@TheGooner 185833 wrote:
I’m not quite sure what people expect Microgaming to do.
They can make an honest Euro (or several million) by servicing clients that want to offer gaming to the countries that allow it, and they do that quite well. In fact their software is considered premium.
With the on-going legal issues and ramifications in the politically flexible US, they’ve decided that it’s too difficult to continue to walk the tightrope offering services to new US players given the obvious intent of the current lawmakers and the legal clout that they still wield.
(even though we’re aware that the question as to whether it’s REALLY illegal is very murky – the feds and now individual states keep saying it is and taking action as such)
I’m not to up on the exact definitions of aiding and abetting criminal activity, but I suspect that maintaining and licensing a gaming platform to people that MG KNOW are providing online gambling services to an area that MG KNOW is saying it’s illegal is probably in that definition of aiding and abetting …
Microgaming simply do not want to pick a sh!tfight with the biggest legalistic bully on the block – the Government of the United States. They are a software company. They want to create good gaming software, and operate it legally, not go on a risky and expensive crusade to force online gaming on the US. (when has ANYONE forced the US to do ANYTHING?)
Personally I don’t blame Microgaming – despite the effect it’s gonig to have to our back-pocket. The change has to come from within the US.
I don’t believe in the honest Euro story. If they wanted to abide by any law and stay honest why are they happily acquiescing to their licensees roaming around in the German, French, Italian, and Scandinavian markets. Thereby turning a blind eye to the making of many millions of practically illegal Euros.
The buck stops for them only when their own behinds are on the line and there is a real danger of landing in prison or being subjected to really inconvenient legal procedures. Something that apparently is not imminent in the EU market for whatever reason. Probably due to the stand off between national governements and the EU administration on the gambling issue. :sarcasm: