digg

Join DiggAbout

Donkeys and Elephants and Delegates,oh my!
Check out the most popular Elections 2008 content on Digg.

Call today or they will ban online poker

pokerplayersalliance.org — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is attaching the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act to a bill that is expected to be approved by the Congress early this evening. PLEASE call your Senators today and tell them that they should oppose the Internet gambling bill being part of Port Security legislation.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • nebu282, on 10/12/2007, -8/+12that's it, i'm moving
    • mtnxfreeride, on 10/12/2007, -18/+43why? poker online is dumb anyway
    • CamZak, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8Nonsense! I'm sure the online poker operators run perfectly fair and balanced games.
    • DarkLance, on 10/12/2007, -7/+5word... poker is all about bluffing and faking out PEOPLE... online poker lacks the camradarie of friends and the free drinks of casinos

      don't mind spelling.... friday night is poker night!
    • Tebixan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+21Regardless of whether online gambling should be outlawed, just attaching an unpopular bill to a popular one to get it passed is wrong. This is why our government rarely actually represents the people. They get their personal agenda's passed with taxpayer money. The only issues they even talk about out in the open are the divisive ones that are causing a huge rift between the left and the right in this country.
    • iiTenaciousG, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Online poker makes you use different aspects of the game such as reading betting patterns and speed of the game. Reading people isn't necessiarily an issue, but you get a lot more experience a heck of a lot faster playing online. What is really the big deal about this anyway?
    • Silby, on 10/12/2007, -14/+2I don't really approve of online poker not just because it isn't real poker, but because of how it is readily available to children. I've heard stories of a 3 year old buying a car on ebay, what's to say that another child around 7 or 8 finds his parent's poker app, starts playing, and gets addicted? I remember that when I was a child, my father had an old slot machine in the basement that ran on nickels. I must've lost 2-5 dollars on that machine (a good ammount of nickels) every two years or so. Considering I didn't play that much at all, imagine what it could be like for a child to get addicted to poker, a game that even 13 year olds are gambling on.
    • EtherGnat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13"what's to say that another child around 7 or 8 finds his parent's poker app, starts playing, and gets addicted?"

      By that logic cigarettes, alcohol, firearms, prescription medicine, and pornography should be outlawed too. You can't deny activities to the entire adult population on the premise a few kids with bad parents could be harmed. Online poker apps are password protected, and there are many other actions parents could take to protect their children.
    • Monolith2, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5Can't have any private competition with the governments monopoly on gambling now, can we?
    • Americruzan0, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I've found a solution for all you online gamblers. In the event that they do ban online poker you can send your money directly to me. Same results, less work.
    • transfire, on 10/12/2007, -4/+413 years old, addicted to poker?....

      BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

      "Mom! I lost my allowance again!" Addictive personalities should be so lucky as to learn those hard lessons at 13!

    • Nitrodist, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2If the game was on your computer and you were playing it... how would you receive money if you were like 13 years old? Is there a cash payout machine connected to the computer?
    • jackal230, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I could care less about poker, but it seems like sports gambling is probably going to be affected to. Can anyone link to some specifics on this bill if possible? Will this prohibit people form online gambling (seems unfeasible) or will it prohibit companies from having gambling websites? People just need to leave the internet alone!
    • mariusaz, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Let them ban it you addict!
    • biffsputnik, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@jackal230
      The measure makes it illegal for banks to engage in transactions with the gambling sites- since they cant shut down the offshores, they can just keep you from getting your money in & out. And as far as legality, the gambling part is technically illegal already, just not enforceable. But..... it's all over now because it has passed.

      http://digg.com/politics/Internet_Gambling_GAME_OVER_as_of_Right_NOW_That_s_Right_it_Passed
    • Wootery, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4"why? poker online is dumb anyway" --> "I wasn't using that right anyway"
    • brundlefly76, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Its really obvious a lot of people here knocking online poker dont play poker and have never played online poker.

