Protests of the problematic nature of regulating online casinos ignore the technology had to enforce the UIGEA Internet gambling ban.

The implementation of the UIGEA began yesterday, as financial institutions are expected to examine all transactions to verify there aren't any payments being processed to or from online casinos. Defenders of the controversial law say the web gambling ban is important since the industry cannot be effectively regulated, yet gaming experts indicate that if technology is advanced to the purpose that transactions will also be blocked, then regulation need to be easy or easier.

Banking representatives have said for years the UIGEA rules would encumber the system and present too strong a challenge to enforce. Still, anti-gambling leaders said the banks were able to achieving the ban.

“We’ve become the de facto cops at the beat," said the director for public policy on the Massachusetts Bankers Association, Jon Skarin, to the Boston Herald. "Why are we the law enforcement officials for this kind of activity?”

Still, Skarin acknowledged the banks had installed place systems to dam gambling transactions, using bank card codes. Gaming sites have said for years they are able to employ such coding to effectively block fraud, identity theft, and underage participation, the very regulation that UIGEA proponents deny exists.

Further, online casinos could be willing and eager partners within the use of advanced technologies to control their industry and accomplish the approval of watchful US lawmakers, whereas the banking industry participates only on the equivalent of gunpoint.

"It can't be argued that it's feasible to inspect transactions which can be deliberately obfuscated by the operator and effectively screen online gambling payments, but not admit that cooperative online casinos will also be efficiently regulated to forestall adolescent play and compulsive gambling," said OCA gaming analyst Sherman Bradley.

Published on June 2, 2010 by TomWeston

Read More... [Source: UIGEA News]