Much Ado About Mats Sundin and PokerStars.net

mats sundin pokerstars

There has been continued angst from some in the media who are criticizing both the National Hockey League and Mats Sundin for permitting players and teams to promote quasi-internet-gambling sites. Of course, the key here is 'quasi' because Mats Sundin isn't promoting PokerStars.com (illegal), he's promoting PokerStars.net (legal). What's the difference between .com and .net? Everything.

Most of the internet gambling sites that break gaming laws in Canada and the United States by offering games for 'for cash' do so on the '.com' version of their sites. The '.net' version is a 'free' no-money version, and it is the free version that gets advertised and promoted aggressively in mainstream media etc.

Should the NHL ban the promotion of these '.net' free gaming sites because they may (and likely do) end up gaining players for their 'for cash' illegal gambling operations on the .com? I think not. I think the NHL's position is simply a realistic one. The Deputy Commissioner of the NHL, Bill Daly spelled it out very clearly to the Vancouver Sun recently...

"The NHL has no objection with Mats having a relationship with and endorsing the free, educational website PokerStars.net."

Ultimately, the NHL is taking a hands-off approach to a problem that is not theirs to solve. It's up to the governments to figure this dilemma out, so long as the teams (Toronto Maple Leafs also have a deal with PokerStars.net) and players like Mats Sundin aren't directly promoting for-cash illegal gambling. But the Vancouver Sun for instance, doesn't seem to agree and/or see the difference between their .com and .net sites.

So what we essentially have here is an NHL hockey player promoting for-cash Internet gambling, an activity that is illegal in both Canada and the United States, and the NHL turning a blind eye to it.

I think kudos to the NHL for not getting caught up in politics and semantics. Let the governments choose and fight their battles, and the let the league and their players promote as they wish provided they aren't breaking any laws. Until free, no-cash gambling games are illegal, Mats Sundin will continue to score a promotional royal flush.

via vancouversun

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1

ken said:

Isee no crime in playing poker stars for anyone

Posted at 04:39 PM, on October 5 2009

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