US online gambling ban

[Sleepy Weasel]

So yeah the Senate passed last friday the bill to ban online gambling in the US. Well not really, it's legal to play on online sites (well as legal as it's ever been...) but illegal for banks to transfer money to gambling sites (and that includes things like neteller, which is why E-bay, who owns paypal and is in direct competition with neteller, backed this thing). Anyway they piggybacked it on a completely unrelated bill and the whole thing is complete bullshit and feel free to complain about that here.

But now le'ts get back to me. The site I play at (Pacific Poker) is closing to US players. Right now a good bit of my income comes from online poker so this is pretty important to me that I can play somewhere.

Anyway as long as some sites stay open to US players I need a workaround. 95% likely I'll try to get some money into a site that is staying open before the bill gets signed in in the next week or two. Or get someone in Europe to help me out with a deposit. Here's the other option though, I'm pretty close to Canada, I'm going to be at Niagra Falls in like sometime the next month or two. How hard is it for a US citizen to open a Canadian bank account. Anyone know? Is that something I could setup quickly and easily? Am I crazy?

[SEAL]

I think the best advice would come from the bank itself, then you know exacly whether it's posible.

I took this from the first random Swiss bank main page:
And, Swiss bank accounts offer you the strictest privacy, total safety and they are tax-free. You don't even need to come in Switzerland - if you want we can open your account by mail.

[Cops]

my brother's friend has an average income of $30,000 per year from online gambling, he was fearing this ban of online gambling sites or an attack at them in general. He didn't really fear losing the ability to play but more so the amount of income he receives from poker, I'd say roughly eighty percent of his income comes from America.

As far as a U.S citizen opening a bank account I doubt there would be much trouble, my grandfather lives in Texas six months of the year and then six months in Ontario. He has numerous bank accounts in both Texas and Ontario. I'd check out TD http://www.tdcanadatrust.com, I'm sure they have a number posted which you can call and ask questions.

[Ignominy]

Yeah I had to get all my money out, it made me pretty sad. Luckily where I live I don't need the internet to get a game.

Let me know what site you end up using.

[Mantra-Slider]

What is the reason behind this ban?

[Verthanthi]

gambling is a vice! a sin!

[404 Not Found]

What is the reason behind this ban?

Many reasons. The people playing are not the top concern as to the monies they have made. The money that individuals make from online gambling does not compare to those that run the sites. The owners and operators of such offshore online gambling sites do not pay any taxes. Tax evasion is the prime concern with the U.S. Government, as they want as much revenues as possible and you the owner and players to have the least.

They had a TV interview with a couple of the people that run these online casinos/poker/gambling in general websites. These people can not enter back into the U.S. as they will be arrested on the spot for tax evasion.

They make millions if not billions and the U.S. Government wants their cut since U.S. citizens are using and making monies from this as well.

Typical bullshit from a hypocritical government.

[tahkis]

I think the best advice would come from the bank itself, then you know exacly whether it's posible.

I took this from the first random Swiss bank main page:
And, Swiss bank accounts offer you the strictest privacy, total safety and they are tax-free. You don't even need to come in Switzerland - if you want we can open your account by mail.

Dunno what your message is trying to tell but I believe the sites will ban US IP addresses or you can't even register from one. Plus they require true personal info - at least usually when you are about to withdraw some bigger amounts of money.

[Riesen]

You could always try venturing outside and going to a real casino or tournament.

[Mantra-Slider]

Honestly this sounds like something a more socialistic country (sweden for example) would do.. is america really this strict?

edit: then again if anyone did this in Sweden they would be out of office in next election

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

Hey Sleepy, remember when you said you were going to come play WoW with us? Yeah dude... what ever happened there? Too busy fixing online poker tournaments with Div to come spends some time with some spaceship buddies?

I see how it is.

[Pearl Jam]

You could always try venturing outside and going to a real casino or tournament.

not everyone lives right next to a casino, mr. joe cool

conc: you guys are still playing wow? when i stopped playing a year and a half ago you guys' characters were ridiculous. can your characters change the seasons with their minds now? create chocolate out of rocks?

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

Dude, I once collapsed the Nikkei with my character, simply by typing "/crush asian market". My guy levitates 20 feet above the ground and I don't even know why--that's the kind of next-level shit we're on.

[Ignominy]

Honestly this sounds like something a more socialistic country (sweden for example) would do.. is america really this strict?

edit: then again if anyone did this in Sweden they would be out of office in next election

It's not that they are strict, it's that they are money hungry and can hide it behind a premise of religious beliefs.

The same way that media here is really conservative and modest, especially things that are broadcast like tv and radio (I'm told it's not as moderated in other countries) because here if someone says fuck or has a racey scene on tv, some angry mom who wants to impose her ideals on everyone will piss her pants.

[Galleleo]

As a dutchie I am sometimes amazed at what they sensor on the american television..