FBI shuts down online poker in the US...

[mean mr.mustard]

Cann Even a majority of California residents told cannabis smokers to fuck off last election.

Whereas I agree that socially gambling and cannabis are equals in the eyes of voters...

Plenty of growers and simple users told the bill writers to fuck off last election...

It needed clarified.

They assume 16% of our population had smoked in the last month.

I guarantee the general figure, but more importantly, the public's acceptance is higher than that.

A difference in acceptance has to occur and real statistics need placed.

Not every no on 19 voter voted no because they didn't like cannabis consumption... many voted no that support cannabis.

It's true.

 

[PondeLftHndSide]

Coin-toss poker is definitely gambling. Not my style. I like the psychology, mechanics and thrill of actually playing the hand as much as winning the money.

Fuck it, I'm going to take my Pokerstars roll to the $1/$3 table at my local card room as soon as it hits my account. Gotta get my feet wet sooner or later.

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Any action taken on incomplete information is a form of gambling.

True, but that is a pretty cut and dry way to look at it.

Roulette IMO is what I consider gambling. Or slot machines. Or the lottery.

 

[Marquis de Sod]

i bee's from nevada. online gambling is gay. that being said alot of people lose everything they have from gambling, online or not. my mom and everybody else's mom was a dealer. NONE of us, NOT ONE ever got into gambling. of course i dabbled. i am probably even. i like craps the best. But EVERY casino game is stacked against you. Except. if you play poker, not so much, because then you are not playing against the house. You can bluff another poker player, but you can't bluff the 21 dealer or the roulette marble.
I'm all for getting rid of any and all kinds of gambling, including casinos. Well, i like the Lotto tho!! I play it about five times a year, for one dollar.
Just remember ONE thing....
They don't build casinos to give away money.
and after you disregard that advice, Don't go to a casino with more money than you can afford to lose, and don't be afraid to take your lumps and walk out!. Win big? LEAVE ASAP! Play the slots? Bet the full amount on mega millions only. A couple hands is all you need to play. if it's your destiny to win, you will win, no matter if you play $10 or $10,000. So spend less.

That is your gambling lesson of the day.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I think the FBI should stop your precious ass from growing and selling pot. Maybe I should call them for you...

ok, now that is taking it over the edge here.... NO GROWER should EVER say such a thing to another grower...in fact NOBODY should ever say such a thing....... EVER.... for that thought to even come to your mind shows your true colors... in fact, i am guessing that you have done your fair share of getting people in trouble in your day...

If you were a real person in my life, and you said such a thing to me, I would really make you eat your words..

 

[Red Fang]

Personally I think this is another example of how the government in the "land of the free" is anything but free. I have no love for millionaires and billionaires exploiting the hopes and dreams of the poor and hiding their ill-gotten gains in other countries. They say communist governments didn't work but is this any different?

This government (not a certain administration but the whole government dating back to the 40's at least) is so corrupt and inefficient and answers to so many special interests that it needs to be dismantled completely and rebuilt from the ground up.

I believe in a strong government that uses its strength to further freedom instead of hindering it, to help its people and people around the world, not to help the rich or powerful or to prop up dictators for its own "interests".

We get involved when we shouldn't and where we should, we let a dictator slaughter people trying to fight for freedom. And if the US was not so arrogant, overtly exploitative and wasteful and financially and politically pompous, we would not have 99% of the enemies we do now and would not need Tomahawk missiles or a big bloated military supported by those still stuck in the Cold War.

We should be investing in solar and wind power plants in the developing countries instead of bombs. It would be cheaper and far more effective. Someone said we should not let our money flow to other countries so they can build themselves up. We take money out of other countries and that is ok? How do you think we got so rich, by being fair?

Those funds could have been better used to yes, build their countries up to develop a self-sustaining economy that does not depend on foreign aid or have internal strife fueled by brutal regimes that squander their countries resources on a military to squash their peoples aspirations for a better life. No country should be allowed to take money out of another country, that money should be used to better the life of people in that country. In the interest of trade, a system should be set up that every country puts more into the global economy than it takes out.

