"Interactive Computer Service" is referring to servers (e.g., webhosting), not ISPs. Under this bill, the government can ask them to remove (from their servers) an online site or a link to a site, if that site is in violation of this bill. The government has to specify the exact location of the link or site, so I think that means they can't do something like "remove all PartyPoker links from your servers." They are also specifically forbidden from asking the webhost to monitor its servers for these sites or links.

I'm not a constitutional lawyer, but it seems like no links to sites could be a first amendment issue.

What about Ice Schmoe?

From what I have seen personally regarding large banks being given guidelines to follow that restricts their ability to potentially make money - I wouldn't expect it to happen overnight and I would expect them to fight it tooth and nail.

I have seen the large financial instiution I work at be given specific compliance related procedures to follow - and 4 years to implement them - only to attempt to implement them starting 3.5 years in and then not implement them at all, but make it look like they did.

Overall, although this whole thing is not great news - it targets not the playing of poker but the movement of money, and I expect that many of the major companies affected (neteller, partypoker, pokerstars, etc) are going to claim they do not need to follow the laws of a country they don't operate within.

The only real concern i have is with these companies pandering to the pressure and banning US players - not because they have to, but because they don't want to deal with any (what I consider to be unjustified) legal action - but then again, I don;t know of any company, that makes tons of money and runs pretty much automatically to just close up shop to avoid potential problems. So maybe I should be concerned, but I;m not.

However, if my company starts making announcements regarding new changes in procedure based on this law I will be concerned and I will certainly let you guys know.

Another question - Does anyone know someone that works at Neteller? How they deal with this will be a goo bellweather for what to expect in the future.

Maple...great points that we should build on.

All the big and respectable rooms are NOT afraid of the US government...and they're certainly not quick to cave in at the first instance of pressure: they have a BIG vested interest in keeping the flow of NEW customers high.

Second, and I think people are really forgetting this, NETeller is CANADIAN...and though they may have been closed to customers from maryland, I find it a long shot that they'd be susceptible to pressure from the US.