ePassporte May be on its Way Out - 04-15-08

April 15 - When the online payment processor company, ePassporte made the strategic decision not to service the gambling market to and from the United States, and only work with online poker sites, it thought that it was immune to the long arm of the US law.

However, if rumors and unofficial reports are to be believed, ePassporte is on the verge of shutting down its services to the US online poker community, thanks to increasing pressure by authorities.

Over the weekend, rumors were rife that ePassporte would be making an official announcement about ceasing its activities to a wide range of poker rooms. Many of these poker sites claimed to have received notification directly from ePassporte to say that they would no longer be able to facilitate deposits and withdrawals. These sites were quick to inform their customers that the situation was not limited to one particular poker room and was, in fact, industry wide.

According to a letter by ePassporte that was leaked to the press, the company stated that their move came in response to "a widespread investigation of internet gambling, including poker, by the United States Office for the District of Southern New York." The letter continued to say: "Although we do not believe that we have done anything illegal, we do not wish to be associated with anything that might be considered illegal by the United States Government."

In recent times, US online poker players have come to rely on ePassporte to process their payments to poker sites. Demand for the company's services peaked after Neteller, previously used by the majority of online gamblers in the United States, was forced to shut down its operations that catered to the US wagering market, under a deal with US authorities.

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