Political Semi-Rant
So over the past few days news has come out that the two founders of "Neteller" have been arrested in the US. This is just the latest arrest in the witch hunt for anyone associated with online gambling. The US government is really starting to piss me off, they pass this law outlawing online gambling (well, really just funding it directly from your bank account or Credit card) because they're scared of not getting their cut from this multi-billion dollar industry, under a veil of morality, preaching the horrors that come from American adults enjoying a poker game or two while at their home on the internet. So instead of finding a way of regulating and taxing the industry here in the US, our fearless leaders prefer to hunt down and persecute anyone involved with the industry.
It seems for now that the idiots in Washington may be winning, but from my seat i see this playing out very similarly to a simiar fight that happened a few years ago with the RIAA and Napster.
You may recall that back in the late 90's downloading free music online exploded in the US. And of course...instead of embracing and working with an obviously exremely popular new technology the suits in the RIAA used every lame scare tactic they could think of to hunt down and persecute anyone involved with downloading music on the internet...only because they werent getting their cut of the pie. Finally somewhere a long the line someone with a brain came a long and Apple introduced Itunes, and well, the rest is history. I really think that all that needs to happen is someone in the US to come a long and talk some sence into our government.
Perhaps one of the large gambling companies in the US such as Harrahs or MGM will come a long and realize that the only reason the poker rooms in their casinos exploded over the past 6 years or so is because of the online game. Maybe that will drive them to work with the government and set up some kind of new product in the US. Or maybe the right palms will get greased and the new congress will do something (although I highly doubt this is a huge issue to anyone there.) Only time will tell, but for now, where theres a will theres a way....and I wont be leaving the online game anytime soon.
It seems for now that the idiots in Washington may be winning, but from my seat i see this playing out very similarly to a simiar fight that happened a few years ago with the RIAA and Napster.
You may recall that back in the late 90's downloading free music online exploded in the US. And of course...instead of embracing and working with an obviously exremely popular new technology the suits in the RIAA used every lame scare tactic they could think of to hunt down and persecute anyone involved with downloading music on the internet...only because they werent getting their cut of the pie. Finally somewhere a long the line someone with a brain came a long and Apple introduced Itunes, and well, the rest is history. I really think that all that needs to happen is someone in the US to come a long and talk some sence into our government.
Perhaps one of the large gambling companies in the US such as Harrahs or MGM will come a long and realize that the only reason the poker rooms in their casinos exploded over the past 6 years or so is because of the online game. Maybe that will drive them to work with the government and set up some kind of new product in the US. Or maybe the right palms will get greased and the new congress will do something (although I highly doubt this is a huge issue to anyone there.) Only time will tell, but for now, where theres a will theres a way....and I wont be leaving the online game anytime soon.
posted by jay at 6:19 PM
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