Football: William Hill's decision to close US operation ironic. Check it out:
(The Birmingham Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Despite the advertising campaign for their self-styled 'Gods of Poker' being a bit on the naff side, I like the William Hill poker website. The company has embraced the game by offering decent sign-up bonuses and $1 million prize pools every week. It sponsors a raft of professionals, has a good online poker school and a poker show broadcast on Sky each Wednesday.
Now, William Hill are not doing all of this because they're nice guys - although I'm sure they are - the company is involved in poker and other gaming activities because it wants to make a profit. Few people would contest their absolute right to do so.
The company do not force anyone to play and take a responsible approach towards gaming, so I was disappointed when they became the umpteenth company to effectively close down their US operations earlier this week.
There is a certain irony about internet poker and other gaming activities being actively discouraged in parts of the US.
America was built on free enterprise and its citizens remain justifiably suspicious of politicians and others who pursue actions in the name of the public good. Yet the world's richest, most entrepreneuri ally-focused nation insists on trying to behave like King Canute and prevent people from playing poker and participating in other forms of online gaming.
According to Hill's head honcho, Tom Singer, the fear of arrest prompted the company's decision to abandon the US market following the arrest and subsequent release of executives at Sportingbet and Bet On Sports earlier this year. Peter Dicks, the former chairman of Sportingbet, said he suspected that arrest warrants had been issued for a number of senior executives at companies involved in online poker and gaming.
In view of this, William Hill's decision was entirely understandable. As Mr Singer said: "Why do I need to live with the risk [of arrest] as a William Hill director?" He's absolutely right, yet there is evidence to suggest that the American crackdown on internet betting is set to move up a gear.
America's anti-poker crusade is being led by prosecutors in Louisiana, one of seven states that expressly outlaws online gaming. There is speculation within the gaming industry that the state has 58 arrest warrants ready to be issued should senior executives at internet gambling firms set foot on US soil.
There is further irony in the state of Louisiana's actions. The USA remains home to the world's largest gambling centre. Las Vegas, where the World Series of Poker is contested amid every conceivable gaming activity, contributes billions of tax dollars to the federal government.
But there is an even greater irony in Louisiana law-enforcers trying to prevent people playing poker. The game is a direct descendent of a French game called Poque, a name derived from the French verb pocher, to bluff. The modern form of draw poker originated in the US during the 19th century and became popular on Mississippi steamboats leaving French-speaking New Orleans. That's right: New Orleans in the state of Louisiana.
Copyright 2006 Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd.
Technorati
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Digg
