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Germany Follows Uncle Sam re Online Poker Ban
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March 10 - Doesn't it seem that just when the online poker industry gets used
an online gambling ban imposed by one small-minded country, then another equally
small-minded country decides to jump on the 'screw the freedom of our citizens'
bandwagon?
Well it does to me. Case in point. Just when I got used to Norway's preposterous online
gambling ban, then Germany - a pretty progressive and free society, I thought -
announced that it too wants to play 'big brother' with its citizens by
introducing a ban similar to that imposed by the US on its 'once free citizens'.
Just over a year ago, the US government rocked the online gambling
world to the core when its super-dumbass Congress passed the Unlawful
Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which King-of-the-Dumbasses (George W.
Bush) signed into law not long afterwards.
While strictly speaking the law does not restrict US citizens from gambling
online (at online poker rooms, online casinos, bingo casinos, and online sports
betting sites) it does, however, make it illegal for US credit card companies, banks
and other financial institutions to process online gambling-related payments.
As such, players cannot easily fund their online poker accounts, assuming that
the online poker rooms still accept US players which, unfortunately, few do
these days. Anyhoo, back to Germany.
It seems that the German government thinks this type of ban is the way to go, as
it too is looking to introduce laws designed to scare the moustache off any
German bank, credit card company or financial institution if they process
payments tracked to online poker rooms or any other online gambling destination.
Why there are 1st world
countries out there that are proud to emulate the United States is beyond me.
That's like saying you want to produce a TV show as good as the Jerry Springer
show for cripes sakes! Come on people are we living in Wayne's World or trying
to find Wally here?
As for the hundreds of thousands of German online gambling, especially online
poker, fans, you have our deepest sympathies. But before you all get too despondent and
hatch a cunning plan to overthrow the government and reinstate East Berlin, there may be hope on the
horizon.
Yup, the 'cavalry' may be just around the corner in the form of the European
Union (EU), which says that the proposed German ban is not in keeping with the
European Commission's fair trade policies and regulations. So I guess we'll just
have to wait and see what happens.
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