    • kolobcreek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Has anyone ever asked themselves "Why are the laws against gambling anyways?" Is it possible that our predecessors may not have been wrong? Why is it that people are so adamant about stopping gambling? Is it possible it isn't good for a society to participate in a game designed to enable people to take you money away from you? There is one clear winner in all of this. And it isn't you. You want to gamble and have an unfair advantage. Do it in the stock markets. SOB. I just had a brilliant idea. why doesn't someone make a stock market slot machine. lol. You put money in. And when you pull the wheel you get a payout every time in random penny stocks.
  • borninda818, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5I blame Vegas and Indians
  • mtnxfreeride, on 10/12/2007, -12/+2(get some friends)
  • tastypastry, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6Yea, playing poker online seems lame. Get together with your buddies and play some poker, not to mention getting drunk.
    • 0101010, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6The way things are going,that'll soon be illegal too
  • clickwir, on 10/12/2007, -8/+5Gambling is bad, mmkay.
    • martalli, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7I would rather fight for civil liberties than gambling rights.
    • diggeredoo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3hahaha u took the words out of my um...fingers
  • igutekunst, on 10/12/2007, -13/+4Good. It should be outlawed.
    • TheDrunkMonkey, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8Can you give any good reason why?
    • daldredge, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Why?
    • secretivecoward, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Ban online poker...taking up too much bandwidth..I need it for my pirated movies from bittorrent.
    • martalli, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5damn poker chips clogging up the pron tubes
  • gxcdesign, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5Poker is that thing that came totally out of nowhere, seriously...


    I'll be happy to see ESPN take Poker out of their lineup...what's so great about watching it?
    • elnerdo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1It's cool because the cool kids watch it.

      The cool kids watch it because it's cool.

      It's a never ending circle of stupidity.
  • Langford, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I can appreciate that gambling is a dumb idea and can be a bad habit, but what business is it of the government?
    • kevinhartwig, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2It's their business because they cannot figure out a way to tax it so they can make money off of it. If they made it legal for casino's in the U.S to start their own online gaming then they could tax it and it would be legal. I don't feel this is what congress should be spending their time debating.
    • SuckMyDigg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3That's why it's not debated. It's being slipped along-side another bill of course.
  • ucbrave92, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10guess what, if you don't want to gamble online, don't. it's your choice, the government has not right to tell us what to do in our personal affairs. first this, next no fast food, what next. government is too damn big, and they are getting out of hand. we don't need this nanny state *****.
    • CriticalImpact, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1Because people get addicted to it like everything, and when people get addicted to something it has to be banned or changed to make it less addicting.
    • jkavvy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5CriticalImpact:

      Excellent point! I nominate we also illegalize alcohol, cigarettes, gaming, pornography, and Digg!
    • AriaStar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Dammit, it's our right to do what we please. Is this a democracy where we have a say in our lives or a dictatorship where someone else deci-

      Never mind. I'll shut up now before I'm arrested for speaking ill of our government. Y'know, for being a terrorist for not loving our wonderful politicians and how they trample our freedoms left and right! Oh, um, the gods bless America, land of the free!
    • AriaStar, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@ martalli:

      Take away smaller rights and we grow acclimated ws the politicians work their way up to the big ones. Baby steps.
    • AriaStar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@ martalli:

      Take away smaller rights and we grow acclimated ws the politicians work their way up to the big ones. Baby steps.
  • cheez, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3well, this will dramatically reduce the number of internet ads
  • Imus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Too late:

    http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-09-30T000031Z_01_N29421153_RTRIDST_0_CONGRESS-SECURITY-UPDATE-1.XML

    If Senators vote against it then their opponents will air commercials claiming they "stand against port security" and "side with the terrorists".

    Business as usual in the Senate... the statists win again.
    • schroeder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5That's one of the problems with the government in America. It should be illegal to add completely unrelated provisions into bills. Seriously, if you have to sneak something into a bill to get it passed you're as crooked as they come.
  • Nellie75, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6You really think online poker is lame? Have you tried it? Do you know that millions of people play it? Prohibition of online gambling will not work in my humble opinion. This passing the senate will mark a disappointing day for Americans, in yet another example of the gov't telling its citizens what they should be able to do with their entertainment budget.
    • Chasuk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I don't like Yahtzee, I don't like poker, I don't like Monopoly. I don't like masturbating with power drills (no, I have not tried the latter). However, it shouldn't be up to the government to decide my recreation. I would be tempted to play on-line poker just BECAUSE it is/will be against the law. ***** the nanny state.
  • NewPunk, on 10/12/2007, -12/+5Yeah, gambling on the internet is not cool. I know people who have got into serious debt like that. Not cool. Gambling at a real casino once in a while is okay for some fun. But online gambling makes people broke, and gives people easier access to wasting money. I agree that it should be banned. That's my two cents, take it for what it is.
    • daldredge, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I have know people who got killed in car wrecks, should cars be banned too?

