Currently UB is the only one showing the seized message here in DC. That will likely change as the DNS info gets updated...as has been stated.

This is a hugely unwelcome development.

Stars, Fulltilt and absolute websites are all coming up fine in Las Vegas ....... for now.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pres...dictmentpr.pdf

Same here in Mass.... UB shows as seized and Fulltilt and Pokerstars are fine. WOW. I am kinda surprised this is setup to be allowed to be shutdown (maybe I don't understand some technical aspect of this).

Can we please get a unified/merged thread?

+1

Too many thread in this forum right now, just merge them into one and go from there.

Fascinating read Sniper.

Thanks again to Margarita Prentice

WTFAKK? coinflip imo

Looks like the same amount of players are playing on both sites as usual during this time. I play everyday around now and have noticed nothing different. Would suck if there is any truth to the sites being seized tho, now im guaranteed to bink a big MTT today

pokerstars.com is seized here. Are the seized sites still playable?

I think the sites being seized would be difficult. In fact, I am surprised that the FBI is opening up this can of worms. The fact that they are charging the sites with illegal gambling, assuming that I read that correctly in another thread, is interesting. The fraud bit is one thing, but the illegal gambling thing is a horribly tangled issue with all sorts of implications.

If this actually goes to court, I think we will see some very big precedents on internet commerce set, and possibly a flurry of new legislation on that issue since I doubt lawmakers want the courts filling the huge void of clear law in that area.

I merged all the threads into this thread and provided some more links. Contact me to update it further.

Disclaimer on below: I'm working with very limited info right now and have to travel today, so these are just quick thoughts. I hope to expand more with better research later this evening.

My thoughts (I've been quiet on the legislation issue recently on the boards, but have been following):

-This is really bad. This COULD possibly be (trying not to speak in absolutes with such little info at this time) the last shoe dropping on online poker (at least from reputable sites) in the US imo.
-Even if they evade the internet gambling charges on some legal theory, the money laundering and banking charges are damning. What they did was illegal (if the facts alleged in the indictment are indeed true), and they won't be able to dodge the punishment.
-The DOJ rarely loses when they go to trial. I don't see these individuals rolling the dice against them.
-This COULD spur on further efforts to legalize poker and be a net positive in the very long run, but I don't know. However, it did always have to get worse before it got better.
-It is still very early and we know little at this time. Things could rapidly change.

All in all, perhaps now everyone can see why the Reid Bill was an important compromise we HAD to make. I'm not saying I told you so and rubbing salt in very fresh wounds, just saying now is the time to press harder than ever while being open to a compromise such as the one we almost got in December.

I just tried Pokerstars, didn't work, Full Tilt did though however.

This is right. This seems to be setting us up for THE major court case we have been waiting for, but only if it gets there. It appears that in most respects the DOJ's case rests on poker being illegal internet gambling. I think this will need to be determined in part at least for even the fraud aspects of the case. In other words, we could get "legality without legislation" via the courts, something some of us have been asking for. On the other hand, we could lose this case and then need to rely on Congress to fix it for us: not a nice proposition.

Oh and Dik**** looks like a genius right now.

^looks like your source in dec was spot on....this is prob a dumb question, but the $ online will be basically impossible to get off right?

I think what you guys don't realize is what they did with transferring the funds in and out is, imo, plainly illegal. They'll lose. Or, more likely, they'll just plead out.

And if they win on the internet gambling charges, what then? We still can't get money back and forth. Sadly, I don't think the legislation is unconstitutional as the Court interprets it now (although I, personally, think it should be).

If this excerpt is true:

Good ****ing game. Not only does this prove serious money laundering occured, but it also shows that Scheinberg (Stars) and Bitar (Full Tilt) were colluding together to make this happen.

PPA: need an official statement please

I just tried to sit at a cash table and was told by a pop-up "We are sorry but, due to government regulations, playing real money ring games is not allowed in your area". Uhhh....

God this is scary and aggravating. Gov't needs to go after violent criminals, not people who pee in cups and sit in front of computers all day

same issue...unreal

Confirmed. Wow...

ya, because the feds/doj have been so ****ing truthful about everything else, why not trust them here...

stars blocking real money play from US players now