Net gambling foes cry ‘terrorism’

[arcos]

Net gambling foes cry ‘terrorism’

Internet gambling foes have long argued that its efficiency poses an unacceptable threat to youth and gambling addicts – a position best articulated in Sen. Jon Kyl’s memorable catch-phrase, “Click the mouse, lose the house.” But in 2004, congressional opponents summoned up a new villain – terrorism.

Rep. Michael Oxley, R-Ohio, played the terror card during hearings in September. Online betting, he said, has created “a dangerous loophole in our anti-terror finance and anti-money-laundering machines that can easily be exploited.”

<snip>

In the meantime, the United States’ staunchest ally in the war on terror, Great Britain, continues to move ahead with plans to become “the hub of the global gambling industry” as part of an update of what the government says are antiquated gambling laws.

U.S. efforts to deter Net betting also took a hit from the World Trade Organization. The WTO in November upheld a complaint by Antigua stating that United States attacking online gambling to proect its legal gambling industry. The U.S. Trade Office called the decision "deeply flawed" and said it would appeal.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6687972/

Even though this is 3 days old, I didn't see it posted elsewhere...

[arcos]

1. kick n/t

[amazona]

2. thanks for this update

The toothpaste is out of the tube as far as online gambling is concerned.

The money laundering claim is fairly silly. Gamblers are not laundering money. They are losing money except for the relatively rare professionals.

While technically it is illegal for U.S. citizens to gamble online, the feds dropped the ball when it made so few prosecutions in the late 1990s and maybe not any more since then. You can't have unequal prosecution and make an example of a few when millions are allowed to indulge in the same activity.

I think it is sad and will have plenty of social costs but it's unstoppable now. Especially with the ruling in favor of Antigua, which is just stating what everyone already knows, that many U.S. states and reservations rely on gambling for revenue and the online gambling ban is no longer about morality or law but about protecting a revenue source.