      What about fatty foods or junk food?
    • Nellie75, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I am glad you think you are more informed about how I should spend my money than I. I can walk into any casino in the US and blow my life savings at any time, the fact I can also do it online should not be a reason to discriminate against online while promoting offline. Your 2cents does not make sense.
    • Imus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Perhaps you should change your name to NewConformist.

      Government should not be making decisions about what people should or shouldn't do unless the act is criminal.
    • MrC539, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"What about fatty foods or junk food?"

      Funny you should mention that. Here in New York they're about to ban trans fats in restaurants (http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/09/26/trans.fat.ban.ap/index.html).
    • schroeder, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3The problem with trans fats is that it's not a natural fat and the body has no idea how to break it down. It's used because it's cheaper. It has no nutritional benefit and only negative effects on the body. I think it should be banned or at least should have to be listed as being used so at least people know what they're eating. America is fat and unhealthy for a reason and it's not just McDonalds.
    • Parasocks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3If you watch the poker commercials on TV, be happy someone is subsidizing whatever YOU are watching.

      Why is it that people who think "online poker sucks!" and obviously don't play, want it banned? I don't like Marmalade, should it be banned? Maybe that's a bad example, because honestly maybe it should be, but you get my point. Is it too much for you people to let other people have online poker, if they like it?

      Americans need to start packing their ***** and moving to Canada. I'm starting to feel sorry for you guys.
    • 15charmaxwtf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1With that kind of nonsensical logic it is difficult to see how you could even gain the wealth of 2 cents.
  • ThatOnePhu, on 10/12/2007, -6/+0I think it should be ban since most of them sites allows credit cards to be used so that's pretty bad. And I think they are only banning the ones you gamble money on and not the other services(loaded with spy-ware) that lets you play for free.

    And there's alot of people who gets too much in debt because they didn't notice how much they were losing and such. Don't get why this got to the front page.
    • snutz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4So should we ban Best Buy because they let you buy a $5,000 plasma TV with money that you don't have? Maybe you don't realize how much you're spending because you're an idiot? Lame reasoning. And if that was the case, just ban the use of credit cards to fund it. Beer companies can sell beer even though it can ruin people's lives, and they just have things on their websites and commercials that tell you where to get help. Guess what, poker websites have that too! Don't take away my fun just because some people can't control themselves, just tell them to click the I'M AN IDIOT I CAN'T ADD UP MY LOSSES AND I NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP button and leave my game alone!
    • Parasocks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2How does that make any sense. You deposit money, and then you play with your deposited money. You can't run a defecit on an online poker site?
  • flamingmb, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3that ***** boring as hell, I dont give a *****.
  • RatTrap, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Ban them now online poker sucks.
  • BlackCow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3But who else is going to buy my Jesus toast!!!!
  • TheDrunkMonkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Apparently the bill passed. Hopefully the companies will find a loophole so that people can play if they want to.
    • SuckMyDigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Since it's now officially banned, I think I'll play.
  • spanner, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Ban away, and while they are at it take out the porn as well.
  • Jeffrey903, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Even though I don't support online poker, I don't think that this type of behavior should be permitted in our government (although it doesn't support me at all with everything that's been going on recently). Assuming that this will probably pass (it probably already has), Ted Stevens will probably just try and do this same exact thing with a net neutrality bill.

    I think that any time a bill is amended it should have to wait at least 2 weeks before it can be voted on. In addition, a bill should have to be focused on one, and only one issue. Separate issues should require separate bills. I also think that it should be illegal for a senator or congressperson to vote on a bill that they haven't full read. It's ludicrous that these things get passed. Like the Patriot Act. It has Patriot in the name so it must be good, even though it just could be the worst law we have today, and if it's not #1, its up on the list.
  • DeusMachinae, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Don't you know the real reason they are banning online poker? As Jon Stewart clearly explained, the online poker chips are clogging up the intertubes- their size and shape blocks up the tubes completely.
  • CandidateZero, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What's with this last-minute scrambling *****?

