Latest Online Gambling Case Looks To Be Folding Like A Weak Hand

from the bout-time dept

Thu, Sep 14th 2006 4:42pm — Carlo Longino

When Peter Dicks, the director of British online gambling company Sportingbet, was arrested in New York last week, the case was a little different than the earlier arrest of another company's CEO, who was detained at an airport, then hit with federal charges. Dicks was arrested because of an outstanding warrant in Louisiana, where he was charged with gambling crimes -- charges that seemed to severely overstep the state's jurisdiction. Now, it looks like New York courts might agree, as Dicks has returned to Britain after the state withdrew a warrant signed by Gov. George Pataki that would have allowed Dicks' extradition to Louisiana, and restrictions on his bail were lifted. Dicks faces another hearing at the end of the month, but his lawyers are optimistic that their argument that he's committed no crime in Louisiana will prove persuasive and solve the matter decisively. But while it looks like these charges will probably get tossed, a British newspaper says it's learned that Louisiana authorities have issued similar warrants for 50 other online gambling execs, so this could just be the beginning. Again, just to reiterate, if you're an executive of an online gambling company, stay out of the US, and sure as hell don't go to Louisiana.

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8 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 14 Sep 2006 @ 6:25pm

I'm not a Gambling Exec
.. but can I still stay out of the States? You people aren't looking too same on CNN.
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- yo yo, 14 Sep 2006 @ 6:41pm
  
  Re: I'm not a Gambling Exec
  I agree...lets learn the laguage first...then start trying to form some sentences...things will come along for you buddy....just remember to spread the gospel of america to anyone and everyone....
  
  RJ
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Sep 2006 @ 6:30pm

Do you even speak english? Or is this a new language to you?
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Mark, 14 Sep 2006 @ 7:54pm

Poon
I'll have a Steak Sandwich, a bloody mary, and a steak sandwich.
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charlie potatoes, 14 Sep 2006 @ 8:08pm

more righter english
carlo, old sport... tis "different FROM" not "different THAN" gad i've become such a twit of late.
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Ben Robinson, 15 Sep 2006 @ 1:56am

Missing the point
On a pragmatic level, yeah execs of gambling companies shouldstay out of the US but that raises the point that why should they have to. If they run a company that i legal in their country, and it is legal in their country for them to do business with people from the US. Just becuase it is illegal for people in the US to do business with them it is frankly ridiclous to suggest that the companies and their execs are breaking US law. They are not subject to US law, they are based in another country.

In the US the first amendment gurantees free speech so a US citizen can quite legally produce a website saying that hitler was a good bloke and that there was no holocaust, whereas in many countries in europe denying the holocaust is a criminal offence. If that US citizen travels to Germany (for example) should he be arrested just because Germans are able to access his website? If he stays in the US should he be extradited and face trial in Germany?

Of course not you should be subject to the laws of the country in which you reside or where you were when you committed the "crime".
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Matt Bennett, 15 Sep 2006 @ 8:35am

I'm not exactly a huge fan of gambling (a soul-sucking activity if there ever was one), but I'd really like to think my government, any government, as especially the government of Louisana has bette ****ing things to do right now!
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Louise, 17 Sep 2006 @ 9:05am

It's not as if these executives were not forewarned;

http://www.bettingmarket.com/dojwar50021.htm

They seemed to act as if they were somehow immune from the punishments that had been inflicted upon others!
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