funding our habits. If you believe you have a right to gamble online then go for it! Run a quick Google search and find out about dozens of methods you can use to fund the casino or poker room of your choice. The world, as crazy and hopeless as it is today, will not change anytime soon. The best thing we can do is jump in a game to take our minds off it.

Article Source: Helen Mahoney for Casino Man

Gambling and Games to Drive Mobile Entertainment Growth – From $17.6bn This Year to $59bn by 2009

A rapid expansion in mobile content, allied to a sharp increase in 2.5G and 3G handset adoption, will combine to deliver global mobile entertainment revenues of more than US$59 billion by 2009, according to a new report from Juniper Research.

But while adult content – frequently heralded as mobile’s "killer app" – will generate healthy revenues of nearly US$2.2 billion by the end of the decade, the key drivers of mobile content are expected to be gambling and games, with their respective markets worth US$19.3 billion and US$18.5 billion respectively by 2009.

According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "Lotteries are ubiquitous in many countries, and if you start launching lotteries on mobile handsets than you’re tapping into a form of gambling in which the majority of adults indulge on a weekly basis, while sports betting and casinos are also high-revenue businesses."

Dr Holden added that mobile games were also beginning to generate substantial revenues, while sales in emerging markets – with little or no established PC or games console base – were particularly encouraging.

Other findings from the report include:

• The mobile entertainment market will reach US$17.6 billion in 2005, up by 71% on 2004
• After gambling (33%) and games (31%), the most popular entertainment services in 2009 will be music (16%) and sports (8%)
• Ringtones – which currently account for 31% of the mobile entertainment market – will contribute no more than 8% by 2009
• The increasing adoption of non-voice services in the US and Canada will push North American revenues to US$11.3 billion in 2009, up from just over US$1 billion in 2004.

White papers and further details of five new studies (Adult, Gambling, Games, Music & Ringtones and Sport & Infotainment) that comprise the ‘Mobile Entertainment Content Series (second edition)’ can be obtained at http://www.juniperresearch.com or from Michele Ince at michele.ince@juniperresearch.com, Telephone +44(0)1256 345612.

Juniper Research provides analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing analyst reports, consultancy and industry surveys.

Suggesting that gambling can make a person more confident just won’t wash.

Image Credit: coloribus.com

The Isle of Man based giant online poker website PokerStars was in conflict with the UK Advertising Standards Authority this week over its new "Play Mind Games" poster campaign, reports The Guardian newspaper.

The campaign features top pro poker player Daniel Negreanu holding an ice hockey stick and sporting the line: "Poker is a sport of courage, conviction and confidence," and the Authority, which has been strict in its adjudication of gambling advertisements, invoked the guidelines that ads are not allowed to link gambling with sexual success, an improved self-image or appeal to children or young people.

PokerStars argued that the ad was based upon Negreanu’s own opinion that success in poker required courage, conviction and confidence and that this was appropriately conveyed by the picture of him with the ice hockey stick and the use of the word “sport". The poster in no way implied that a person would acquire or improve upon these virtues as a result of gambling, the poker site asserted, and the reference to the offending terms was intended to highlight the difference between poker and other forms of gambling where the human elements affecting the outcome is significantly less.

The company argued that it was widely understood by the general public that poker was a game of tactics and ingenuity, and that the poster accurately positioned poker in a sporting context where self belief was a key factor.

However, the ASA ruled that the statement contained attributes that demonstrated mental toughness or resilience, and could be seen as admirable qualities in the target audience of 21 to 44 year old men. The claim implied not only that those qualities were needed in order to play poker, but also that success at poker would enhance those qualities in a player, and therefore breached CAP Code clauses 57.4(f) and 57.4(i) (Gambling) and the material was not to be used again.

Source: Online-Casinos.com

Millions of Americans Pulling For Gambling Bill To Be Approved

Representative Barney Frank has been on the case since 2006. The minute the ill-advised Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed, Frank began his efforts to overturn the Bill.

While he has gotten close before, he has never been as close as he is now to freeing millions of American online poker players. Not what they are doing now is illegal, but Frank’s new Bill would do something the UIGEA does not. Clarify legal and illegal online gambling.

Last week, the Payments System Protection Act was passed by the House Committee on Financial Services. It was a major step towards finally freeing the millions of Americans that currently play poker online.

This week, the Bill and the poker players face another big test. A vote is expected from the full House on the Bill. If approved, the road would then be paved for Americans to actually know what is or is not legal to gamble online.

"Adults are entitled to do with their money what they want to do," said Frank.

That has been the basis of his crusade to keep government out of the homes of these millions of people who play poker online.

Of course, the other thing Frank is trying to get through to his fellow representatives is that Americans are playing online already. He feels the government needs to provide them with a safe place to play, where they are guaranteed to get paid when they win, and where the government can regulate the companies that run these online sites.

Source: CasinoGamblingWeb.com

Eva Longoria Parker and Victoria Beckham, (Posh, for those of you who were wondering) are reportedly teaming up to open a new restaurant and casino.

Daily Star reports that Desperate Housewife Eva is launching a second branch of her Tinseltown eatery, Beso, in Las Vegas, and that Posh is apparently planning to chip in by turning half the venue into a casino specialising in dominoes (unfortunately, Strip Poker with the girls is not on the menu yet).

Heartbreak aside, a source close to the two A-listers reported that the two had become pals since Posh moved to LA with hubby David and their kids.

The source went on to say that the stars “are obsessed with the game and spend most evenings going out for a civilised meal and then getting stuck into a meaty tournament”.

The insider added: “But they realised there are no venues which provide dinner and focus on this new Hollywood craze.

“So when Eva said she was opening a second Beso branch in the gambling capital of the world, Victoria had the brainwave of turning it into a place which specialises in food and their favourite game.”