But the slimy scumballs will probably come up with new ways to bilk U.S. customers out of their money, such as the "phantom book" and "invisible apple" schemes mentioned here and at other forums. And if these guys are the only ones left that are willing to accept U.S. customers then they'll probably remain successful.QUOTE]
Unfortunately, official prohibition always seems to drive an issue underground, opening the way for the crooks of this world to circumvent the law involved and rip off the unprotected *consumer*in the process.
In a way, that's what happened in the past in some sectors of the industry, thanks to US enforcement and legislative policies that have compelled even decent operators to set up offshore, sometimes in barely regulated jurisdictions that are more interested in licensing revenues than genuine regulation and could not give a damn about the player.
Many of the top companies in the industry have been pointing this out to the US authorities and political establishment for years, explaining the more positive alternative of regulated and taxed online gaming within the States which would encourage adequately funded and professional gambling groups - including the big US land gambling names - to operate openly and in a controlled American environment that excludes the dubious and would be safer and more appealing to the millions of online gamblers in the States.
But the American player and his or her wishes seem to be the least thing that the politicians care about. These approaches have been ignored time and time again, and instead we see hypocritical carve-outs for vested interests, political wheeling and dealing on a grand scale for the *moral vote* or commercial protectionism and unsubstantiated accusations of criminal conduct by the industry in general from badly informed politicians.
Capping that, there is the frustration of watching a strange (some would say twisted) political process whereby sharp politicians can make "attachments" to totally unrelated bills in covert moves that apparently cancel out any democratic requirement that a Bill be debated and voted on its individual and specific merits.
The cherry on the top is a state and federal enforcement system that is apparently a law unto itself and seems to rely increasingly on scare tactics rather than the letter of the law and the authority of the courts to interpret it.
I get the feeling that both politicians and enforcement officials are playing fast and loose with the real laws of the land here, exploiting the confusing legal climate concerning Internet activities to the full.
The demand of so many Americans for legal online gambling cannot be long denied imo, and the business possibilities flowing from that demand will not have escaped the attention of the big US land gambling groups and their influence in US politics. For those reasons alone I do not believe online gambling will remain *illegal* for Americans indefinitely.
In the meantime I think players need to continue to make their voices heard by their political representatives, perhaps through organised bodies like the PPA and NROG and the media. Don't let your *leaders* forget that there is a large body of US citizens who demand a legitimate right to enjoy safe and fair gambling using modern technologies.
IMO US players are being shafted by political expediency here - let the politicians know how little you are impressed by their efforts on your behalf!