 

[confused]

The gambling industry grew tenfold since 75.

Jobs abound.

LOL

You didn't watch the Warren Buffett video did you?

Yes there are jobs, but they are paid for by the rake taken off the table. That would be fine and dandy, but that rake does not go 100% to creating jobs or building casinos or free drinks for that matter. A majority of it gets sucked out of the local economy and given to a scummy casino owner.

The gambling industry growing tenfold since 75 doesn't prove anything. The state of Las Vegas after the economic crisis shows its not sustainable.


LOL

 

[mean mr.mustard]

Riiiight.

There's no money in it.

That entire town is built on it.

LOL

 

[Weird]

if we were to use the natural world's definition of symbiotic relationships categorized as mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic in nature

which do you see poker being?

i believe we have a choice in the type of relationship we identify and contribute to

 

[mean mr.mustard]

I would start to think it's mutualistic, if it's not easy to wean gamblers onto another vice.

The casino gets what it needs, money; the gamblers get what they need, the possibility of money.

If they just want to do something exciting then it's a parasitic relationship, seeing as how the casino is giving them a cheap show at a steep markup.

The possibility of walking into a casino with little and walking out with a lot is much more attractive than the probability.

 

[LovableHuggable]

ok, now that is taking it over the edge here.... NO GROWER should EVER say such a thing to another grower...in fact NOBODY should ever say such a thing....... EVER.... for that thought to even come to your mind shows your true colors... in fact, i am guessing that you have done your fair share of getting people in trouble in your day...

If you were a real person in my life, and you said such a thing to me, I would really make you eat your words..

Well you just said it to me as a poker player. You think getting the FBI after these sites is going to bode well fro the players? You are out of your mind. You might as well snitch them all out. Let this man educate you on what you just said and why I made that comment to you.

The US Attorney also commented on the freeze placed on player funds, saying:

“We are looking at the funds and accounts to determine if they are the profits of an illegal enterprise,” Langmesser said. “The funds won’t be available until a determination has been made,” she said.
​

For those who are involved as principals there's some rough sledding ahead. Despite the many who claim there's no way this stands up I have to disagree - the most-serious charges are not running the gambling operations, they're the schemes related to intentionally mis-coding money flows to get them through the banking system.
Those charges might well stand as "bank fraud" even if the gambling charges fail.

In the general sense lying to a financial institution or tampering with authentication and coding on transactions is likely to get you in trouble even if the underlying thing you're doing turns out not to be against the law. I would not want to be on the wrong end of those indictments.

As I noted in my previous Ticker the primary risks to individual players are likely to be a bit more sublime. Any funds you have on deposit have high odds of being simply gone - permanently. I rate the chance of that at well north of 50% irrespective of the final outcome of the cases in question.

The more-serious problem that potentially faces players applies to those who have a profit on some sort of substantial basis playing poker online for money. There are a fair number of people who literally make a living doing this. If you've been less-than-honest with the IRS about that income and haven't paid taxes on it you've potentially got a big problem.

How big, of course, depends on how much money is involved. If it's a few thousand bucks in total it's probably not going to come back and bite you. But if this is your primary (or only) means of support then things get very interesting indeed if you've been yukking it up for a few years and haven't declared and paid taxes on any of it.

http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=184535

So maybe I should be making you eat those words sicne you wanted the FBI after these sites and now they will be up in my ass along with the IRS. You were the one out of line, I just came across it and continued my ass whooping.

.......ahhhhhhh maybe THATS why I am catching flack from some of you guys on here for speaking my mind about the importance for the FBI to stop precious $$ from leaving the country and weaking it, meanwhile strengthening another... did you guys have fifty bucks in your account and now you hate the world because your life savings were lost??

Here is you crossing the line wanting the FBI all up in ppl's shit b/c you weren't as successful as they were or didn't understand the game enough as I've already pointed out earlier. What you are asking for is worse than snitching on a grow.

