ERLC endorses new Internet gambling ban
- Feb 28, 2006
The ERLC has endorsed a newly introduced measure designed to ban online gambling.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R.-Va., reintroduced Feb. 16 the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, H.R. 4777. The bill, introduced in two previous sessions of Congress by Goodlatte, would update the Wire Act, a 1961 federal law that bars gambling by telephone, to clarify that it applies to interstate gambling on the Internet.
The legislation prohibits gambling businesses from accepting a credit card or any other form of non-cash payment when a bet is placed. The maximum sentence for a violation would be five years in prison.
It is estimated online gambling gained $12 billion in revenues last year.
In a Feb. 24 letter to Goodlatte, ERLC President Richard Land informed the congressman of the commission’s total support for the bill.
“Clearly, Internet gambling is a growing menace to millions of good, hard-working Americans,” Land said. “Your bill is a common sense approach to this predatory industry.”
Goodlatte’s proposals to ban online gambling failed in both the 106th (1999-2000) and 107th (2001-2002) sessions of Congress.
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