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This is just an idea and I am putting it out here to find out what others think of this. I think the best defense is a good offense and it is always good to involve others in your projects so they share in the success. Here is what I have in mind…
It appears that if a state licenses your site or operation then it supercedes the federal anti internet gambling law. Therefore it seems the best thing to do is to convince a state that it is in its best interest to license and regulate online casinos and portals that are run from their state. This means they also get to audit and tax those casinos and portals. Just because the feds are taking a shot at us don’t think all states are anti gambling, because they are not. I recently consulted with Pierce and Atwood, the law firm that successfully wrote and got passed the legislation that allowed a racino in Bangor Maine for the company, Penn National. Maine is a very anti gambling state but they got it passed so they know what they are talking about. Pierce Atwood has offices in other states including Massachusetts. They told me Massachusetts is actually a more gambling friendly state and welcomes some gambling. It has Indian gaming in place and laws that allow some forms of gambling.
Take a look at the site, Worldwinner.com and notice that it is gambling. It is also licensed and run from Massachusetts. They call it skill based but it sure looks like gambling to me or something very close. There are similar sites like gamecolony that is run from another state. What I am saying is that these states are making money off people playing games for money online and have regulated it and have in place laws and a licensing board and other legislation. It wouldn’t take too much to convince them that if they could regulate and license and tax it, online casinos and portals could bring more money into their state. The services they would have to provide are minimal compared to what they have to provide for regular brick and mortar casinos so it is almost all profit.
If they regulate it and license it then the feds would have a hard time shutting it down and once other states see it working there they will jump on the bandwagon.
There are several ways we can approach this
1. write a letter to the governor of each state proposing that they license online casinos, they could stipulate that the online casino be based from a brick and mortar one if they like and that would mean an even bigger investment for the casino but just think of how some of these offshore casinos would like to get a state license. We should be able to write a damned good letter because we know this business. One letter sent to each governor might get at least one or more to consider it.2. pool our money and hire a legal firm like Pierce Atwood to help us prepare a presentation for the states and a letter for the states. They offered to research and help me write a two page presentation to the gambling licensing board here in Maine for about $5,000. That may seem like a lot but these people have expertise and know how laywers and politicians think. They got the legislation passed in Maine despite an anti gambling crusade led by the governor and some well organized groups.
If nothing else, lets write the letters. It will cost fifty stamps and envelpes and I will supply them if you will help me write the letters. But first let’s discuss this and see what we can come up with. One state on our side where we could run our businesses like the honest business men and women we are would make a world of difference and show the world that this business isn’t so bad and can be profitable and regulated for the good of all.
WOW! That sounds like a GREAT idea.
I’m all for the idea, except for one reason: if they are adamant about rejecting the idea, then the “negative” publicity may put our businesses in the limelight instantly, and this may hasten an exit for us, and mark us as test cases.
I like the attorney angle though – are these guys just versed in Maine law. How good would they be in the larger states like NY, CA, TX, and IL ? If you can score a bigger state, that adds a lot more weight than a Maine (or Washington, for that matter).
Suggest a public forum in a chat room somewhere, to gather the masses.
WE are already getting negative publicity and that is coming from the people who want to outlaw our livelihood. So far they are doing all the talking. If we remain mute it only adds to the image that they are trying to portray of us as shady characters who operate anonymously. We can point out the positivbe aspects of online gambling, like the fact that every deposit is tracked and recorded so compulsive gamblers can be flagged and shut down before they go too far. Also there is an electronic trail of every transaction, something the government dearly loves. In a brick and mortar casino someone comes in and buys with cash, cashes for cash and walks out. Not so in an online casino. And as I noted earlier, there is little cost in services for the hosting state.
Sitting back and waiting for things to get better isn’t going to work. As the anti internet gambling move gains momentum they will eventually paint the picture of us that they wish to paint and the public will only have that to go on. Once they get the laws in effect the government has the resources to search the internet and round us up. It will be too late to lobby then. A letter to each governor telling them the benefits to their state of legalizing and licensing online casino portals and casinos isn’t going to cause negative feedback, it will show that we are for real and want licensing. We are the experts on this industry, we should be involved in this. It doesn’t mean everyone has to sign the letter, many will retain their anonymity.
On the other hand, considering the lack of views and response to the post it may be a moot point since it hasn’t generated much interest so far.
>>>Sitting back and waiting for things to get better isn’t going to work<<< You are absolute right spanky Unforgently trying get US webmasters wake up and fight back semes imposiple.
They like sitting back relaxing on a boat going down.
Instead of looking for the pumps or safe boats.:banger:I have no idea why?
