Tilt! Poker payoffs held up by Feds

[Emp]

I could never figure out how the off shore sites were getting away with payoffs... and apparently they can't any more....NY Times today.....

Opening a new front in the government’s
battle against Internet gambling, federal prosecutors have asked four American banks to freeze tens of millions of dollars
in payments owed to people who play poker online.
The frozen payments of at least $33 million are owed to 27,000 players at four offshore poker sites, including PokerStars.com and FullTiltPoker.com, according
to John Pappas, the executive director of the Poker Players Alliance,
a group that advocates for online poker players.
Pappas said prosecutors in the last two weeks have asked Citibank, Wells Fargo and two smaller banks to freeze funds in accounts belonging to two companies,
Allied Systems and Account Services, that process payouts on behalf of the poker sites.
The government action came to light over the weekend after checks issued to poker players by the two companies began bouncing,
Pappas said.
Yusill Scribner, a spokeswoman for the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, which is bringing the legal action, declined to comment.
Steve Cohen, a spokesman at Citibank, confirmed that the bank had received a request from prosecutors.
He said that as a matter of policy the bank complies with such requests.
Wells Fargo, which received a court order to freeze the money, said it had a policy to comply with “valid instructions to seize funds

[XU05and07]

how about making internet gambling legal...and then they don't have to worry about.

[Titanxman04]

how about making internet gambling legal...and then they don't have to worry about.

You don't happen to be one of those 27,000 people, hmmm? Maybe some biased opinions there? :D

[XU05and07]

You don't happen to be one of those 27,000 people, hmmm? Maybe some biased opinions there? :D

I wish I was owed money...but no...i think gambling should be allowed in ohio, much like it is in indiana, michigan, west virginia, and canada

[wkrq59]

I wish I was owed money...but no...i think gambling should be allowed in ohio, much like it is in indiana, michigan, west virginia, and canada

I agree. I hope Ohio OKs it before Kentucky, or the horse racing industry here in this state is gonzo. They simply can't compete any more with the Argosy or whatever it's names in Indiana which funds hundreds of millions to that state's treasury every year.
For heaven's sake let the Ohio tracks have the slots. If they don't the live horse racing industry is gone.

[Fireball]

It's amazing that I can drive 10 minutes away from my house to do something legally that I apparently can't do in the comfort of my own home legally.

This is the greatest country in the world, but it sure does have its values out of whack in this and many other cases.

[Kahns Krazy]

Gambling is less harmful than alcohol. Legalize it!

[D-West & PO-Z]

I agree. I hope Ohio OKs it before Kentucky, or the horse racing industry here in this state is gonzo. They simply can't compete any more with the Argosy or whatever it's names in Indiana which funds hundreds of millions to that state's treasury every year.
For heaven's sake let the Ohio tracks have the slots. If they don't the live horse racing industry is gone.

Thats a good point Q. I used to work in the parking lot at River Downs for my cousin who ran the parking lot for a long time who got the job because my grandpa worked there forever in the summers when he wasnt teaching. So I know a lot about the place and I know they have been dying to get slots there. It is DEAD there during the weeks and they stopped having live racing on days they used to. There are the regulars but that isnt very big. I had seen Lou Pinella and Pete Rose several times when I worked there. My cousin said they both used to be there all the time. Pete Rose must have a thousand mesh outfits because that is all he ever used to wear to the track. I have some very funny stories from working there for several years in high school and into college. Some interesting characters that is for sure.

[XU05and07]

Gambling is less harmful than alcohol. Legalize it!

Pot, too!

extra letters

[Kahns Krazy]

It's amazing that I can drive 10 minutes away from my house to do something legally that I apparently can't do in the comfort of my own home legally.

This is the greatest country in the world, but it sure does have its values out of whack in this and many other cases.

I was in Vegas for business one time. I couldn't find a poker table I liked, so I went up to my room and played for a while online while I got room service (and ravaged the mini-bar). I believe I was breaking the law by gambling online in Las Vegas.

[XU05and07]

Thats a good point Q. I used to work in the parking lot at River Downs for my cousin who ran the parking lot for a long time who got the job because my grandpa worked there forever in the summers when he wasnt teaching. So I know a lot about the place and I know they have been dying to get slots there. It is DEAD there during the weeks and they stopped having live racing on days they used to. There are the regulars but that isnt very big. I had seen Lou Pinella and Pete Rose several times when I worked there. My cousin said they both used to be there all the time. Pete Rose must have a thousand mesh outfits because that is all he ever used to wear to the track. I have some very funny stories from working there for several years in high school and into college. Some interesting characters that is for sure.

http://product.images.prosportsmemorabilia.com/44-16/44-16498-P.jpg

[XUglow]

It's amazing that I can drive 10 minutes away from my house to do something legally that I apparently can't do in the comfort of my own home legally.

This is the greatest country in the world, but it sure does have its values out of whack in this and many other cases.

Tell me about it. Many places in the south have blue laws and won't allow you to purchase beer or alcohol in grocery stores on Sundays, but they also have resort laws that make it OK to go out to a club or pub and consume alcohol on Sunday, which means that they would rather have you drinking and driving home than drinking at home, I guess.

[Emp]

How easy is it to cook the take in on line poker? Unregulated gamblers are free to give undisclosed house advantage, or just simply rip the gambler off. It's money going untaxed and out the US door. It's been happening and caught, but the tip of the iceberg. Rather than prohibiting it, regulate it and capture the national tax $.

As for slots saving horse racing, why does horse racing need saving any way? If no one wants to watch horses race, it goes the way of bear baiting. My god, if people in Kentucky dont want to go to the track, what's the point?

Im not sure gambling does less harm than alcohol, but thats not at the top of the list of pursuasive reason we should make it more available. Whenever I go to the track, the two seem to interact in a really bad way.