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Having passed the House,
the Bill next moves to a
busy Senate, where
similar measures in the
past have failed, and it
will likely face a more
strenuous and detailed
debate. Assuming it gets
on to the crowded
schedule at all, if it
is not passed by the
time the legislative
season ends later this
year, the whole process
will have to be started
again.
Predictably the supporters of the Bill emphasised the potential dangers of
addiction, money laundering and use by minors in defending it's provisions. In a
roller coaster debate amendments that sought to extend the ban to all forms of
internet gambling included the hitherto exempted horse racing, lotteries and
fantasy sports, was finally defeated after postponments.
The Associated Press reported that House Speaker Dennis Hastert said: "We must
be wary of illegal gambling sites that offer fronts to criminals for money
laundering, drug trafficking and terrorist financing.
"Internet-based companies must abide by US regulations that protect our
children, citizens and the integrity of American business. The Internet Gambling
Prohibition and Enforcement Act will do just that. It seeks to protect our
children from gambling sites at home, keep our hard-earned money in the bank,
and put the criminals that seek to take advantage of our family earnings in
jail."
Representative Bob Goodlatte said the bill could curb the booming industry of
offshore websites accepting bets and wagers from persons in the United States.
"Because these businesses are located offshore, they usually cannot be reached
through state or federal law enforcement," Goodlatt said. Easy access to
Internet gambling websites and lack of law enforcement give the US public a
misimpression that Internet gambling is not illegal."
If the Bill makes it into law, the U.S. Justice Department would have authority
to block money transfers to offshore gaming sites and seek injunctions against
persons who foster illegal gambling via the Internet. Authorities would be
allowed to work with Internet service providers, to block access to gambling Web
sites.
Representative Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, said the bill restricted
individual rights.
"What kind of social, cultural authoritarianism are we practicing here?'' Frank
said during debate. "The fundamental principle of the autonomy of the
individual is at stake today.''
U.S. casino operators including MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment Inc. have
urged Congress to consider legalising and regulating online gambling.
Representative Shelley Berkley, a Nevada Democrat, called Goodlatte a hypocrite
because the bill wouldn't block online gambling on horseracing, which is legal
under a separate U.S. statute governing the horseracing industry.
"He made a deal with the horseracing industry to exempt them from this bill,''
Berkley said. "And why is that? Because if he didn't, they would fight this
tooth and nail.''
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