BVI-based Company tries to avoid breaking the U.S. anti-gambling laws
The company Giddyup Holdings Inc., registered in the British Virgin Islands and staying behind the online gambling site PalmVegas.com as well as the recently created PalmVegas.com Island has announced that it would bar avatars which are based in the United States from its virtual casino. This was done to avoid breaking anti-gambling laws which were passed in the U.S. some time ago.
BVI company representatives said that this compliance was to ensure that worldwide casino operations cannot be accessed by U.S. Residents and by those getting access to casino operations from a computer located with the United States, in accordance with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
In the last months, U.S. law enforcement agencies have strengthened the measures against Web-based casinos that are located offshore, including the arrest of one executive during the connecting flight through the United States.
Andre Choquette, the director of operations of Giddyup, has commented by phone, “From what we’re hearing from our sources, (the FBI’s) looking around and is getting a bit more interested. There’s going to be a crackdown at some point†… “Our solicitors said, there’s just no way — you’re completely running outside of the (anti-gambling) act, because the currency can be freely traded.â€
Choquette also said that the company has asked Linden Lab to find the way how to verify residents’ IP addresses, or at least to deteremine from which country the IP addresses are. However, now the company residents will have to ask gamblers about their country of residence. Of course, this measure is not completely reliable, but as it was said by Choquette, PalmVegas is making an effort to comply with the U.S. law.