Spring Break
Students find workarounds for online gambling laws
Kristi Tousignant
Issue date: 5/12/07 Section: News
Despite legislation passed in Congress last fall banning credit card, check and electronic fund transfers to gambling sites, student gamers show no sign of folding.
Instead, they are finding ways around the new legislation through underground sites and alternative payment methods.
Freshman business major Mark Ioli got his start on the professional Magic Card circuit at age 16. He used his $6,000 winnings from the collectible fantasy card game to jump-start his poker career and now makes an average of $20,000 a semester gambling online.
"It's fun because it's a rush," Ioli said. "I never know what's going to happen. I like that. It's a high."
While he sinks most of the cash into the stock market, Ioli splurges the rest of the money on expensive alcohol, vacations and treating his friends to dinner. This summer he plans to set up his operation in an office in his house with four computer screens and friends to help out at $10 an hour. "I like waking up every day not knowing if I'm going to be worth more or less money," Ioli said.
Online gambling continues in part because enforcement has not officially been put in place. It is expected that official rules will be enacted later this year resulting in stricter enforcement of the laws.
Still, when legislation first passed banning money transfers to gambling sites, avid gamblers like Ioli were shocked and have scrambled to find ways of coping.
Freshman Joel Bidnick was afraid for his gambling future because he uses his winnings to substitute what would otherwise be income from a part-time job. "I was terrified initially," Bidnick said. "If they were going to do away with online gambling completely, it would cost me a lot of money."
Students quickly pooled their knowledge to find ways around the new rules, switching from major sites like PartyPoker.com, which now blocks all U.S. players, to sites like Bodog.com, Pokerstars.com and Fulltiltpoker.com.
Instead of directly transferring money from bank accounts to the gambling sites, students are forced to use other payment methods, including Western Union, CVS cards, Visa check cards, FedEx checks or even phone deposit cards in place of credit.
Instead, they are finding ways around the new legislation through underground sites and alternative payment methods.
Freshman business major Mark Ioli got his start on the professional Magic Card circuit at age 16. He used his $6,000 winnings from the collectible fantasy card game to jump-start his poker career and now makes an average of $20,000 a semester gambling online.
"It's fun because it's a rush," Ioli said. "I never know what's going to happen. I like that. It's a high."
While he sinks most of the cash into the stock market, Ioli splurges the rest of the money on expensive alcohol, vacations and treating his friends to dinner. This summer he plans to set up his operation in an office in his house with four computer screens and friends to help out at $10 an hour. "I like waking up every day not knowing if I'm going to be worth more or less money," Ioli said.
Online gambling continues in part because enforcement has not officially been put in place. It is expected that official rules will be enacted later this year resulting in stricter enforcement of the laws.
Still, when legislation first passed banning money transfers to gambling sites, avid gamblers like Ioli were shocked and have scrambled to find ways of coping.
Freshman Joel Bidnick was afraid for his gambling future because he uses his winnings to substitute what would otherwise be income from a part-time job. "I was terrified initially," Bidnick said. "If they were going to do away with online gambling completely, it would cost me a lot of money."
Students quickly pooled their knowledge to find ways around the new rules, switching from major sites like PartyPoker.com, which now blocks all U.S. players, to sites like Bodog.com, Pokerstars.com and Fulltiltpoker.com.
Instead of directly transferring money from bank accounts to the gambling sites, students are forced to use other payment methods, including Western Union, CVS cards, Visa check cards, FedEx checks or even phone deposit cards in place of credit.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Todd
posted 5/13/07 @ 12:12 AM EST
The legislation that was passed last october was added to a port security bill that had nothing to do with online gambling and poker. It will be reconsidered in June 2007 as a new bill from Rep. (Continued…)
Daniel Hall
posted 12/04/07 @ 2:28 PM EST
I am an avid poker player who would like to have more information on how to complete transactions online.That is how to use the aformentioned methods (Western Union, Visa check cards. (Continued…)
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