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FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

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Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#181

Post by ikono »

generalk wrote: post #68
davidcann wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The real issue here is the seizure of domain names. US citizens who gamble online know full well that they're breaking the law and are subject to lose assets. The domain seizures are very troubling, though. Edit: There seems to be some dispute over where it's a crime to "participate" in different US states, but for the purposes of the "customer assests seized", the transaction is illegal, so it's to be expected that…

You do understand that gambling online isn't illegal in the United States, right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UIGEA UIGEA "prohibits gambling businesses from knowingly accepting payments in connection with the participation of another person in a bet or wager that involves the use of the Internet and that is unlawful under any federal or state law." but does not make it a crime for a citizen to engage in the activit…

I think technically gambling online is illegal in the US but it's covered by the wire act and not UIGEA.

I'm not 100% sure as it's been a while since I've kept up with this but I believe that Poker has always been in a sort of gray area. I think there is suppose to be a distinction between games of chance and games of skill. In the past only online sports books or true online casinos had ever been prosecuted in the US.

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#182

Post by ikono »

ericb wrote: post #85
eftpotrm wrote: post #50

While I'm not at all surprised to see this happening, I'm still astonished that the USA continues to try to stamp out gambling through legislation. I remember growing up being astonished at the number of references on USA TV shows to illegal gambling; I've never once come across it in the UK. I love cricket, but there's been a persistent series of match-fixing and spot-fixing allegations for years, almost exclusively…

The casino lobby would prefer that online gambling didn't exist. Therefore, since these online companies are not in the US and have no lobbyist money in play, they have no standing. Voter preference, individual rights, domain name sanctity, jurisdiction, shortsightedness with regard to keeping control of TLD's, futility of the fight, all have no bearing when uncontested lobby money wants something, and doubly so when…

PPA aside, what's interesting is that PokerStars just announced a partnership with the Wynn recently. I don't know that it's the US brick and mortar casinos that are behind this.

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#183

Post by cynicalkane »

nika wrote: post #99
cynicalkane wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Currency refers to physical money. A gift card isn't "money" because it's only a medium of exchange at a few specific places. Credit cards aren't currency because they are simply pointers to a line of credit, which isn't physical money. The Liberty Dollar guy was found guilty of imitating U.S. currency . The OP believes the application of the law is unjust because, mentally, he's equivocated currency with other numis…

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/currency 1. something that is used as a medium of exchange; money. 2.general acceptance; prevalence; vogue. 3. a time or period during which something is widely accepted and circulated. 4. the fact or quality of being widely accepted and circulated from person to person. 5. circulation, as of coin. Currrency can refer to physical money. But it also refers to gift cards, visa car…

Please don't cite dictionary definitions. A dictionary will give you every possible meaning of the word, in any context.

In the context of economics and law, currency is physical money.

I think you are more interested in winning the argument than being correct.

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#184

Post by olalonde »

Isn't their image with no alt tag (http://pokerstars.com/banner7.jpg) in violation with Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973? [1]

    Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
    
    A Federal law requiring US government electronic and 
    information technology (EIT) to meet accessibility
    requirements
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_508_of_the_Rehabilitati...

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#185

Post by ikono »

pumpmylemma wrote: post #146

Okay. This makes me want to indulge in youthful indignation. If I saw this and was at a company like OpenDNS, I'd start considering saying "No. Sorry. We're going reverting back to the last good record." The federal government might have technical jurisdiction, and U.S. customers might technically be violating U.S. laws but the ability of the federal government to seize internet properties terrifies me because it mig…

I just had the same though except substitue OpenDNS with Google. OpenDNS would be better for users but this feels like a Google-y thing to do especially after the whole China debacle.

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#187

Post by TillE »

TY wrote: post #36

It's real and it's happening now. I have nothing to do with online gambling (anymore), but this just sent shivers down my spine. Who's next? The US Government has just strengthened the case of those who were concerned about having parts of Internet infrastructure under the control of the US government. Domain seizures have been happening for a while (i.e. [1]), but this case will probably be the highest profile to da…

Indeed. I'm quite disgusted by the principle of the thing. Something about being deprived of property without due process of law.

My primary domain is a .net. I'm loathe to part with it since the TLD is a useful descriptor in this case, but now I'm very seriously considering registering and switching over to the .eu equivalent, which is only a couple bucks more per year.

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#188

Post by lawnchair_larry »

The hijacked DNS has not propagated everywhere yet. Mine are still working. If anyone has last minute business to do on these sites, such as cashing out before the FBI steals your money, add these to your hosts file:

$ host pokerstars.com

pokerstars.com has address 77.87.179.116

pokerstars.com mail is handled by 20 mx20.pokerstars.com.

$ host absolutepoker.com

absolutepoker.com has address 66.212.244.175

absolutepoker.com mail is handled by 10 mail.absolutepoker.com.

absolutepoker.com mail is handled by 5 mx1.absolutepoker.com.

absolutepoker.com mail is handled by 5 mx2.absolutepoker.com.

$ host fulltiltpoker.com

fulltiltpoker.com has address 91.211.98.20

fulltiltpoker.com mail is handled by 200 mit-mx00.fulltiltpoker.com.

fulltiltpoker.com mail is handled by 100 mx00.fulltiltpoker.com.

$ host ultimatebet.com

ultimatebet.com has address 66.212.244.148

ultimatebet.com mail is handled by 100 mailb.ultimatebet.com.

ultimatebet.com mail is handled by 200 mailc.ultimatebet.com.

ultimatebet.com mail is handled by 10 mail.ultimatebet.com.

$ host ub.com

ub.com has address 66.212.231.205

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#189

Post by lenary »

nbpoole wrote: post #9

For those that are skeptical, check the nameservers: http://network-tools.com/default.asp?prog=dnsrec&host=po... http://network-tools.com/default.asp?prog=dnsrec&host=fu... http://network-tools.com/default.asp?prog=dnsrec&host=ub... All of the domains point to nameservers at cirfu.net, which appears to be the FBI's Cyber Initiative and Resource Fusion Unit ( http://itlaw.wikia.com/wiki/Cyber_Initiative_and_Resource_F…

what's even more instesting, is that cirfu.net also has this notice up, which is very very strange. Surely they wouldn't take their own site down for gambling offences

Re: FBI seized PokerStars.com, FullTiltPoker.com, UB.com,... domain names

#190

Post by [deleted] »

nika wrote: post #175
jbooth wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having made money in the past through whatever means doesn't mean you know what you're talking about at all here. Or, to requote the parents, "One of the signs you're dealing with a nut is that the knowledge he thinks he has allows him to accept or reject facts as he so chooses."

One of the signs you're dealing with a troll is that their ignorance is all the justification they need to make personal attacks, and they stay relentlessly focused on such attacks while failing to provide any substantive argument for their position. Often even failing to actually state their position. There are too many trolls on HN. This is why the site sucks.

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