Betting on video games legal in 39 states

hmmm interesting article this morning

http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/08/03/site-allows-players-wager-video-games-legal-39-states
Should video gamers be allowed to bet real money on their gaming skills (or lack thereof)?
BringIt.com thinks so and hopes to capitalize on the concept.

BringIt says that the service it provides is not a form of gambling because its outcomes are based on skill, not chance.

It's free to sign up, provided you are at least 18. The site makes money by taking a 10 percent cut from people's wagers and a $4 fee from winners when they withdraw their loot.Founder and CEO Woody Levin, 30, said most of the players on BringIt play for small amounts of money, $5 or $10...

BringIt supports the PlayStation 2, the PS3, the Xbox 360 and the Wii. Players challenge each other on the site, but play on their consoles. BringIt holds players' entry fees until the game is finished. After the game is done, it verifies the results and credits the winner, minus the service fee.


Ok so the Feds want to ban online poker gambling but betting who is the better fragger in Halo is ok?

Not being a gamer i haven't looked into how the application is working but i'm assuming it's reliant on Microsoft networks etc - wonder what their thoughts on this are?

I'm also curious if players closer to the servers are getting unfair advantages in response times etc.

I know there are a lot of players making a living in player offshore poker online - but can there really be a market for "Professional Fraggers"?


Cheers,
Dean