Feds Shutdown Three Biggest Online Poker Websites

Ridiculous that it is illegal. If it wasn't illegal these charges would be unfounded.

We can't send the banksters to jail but we can send people who run some poker sites to jail. Way to have priorities.

Also, did you see Lenny Dykstra was arrested today.

If it means I don't have to see any more commercials for these places, it's fine with me to shut them down.

Damn that is bad news.

I didn't know it was illegal.

I never played for money but used to play just for fun since I am a fan of poker.

This is such BS. If I work to earn my money, I should be able to spend it however I damn well please, and the only reason that the poker sites had to move money around through different accounts is because of a piece of idiotic legislation that was snuck into another anti-terrorism bill.

I can say without feeling the least bit bad about it that I hope each and every politician who's "supported" attacking the online poker sites so vehemently ends up losing every dollar they have. Just to even out the stacks of cash they're stealing from American citizens.

Glad that I didn't still have more than a few bucks on PokerStars, but still.....

It says they are seeking to shut it down, so who knows when it will go down. Could be right after I post this or it could be tomorrow.

Yep, indeed.

So we should just do what the government or police say. If they deem something illegal or unlawful then we can't do it. Doesn't matter, just obey the masters.

Ron Paul
Before the Financial Services Committee Subcommittee on Domestic & International Monetary Policy of the US House of Representatives, April 2, 2008: Hearing on Proposed UIGEA Regulations

Mr. Chairman, I stand opposed to the regulations being discussed today because I opposed the underlying bill upon which these regulations are based. The ban on Internet gambling infringes upon two freedoms that are important to many Americans: the ability to do with their money as they see fit, and the freedom from government interference with the Internet.

The proper role of the federal government is not that of a nanny, protecting citizens from any and every potential negative consequence of their actions. Although I personally believe gambling to be a dumb waste of money, American citizens should be just as free to spend their money playing online poker as they should be able to buy a used car, enter into a mortgage, or invest in a hedge fund. Risk is inherent in any economic activity, and it is not for the government to determine which risky behaviors Americans may or may not engage in.

The Internet is a powerful tool, and any censorship of Internet activity sets a dangerous precedent. Many Americans rely on the Internet for activities as varied as watching basketball games, keeping up on international news broadcasts, or buying food and clothing. In the last few years we have seen ominous signs of the federal government's desire to control the Internet. The ostensible reasons are to protect Americans from sex offenders, terrorists, and the evils of gambling, but once the door is open to government intrusion, there is no telling what legitimate activity, especially political activity, might fall afoul of government authorities.

The regulations and underlying bill also force financial institutions to act as law enforcement officers. This is another pernicious trend that has accelerated in the aftermath of the Patriot Act, the deputization of private businesses to perform intrusive enforcement and surveillance functions that the federal government is unwilling to perform on its own.

In conclusion, I urge my colleagues to oppose these new regulations and support Chairman Frank's HR 2046, of which I am a cosponsor. Although this bill has been criticized by some for its regulatory aspects, this act does not create any new federal laws and merely ensures that Internet gambling firms comply with existing federal law. The passage of HR 2046 would restore the right of Americans to decide for themselves whether or not to gamble online.