Internet Gambling Prohibition Bill

Internet Gambling Prohibition Bill

The Internet Gambling Prohibition bill (identified by CRS)
Bill # S.627 Original Sponsor:Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is going to put
an end to online gambling. This includes online poker. This
Bill is likely to pass Congress this year according to Sen.
Jon Kyl, the senator who introduced the legislation. You can
read more about this issue from the "Gambling News" section
of our website. 

The Bill prohibits any person engaged in the business of
betting or wagering from knowingly accepting in connection
with another person's participation in Internet gambling:
(1) credit; (2) electronic fund transfers or funds
transmitted through money transmitting businesses; (3) any
instrument drawn by or on behalf of another and payable
through any financial institution; or (4) the proceeds of
any other form of financial transaction involving a
financial institution as payer or financial intermediary on
behalf of another person.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/bills/?billnum=S.627&congress=108

In effect, you will not be able to get money in or out of
your player account. 

If you are against this Bill then make your voices heard. Go
to the above website and locate your Senators and Congress
persons and send them an email letting them know how you
feel.

This is the text of the message we sent:

"Re:Internet Gambling Prohibition Bill # S.627 Original
Sponsor: Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

I am one of your constituents. I urge you to vote no on
Internet Gambling Prohibition Bill # S.627.

This Bill is an unnecessary and excessive intrusion on the
civil liberties of us all. At a minimum there should be an
independent neutral study of the "alleged" ill effects of
online gambling before such a gross infringement of civil
rights occurs. If significant deleterious effects are found,
then some limited regulation may be justified, but not
wholesale prohibition.

The routine justification for this dumb law is that internet
gambling is accessible to minors and exploits "problem
gamblers" or can be used for money laundering. I suspect
these problems are much more prevalent at land based
commercial and tribal casinos than at online casinos. 

Practically all internet casinos require you to disclose
your name, address, telephone, age, and other data to sign
up. You can not use credit cards at all anymore. To deposit
money you need to have a bank account and transfer money to
the casino or an intermediary (like Neteller). You are
usually required to fax identification and submit social
security numbers. Often, the casino will call you to verify
your data. It is difficult for an adult to deposit money. I
think it would be very difficult for a minor to do so.
Certainly more difficult than a minor with a fake ID and a
pocket full of cash would have gambling at an Indian casino
or Las Vegas. 

The same is true for the "problem gambler". In addition to
having to wait several days to replenish an online casino
account, most online casinos have limits on how much a
player can deposit (a common standard is "$50 - $500 daily
limit and weekly limit of $1,000"). I am aware of no land
based casino or tribal casino with any such safeguard. The
"problem gambler" can go to the bank and withdraw their life
savings, max out all their credit cards and take out a
second on their home, walk into a casino and lose it all
(maybe they will get a free buffet dinner on their way out).

I fail to see how internet casinos are likely to be used for
money laundering. If some evidence is shown that this is a
significant abuse then impose reasonable regulation; but do
not ban it outright without even having any proof of such
abuse.

I believe these justifications are a sham. This bill is
really about protecting land based casinos and tribal gaming
from the competition posed by internet gaming. I know those
interests donate a lot of money to political campaigns. I
hope you will not be influenced by them. Require proof of
significant problems before you start legislating. Then
regulate only to the extent really needed. Don't be a
hypocrite and prohibit internet gaming while land based
gaming continues its operations unimpeded while even more
guilty of "alleged" abuses.

I am a mature adult. I am fully capable of making my own
choices about gambling. I do not need or want "big brother"
watching out for me. 

Thank you,"

Regards,
Club Wager
The place for the savvy online gambler
http://www.clubwager.net

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