Software Provider on Trial

Software Provider on Trial

Friday, 4 January 2013

Poker software providers across the world will checking under rocks and inside bushes today for members of the US SWAT team after the story of Robert Stuart’s indictment broke.

The US based owner of Extension Software is currently facing a charge by the New York District Attorney’s office for 'promoting gambling in the first degree'.


Stuart’s company provides a framework system for online gambling operators to display and store bets to customers. He insists that he has only sold his product to legal overseas buyers and has no customers in the US.


According to the article on Wired.com, the case started back in 2011 when 30 armed police officers arrested Stuart and his wife. Following multiple charges, the pair signed a plea agreement which would reduce the charges at a cost.


That cost was one that Stuart eventually became uncomfortable with and rejected, thus prompting the authorities to retaliate with a lawsuit for aiding and abetting. The terms of the plea included a stipulation that Stuart would create a system that would allow the authorities to “backdoor” account information and passwords from gamblers across the world.


While the New York authorities would have no direct hand in the task, the information provided would then be used by them to “uncover illegal betting activity”.


Believing the request to be unlawful, Stuart refused to cooperate and now faces a court hearing on January 8th in relation to promotion of illegal gambling.


The case is certainly an interesting and frightening one for many people involved in the online gambling and poker industry. Indeed, Stuart’s client base has already dropped from 20 to 10 following the charges.



Tags: Law, legislation