Wagering prohibition - what do you think?

The way I understood this whole mess:

1. Rumor was the FBI was told some "Terrorists" were using SL to make/launder money

2. FBI investigates (or so they say)

3. FBI goes away without a word, happy to have kept the world safe from Furry Gorean Terrorists.

So if all the FBI crap is true, someone higher up the goverment food chain might've said "HEY! LL!!! Online Gambling is Illegal! Whether Virtual, Real, or exchangeable from one to the other".

And thus the removal of gambling comes about.

Maybe? Maybe Not?

You pretty much hit the nail on the head IMO Vanni.

Just like Corporate America today, if [something] is making THEM money (legal or not) they'll turn a blind eye to it and let it continue but if Joe Blow starts making money and they're not getting a piece of it? All hell will break loose, so to speak.

Anyone remember the cigarette ads about 10-20 years ago on all forms of media? The tobacco companies knew they were bad for us, the government knew they were bad for us but they let it continue and why? Cause the lobbyists and corporations made the government/etc lots and lots of money from it. Only when the public outcry (and truth came out) was a stop put to that.

The SAME THING (like the tobacco industry) is happening with the healthcare/drugs/food industries too.

This is why the law regarding online gambling was done the way it was. The government knew there was no real way to detect, figure out who/when it was taking place online. They did not want all of us little people making all of that money and no way for them to get a piece of the action (and money) so they "snuffed it out" and put a stop to it.

If you think the governments really care about the [questionable] moralities of this or that, you're sadly mistaken. ITS ABOUT MONEY.

Actually its 98% (wink)

That's the way to "stick it to the man!!!". (oh brother).

No. You should already be declaring your income to the Inland Revenue in your own country, and pay tax on it accordingly. That's what many merchants in SL do already.

As I understand the internet tax debate in the US right now, it revolves around people making money via the internet and not declaring it. Anybody not residing in the US would therefore be exempt, regardless of where the platform is located.

This speculation however, is WAY off Suezanne's topic, and a new thread should probably be created if you intend to continue discussing it.

Bet ya $L10 the majority dont!

So big deal if people want to come in here and spend their time sitting in front of some slot machines. In a way they are making contributions to the community. People can win substantial amounts of money gambling. The odds are very slim but it happens. And there have been occasions where the right person won the right amount at the right time and taken their winnings and done good things for SL. There’s a successful business person here in SL that has a very popular club who did just that. Subcultures often have successes that transfer to the mainstream. There are people who can’t or just don’t want to build, or script or design. People who don’t want to rack up money on their credit cards. So if they want to participate in some way in SL and feel they need money to do so…What choices do they have? Camping, gambling and sex. Neither are the best choice, but options are limited. And like anything popular or necessary, that is still deemed inappropriate or illegal by “THE MAN” it just goes incognito.
Gambling will continue I’ll bet ya!

Let me guess.. Oh No, politics!

It does affect how/what we can/can't do/say on SL and it is related to the gambling issue on SL and there's no way around it, no matter how one may choose to cope or not cope with it.

However, I do agree that we should stick to the original topic at hand but I said most of my thoughts on this thread (or the other related one) already so I'll observe for now unless/until another related thought comes to mind.

Hey! That's gambling Tod! *gasp* Hahaha, I had to..

My short comment was not related to "politics" as a subject, but rather to the observations of the poster.

LL may be in the business to make money, but they just lost some of mine. I have downgraded to a basic account and I havent bought Ls from anyone but slx in a long long time. I dont frequesnt casinos nor go to clubs all that often so call off the attack dogs please. This is about choice..the whole 'YOUR world..YOUR imagination' thing. Thrown in lousy customer service, loss of first land, an aging platform that they 'say' will be upgraded in the future, (yeah, Ive been here a year and a half and they were spouting that when I joined) and I simply choose not to financially support LL directly until they figure out a way to make that advertising hype true once again.

First good reason to not declare the income:
They didn't sell the L$ for US$

Since gambling is an activity favored only by morons bad at math, I can't see where this is a big deal, frankly. *shrugs*

Actually most Casino games are based on math. And the better players are quite good at math.

Ever hear of the MIT Blackjack gang? They came up with a mathmatical formula to "rape" the blackjack tables in Vegas or Atlantic City ( I forget which). They got too greedy & got caught eventually.

As for SL Casinos- its all up to the scripts to determine if you win or lose. Not as easy to figure out.

This is the end of SL life.....it's more similir to First life now!
No gambling but yes prostitution and guns?
...no words!

Nah, not really. All the casino owners will now be forced to learn to create content: scripts, textures, builds, etc. We'll all be content creators!!! No more gamblers spending money at shops!! Now they have one themselves!!! YAY!!!! The more enterprising ones will break into the Escort business (which I still dont get- its pixels!!! ).

Others will involve themselves in creating "Gothic Clothing" of which we have a lack of. Some will probably decide to start making Gorean Silks, which there is a lack of. And some will create "Gangsta Bling" because you can never have enough sparkly stuff blinding everyone, even if your 'gangsta' self is a 52 yr old telemarketer.

And yes- I'm being sarcastic.

Ban on gambling has bad sides & good sides. Only time shall tell how it turns out. Hopefully for the better.

How do you plan to fund this delusion when the severs are confiscated and the owners are in jail? You got a spare country in your pocket, one that has no laws and is beholden to no international treaties and is self-sufficient?

Actually such a country does exist, although I don't see any real solution to my wishful thinking...

The land is Sealand... look it up

I know the place you're talking about. That'd be kinda cool, in a way.

Not sure if it sold yet or not? Last I knew it was up for sale.

Yes, "Sealand". An old oil rig off the coast of Britain, recognized by not one single nation as a sovereign entity? *chuckles*

It's not an oil rig, it's a Maunsell Sea Fort.
From the wiki entry on them:

The Maunsell Sea Forts were small fortified towers built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries during the Second World War to help defend the United Kingdom. They take their name from their designer Guy Maunsell. After they were decommissioned in the late 1950s they were used for other activities and one became the famous Sealand "micronation".

Ah, sea fort.

Still, not a nation, not sovereign, is recognized by everyone but themselves as part of the UK.