i guess the real issue is this:
money laundering, terrorist funding, etc can all be done online right now
that Pandora's box is already open and there is really no way to stop the technology since it is already available
obviously the best choice from a security point of view would have been to bring the sportsbooks and money processors into it, let them operate but under a set of rules like other financial institutions in the US are subject to...reporting of large cash transfers or transfers structured to get around reporting rules, notification of suspicious activities, etc. Let them operate as long as they plug any security holes. That is a win-win situation for everyone.
Unfortunately the U.S> "moral stance" is at odds with this since it would be legitimizing a "dangerous" activity (gambling). So they will go the route of trying to eliminate everything, which will never work. Alternatives will always pop up, and they will stay underground as long as possible to avoid being shut down.
By prohibiting a harmless activity (gambling), a whole underground economy pops up which actually creates the security problems.
Stupid, but not surprising. Exactly the same as the recent story of the Afghani warlord who was assisting U.S. intelligence but got brought up on drug charges. Sometimes you have to let the little things (drugs, gambling) slide, so that the big problems (terrorist attacks) don't happen.  |