 

[LovableHuggable]

Yes there are jobs, but they are paid for by the rake taken off the table. That would be fine and dandy, but that rake does not go 100% to creating jobs or building casinos or free drinks for that matter. A majority of it gets sucked out of the local economy and given to a scummy casino owner.
LOL

Where the hell do you think Goldman's profits go to? It sure as hell ain't creating jobs. Have you seen the salary breakdowns of who got increases in the last decade? It ain't 99% of America, I can tell you that much.

Charging rake that everyone is aware of and is ok with is a damn bit more honest than the shit that's gone in the investment bank/mortgage industry where all the money went to sleazy men like Mozillo and Friends of Mozillo. I could go on and on with the billions of bullshit that dwarfs all of online gambling.

 

[Lone Wolf]

.....please.....just stop typing, "LOVABLE"......


please....do yourself a favor... as well as many of us growers here on this site


go to a poker forum and cry about losing your money...

 

[LovableHuggable]

And you stay on a grow forum advocating FBI and IRS involvement in the proceeds of a quasi illegal activity that you yourself engage in. What you did would be like me getting the FBI and DEA and IRS investigation over 1000 growers bank accts and money looking to do a little civil forfeiture. But you like others don't have any issues sending the jackboots after anyone else just as long as they don't come down on you or another grower. Hypocrite.

FWIW I didn't lose that much this time. 2006/Neteller taught me.

 

[confused]

Since it cost a lot to win
and even more to lose
You and me bound to spend some time
wondering what to choose

Goes to show you don't ever know
Watch each card you play
and play it slow
Wait until your deal come round
Don't you let that deal go down

I been gambling here abouts
for ten good solid years
If I told you all that went down
it would burn off both your ears

It goes to show you don't ever know
Watch each card you play
and play it slow
Wait until your deal come round
Don't you let that deal go down

Since you poured the wine for me
and tightend up my shoes
I hate to leave you sittin there
composin lonesome blues

It goes to show you don't ever know
Watch each card you play
and play it slow
Wait until your deal come round
Don't you let that deal go down
Don't you let that deal go down, no
Don't you let your deal go down

 

[confused]

Riiiight.

There's no money in it.

That entire town is built on it.

LOL

You sir, cannot bet led to water.

 

[confused]

FWIW I didn't lose that much this time. 2006/Neteller taught me.

Are you trying to say your money was confiscated? Hard to believe when the major sites are working to pay it all out. This is not the Neteller fiasco.

Durrrr and Ivey both said they would back unpaid accounts with their own bankroll.

 

[thedankage]

well for one thing i am completely screwed!!!! Online poker was my only income and i have very little cash right now and multiple thousands online that i cant even touch! because of this whole situation i am jobless i have no cash! now im gonna have to resort back to "activities" which i put in the past thanks to poker but now the government has ruined me for the time being!!! thanks uncle sam you rock!!!

 

[LovableHuggable]

Are you trying to say your money was confiscated? Hard to believe when the major sites are working to pay it all out. This is not the Neteller fiasco.

Durrrr and Ivey both said they would back unpaid accounts with their own bankroll.

I'm saying after getting money stuck in neteller, getting screwed in the Tusk/microgaming liquidation and processor issues starting back in 2008 I learned to only keep a small % of my roll online. I'm out money here and it hurts but this wasn't my sole income and I only have 15% of my money on poker sites, some of which are fine still.

 

[LovableHuggable]

Under an agreement announced today, the government will allow PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker to use their web sites to facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. players’ funds held in accounts with the companies. The five-page domain-name use agreements with PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker will also let the poker companies continue to use their domain names to offer for-money online poker games to players outside the U.S. In return the world’s two biggest online poker companies have agreed not to facilitate for-money poker games for U.S. players and to let an independent monitor verify their compliance with the deal.

http://blogs.forbes.com/nathanvardi/2011/04/20/u-s-online-poker-players-will-get-their-money-back/

I guess all the players hammering on the whitehouse town hall pages and the DoJ facebook and other politicians maybe put a little pressure on these guys to do the right thing here.