FirePay E-mails US Customers Regarding UIGEA
On-line transaction service provider, FirePay, one of the leaders in converting credit card transactions into gambling money, has e-mailed its users regarding the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006:
SUBJECT: New FirePay policy for US account holders
On September 30, 2006, the United States Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.
Once President Bush approves the Act. FirePay (www.firepay.com) will no longer allow US consumer payments for online gambling merchants.
Beginning the day President Bush signs the Act, FirePay will decline any purchase transactions from US FirePay account holders at any gambling merchant site.
Ten days after President Bush signs the Act, FirePay will decline any transfer attempt made by any online gambling merchant to a US FirePay account.
All US FirePay accounts holders will continue to be able to make purchases and receive payments from non-gambling, online merchants, as well as “Deposit From†and “Withdraw To†their US bank account.
The UIGEA prohibits the transfer of US funds to an internet gambling business.
One of the big changes is in a few word changes in the bill. Previous to this Act, on-line poker players argued that most anti-gambling laws prohibited “games of chance,” and that poker had enough of a skill component to avoid this categorization. The new bill now re-phrases prohibited games as those “subject to chance.”
The on-line poker rush in the US may now be a bust for now. But I’m sure the fanatics out there will find a way to circumvent this. There’s too much money to be made.
Internet, News, Technology | paul | 
October 20, 2006 3:35 pm
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