This makes for interesting discussion, but I think its all moot anyway. I would bet a large sum of money that it never gets anywhere near getting passed in the Senate. It wont even get to a vote.

I doubt they will be able to stop people from playing even if they make it illegal. I will still play if illegal if I can arrange internet access. I use my moral compass when deciding what to do and what not to do, I do not let the goverment lawmakers decide for me. I realize there is risk when decididing to do something illegal and that if 'caught' I would have to face possible consequences. But being 'caught' playing in the privacy of my home is very unlikely. I do not think the governement is ready to issue warrants to break into peoples homes to do searches for evidence of playing poker online. The police certainly have better things to do than engage in something like that so I feel pretty sure that this will never happen.

If interent access was not possible that would be a real problem for me.

But I want to remind people that as poker players who like to play poker and like to win money at poker our goal should be to have poker be fully legal in all states. So card clubs could be legal and above ground and home games could flourish and there could be advertizing for them. And the same with online poker, advertising and easy access for all US citizens, and all humans worldwide.

I want it legal in my state so I can play drunks live 24/7 in bars or card clubs or whatever. a

Yikes. Looks like the Justice Department is interested in keeping this in the public arena. describes what I would consider to be a new front in the US anti-online gaming war. Arresting foreign national CEOs while passing through the country getting a connecting flight is something new for justice in attacking online gaming as far as I know.

Given the huge controversy in the UK about the 1 sided extradition treaty with the US (signed in a rush after 9.11), this is already hitting the papers here in England.

To extradite a British citizen to the US on any charge, the US govt just have to request it (no need to show due cause). Of course the US judiciary are quite properly insisting that the UK govt show due cause before extradition of any US citizen.

The problem is that this was sold as an anti-terrorist measure but 80% of its use has been in connection with allegations of fraud/white-collar stuff..

You have to remember that whilst internet gambling is legal in the EU the US laws claim extra-territoriality - so what's next? - do I get extradited for taking money off US citizens 'illegally' by playing at Stars?

A white knight on the way???

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5195638.stm

Rich

Unfortunately, The US doesnt give a shit what the WTO says.