Leach bill hearing scheduled for April 5th before House Crime sub-committee

[JC]

http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings.aspx?ID=137


Members:
http://judiciary.house.gov/com...cture.aspx?committee=6

[The Major]

Isn't that date also an important one with regards to the WTO decision and compliance?

[JC]

That's April 3rd. I am sure they getting the "I'm sorry" papers together for signing by then.

[The Major]

JC, if you are able to say, what kind of feedback on this Bill are you hearing?

[JC]

It is supposedly scheduled for a hearing, not a "mark up." That's better I'm told.

I hear people aren't that interested in this stuff, but if it comes up they will vote for it. That's always been how it works.

I keep reading about the "millions" of people playing online. Where are they and why won't they stand up and make their voices heard? When will all of the operations realize these bills are a real threat to their business and do something proactive about it? Less than a handful are doing anything.

[The Major]

Good question Jay. I think it is because the majority of the operators can't see the future (or past their nose for that matter). Many of them are successfull for no other reason than pure luck in being in the right place at the right time. It is the people that are positioned because of their abilities to run a successful business that are the ones that will be fighting. Not the others.

[RackMan]

1) The Players or Gamblers do NOT want to stand-up & fight to bet- on-sports because....1) LEGAL ISSUES....standing-up would be admitting to being a sports gambler. 2) Who has the time to fight for a cause in the USA & look what happen to Abbie Hoffman & the Chicago 7 when they fought for a cause. 3) The Majority who want to bet already can do so.

2) The Offshore Operators DO NOT care because IF Internet Gambling were Legalized in the USA MOST of them would be out of business because of they would be able to get a license to operate in The USA.

[Juice]

Rack Man those are good points and I am very interested to know your thoughts on responsible sports betting policy in the US. If you would care to take it a step further please start a debate.


JC aside from RM's points I believe the people do not feel like they have a voice or choice. The gov for a long time now has assianated anyones chracter who opposes them. In this case an entire group is tired of being stigmatized and told there bad people for there private recreational choices. Add to this that they have become used to being told we know whats good for you and there is nothing you can do about it. Whether they can or not, much has been taken away the last 15 years and I feel like people feel they have no choice, why fight it. It never does any good.

I do believe though that as this issue and different the different ones facing the industry as a whole come to the fore that there will be a backlash. The Gov if even one of these bills goes thru is going to have to take a hard core we know whats good for you stance and there is nothing you can do about it. Worse yet they will do it in the tone of one of our posters here who is dancing in glee over the panic these bills are causing people here. For many of the older politicians aged 60 an over double so as they have been after there opposite number in this big generation go around since 1973.


In the end these acts will have the effect of galvinization which will bring the millions you asked about out into the open. Politicians spend a great deal of time splitting the vote so that there focus groups vote them in. Galvanization works against that big time and shunts the ears to any kind of argument against.


Like I said before this is the big litmus test of our time that goes well beyond this industry and speaks to the greater issue of is the Gov our baby sitters and do people have the right to make there own private recreational choices in there home. The millions will chime in once push comes to shove. I promise.

[scott]

entry(Goodlatte/Leach) don't pass this session -8/5
entry(Goodlatte/Leach) bills pass this session +5/7
Cannot split entry

US ignores WTO/Antigua decision -6/1
US honors WTO/Antigua decision +1/5
hint: The US was going to change their horse betting laws but now they've even abandoned this nonsense.

[scott]

(Above I made don't pass -160).....Scotty
------------------------------------
Anti-egaming bill hits early hurdles
Online gaming shares received a hefty shot in the arm in early trading today amid talk that the latest attempt to strengthen prohibition of online gaming in the US had hit significant opposition.

At one point on Thursday, PartyGaming's share price was up over 9% to 141.5p, while Sportingbet was up 28p or 7% to 408.5p and BetonSports gained 5.75p or 3.85% to 155p. Online payments company Neteller, meanwhile, saw its share price benefit as well, rising 8.7% or 64.5p to 805.5p at one point.

Representative Robert Goodlatte's Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (HR 4777) was reported to have met with a lack of support when it came before a House Judiciary crime sub-committee yesterday, April 5.

Representative Bobby Scott slammed Goodlatte's bill as attempting to create "an enforcement nightmare for financial institutions". His comments were backed by First State Bank vice-president Sam Vallandingham who said the added burden of having to monitor transactions for online gambling would be too much for the banking industry.

Analysts noted the sub-committee session had also highlighted the confusion amongst the bill's proponents over possible carve-outs for activities such as online wagering on US horseracing.

Greg Feehely, head of research at Altium Capital, noted that no vote was taken and that no second hearing had been scheduled, meaning there would be up to a two week delay.

"Overall, industry watchers noted that opponents of the bill were said to have been quite pleased with yesterday's hearing," he added. "The fact there is confusion on carve-outs and delays is fantastic news."

[jimmy the greek]

nice, shoot down those morons