Internet Gambling by minors

[taps61]

Illinois,

My husband and I had done some internet gambling through a site in Florida a couple of times over a 1 year period. Never for more than $300. We were gone last week, and my 14 twins were here with my parents. They got on the site, and since I had entered all our info, and had the remember password "checked", they charged $1700 to our credit card. They "claim" they didn't know it was for real. I called the gambling site, they said "too bad", our credit card company said they could take the charges off, but could possibly come after our kids for credit card fraud. I don't know what to do. We can't afford to pay this, but if they go after our kids, we'll ultimately be responsible anyway won't we?

HELP!!!

 

[ALawyer]

I will only give some general background, as this is one that raises all sorts of issues.

$1700 is a lot of money and I would not want to pay it. Nor would I want my kids to risk charges.

If I were the casinos, I would not believe you at all or let you off the hook. Every loser would claim that the kids or the baby sitter or the maid or the dog did it. And it is almost reckless to leave the passwords pre-entered on a PC which is unsecure and could cost you big bucks.

BUT I DOUBT the Internet enables gambling in a state it is otherwise illegal, under state or Federal law. (Florida is not Las Vegas, although I know Illinois allows some casinos.) Thus it may be completely illegal and it would thus a gambling debt would be wholly unenforceable, should the casino attempt to collect on a gambling contract. This is not to say that the Online Casinos may not try to collect the way the Mob collects.

Why not call up the Illinois State Attorney General's office and ask if Internet gambling would be legal and debts of an Inninois resident enforceable under Illinois Law, no matter who did it?

 

[taps61]

Internet gambling by minors

Illinois,

After thinking about it, I can see how the casinos would view it. The place I called was in Florida, but upon further investigation, the actual location of the casino is Antigua. I don't know if that makes any difference or not. I'm not saying that we aren't partially responsible for having everything pre-entered. It just never crossed my mind that the kids would do that. Believe me, it won't happen again. I would have to say that I was pretty niave all around.

It is illegal to on-line gamble in Illinois. I didn't know this until I started checking on all of this. When I called the credit card company, they said since they had approved the charges, they would have to pay them. They are closing that account, and are sending me an affadavit to fill out. From everything I have read, since it is illegal they can't enforce even paying the casino. Would they come after my kids?

I have seen several things that say since it is illegal, they cannot enforce the charges.

Thanks for your advice.

Taps