TechCrunch has a very interesting article that seems to indicate that the maker of the popular Facebook poker game, Zynga, could become a target of state attorneys general. According to the article one of Zynga’s competitors had ordered a review of the legal status of offering an online poker game for free to US players and their experts concluded that it was too risky. They shared the findings with Tech Crunch.
The report makes the argument that despite Zynga’s claims that they are in the clear legally because players don’t win money it is well known that there is a secondary market for the chips. Players can sell their chips on eBay and other sites for cash which means that the chips could be construed to have value and that would mean that Zynga is no different than PartyPoker or Full Tilt Poker in that they are offering gambling for money.
While the heat may not be on Zynga today the fact that one of their competitors shared this with Tech Crunch in an attempt to put pressure on them and perhaps wake up a nutty anti-gaming attorney general means that this status may only be temporary.
Photocred to chairman moneko
Yes, but I don’t see how that changes what I just said. Many Democrats would have voted for it if it was a completely separate bill. Nancy Pelosi (Democrat) and current Speak of the House has said flat out that she will not support legalizing online gambling. Even Obama has said he’s not necessarily in favor of legalizing online gambling. Many other very influential Democrats have made similar vows. At the same time, many Republicans support legalizing online gambling.
So to call this a partisan issue where one can lay the blame at George Bush’s feet is not very accurate. Like I said, I’m not defending Bush but saying the current US stance on online gambling has anything to do with George Bush completely ignores the reality of the situation.
If what you said is true then a bill legalizing online poker would have easily passed already. The Democrats hold majorities in both the House and the Senate. The problem is that the pro-online gambling Democrats don’t have enough support within their own ranks to get a bill legalizing online gambling pushed through.
If you go to the PPA website you will see that this issue is far from being a Democrat or Republican issue. Many supporters of legalizing online gaming come from the Republican ranks. The biggest problem is that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats currently have enough support within their own ranks to legalize it. There are Republicans and Democrats fighting against it.
but did they not just throw on the UIGEA to the Safe Ports Act at the very last minute?
Well, considering that many Democrats are against online gambling I don’t think this has anything to do with George Bush whatsoever. Even Obama would have had to sign the Safe Ports act which the UIGEA was attached to.
I’m not defending Bush but it is nowhere near that simple.
What the hell is happening to America.. I thought it was the land of the free and all that. Pure self interest from the George W Bush administration has led to all this..