Poker on the Stock Market

It has just dawned on me why online poker sites rarely become a topic of controversy – and rarely are put under litigation by the U.S. (compared to casinos anyway). I was just reading about Playboy Poker having closed its doors forever – may it rest in peace – and how, as a member of the Cryptologic poker network, it is traded in the U.S. stock market.
I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but I am one for calling B.S. on the U.S. when I see it! I am not saying that I WANT online poker rooms to be prosecuted. I’m saying that I want the U.S. to open its mouth and insert its foot!
You can’t really chastise online gambling sites when you profit from it on the stock market. This is my opinion, anyway. Not to mention, many government officials gamble every day – the stock market in itself is a form of gambling. It takes skill, however, just like poker!
If you really wanted to, you could consider everything that you do gambling. You could gamble on the outcome of Candyland if you really wanted to so no amount of anti-gaming legislation is going to prevent people from developing gambling addictions if they are prone to it. Let’s give it a rest already.
You know how well legalized online poker and casino gambling could stimulate the economy? Not just in taxing gambling winnings, but on the stock market. There are thousands of gambling websites out there and new ones coming into the market EVERY day. Some are really profitable when their shares are sold, and some are in their infancy. Buy when they’re young, promote the living hell out of them, and then sell sell sell! It’s a win-win situation.
And with U.S. players having the ability to legally gamble online, the sites that already do exist are going to become worth more. So people that already have stock in Cryptologic’s poker network would probably be able to sell shares for a pretty penny, I’d imagine.