Don’t Let Congress Go Home Without Passing Internet Gambling Legislation
- Sep 27, 2006 - 3
This past July 11, the House of Representatives passed with a convincing majority vote of 317-93 the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, H.R. 4411. Over the last 10 years, similar legislation has passed the House three times and the Senate twice, but has never made it to the President’s desk. This bill, if written into law, would require financial institutions to block credit cards, fund transfers, and other methods of payment to Internet gambling businesses. It would also give federal and state law enforcement agencies the wherewithal to prevent illegal Internet gambling activities.
Internet gambling is already illegal in the United States, but gambling websites circumvent federal and state laws because they are located offshore. Thus the industry has grown, virtually unchecked, into a multi-billion-dollar operation. It is estimated that there are 1,800 Internet gambling sites worldwide and that revenue might have been as much as $12 billion in 2005, primarily from individuals in the privacy of their own homes with the simple entry of a credit card number and the click of a mouse. What is more, in the near future new wireless Internet technology will make it possible to gamble from the convenience of cell phones!
Millions of Americans are struggling with the destructive power of gambling addiction, but this does not have to be the case. H.R. 4411 has the capability to safeguard individuals from unlawful Internet gambling, especially offshore websites. By prohibiting gambling businesses from accepting payments over the Internet, millions of lives will be spared from the tragic effects of economic ruin and broken families, which this predatory industry causes.
Time is running out; the 109th Congress recesses this week. Although the Senate has not passed a similar bill, efforts are being made in the Senate to include H.R. 4411 with the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act, which must pass Congress before this session ends. The Defense Authorization bill is an appropriate vehicle for H.R. 4411. Unfortunately, too many of our military personnel are caught up in gambling themselves. H.R. 4411 will help the military address this problem.
The key to attaching H.R. 4411 to the National Defense bill is Senator John Warner. If you agree that Internet gambling must be reined in, please contact Senator Warner via phone at 202-224-2023, or send him an e-mail, strongly encouraging him to allow this important Internet gambling legislation to be attached to the Defense Authorization bill, S. 2766/H.R. 5122.
Thank you for taking the time to make your voice heard on this important legislation. Your efforts will help protect thousands of families and further our efforts to shut down much of the illegal, predatory gambling activity on the web.
Further Learning
Learn more about: Family, Addictions, Gambling, Citizenship, Legislation, National
comments (post your own) feed
1 On Oct 4th, 2006, at 7:26pm, Scott Morrison wrote:
Why? Why? Why? Why would you assume that the presence of online gambling sites implies that there is the “destructive power of gambling addiction” running through America? And why would you use that assumption to back a bill which removes a joyous leisure activity from the grasp of millions of responsible Americans?
Let me make my personal view on this clear:
—I play online poker
—I enjoy online poker
—I do not gamble money that would endanger the health and welfare of my family
—I am a churchgoer
—I give freely to the church and many other charities
You may enjoy taking your family down to the river’s edge on a Sunday afternoon, but I’m not supporting a ban on THAT activity because of the possibility that one of your family members may slip on a rock and drown at the river’s edge.
Why would you make similar assumptions about my leisure activities? I cannot agree with your organization’s conclusions about this bill.
Sincerely,
Scott Morrison
2 On Oct 5th, 2006, at 11:10am, Staff wrote:
Further reading on the subject of (gambling, including poker) can be found here.
Simply because a church goer may engage in a particular behavior, doesn’t make it ‘right’ or OK, or even good for our communities. The question, rather, is should a church goer (presumably a Christian) engage in that activity?
Our understanding is that gambling is contrary to a great many biblical principles and the Christian life.
In addition to being biblically unsound, it’s irresponsible economic behavior and contrary to building wealth.
3 On Oct 26th, 2006, at 9:04am, TJ wrote:
I don’t disagree that there is a “destructive power of gambling addiction.” I would be interested to hear from those who beleive that there should be legislation against this but who do NOT beleive that we should also ban the “destructive power of (alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, big mac) addiction.” What is the logic behind the argument that government should regulate one and not the others?