MN state to attempt blocking gambling

[tarrigon]

Below is an article today locally (mpls/st paul news station). Not sure what i'm going to do with my 5dimes account, and I have Comcast.


Minnesota tries to block online gambling

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota regulators are trying to prevent online gambling.

Using a 1961 federal law designed to stop illegal gambling, the state has directed 11 telephone and Internet service providers to block nearly 200 gambling Web sites.

The state Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division says it expects responses from AT&T Internet Services, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable and the other providers within two or three weeks.

AT&T, Charter and Comcast representatives didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

State regulators are also warning those who gamble online that they could lose money and access to their Internet escrow accounts.

Online gambling is illegal throughout the country.

[moondog22]

Below is an article today locally (mpls/st paul news station). Not sure what i'm going to do with my 5dimes account, and I have Comcast.


Minnesota tries to block online gambling

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota regulators are trying to prevent online gambling.

Using a 1961 federal law designed to stop illegal gambling, the state has directed 11 telephone and Internet service providers to block nearly 200 gambling Web sites.

The state Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division says it expects responses from AT&T Internet Services, Charter Communications, Comcast Cable and the other providers within two or three weeks.

AT&T, Charter and Comcast representatives didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

State regulators are also warning those who gamble online that they could lose money and access to their Internet escrow accounts.

Online gambling is illegal throughout the country.

Bastards

[FB Coach13]

might want clear the account for now, incase they block it then u have nothing. I have heard that there are people in the house/senate that are trying to get the nationwide ban on internet gambling overturned. The US is losing out on a ton of money they could be getting from internet gambling, and people are still doing it and they are getting nothing.

[tarrigon]

Yea, interesting to see what happens. Also willing to hear other's advice on what you would do if in my shoes. Thanks.

[Mizzou_08]

The state is citing a federal law that requires "common carriers," a term that mainly applies to phone companies, to comply with requests that they block telecommunications services used for gambling.
But Internet service providers are not common carriers, meaning it's unlikely that a court would compel an ISP to comply with Minnesota's request, said John Morris, general counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington.
Morris also noted that the law appears to apply to phone companies directly doing business with bet-takers. But online gambling is already illegal in the U.S., so gambling sites are based overseas and U.S. ISPs have no direct links to them.
"I think this is a very problematic and significant misreading of the statute," Morris said. In a similar case, Pennsylvania briefly imposed requirements for ISPs to block child-pornography sites. But a federal court struck down the law in 2004 because the filters also blocked legitimate sites and affected Internet subscribers outside the state.

[BettorsChat]

Even if they did block it you have anonymizers that you can use. This State want's to try and put more burden (aka $) pressure on companies when the Country is in a Economic turmoil. Stupid to say the least.

[thesandman]

sportsbook.com stopped taking bets over the phone about a year ago so that the old 1961 federal law would have a hard time labeling them as a common carrier because sportsbook.com no longer accepts bets sent to and from common carriers.

If I lived in Minnesota I wouldn't do anything right away. Even if they can pass a law to block certain sites on ISP's, I gotta think it will be appealed in court. If it really does become law there, it would not be effective the day the law is signed. You would have plenty of time to withdraw funds from your offshore accts. When you vote on election day, most propositions that pass do not become law until usually Jan 1st or the fiscal year July 1st.

It's also surprising Minnesota is even thinking this way when they still don't know for sure who their next Senitor will be.

[tech fan]

i went to a horse racing site the other day and it said anyone from this state you can not apply.Now i live in ga and horse racing is against the law here.but i can gamble online.But in this case it called out the state by name and said do not apply.Will look back and see if i can find the state i want to say kentucky

[flarendep1]

What do you expect from a state that is about to fraudelently elect a clown for senator.

[moondog22]

What do you expect from a state that is about to fraudelently elect a clown for senator.

They love their clowns,remember Gov.Jesse Ventura.

[BettorsChat]

i went to a horse racing site the other day and it said anyone from this state you can not apply.Now i live in ga and horse racing is against the law here.but i can gamble online.But in this case it called out the state by name and said do not apply.Will look back and see if i can find the state i want to say kentucky

Kentucky has an online horse racing website that most States can play online there at. They do list some States that aren't allowed to play there. I believe its around 8-12 States.