Prohibiting voluntary victimless activities of the physical kind didn't even work very well in the 20th century. The technological kind in the 21st century? Downright impossible. It just moves outside your borders - and outside your ability to tax. Unless I'm ignorant of some industry-specific facts I think this would be a win-win for everybody (except, as always, the poor souls that willingly throw their money away...)
Edit: Good point by cellis below. Still, I think legalizing activities via connected interests is progress compared to fake illegalizing that exists currently.
Win-win for the politically connected oligopolies ( tribes, states, vegas ). Equation stays lose-lose for everyone else ( startups, customers ). And of course there is still UIGEA. So, don't get your hopes up.
Comments
Prohibiting voluntary victimless activities of the physical kind didn't even work very well in the 20th century. The technological kind in the 21st century? Downright impossible. It just moves outside your borders - and outside your ability to tax. Unless I'm ignorant of some industry-specific facts I think this would be a win-win for everybody (except, as always, the poor souls that willingly throw their money away...)
Edit: Good point by cellis below. Still, I think legalizing activities via connected interests is progress compared to fake illegalizing that exists currently.
Win-win for the politically connected oligopolies ( tribes, states, vegas ). Equation stays lose-lose for everyone else ( startups, customers ). And of course there is still UIGEA. So, don't get your hopes up.
The UIGEA no longer applies to internet poker because internet poker is no longer unlawful (the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act).
Tell that to Absolute Poker exec Brent Beckley who just pleaded guilty to charges that included violations of UIGEA
edit: And this clarification of the Wire Act changes nothing as to the legality of online poker.
Well said. It's disgusting.