    "Gack! Quick, call Congress before they pass more legislation in a couple hours!" Are you serious? If it's a couple hours away, don't even kid yourself. Do the agenda-pushing at least a couple weeks in advance.

    I don't play online poker but I have friends that do. But even if I knew no one who did, I would say ***** Frist. ***** Frist and all the other assholes who are limiting American freedoms left and right, even ones as trivial as being able to play online poker.

    As Bush once said, "They're jealous of our freedom." *blinks*
  • Qtip42, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Uhm, please ban it! I'm tired of poker advertisements!
    • SuckMyDigg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Bleet bleet... give me more entertaining ads so I know where to blow my wad... bleet bleet
  • icedman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Canadian-go ahead and ban it in the US. Just another example that the "Nation of Freedom" is anything but...

    I'll just start taking more money off of the Europeans....
  • Ssj6Kirby, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Does that mean I won't have to see any of those annoying Party Poker commercials anymore?
  • ericpp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Too late:
    September 29th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) made the following statement after the Senate passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act:

    “Gambling is a serious addiction that undermines the family, dashes dreams, and frays the fabric of society. Congress has grappled with this issue for 10 years, and during that time we’ve watched this shadow industry explode. For me as majority leader, the bottom line is simple: Internet gambling is illegal. Although we can’t monitor every online gambler or regulate offshore gambling, we can police the financial institutions that disregard our laws.”
  • tavisjohn, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3Yes!!! I am SO TIRED of getting those #$#*^$*#^$ gambling e-mails, and I am SO SICK of cleaning up that gambling adware, and I am really tired of those lameass gambling TV Adverts!!!


    Nobody call that number, Nobody stop this!
  • SoupBone, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5BAN IT! wait! we can tax it? PROMOTE IT!

    ***** nanny-state
  • diggeredoo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2any trend spurred by retarded basic cable tv shows with people wearing gold chains and sunglasses indoors is pretty lame, and we probably have better things to worry about.

    that said, I personally have never understood the pleasures of throwing your money away.
  • blackjack75, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1If this meant we'd stop getting spam about it on every wiki, forum or blog we setup, then I'd glad to see it become illegal. But it wouldn't change anything.
  • Avengelist, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1...and I should care about online poker because...?
    • biometricks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Beacause it's one more right the goverment is taking away. How can people not understand this simple concept?
  • joch21, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is sad. Poker is over now.

    Full story here:
    http://digg.com/tech_news/Online_Poker_is_now_ILLEAGAL_The_future_of_online_gambling_is_DOOMED
  • zombo, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Is anybody stupid enough to actually play it ?
  • tintedblue, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You people bashing online poker are a bunch of dumbasses.

    It's really not about the poker. It's about the government telling us what we can and can't do with our money. I wonder what you guys are going to say the next time the MPAA sues someone for stealing music.
  • theoallardyce, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hopefully the US will go ahead and ban it, then American losers will go to all those British online gambling start-ups and pump millions into our economy :)
    • CoolWind, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Good point. The money's just going to flow off-shore now. Just open a bank account in a foreign country and transfer funds from there to an online poker room.
  • CoolWind, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Online poker should be legal, but it should also be regulated so that players can reasonably believe they aren't being cheated by the house. You have to be very naive to think an unregulated gambling industry isn't going to cheat you.

    Poker is a great game when you can play it without feeling paranoid about being cheated or getting mugged on your way home. Maybe more poker rooms will open up now because of the huge demand.
    • Parasocks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You don't play against the house, you play against other players. I don't understand your logic. Online poker sites aren't trying to "win the game", they're making money hand over fist by just providing a place for you to play. They could care less how the cards fall, they aren't playing poker!
  • afpunk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1So many people here seem to not have a clue about online poker.

    First off, the well known sites are perfectly safe and do nothing to cheat you. Poker is not like other casino games. The house makes money through a rake, either through a percentage of the pot in a cash game or a small premium on a tournament. So, keeping the games fair actually increases their profits as it increases their players.