I also think we should fight back and thats the only way we can win.
I try a lobby idea few days ago and get no really positive response????:
I will be happy support your good idea with $1500
But will need some kind of invoice.
Let me know if you move forward maybe igcouncil.org would also be interesting to talk to for advise.I have worked with them lobbying before with good succes
By far the most effective action would be to mobilize our allies – the visitors to our site.
They need to be given an automated way to mail the politicians in their own state.
Dominique you are absolute right!
There needs be a automated way to mail the politicians in their own state.
If we had that it would make HUGE HUGE diffrence.
Also all the poker rooms could use it – I know interpoker been sending out mails to players, but they did not have a automated easy way to mail the politicians in the mail.
If it is easy mail politicians the players will do it.
Im not that knowledgable in the legal aspects of gambling, but the only way this would work is if the whole gambling community, as whole, knew about this. I think if one was to create a website explaining this, it could go pretty far. Just a thought.
Everybody please write your Congressmen Today!
Here is a easy link to use
Poker Players Alliance and PocketFives Team Up To Stop Online Gaming Banhttp://www.pocketfives.com/36CE1470-4E62-4D36-AE07-9F5C400A9926.aspx
Here is artcle from:
http://www.onlinepoker-news.com/20060615/poker_players_alliance_and_pocketfives_team_up_to_stop_online_gaming_gih.aspxNow we need it for everything included, not just poker.
Just to add my 2 cents: remember that emailing politicians has very little impact. Actual USPS letters do a lot more. It’s the same way in the entertainment business: a network can get 100 emails saying “please don’t cancel this show!”, but they consider a SINGLE printed, stamped, addressed and mailed letter to carry as much weight as the 100 emails. Also:
***I have sent real life letters to my congressmen and senators, federal and state. If you’re an American webmaster, and you haven’t done the same: GET ON IT. And get your friends on it. And your players. And your acquaintinces. And that guy you know from the gym/church/bowling league. Everyone, in other words. And you don’t have to identify as a portal owner, just as a citizen concerned about the erosion of personal freedoms under this administration****
That is a good point. I have written to my congressmen and women and gotten a written reply. It was written by someone in the office, probably not the congressperson, but it still got them thinking and I think the congress person was made aware of it and okayed the letter. Also letters to the editor get read and have some weight. It shows the public is paying attention and that is what politicians care about. If the public is asleep as usual they can do whatever pleases the lobbiest but if the public is motivated they have to take that into consideration or risk not being reelected.
A website is a good part of the plan but only part.
congress.org is a great source for voicing opinions and getting letters hand delivered to congress.
So do you American webmasters have your servers located outside the U.S?
If so where?
Does it make a difference legally?I see only two possible solutions, and both are predicated on people getting politically active in varying degress.
1) Depending on each state’s rules, something like – getting enough signatures on a petition to place say ‘online gambling is legal’ on the election ballot for voters to decide is one.
The politicians, regardless of party, are beholden to money/lobbyists when it comes down to it. So if the land based gambling interests $upport certain candidates it will not matter if a small amount of their constituents voice their opinions. The politicians know that money contributed to their re-election campaign will far outweigh concern about a minority of voters (regular gamblers/advertisers) who, if the law to make their hobby/livelyhood has been in effect for any length of time, will have already moved on.
You either fight it by outspending them (lobbying) or get the voters to overrule them when they step out of bounds. It’s been done before in controversial issues like assisted suicide and now abortion in South Dakota.
I really do not think it is a good thing that citizens have to resort to this type of thing. Think about it on the federal level – do you really want to have to keep amending the consititution every time special interests get out of countrol and pass bad laws? Unfortunately, with our courts being taken over by politicians instead of real judges this is the result as we have lost our only check on these interests.
I do think the referendum type of angle will not go anywhere until you can get a rabid (albeit small) base behind it. That means poker players and I believe it would be hard to get some of them to be the initiators behind this until at least one is actually prosecuted for playing poker online. The powers that be are not dumb though and I don’t think they have any intention of doing this. The Washington law is really just a bone they threw to their money friends. Then, of course, you have the handful of religous fanatics that care about the issue on moral grounds. They are the ones that will want actual prosecution.
2) The lobbying angle really should be done by the programs themselves, targeting US based candidates with their money. But I don’t know if they really care about this issue in terms of US affiliates. There will be plenty of non US affiliates that will target and get US customers to take their place. Just like anything else, I think the US affiliates will have to do this for themselves. It is no different than labor, education, or other issuess type of groups. Create a PAC, get/keep it financed, and try and get friendly politicians elected.
