Feds Shut Down Popular Online Poker Site
Feds Shut Down Popular Online Poker Site
Posted 06/30/2011 at 10:43am
| by Paul Lilly
20
Comments
Print
U.S. authorities continue their crusade against the evil and despicable world of...ONLINE POKER! Children are safer today, there are no more marital problems, and world peace is at hand, all because the U.S. Department of Justice pulled the plug on Full Tilt Poker, one of the most popular online poker sites and sponsor to several real life professional poker players, including Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, Phil Gordon, and several others.
Actually, this isn't just about U.S. authorities cracking down on online gambling, though that's a big part of it. According to a report in the L.A. Times, the gambling commission on the island of Alderney in the British Channel Islands suspended the licenses of Full Tilt Poker following an investigation prompted by indictments in the U.S. Those indictments charged Full Tilt Poker executives with bank fraud, money laundering, and other crimes.
The U.S. Justice Department maintains that online poker is illegal in North America under several federal and state laws, and has filed a civil suit against Full Tilt Poker and its affiliates seeking at least $3 billion, the Wall Street Journal reports. Full Tilt and other poker sites -- most notably PokerStars -- deny having done anything wrong, saying that U.S. laws covering online gambling are ambiguous. Up until the recent crackdown, Full Tilt and PokerStars controlled the majority of the online poker market worth an estimated $5 billion a year.
More like this
20
Comments
Comments are closed on this article
bpstone
June 30, 2011 at 7:06pm
How about you focus your attention on the thousands of illegal porn websites scattered across the internet. No, we would rather attack a billion dollar online company because we felt like it. palm*
Holly Golightly
July 05, 2011 at 10:06pm
Sigh, unfortunately, we live in a capitalistic-fascist society. Where time and time again, the government crushes the people's enjoyment. Yet somehow... Casinos are STILL legal. They should go after those scammer websites and protect the people instead. The right to pursuit happiness. They should do a better job protecting the people by shutting down those scammer websites and blocking all porn from homes that have small children. But sometimes we have to put up with these phony pursuits of our government. All because the casinos lobbied congress to make online gambling illegal. Money over people. How backwards!
NineRaven
June 30, 2011 at 1:11pm
Wtf. Poker isn't even gambling. Why dont those spooks go do something useful.
B.A.Frayd
June 30, 2011 at 12:43pm
So this is the "hope and change" we were promised? Looks like the same old big-government-controlling bullshit to me...
Silver925
June 30, 2011 at 1:32pm
It's easy to promise "hope and change" when you're on the outside, looking in with rose colored glasses. That all changes once you get 'inside the fence' and find out what rules you'll have no choice but to play by, beacuse the system has been so broken (and corrupt) for so long. Rinse and repeat (roughly) every four years.
Nimrod
June 30, 2011 at 1:56pm
Its entirely more likely that he just came up with those lies to get elected. The dems never had ANY true intent of reversing the Patriot Act and they are just as eager to run amok in the middle east with the corporate military.
Ghok
June 30, 2011 at 11:25am
Ignoring the alleged crimes of Full Tilt Poker... why is it illegal to begin with?
To protect the people from gambling? To protect the local casinos profits? to protect the revenue the government makes off the local casino? All of the above? Which is the most important?
Can the government control this type of thing on the internet, and if so, should it? If not, what changes should be made to adjust for this? Gaming industries are traditionally pretty regulated.
I don't really gamble, so I don't really have a horse in this race (hey, good metaphor there!)... but it obviously needs some people working on the answers.
Neufeldt2002
June 30, 2011 at 10:59am
Online gambling is not illegal in North America, it is only illegal in the USA. In Canada we can gamble online, and Full Tilt Poker is still available to us. At least as I am writing this.
Neufeldt2002
June 30, 2011 at 11:16am
In Igloos, gets a little cold in winter, but that is what the Mrs. is for.
Caboose
June 30, 2011 at 12:27pm
How's your igloo holding up? I had to get a 2nd air conditioner to keep the ice frozen this year.
Neufeldt2002
June 30, 2011 at 12:49pm
Air conditioning is fine, but the dogs don't like pulling the sled in summer.
Caboose
June 30, 2011 at 2:22pm
Ya I hear ya. I gave mine buzzcuts. They're not as grumpy now... Well, on the grass anyway. Once I hit gravel or the road, they aren't happy at all!
TerribleToaster
June 30, 2011 at 12:46pm
And I was so sure Canada was just where the USA stored its stockpile of ice cream.
Connect with MaximumPC
Featured Content
The gang discusses the GTX 690, Trinity, Ivy Bridge, Amazon, big-box stores, MMOs,...
This month's issue
Feature
Build a PC On Any Budget
Feature
Cloud Services Showdown
How-To
Encrypt Your External Drive
Build It
Upgrade an X58 Rig
Most Commented Articles
Latest Max PC Tweets
- maximumpc: Original RickRoll Video Returns to YouTube After 24-Hour Copyright Hiatus http://t.co/MaH9Sxyy1 day 9 hours ago
- maximumpc: Corsair has decided not to go forward with its $78 million IPO, citing weak equity market conditions http://t.co/A5a4DAzj1 day 9 hours ago
- maximumpc: Want to work at Maximum PC? Our Online Managing Editor, Alex, is moving away, so we need a new one. http://t.co/9Z7JCh0E3 days 7 hours ago
