Reuters reported this week that a U.S. House committee approved a bill aimed at stamping out the $12 billion Internet gambling industry by stopping businesses from accepting credit cards and other forms of payment.
According the the report, unlawful gambling, under the legislation, would include placing bets on online poker sites, for example, and any other online wager made or received in a place where such a bet is illegal under federal or state law.
The bill, H.R. 4411, Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, will now move to the House floor for consideration.
I don’t think I have to tell you how much of an impact this would have on gaming affiliates – of course, it would be huge. No longer would Americans be able to pay via credit cards, checks, wire transfers and electronic funds transfers to play with offshore gaming sites.
Being that today is St. Patty’s Day, as well as the early part of March Madness, where tons of Americans gleefully bet on college basketball, I’ve got to wonder… What Would St. Patrick Do (WWSPD)?
In addition to today being a wonderful day of green beer and wagering, St. Patrick�s Day is also a holy day, as St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland; the one who brought Christianity to the Irish.
St. Patrick told the people of Ireland that the shamrock was like the idea of the Trinity � that in the one God there are three divine beings: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
In affiliate marketing, the trinity of big money programs would be gaming, adult, and pharmaceuticals. While these areas are objectionable to some, they represent big money and possibilities. You all saw that a National Debt of $9 Trillion (yeah, that’s a T) was approved this week, right?
Well, my Libertarian side says let’s leave online gaming alone, and just tax the hell out of it (along with adult and pharmaceuticals). People can continue to make their own choices, the over-spending government can chip away at the National Debt, and gaming affiliates can stop losing sleep.
Back to St. Patrick, legend has it that he drove the snakes from Ireland. I think we need to call him back into service and get him to also drive the snakes out of the US Capitol Building. Pogue Mahone, politicians!