Gambling Bill Fate Still Uncertain

Dante · Jun 20, 2003

Despite last week's overwhelming vote in the House for Internet gambling restrictions, the outlook for similar legislation in the Senate appears uncertain.
Two key senators, Republicans Jon Kyl of Arizona and Richard Shelby of Alabama, on Tuesday pledged to move aggressively on Internet gambling controls.

But the Senate Banking Committee still has not scheduled a vote on Kyl's bill to outlaw credit cards, checks and electronic fund transfers to pay for online wagers. The House passed those restrictions last week by a vote of 319-104.

Last year, the House approved sweeping Internet gambling restrictions by voice vote only to see the legislation die in the Senate because of objections from Indian gambling interests.

Another potential holdup for the Senate bill is the lack of endorsement from the Department of Justice.

During the March 18 hearing, Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Malcolm expressed concern that the Kyl bill would not outlaw bets placed over the telephone. Malcolm also complained that the bill would exempt Internet service providers from criminal penalties and force law enforcement authorities to prove the illegality of Internet wagers.

'We have asked for input from Justice on the issues that would have to be resolved. Conversations are ongoing,' Banking Committee spokesman Andrew Gray said.

Gray said Shelby would prefer to pass the Kyl bill without removing criminal provisions, which were taken out of the House bill.

'We can work out the differences in conference (between House and Senate members),' Gray said.

IntuitionBET · Jun 22, 2003

Don't STOP putting pressure on these politicians just because one bill passed in the House..it still has to go to the Senate and will probably be changed and/or killed there.

All the Average Citizen can do is Visit, Call and Email your Local reps in your area.

***If you state in your letter you DO NOT AGREE and OPPOSE the views of Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner and House Democrats and House Republicans who oppose an outright ban on online gambling.*** it might be the right kind of PRESSURE

Here is the site you need to go to to Tell your Representative and Senators to oppose H.R. 21 and S. 627, the so-called Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Acts! Or any NEW bill that tries to ban Online Gambling. Fill out the form on this page to take action on this important issue (your privacy will be protected) http://www.profreedom.com/

TheGeneral+ · Jun 22, 2003

Thanks Dante.

These Politicians argumentable attitudes for each other may be the best friend we have

dennistheman · Jun 22, 2003

EVERYONE DO THIER PART ITS EASY.

rickyroma · Jun 22, 2003

To the General....."You are correct sir...ha haaaaaaa" (Ed McMahon)

TheGeneral+ · Jun 23, 2003

Maybe we will see the politicians stab each other so many times that they forget to stab us

Dante · Jun 23, 2003

anyone have an update on this??

WildBill · Jun 23, 2003

Likely to be taken up in Sep/Oct. Some in the group are expecting that maybe the opening of football season might be one of those symbolic moments that the proponents might try to take advantage of, much like they always put up their NCAA bet ban around March Madness. Wouldn't that be the ultimate in hypocrisy, the time when the betting is most frenzied (since even the squares still have money left) and hence ratings highest, here will be the hypocrites from the NFL/NCAA telling the Senate about what a scourge they must face from these bettors. Truly laughable. Still its far from certain, some are even saying it doesn't look likely to get on the docket in normal time, just might be raced through at the end and tried to pass under the cover of a flurry of activity, much like it has been in years past. If that happens no one has any idea what form the bill might take or if it will be passable.

oldmantime · Jun 23, 2003

You know--what this shows in general about our government. They the House and Senate are never on the same page about much of anything. (I suppose that's a blesing in this particular case).
But it serves to point out just how ridiculous the system is. The right hand never knows what the left hand is doing. Yet they would expect the public to "know the law"!

TheGeneral+ · Jun 23, 2003

It sucks that such a big event for all of us is taken so lightly by politicians ie.. hurrying through, voice votes, & not much debate.

I do not predict that this bill will pass. i think if it was that big of a deal, they would have already given the green light to ban. There is just to much business & money involved to try and stop with a screeching halt IMO.

WildBill · Jun 24, 2003

Well I don't think your argument holds much water in the eyes of the Senate...that is a lot of money they can't get a cut of!!! My feeling after talking this afternoon with the guy I think has the best pulse on it of all the lobbyists is that something is going to pass. Its just one of those things that Congress can't stand the thought of going on under their noses, they are the ultimate control freaks after all. If this was just a quiet business with no talk about how much money was changing hands then it could slide, but here you have all these groups saying billions of dollars are out there and terrorists love money and the mob killed someone because they bought a gun from their Costa Rican sportsbook profits, etc etc...well you can see what happens. To 95% of the people in there its a complete and absolute non-issue. They don't care, they aren't getting calls from people saying stop it; simply put they have better things to do. However, that 5% who can't just let it go can pester the leaders to take a quick moment and get an easy victory. That is what it is, an easy victory statement that they can make. Symbolic yes, 110% so. People that fight to pass this bill will be the first to tell you they know it can't be stopped, but in public in front of the country they rather take meaningless victories saying "its a great day, we did something to stop a scourge most of you don't even know about, but its coming to get your children". While we might all laugh seeing them say such nonsense, we must also come to grips that this is how politics runs amuck. Having participated in the fight a few weeks ago was both frustrating and enlightening. I saw what a mess the system is and how hopeless the fight can be, all the while seeing how these supposedly fine men and women (representatives) are actually just puppets of ideology with little redeeming value. They act as if they are our voice and our protectors, but I saw for myself time and again I would sooner trust Pauly Shore to protect us because at least he would just let us live our lives...