Cyberspace is gambling’s next frontier. And why not? Transposed to the Net, gambling could be everywhere and nowhere at once. You could belly up to the crap table in secret whenever you want, without having to put up with the other fools doing the same. Since many of the online gambling establishments are shadow companies headquartered offshore, your own private cybercasino might offer the perfect shelter from the taxes the government imposes on you when you win. And since it could be done anonymously, you could avoid the shame your friends and family impose on you when you lose.
Predictor: Schwartz, Evan I.
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for Wired magazine, Evan Schwartz writes about the online gaming industry: ”For better or worse, cyberspace is gambling’s next frontier. And why not? Transposed to the Net, gambling could be everywhere and nowhere at once. You could belly up to the crap table in secret whenever you want, without having to put up with the other fools doing the same. Since many of the online gambling establishments are shadow companies headquartered offshore, your own private cybercasino might offer the perfect shelter from the taxes the government imposes on you when you win. And since it could be done anonymously, you could avoid the shame your friends and family impose on you when you lose.”
Biography:Evan Schwartz was a 1990s journalist with a computer science degree who covered information technology. He was a former editor at Business Week, where he covered software and digital media and was part of teams that won a National Magazine Award and a Computer Press Award. He also wrote for the New York Times, Wired, and MIT’s Technology Review. His books include “Webonomics” and “Digital Darwinism.” (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: October 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Economic structures
Subtopic: Tax Issues
Name of publication: Wired
Title, headline, chapter name: Wanna Bet?
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://hotwired.lycos.com/collections/internet_law/3.10_gambling_pr.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Stotler, Larry