U.S. charges online betting site

[Scurrilous]

Founder, CEO charged with racketeering, fraud, conspiracy

<snip>

"U.K. online gambling company BetOnSports PLC, its founder and its chief executive were indicted on racketeering, conspiracy and fraud charges in U.S. court, the Justice Department announced Monday.

A federal judge in St. Louis issued a temporary restraining order on Monday to prevent BetOnSports from accepting bets from the United States. The FBI moved to shut off its phones.

"Illegal commercial gambling across state and international borders is a crime," said U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway, promising further actions against online gambling. Hanaway is the U.S. Attorney for eastern Missouri.

The 22-count indictment seeks the forfeiture of $4.5 billion from BetOnSports and the other defendants. The government claims the company's founder, Gary Stephen Kaplan, failed to pay federal excise taxes on $3.3 billion in wagers taken from the United States.

The indictment, issued June 1, was unsealed on Monday."

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid={7CF97772-A0A9-408A-890C-A7D4489076CD}&siteId=google

[pokercat999]

1. From the last paragraph.

"Last year, the WTO decided that parts of some U.S. gambling statutes, including the Wire Act, violate the General Agreement on Trade in Services. The trade body also found in favor of Antigua on a claim that the Interstate Horseracing Act, which permits electronic wagering between states where it is legal, discriminates against foreign operators. Antigua is home to numerous online gambling operations that do most of their business with American bettors"


My guess is this is not going anywhere.

By the end of the year my hope is to be earning all my income from poker. I will be playing "live" in AC, Tunica and NV. The internet is a much "tougher" place to play.

[Scurrilous]

2. I used to earn my living in the junk mail business...

...and I know some of the people named in the indictment:

"The three other companies named in the indictment were Direct Mail Expertise, Inc., DME Global Marketing and Fulfillment Inc. and Mobile Promotions Inc., all based in Florida. Also charged were William Hernan Lenis; Monica Lenis and Manny Gustavo Lenis, owners and operators of the Florida companies; and William Luis Lenis."

You've got to be careful who you do business with.

[wakeme2008]

4. Computer Geek here

IMHO, only a idiot would play off-shore on-line gambling sites....

But 4 years ago LOL I applied to a job for a Oracle Database person in Antigua, but didn't get it. :( But on my recent March cruise there I found out there are only two major computer companies in Antigua, off-shore banking and off-shore gambling.

[pokercat999]

3. The sad thing is the democrats are no different

in the way they treat "vices" in this country.

Someday people will be as free as corporations in America. I can't believe I just wrote that, what a naive dreamer I have become.

[Skip Intro]

5. Freedom is on the march.

Why is it any business of the government what I do with my own money?

[MindPilot]

6. Because...

they have to get their cut. x(