    Secondly, for many, many people poker is not gambling. They are good enough at the game that they have an hourly expectation that in the long run will be correct. There are thousands of people who have supported their family through online poker over the past few years, and if financial institutions truly crack down on them, they are now out of work. In fact, I'd move to say that there are more people who have supported themselves via online poker than those who have truly had their life decimated. Sure, thousands have lost money, but the overwhelming majority can afford it.

    Realize that this is not about protecting anybody. This is about not being able to profit from it for some of the lawmakers, and about banning something "immoral" for others. The fact that this could happen the way it did in the senate is an affront to what it means to be an American, and every single senator should be ashamed to call themselves a part of this country.
    • Soldan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1the only problem with the idea of making a living at poker is a some point there needs to be losers...alot of losers. look at the world series main event for instance... around 9000 people enter each at $10,000 a piece... I know many won seats but still that is the seat value... how many people actually made money? less than 200 I believe...its gambling but it takes a long time to lose your money.. I see no problems with tourney poker for that reason..

      most online poker rooms have ways to pay that through third parties that are not covered by this new legislation..
    • afpunk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Soldan, that's the point.

      Of course there are a lot of losers. The majority of people who play poker play it as a pasttime much like many buy and watch dvds as a pasttime or play video games as a pasttime. If they want to spend money on that, and in turn give a living to others, there really is no problem in it. Very few of the losers are in any sort of financial trouble. And those that are brought it upon themselves, so I don't have much sympathy for them anyway.
    • Parasocks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1http://www.pokerlistings.com/world-series-of-poker/2006/event39/payout-structure

      8,773 players, 873 places paid, #873 paid just under $15,000

      Most poker tournaments use this 10% structure. It's strange if they don't. Some "made for TV" events don't, as well as single table tournaments for obvious reasons.
  • Soldan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Gambling in general is a tax on people that cant do mathmatics. The actions of congress will have little effect in preventing those people with problems from playing. I have however seen the effects of gambling with co-workers and friends. so in the short term it could be a help just to focus attention on the problem..

    I have no problem with brick and mortar casinos.. most are attractive destinations with other offerings besides the gaming..

    as for tv poker...I actually like watching it..it kind of like watching game shows... also you can practice odds in your head.. there are a few very colorful players as well.. beats 90% of the other mindless crap on tv anyhow...
    • afpunk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"Gambling in general is a tax on people that cant do mathmatics."

      Gambling, yes. Poker is a nice way for smart people to take money from rich people. Things like that should always be encouraged.

      The funny thing is, a lot of people who use that statement don't do the math themselves. One such thing is when the powerball gets into the 250 million plus range, and people mock those who play it because just because its such a high jackpot. The thing is, the EV (expected value) of a dollar spent on a powerball ticket is a return of well over 2 bucks, so even if 2 people won and had to split the big praise, it is still a winning wager.

      Yes, those that play slot machines, video poker, blackjack (without counting), and similar games are throwing their money away, but it has been my experience that those who use the trite expression quoted above rarely do the math themselves, so have very little credibility in using it.
  • coolred, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow, so much for the land of the free..
  • Parasocks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Still proud to be american?
  • wokethebears, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0there goes my job
  • xeno439, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Good. I am an addict. Now I can't lose all my money.
  • sheasie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1i bet this guy would win at poker... maybe not online.. but gambling at a vegas casino, fo sho! hmm... maybe online gambling too... he seems pretty wiley ;)

    http://www.theblackjacktable.com [url=http://www.theblackjacktable.com]
  • expertblogger, on 03/04/2008, -0/+0I have no problem with brick and mortar casinos.. most are attractive destinations with other offerings besides the gaming.. They are good enough at the game that they have an hourly expectation that in the long run will be correct. There are thousands of people who have supported their family through online poker over the past few years, and if financial institutions truly crack down on them, they are now out of work. In fact, I'd move to say that there are more people who have supported themselves via online poker than those who have truly had their life decimated. http://nbaactive.info
    http://nbaall.info
    http://nbabenefit.info
    http://nbabetter.info
    http://nbabonus.info
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.