Ugh... just ugh... Made me sick to see this news this morning.
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/02/061002132728.nt5b8tr6.html
And the bans for US players on the major sites will begin shortly after Bush signs:
http://www.londonstockexchange.com/LSECWS/IFSPages/MarketNewsPopup.aspx?id=1308926&source=RNS
My focus is on poker, but it's all online gambing that the bill affects.
CNET News.com summary
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/02/061002132728.nt5b8tr6.html
US President George W. Bush this week is expected to sign a bill making it harder to place bets on the Internet, a practice which already is illegal in the United States.
Bush was expected to act quickly after Congress approved the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act making it illegal for financial institutions and credit card companies to process payments to settle Internet bets. It also created stiff penalties for online wagers.
And the bans for US players on the major sites will begin shortly after Bush signs:
http://www.londonstockexchange.com/LSECWS/IFSPages/MarketNewsPopup.aspx?id=1308926&source=RNS
After taking extensive legal advice, the Board of PartyGaming Plc has concluded that the new legislation, if signed into law, will make it practically impossible to provide US residents with access to its real money poker and other real money gaming sites. As a result of this development, the Board of PartyGaming has determined that if the President signs the Act into law, the Company will suspend all real money gaming business with US residents, and such suspension will continue indefinitely, subject to clarification of the interpretation and enforcement of US law and the impact on financial institutions of this and other related legislation. Access to PartyGaming's online gaming sites for the Group's US free play customers will be unaffected. Access for all of PartyGaming’s non-US customers will also be unaffected.
My focus is on poker, but it's all online gambing that the bill affects.
CNET News.com summary