Sportbook climate here in Costa Rica not loooking so good. :(

[LiveCasinoPartners]

Here's the climate of sportsbooks here in Costa Rica. Pay attention because sportsbooks and onine casinos are intimately related.

Everyone read about the http://betonsports.com/ right ? I posted a thread about the beginning of the end of online gamming a few weeks ago.. I thought like everyone else that the new legislation would take some time, but apparently DOJ arrested founders in Texas while in transit.. The US is trying to seize 3 something billion dollars?? BetOnSports supposedly has over 2000 employees around the world, a publicly traded company in the UK. The founder and CEO made a TV interview recently on defending online gamming. All of this before the legislation designed to specifically prohibit most online gamming is made law! Ultimately, the premature arrests could provide a plus on the defense legal team. (I am speculating becuase I know little about the legalities)

In one of the local papers here in Costa Rica, they had a picture of Calvin Ayre (Bodog.com founder, CEO, Aryl Flyn incarnate, overall larger than life sort of guy.) and the title read something like "Will Calvin Arye be next?" He's a Costa Rican resident, but is currently in Canada shooting a poker reality tv show. He subsquently posponed a Las vegas shooting next month.

What does this mean? Well, they are starting from the top, and working there way around to the little guys. Most conviction per dollar spent.

I'm venting and frusterated by these developements.. the industry really took a blow this week.

[Former Member 14]

I think the party is over. As you said the laws have not officially been passed, but considering no one tells the USA what to do, then they tend to do what they like.

I'm pulling the pin, I'm too old for this sh#t, besides, having to be on constant watch for rogue webmasters scraping content and all the other cr#p that seems to have migrated into this industry of late, I can make more dollars running my web developement business; least with that I don't have to worry about knocks at the door.

[breakbets]

It should be noted that taking sports bets over the phone from US citizens? Overtly, definitely, no-gray-area illegal. So...while it's shocking that the CEO of BetOnSports was arrested, it's not baffling (not the same as, say, a poker room CEO getting arrested. Or even a casino-only site). Not saying this isn't part of a bigger picture kind of thing that's brewing, but still.

[diceman]

I think the party is over. As you said the laws have not officially been passed, but considering no one tells the USA what to do, then they tend to do what they like.

I'm pulling the pin, I'm too old for this sh#t, besides, having to be on constant watch for rogue webmasters scraping content and all the other cr#p that seems to have migrated into this industry of late, I can make more dollars running my web developement business; least with that I don't have to worry about knocks at the door.

Just calm down a bit and take a few breaths. Everything should be ok but there is no point on making yourself sick with it. As far as srappers I dont even want to go into that

[matted]

There is still question of jurisdiction and luckily the US courts have not been influenced too much by the religious right.

Just like how British citizens aren't subject to US laws (you lucky guys!) we dont know about corporations operating outside US borders, even with a US citizen as CEO (was the BetonSports guy a US citizen?). BetOnSports was fully licensed and regulated - and operating legally as far as we know.

[Ace Fun]

Sports betting is not illegal in the UK
Taking sports bets from US citizens is not illegal in the UK
Sports betting is a legal international business
The blocking of sports betting by American has been ruled to be a breach of the WTO agreement

Now what will the UK gov do? It's greedy and is desperate for the revenue from on-line gambling, so will it put pressure on the US? A retaliatory action such as listing oil in Euros on the spot market in London would be a devastating blow to America, and could mark the end of the dollar as the main international trading currency. It would also give the UK a big trading boost.

[LiveCasinoPartners]

The outcome will most likely be pivotal for the bulk of online gamming business. If BetOnSports wins it will enbolden online gamming.. But a loss could set us back as a whole.

[daweller]

OK , I'm just an affiliate here,
I'm not TOO knowledgable on the subject,
Correct me if I am wrong but, I don't think we should worry TOO much.
I am just thinking this, because of that 60 Minutes segment they aired a year or so ago, about WSEX ( Worldwide Sports Exchange ) - one of the first online betting websites,
Anyways, the owner of WSEX runs his service in one of those islands, like Costa Rica or the Caymen's, I can't remember.
The point is, he hasn't been arrested because he doesn't go back to the US.

So is it safe to say offshore operations are reasonable safe, as long as the owners don't go to the US?
I mean, what can the FBI do if the servers and staff are offshore?

All they can do is bust operations on US soil right?
This guy was just arrested because he was in Texas.

[freebie]

As a pretty successfull affiliate who targets UK based sportsbooks, I know that alot of bookmakers who were going to CAC are now thinking twice about stepping on the plane.

Has anyone got any news on CAC2006? Is it still going ahead? Anyone pulling out?

[LiveCasinoPartners]

Last I read, Calvin from bodog is cancelling his appearance in Las Vegas in September for the BoDog conferance. I don't blame him. Why would he want to risk it. I think book makers should hold off too.. benefit verses risk.. is not enough to make it worth it for them. What they will most likely do is start having all of the major conferences outside the US. (Excuse me for pointing out the obvious )

[Amateur]

AND.....elections are in November!!! The whole climate could change in a hurry!

There is too much money out there for this to be effective in the long term. They've been trying to outlaw personal choices for generations, and it always fails in the end. Remember this is also the party that wants a Constitutional Amendment to ban Gay Marriage, and consecrate the flag.

Just calm down, take a deep breath, and get back to work!

[MichaelCorfman]

Has anyone got any news on CAC2006? Is it still going ahead? Anyone pulling out?

I spoke with Mark Lesnick on Friday, and CAC2006 is definitely going ahead. Mark says bet on sports, who was a gold sponsor, has pulled out (not exactly a big surprise there), and a few others, but not much at all to speak of on a percentage basis according to Mark when I talked with him.

Michael

[bptime]

well , as long as you are not an executive of big ass casino company,
u don't really need to worry, Noone's gonna come at ur door.
casinos that are running offshore will be fine, unless they try something stupid to
bring heat on themselves.
PHONE bet booking <- no good.
the guy from betonsports has other issues other than takin' us citizens bettin'.
But it is definitely good idea to stay away from US






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