Congress may fold casinos' bid: GOP sees ban of Internet gaming as winning

[NVMojo]

After some members of the GOP have had fun porking Indian casinos of $$$, now they want the family values back! HAHA!!!

WASHINGTON - Any hopes Las Vegas casinos had of the federal government gently starting to loosen prohibitions on Internet gambling are likely stalled now that U.S. House Republicans have decided to target online betting as a cornerstone of their election-year American Values Agenda.

The casinos have been watching on the sidelines as the online jackpot has become a lucrative $15 billion industry worldwide in just a few short years. Internet gambling is the fastest-growing segment of the industry, with 8 million Americans gambling - illegally - online.

Earlier this year, the American Gaming Association called for a congressional study to determine the feasibility of perhaps regulating online gambling, much as Nevada and other states oversee rules for brick-and-mortar casinos. Nevada Reps. Jon Porter, a Republican, and Shelley Berkley, a Democrat, joined forces this spring to introduce legislation establishing a study commission.

But that objective is essentially doomed now that House Republicans have made anti-gambling legislation part of their conservative agenda of 10 bills - including bans on gay marriage, flag burning and abortion - to be addressed in the run-up to the November elections.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2006/jul/07/566685518.html

[jseankil]

1. The tax money being lost from not collecting from online gaming is unreal

What we have is a bunch of clowns in DC who gives two shits about the average America and only care about themselves and those they know personally.

[VegasWolf]

2. I guess the Indian casino's don't want the competetion. The repukes

are bought and paid for by the Indian casino lobby.

[TroglodyteScholar]

3. Well...

..there's no more of that Red Man money flowing at them through Jack Abramoff...is there a new Jack A.?

[NVMojo]

5. that's hard to prove when the FEC doesn't monitor tribal donations

and treats them like non-profits instead of governments who own casinos who can give huge donations. Why do you think the Abramoff thing went on for so damn long? Hello.

[Psephos]

4. GOP sucks on gay marriage, flag burning, and abortion, but not on this

Even a blind squirrel trips over an occasional acorn.

I don't see the social benefit in expansion of online gambling. I dislike how it disproportionately takes cash from those least able to afford it and from those who have psychological problems controlling their urges.

Peace.

[arcos]

15. Not everything needs to have a social benefit...

Plus, they want to be tough on it not because it may harm people who are addicted to gambling, but because of "American values".

[lfairban]

16. I must respectfully disagree.

I see this issue as consistent with the others that you mentioned. It is much like sexual, reproductive, and expression freedom.

Gambling is not a demon that snatches from unwilling victims, but an apparatus that people participate in. I heard of a guy that worked for the State of Ohio who had psychological problem and kept smashing up cars. Just because he had a problem does not mean that driving should be prohibited for the rest of us. This same argument has been used to justify the Prohibition of alcohol and is currently being used to justify the war on recreational drug usage. I don't buy it there either.

I also make a distinction between gambling and poker. Poker is a game of skill unlike games like craps roulette or keno (many state lotteries resemble keno). There is a significant decision making process that highly influences your chance of success. Since the rake (house cut) is much less online and stakes as low as 1&2 cents are available, novice players are less likely to go broke learning the game.

People with psychological problems and people who can't control their urges are going to have problems, but that does not mean that the rest of us should not be able to do what we want within reasonable limits.

Edit to include:

"A lot of the opponents have been saying that the people who gamble on the Internet are the ones who can least afford it," he added. "But look at this survey. It shows they tend to be more educated and have more money than other people."

Report: Internet gamblers can afford it

Now, I bet a lot of poor people use the State Lotteries.

[MrPrax]

17. Agreed...

Online Gambling is fraud...pure and simple. Most of them are offshore for a reasons other than being legally dubious in the US.

It's one thing to defend gambling when you can be reasonably sure of some regulations, but online gambling is next to impossible to regulate and suffers all the same problems of any voting machine -- they can be compromised very easily and thousands can be bilked without even knowing it.

Interesting thread though -- to have so many people, so strenuously for unfettered 'freedom', which is libertarianism by definition, and denying a 'social' effect of having millions upon millions of unproductive cash piling up in offshore accounts, instead of being channelled into their own communities for something useful.

Seems pretty hard to be consistent if you are then challenging the right of an owner to set up shop in India...same 'unfettered' freedom.

Democrats are starting to sound like corporations.

[TreasonousBastard]

6. Gambling is a convenient "sin" for them to run...

against.

But are they going to seriously try taking down existing casinos and state lotteries?

Or is just just another campaign slogan to whip up the masses and be forgotten after the election?

[Ian David]

9. Don't forget church BINGO! n/t

[Ezlivin]

7. I'll bet you double or nothing that they'll want to remove all pleasure

from this society.

I guess they'll soon push for a re-ratification of the 18th amendment:

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Speaking from unfortunate experience I can say with assurance that fundamentalists would systematically remove nearly every pleasurable thing from our society in their quest for religious purity.

[Ian David]

8. Rather they should STAY home than get drunk, gamble all night drive home

Which also makes me wonder why the fundies hate internet porn so much.

Internet porn keeps people masturbating at home, rather than wandering the streets of various neighborhoods from bookstore to bookstore.

[lfairban]

10. Take action here!

The Poker Players Alliance has been addressing these issues.

I joined in March because I agree with their stand and because when I joined through Party Poker, I got an additional 20% re-load bonus. Basic membership is $15, but for $20 you also get a nifty PPA T-shirt. (BTW: PP just announced another re-load bonus open until Wed. the 12th.)

If you want to send a message to your representatives, consider the Take Action Page.

If you want to get started in online poker, I would love to sponsor you. Just e-mail me here at DU or at [e-mail].

Also, check out My Poker Page.

[denverbill]

11. What ever happened to laissez-faire, small-government Republicans?

What an enormous lie that one is.

I play poker online all the time. I enjoy it. It beats the hell out of driving 2 hours to a casino, getting on a 20 person waiting list, playing for higher limits than I might like to, and then driving 2 hours back home.

I can get into a game online in 30 seconds, play for 1/2 hour or 5 hours, quit anytime I want, and bet as much or as little as I feel like.

[wakeme2008]

12. This is just another Kiddie Porn thing....

The Repugs want to control the Internet.... PERIOD..... The is just another Staw man.

[idgiehkt]

13. I kind of got that feeling too.

the internet is something indy that they haven't been able to get their hooks into and they are trying to catch up anyway they can

[wakeme2008]

14. Right Protect your kids from Kiddie Porn and Gambling...

Just everything you do has to go through the NSA.

[Caution]

18. So because some people can't control themselves I can't play poker?

I keep careful limits on my online poker play, I enjoy it, my wife enjoys it but now some fucking self-righteous asshole wants to stop me from playing? I'm so sick of these fucking scumbags.

American Values? Are you kidding? Poker is about as American as it gets.