We're Getting Somewhere

With all of the recent legislation for online poker, we've got a bill (AB 2026) that actually passed through its first committee. That's comforting to me. It seems every effort to get gaming legislation amended has been shot down before anyone in Congress even CONSIDERS the benefits.

I don't understand the immediate assumption that gambling is some sort of evil vice in this country if a computer is involved. Online poker play is no different than live play as far as the skill goes. In fact, I'd assume it's safer to play online because of all of those random number generator technologies. The government says that low-income families, who apparently are the only people affected by gambling addictions, are more likely to blow their money online, because of the wireless funding?

Let me says this. Any time that I've shopped compulsively, it's because I have the cash RIGHT on me. It's easier to blow your money at a live poker game, because you don't have to go through all of that deposit wait time. You can just throw a few bills on the table. You can't gamble online if you don't have funds in your account, dumbasses. Sometimes when you make a deposit, it can take weeks to process. So would someone mind telling me where these people are going to feel more compelled to gamble in an online poker room? It's like talking to a brick wall.

Then there's the protect the children argument. How many people under the age of 18 do you know with a credit card? If they have one, chances are their rich parents provided them with it. That would put them in the high-income-we-don't-care-if-YOU-lose-money-gambling category. The percentage of problem gamblers has dropped since online poker, so where's the issue?

Anyway, the bill has gone somewhere, so hopefully Californians will be able to gamble online within the next year. Who knows? Maybe we'll get some officials with a little common sense in, and we'll see some other states following this example.