http://calvinayre.com/2012/09/18/leg...expert-bl-vid/

Analysis of the Reid Bill

The real reason we will never see Federal gambling regulation:

Gambling interests spent $3.6 million on special session
Lobbyists earned more than $320,000 for 4-day August session

Gambling Industry Money Is Streaming Into Albany

Antigua wants US to lift Internet gambling hurdle [seattlepi.com]

Lovell pointed to recent statements by (U.S. Trade Representative Ron) Kirk about WTO challenges filed by the U.S. against China over policies the American government says improperly subsidize exports of auto parts in violation of WTO free trade rules.

Antigua and Barbuda hopes "this unequivocal stance signals an end to the U.S. government's decade-long violation of WTO rulings" in online gambling, the Caribbean nation finance minister said.

Reid/Kyl, Online Poker and The Political Reality

Nevada Doesn't Want To License Banks, Credit Card Firms For Its Internet Poker Industry [cardplayer.com]

Nevada is about to embark on its real-money online gaming experiment, and it doesn’t necessarily want to have to license firms like Visa, Bank of America and Google.

On Thursday in Las Vegas, Silver State gaming regulators adopted revisions to a set of rules overseeing so-called “service providers” — companies that will be involved with the business of an online poker site but won’t actually be in charge of the games. That power is reserved for the state’s familiar casino giants. Most have applied for such a license.

The Hill - Senate passes slew of bills, resolutions before adjourning

lots of important stuff. i'm embarrassed, i thought they were just dicking around doing nothing this whole time.

You get free chips daily, or you can purchase additional free chips, such as $99 (real) for $100 million (virtual). Such a deal!


Yaqui casino first to offer Internet gaming [azdailysun.com]

The move has not gone unnoticed by Mark Brnovich*, the state's gaming director. He said, though, there's little he can do -- other than to monitor the activities -- as long as what is occurring does not meet the state definition of "gambling."

Brnovich said, though, he is in agreement with Corby that full-blown Internet gaming is coming. And much as Corby wants his tribe to be ready, Brnovich said he does not want regulators to have to play catch-up when that happens.

At the heart of it all is the Double-Down Casino system developed by International Gaming Technology.

* You can bet Mr. Brnovich will "monitor the activities":


Internet Gaming: Is It Too Late to Reboot? [fed-soc.org]
By Mark Brnovich & Tom Gede

Even those not susceptible to developing a gambling problem are susceptible to the greater risk of fraud associated with Internet gambling.

...

As the debate over legalizing gambling on the Internet continues, we should be mindful of both the costs and benefits of gambling. While it can provide an increase in revenue and personal liberty, social costs will increase, including broken families, criminal activity, and cheating.

h/t (Arizona Daily Sun article): @taxdood & @VictorRocha1

Politico article on the recent Reid, Heller, Kyl, etc. conflict:

Harry Reid raises stakes on Internet poker gamble

lmao that's candid

Campaign bickering over online poker aimed at donors, not voters [lasvegassun.com]

But the public spat between Heller and Reid doesn’t appear to be aimed at moving votes, per se. Instead, it’s more likely about moving dollars — casino dollars that the candidates could then use to fuel other parts of their campaigns.

...

This election cycle, those casinos are hedging their bets.

Berkley is pulling more than Heller from the state’s biggest gamers, but not much more, according to reported campaign contributions.

Following this race for online poker has really opened my eyes to the roll of money and influence in the political process. It keeps reminding me of an excerpt from an essay by Lewis Lapham: "The members of Congress embody the characteristics of only one turn of mind -- that of the obliging publicist. They leave it to staff assistants to write the legislation and the speeches, spend 50% of their time soliciting campaign funds. When standing in a hotel ballroom or when seated in a television studio, it is the duty of the tribunes of the people to insist that the drug traffic be stopped, the budget balanced, the schools improved, paradise regained. Off camera, they bootleg the distribution of the nation's wealth to the gentry at whose feet they dance for coins."

This is almost too good to be true, cyber crime directly affecting cyber gambling.

Mohawk Internet Technologies under DDoS attack

Will Racing Capitalize on Internet Gambling? [bloodhorse.com]

"You should be leading this (effort)," Brennan said, noting horse racing current exclusivity with legal online wagering. "I've asked this question many times: Why aren't you leading this? The Internet didn't happen last year. You've had six years. What are you waiting for?

"You're late because you've allowed yourself to be late. How do you jump this train when it's already in motion? You are either a force for change or a protectionist. If (you are the latter), you're resigned to the dustbin of history."

ht: Brad Polizzano ‏@taxdood

What eSports Can Tell Us About the Future of Online Gambling

States bristle at Reid’s push to legalize online poker in lame-duck session





Surprised this ain't been posted yet. Saw it early this morning. Nothing really new.

Bwin.party's online poker celebration will have to wait [lvrj.com]

Tribe Says Locals Need Casino Veto

"The Oneida Nation is pleased to be a member of the coalition, including providing financial support," said Lorraine Hennings, a spokeswoman for the Oneidas. "The nation is committed to responsible gaming policies that will give New York communities the tools they need to make the best decisions when it comes to jobs and economic development."

Translation: "We will do everything in our power to protect our semi-monopoly by shutting out competition any way possible."

Montford: Let Texans answer gambling question [statesman.com]

...
Each year our fellow Texans spend more than $2.5 billion in strategically placed, just-across-the-border gaming facilities in Oklahoma, Louisiana and New Mexico. That includes $1 billion in Oklahoma, alone. Simply put, Texans are creating jobs and paying for schools, firefighters and other infrastructure needs across our borders. Texas is getting fleeced by our neighbors. I firmly believe that bringing back the billions of dollars that are leaving Texas and going to our neighbor states is a service to our state. The Legislature should let us vote to stop it.

I’m not alone in this belief. Poll after poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Texas voters, regardless of political party or geographic region, believe that Texans are smart enough to decide this issue. For those who believe that gambling is morally wrong, I respectfully ask: Doesn’t it make more sense to regulate an activity that good Texans are already doing in huge numbers?
...

For me, this issue comes down to a pretty simple question: Are you for Texas, or are you for Oklahoma?

Couch Slouch: The NFL and gambling, most awkward [washington.post]

Let me put it this way: If gambling were the preacher’s daughter, the NFL would knock her up, raise its hands plaintively as if it had never touched her — and then go to church to pray for her unborn child.

Disney Fights to Save Florida from the Godless Scourge of Competition Casinos

Good opinion piece looking at both sides of the Fed vs. State-by-State issue.

http://www.pokernews.com/news/2012/1...tion-13570.htm

Not sure if NVG worthy, but kinda funny...

10 nastiest House races

WYNN DOUBTS FEDERAL WEB POKER BILL THIS YEAR

Mohegan Sun bets on online poker in CT, Pa.

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/apps...WS01/121019939