Prosecuted for writing gambling Software

[softwareNerd]

The New York D.A. (in the sleazy tradition of Giuliani) is prosecuting a U.S. citizen who wrote gambling software for foreigners (gambling is legal in many foreign jurisdictions).

Link to the Wired article.

According to the accused, the D.A. wanted him to do something to the software so that he could find out the details of customers who were using it. The D.A. wanted him to hand over the details of any U.S. customers who were using the software. he says that he almost signed a plea bargain agreeing to that, but changed his mind. So, the D.A. is prosecuting him.

Recently, the Irish gambling site "InTrade" asked all its U.S.-based customers to close their accounts.

There are so many ideological factors that go into gambling bans:

- that government should enforce rationality (since many gambles are just that) [though the government-run lotteries are the most irrational by this score]

- that betting against certain events is immoral (e.g. a lot of people think that speculators who buy or sell oil etc. are immoral)

The anti-gambling Prohibition needs to be lifted. Like other prohibitions, it sends betting underground (for instance, in some states it is easy enough to place illegal sports bets with illegal bookies, who are part of the criminal class). Of course, the real issue is that a majority of voters have no right to prevent their fellow-citizens from gambling.