Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:00 pm GMT by mindgame
I just got a note from Royal Vegas telling me that they'd processed my withdrawl. But I hadn't made one. Anybody get similar email?
I was just letting my balance sit there until I figured out what I wanted to do with it. Are they automatically cashing every US citizen out?
The wierd thing is that I changed my country of residence (as a joke, to Vatician City) about 6 months ago. Maybe they didn't believe me--must have been a bad idea to change my handle to Benny16.
Did you know that participating in a poker forum can help you improve your own game? Be it by sharing experiences or simply asking for help, participation in a forum helps you focus and keep 'on topic' which will help you improve your game. You can learn from other players feedback and from their experiences. Why the THP poker forums? We offer one of the best managed texas holdem poker forums available, and the community within is far more friendly than those typicaly found on other sites. We've made a 'lurkers edition' of the poker forum available here on Holdem Poker Online, but we encourage all visitors to register and join in on the conversations on TexasHoldem-Poker.com
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:44 pm GMT by Dave B
That is why they cashed you out. Online gambling is illegal in Italy.
No joke!
(You were likely cashed out because of the new legistation. No joke about the Italy thing).
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:17 pm GMT by vyni
Vatican City is not part of Italy...
but I'm sure they frown on online gambling more than anyone lol.
The italian market will be open to online play in Jan, 2007. There was remark in an article of a coming 'gold rush' in that market, but I don't know that Italy really has the numbers to substantiate that comment. I've told the bosses however that as we have THP translated, italian is a priority followed by eastern languages.
As to the cash out, contact them but I'm sure it's simply a measure to wrap up US players. Reported location on the account likely means nothing when they can see you connect from a US based ip/isp.
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:25 pm GMT by ORGrinder
didn't i read somewhere that italy is forcing everyone there to play on some sort of proprietary site that they own or something? i thought i read that somewhere.
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 4:44 pm GMT by supafrey
Sweden is doing that, and I think some of the EU nations are following suit.
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:11 pm GMT by ORGrinder
| supa wrote: | | Sweden is doing that, and I think some of the EU nations are following suit. |
k. not italy though? i knew i had seen it someplace. so what's the deal... the isp's in these places have to monitor everyones traffic or something and block traffic to/from any outside poker site?
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:34 pm GMT by mindgame
That online proprietary site business is no joke. This year Fortune magazine published its' list of the 100 wealthiest people and nobody knew who the hell #4 was. Turns out he's a guy who contracted for proprietary rights to online gambling in a dozen or so Asian countries. He set that up, pays the governments their cut and makes--are you ready????--one million dollars per hour (this reported on NPR two weeks ago).
But Vatican City, although surrounded completely, is not IN Italy. I really doubt the Pope's bothered to make online gaming "illegal." No legislature there, in fact I think there are less than 300 residents--it may be the only country in the world ruled by memo.
Now this proprietary site thing, what if we did that in the US? If someone actually got the rights to it he'd become the richest human on the planet in months. Imagine that.
Posted Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:54 pm GMT by ORGrinder
i'm not sure it'd be doable in the US. doesn't such a scheme require tracking and/or banning or certain IP's (i.e. the outside poker sites)? i suppose the banning could be done. but either way, the backlash from isp's would no doubt be pretty big. i'm just guessing anyway.
you're right though... if it DID happen, that's some serious cash for whoever runs the show.
|
|
