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Maryland is a $#itty state


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Not to be controversial, but it's not quite as simple as one might think. While I agree that banning gambling across the board is stupid, I don't think allowing it across the board is such a good thing either. Legalized gaming needs to be monitored and regualted to ensure fair play.To reach this level, States have to carefully weigh all the options, all the benefits and all the negative impacts. These are impacts beyond the immediate crime goes up, etc. I mean impacts like how are the States hiways going to be affected by the increased traffic and how much is going to cost to keep them up? Who will we get to oversee that fair play is ensured? How about the taxation issues, immigration issues, increased law enforcement, city services like sanitation, handling the sudden population increase caused by the thousands of employees who suddenly move into the area, and enviornmental issues to name a few.These are all very real concerns. In Biloxi, MS, these were some of the long term issues that were not considered at first, and it took them years to get right. While they had made tremendous strides forward before Katrina, it was a struggle for a while. Again, I'm pro legalization of some aspects of gambling. But to just throw up an article and say, "This law doesn't hurt anyone and is stupid" childish. If you played that game (someone here says they do), wouldn't you feel a lot better knowing there was an eye in the sky watching to make sure the dealer wasn't bottom dealing to help his partner out.
I respect your opinion and thank you for taking time to post. I have no doubt you are referring to me with the "childish" comment, but I disagree. Yes, it is not an open and shut case, and there are many things to consider with legalizing gambling. This stupid, stupid, useless law needs to be thought over, though.Baltimore has one of the highest homicide rates in the country and has for many, many years. I am one who believes in following the law, and while this law is in place, I cannot fault the police for following through and doing their job. But I am angry that because of this stupid, stupid, useless law, many, many police, working on my taxpayer dollars, were spending their time arresting people for doing something that is not hurting others. Their time was not devoted towards crime that is of a serious threat to people's lives.In conjunction, no home game I play in is considered safe, and police could come and arrest me for doing something that is not hurting others, while their time could be spent on people committing vandalism, reckless driving, abuse, etc. This IS, undoubtedly and completely, a stupid, stupid, useless law.
First off, I wasn't referring to you as childish, but instead, the use of the only argument against the law is that it is stupid and useless. My apologies if you took it as an insult.The difference between the homegame and this game is your homegame isn't a gambling enterprise. I don't know the law for sure in Maryland, but I'm sure it's like most other States, where it's not illegal to have a homegame. It's illegal for the "club" to be offering poker and making $$ off of it.Again, I'm in agreement with you. I work in the business and have been in dozens of illegal cardrooms, slot rooms, etc. I have yet to come across a place like this that runs a completely legit game or operation. But I also see the huge impact legalized gaming could have and believe in it. I think it's very important to look at the totality of the circumstances. ANd I don't think arguing that the law is stupid and doesn't hurt anyone is very effective :wink: Say, like the follow up post where you made good points. Thats all I meant.
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I live in Maryland and just wanted to add a few points to this conversation.Maryland has horse racing, keno, and a few forms of lotteries. A big issue in the last governer's election was if the state should add slots, and if so, where (possibly to the horse tracks, giving the big business owners of that more income), and who should get the income generated from slots (some percentage was going to education).The Baltimore Sun article states that 80 players were arrested for illegal gambling, not just the people running the place. From what I had heard before, that is my understanding of the current law, so I believe the article.I doubt the cops are going to raid my low boy-in home game. It just isn't worth their effort. Besides, it would be real hard getting someone undercover considering I work with pretty much everyone who plays.I have heard of no local politicians campaigning by saying they wanted to make poker legal. Strong support for this that could change an election is the kind of thing that would get this law changed. I don't see that happenning, as much as I would enjoy legal poker here. Slots makes tons of money, so politicians have campaigned on that, but I don't think poker would pull in quite the same amount of money, so the politicians don't care as much. And the poker player community isn't so huge that they can swing an election.Hmm, I don't really have a point. I just wanted to throw some things out there into the conversation.Opie

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I'm not saying the article's right or wrong. I'm just saying stats like those are the reason the lawmakers have a hard time making gambling legal. If they make it legal, and then the crime rate in their district goes up, they'll get blamed and get voted out. They won't take that risk.
As a former political consultant, I can tell you that these facts aren't the only (or even main) reasons that they don't legalize gambling. It's largely because all the evagelical whackjobs vote, whereas more middle-of-the-road people often can't be bothered. It's simple math. The people who hate gambling in any form and want to see if abolished would walk across hot coals to get to the polls. People who enjoy gambling recreationally just aren't that motivated to show up to the polls, since it's something they generally only do when they go to Vegas or AC and then only for fun.The only way that poker will ever become legal in most places in this country is if the people who play it start exerting some muscle. And a key element to that is going to be the formation of some organizations that can represent the viewpoints of poker players -- and then back up those viewpoints with money and votes.Take it from me, you want to be listened to in this country, you gotta bring a weapon (figuratively speaking, of course). And there is nothing a politician fears more than an organized and motivated voting bloc. Until poker players have one, they'll continue to be marginalized and demonized, but, after all, what is it costing lawmakers to do that? Some indeterminant amount of votes (especially compared to the highly organized anti-gaming groups)?
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All I have to say about the Owls nest, is they earned it.They advertised the card room in the sports section of the Sun.They advertised a satellite to the WPT foxwoods in the Sun and other free papers.They were serving alcohol without a liquor licenseThey wanted the big semi-public club running 12-20 hours a day to generate rake. They made people believe a cut was going to charity.And hey its one of the places that the next superstar of poker Steve Dannenman played. (I wonder if he was there)There are many other smaller card rooms around the city, and the local home game i would assume is in no jeopardy. This was a case of someone getting overconfident and feeling invincible knowing they were doing something wrong, the BPD vice squad isnt just going to sit there when you make a fool of them and flaunt it. This club was very well known by almost anyone who plays in the Baltimore area, and that is one of the reasons i managed to stay away

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