Peter Dicks wis free to return home to London and the online gambling world is rejoicing.

However, a warrant for Dicks’ arrest is still active in the state of Louisiana. Nonetheless the online gaming world is viewing his failed extradition from New York as a massive victory. George Pataki, governor of the New York State, refused to sign the order to extradite Dicks to Louisiana as the the state laws did not permit extradition.

Dicks is due to return home to England this weekend.

LAS VEGAS - A new family film set in the world of poker is scheduled to begin shooting in Los Angeles and Las Vegas this spring. The movie tells the story of a talented 15-year-old who qualifies for a $10-million dollar poker tournament at a major Las Vegas.

The 15-year-old convinces his mother to play in his place and, through a series of extraordinary circumstances, the young man is allowed to play at the final table against many of the superstars of poker.

Louisiana officials will find out today whether they can extradite Peter Dicks from New York. Capt. Joe Lentini, head of Louisiana State Police’s gaming enforcement section, said the case against Peter Dicks is likely to be the first of many as Louisiana steps up enforcement of its Internet gambling law.

“Anybody who’s involved in something like this that allows gambling in Louisiana needs to worry,” Lentini said. Dicks was arrested Sept. 6, as he was traveling through JFK International Airport in New York and after spending two nights in jail Dicks was freed on $50,000 bail. If Dicks is extradited, he would appear before a judge in St. Landry Parish and would be prosecuted by the local district attorney.

Louisiana’s is considered one of the toughest because “gambling by computer” is so broadly written that it allows law enforcement officials to go after anyone who assists with Internet gambling, Lentini said. The maximum penalty is five years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Louisiana State Police have been surfing the Internet and attempting to place bets on Internet wagering as Such betting could interfere with the state’s interest in collecting taxes from regulated forms of wagering.

State Rep. Joe Micon, D-West Lafayette, and Republican candidate Connie Basham both believe restrictions on the practice are necessary. Indiana law allows online gambling but prohibits the operation of a server hosting gambling within the state.

Washington is the only U.S. state that prohibits gamers from logging on to poker, blackjack or other gambling sites. online gambling within the state is considered a Class C felony, punishable with a $10,000 fine or five years in prison.

“most states have chosen the route of not criminalizing it adding that taxing winnings may be a possible route for increasing state revenue” said Micon.

Basham, the Republican candidate for the office, agrees and said that as credit card debt for college students continues to be a problem, now is the right time for regulation.

“Right now, we make it so easy for students to pile up debt,” said Basham. “To use gambling to continue the cycle of debt … we need regulations in place. I don’t want to see gambling expanded.” He then added: “We want students to succeed. We don’t want them to go on a course for failure.” Exactly so if he really wants students to succeed why do they increase the fees every year? Why does Kyle Obrecht have to play online poker and casino to pay for his studies?

Student gambles to pay rent

Italian authorities are going from website blockades instituted with local ISPs through the AAMS, to a UK style regulatory and taxation regime.

As recently as February AAMS banned IP addresses of online gambling sites but now it appears that the goverment had a change of heart as of January 1, 2007, it will be legal for citizens of Italy to gamble online.

The Italian plan is apparently informed by the U.K. initiative when it comes to how the entities that do business in Italy are regulated. If a company does business with Italian customers, the government will stand to make a 3 percent tax on any gaming based revenues acquired by the company.

Such a radical change of direction begs the question, “Will operators be flocking to set up in Italy?”

What will be interesting to see is how the U.S. reacts, as it appears that their attempt to ban the industry to Americans will be rejected and therefore, maybe they will take the route of other countries such as Italy, and try to regulate the gambling instead of eradicate it.

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Kyle Obrecht, plays online poker and gambles at casinos to make rent. As tuition increases become an annual expectation, college students are seeking creative ways to earn money.

“Gambling has paid for me to live in the last couple of years,” said Obrecht, 21. “I didn’t come here with much. My family is really poor so I have to pay for everything. (Gambling has) really paid for everything my scholarships didn’t.”

Obrecht, who recently got a part-time job at Jay’s Fish and Chips, admits that gambling is risky. However, it’s proven to be much more lucrative than any regular job, he said. Obrecht has made more than $7,000 since he started.

This is so refreshing to read since online gambling is always seen as the mother of all evil.