15-04-2008 ePassporte pulls out of US online poker market

The online payments processor has discontinued its merchant e-wallet services to online poker sites for US residents.

The decision is a response to the widespread investigation of Internet gambling by the United States Attorney's Office. ePassporte said that while it does not believe to have done anything illegal, it does not wish to be associated with anything that may be considered illegal by the United States government.

ePassporte is the fifth e-wallet to leave the US online gambling market since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed in October 2006. NETeller, EcoCard, Citadel and FirePay all withdrew from the US market at some time in the last 18 months.