Online Gambling Fund Seizures Continue By US Government

It is becoming a weekly occurrence in the US that bank accounts containing online gambling funds are being seized by the government. This past week, six more accounts were seized by the government.

A couple of months ago the US government began seizing accounts that contained funds that were being used to pay out US online customers. The accounts were frozen by the government, and in the months since, the seizures have intensified.

The latest seizures came from Wachovia bank. Bank of America, First Premiere Bank, and Interstate Net Bank have all had accounts frozen as well. The seizure warrants were issued in Baltimore, Maryland.

"This does not appear to be something that is just going to pass over," said CGW Legal Analyst Bob Brice, "The government is using a law that allows them to go after accounts used for money laundering and they are using that law to attack these online gambling sites."

The issue of Internet gambling has become a hotly debated topic in the country. The Bush Administration passed a law back in 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, that was aimed at making online gambling illegal.

Many have argued that the law is vague, and does not fully describe what forms of gambling are legal and which ones are illegal. Representative Barney Frank has proposed legislation that would overturn the UIGEA, but it has not yet been discussed in Congress.

Frank has attempted to overturn the UIGEA in the past, but was unsuccessful with a largely Republican Congress. This year, Frank has a Democratic majority in Congress, and even some Republican lawmakers are changing their stance on Internet gambling.

September 27, 2009
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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