House OKs restriction on Internet gambling

By Tom Strode - Jul 24, 2006 - 3

The House of Representatives easily passed July 11 a bill to restrict Internet gambling.

The House voted 317-93 for the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, H.R. 4411. The measure would update a 1961 law, which prohibits betting over telephone wires, to cover online gambling. It also would require financial institutions to block credit card and other payments to Internet gambling businesses, which are primarily located overseas.

It is uncertain if the Senate will take up the legislation in this Congress.

The legislation does not bar already permissible pari-mutuel wagering, which includes betting on horse racing, dog racing and jai-alai. It also will not adversely affect state lotteries, but it will restrict online poker.

The ERLC supports a more expansive prohibition on Internet gambling, but it endorsed the bill as a strong, initial step.

ERLC President Richard Land said the vote marked “a good day for families and a good day for America.”

“This $12 billion a year industry has been a major contributor to the rapid increase in gambling addictions and helped bring financial and emotional misery to millions of American families,” Land said. “It’s good to see the people’s representatives step up and resist the well-paid lobbyists of the parasitic gambling industry in the United States.”

Americans are expected to pay $5.9 billion to overseas, online casinos this year, supporters of the bill said. That is about half of the $12 billion wagered yearly worldwide on Internet gambling. Bill supporters said online gambling sites frequently act as fronts for money laundering, drug trafficking and financing for terrorists. The secretive nature of Internet gambling has result in its widespread use by minors and young adults, as well as addiction problems for people of all ages, bill advocates said.

Under the legislation, the maximum prison sentence for a violation of the updated 1961 law would increase from two years to five years.

The House-passed bill is a combination of two proposals, one introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R.-Va., and the other by Rep. Jim Leach, R.-Iowa.

Further Learning

Learn more about: Family, Addictions, Gambling, Citizenship, Legislation

comments

1 On Aug 1st, 2006, at 6:58am, Bruce Rinker wrote:

Some of my information has gotten out-dated, so I wondering if you could help me get the latest information on what studies or surveyies say about the effects of gambling on the family, especially here in Missouri. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Bruce Rinker
Living Water Fellowship
Mt. Vernon, MO

2 On Aug 2nd, 2006, at 9:16pm, John Harrington wrote:

I am a semi-pro poker player and I have played online poker. I would like to speek to the Senate sub committee on internet poker sites to inform them that the sites are without a doubt cheating the players. The cheating is very subtle and only a professional can easily spot it. Which of course is why the sites are gobbling up as many top named pros as they can. It adds credibility to their site if it is endorsed by a celebrity professional.

Well I wish you continued success in stopping an industry that is being built on cheating the american people.

John Harrington

3 On Aug 3rd, 2006, at 9:27am, Jacob Fentress wrote:

Bruce,

We have a slew of articles on gambling set to be posted on the site on Sept. 11 - just in time for the Baptist emphasis sunday on gambling. That date isn’t a lot of help to you, however, so I’ll see about getting those articles on the website sooner.

In the meantime, however, I’ve emailed a word document that contains everything we will be posting to you. I hope you find it helpful.

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