The ban on online gambling is enforced through the payments perspective. The US law forbids credit companies and other financial institutions from supporting any transaction in which one of the sides is engaged in betting or wagering.

In other words – it requires that Big Brother look into sites Americans visit and make transactions on.

Sounds familiar? It sounds threateningly familiar to Amazon, for one.

Not just because the large online retailer sells books on gambling and the sort. Amazon is concerned and indeed ought to be concerned about the government looking into their customers’ purchases. Following Internet transactions might lead the Feds to sniff around your Cart and Wish List. And that’s a big No.

Online gambling seem less in sync with the First Amendment, looking at things this way. In fact, the industry is enjoying the support of many organizations that oppose such Federal Book Clubs, as they are cynically called.

Perhaps more significant is the support the industry received from US Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker, in which he rejected the Justice Department's subpoena for details on Amazon's customers and their purchasing habits.

The Feds withdrew from their intention. Now we wait for them to back off online gamblers too.