RSSNet Gambling Bill Moves Through Senate
By Ed Oswald | Published July 21, 2006, 11:51 AM
A bill that would ban Internet gambling may be voted on in the U.S. Senate before the August recess, however it faces tough opposition and charges that it is an election year pander to the Republican base. Aides for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Thursday that lawmakers were working on the bill attempting to assure its passage, and had not given up on trying to get the bill through before lawmakers break during the month of August.
The House of Representatives approved a similar bill earlier this month, which supporters say is a reaction to recent court actions against those who run these sites. David Carruthers, CEO of BETonSPORTS, was recently arrested and thrown in jail amid charges of racketeering and conspiracy. Supporters say the bill is needed to add online gambling to a 1961 law that forbids sports betting.
My guess is that this has to do with underage kids using online gambling sites, going around the under-21 ban in physical casinos.
I dont mind online gambling, hell, its an escape for a lot of people. I just dont like people using it to get good at certain games to play in real tournaments. Does Chris Moneymaker ring a bell?
I think this whole thing has to do with money...no joke.
You dont see porn going anywhere, or any legality issues with bans and such, even though its as easy for an under-18 year old to access porn as it is for an under-21 year old to access gambling. The reason for this is that the porn business has enough money to sway a few people.
In this case, the casinos have a lot of money to sway a few people...Casinos dont like lost business.
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Can't we get some representation without regulation.
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Among other reasons, this is a typical tax and lobbying issue. The land/river-based casinos realize they'd soon be extinct. For example, I don't need a movie house anymore to watch a porn movie like I did in the 1970s (yes, yes, I was in the theaters and enjoying it!). By the same reasoning, why would I need to get in my car and go to a loud, distracting casino where, if you win, you're hauled into the back room by security and suspected of cheating?
With online gambling, I can focus on the bets, not the food, the rigged slot machines, or the card tables that are all set up to steal your money. For years, current casino owners have been dumping millions into republican politicians' pockets (we've all heard of Jack Abramoff).
The tax issue is self-evident: republicans can tax the casinos, but they can't tax a South African gaming site. Without the ability to tax the entity, there are no bribes, er, "lobbying" and no payoffs. Follow the money and you'll find the truth 99% of the time.
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LOL The only damn thing more funny than the article is all your posts.
I tell ya, you got some funny damn laws over there, and to be honest im glad im over here siphening off those MS dollars here in the UK.
I googled for some other crazy US laws, and dang it all if you aint got alot more where this one come from.
I didnt realise you lot cant drink in some states till your 21 ?? And now no gambling, what ever else is going to be dictated to you before sence prevails over there.
Theres one state that forbids you to have sex with a virgin ?, how the hell thats going to work ??
What kind of monkey you got running that zoo over there ?
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Theres one state that forbids you to have sex with a virgin
Apparently we're saving them all for the martyred Muslim Extremists.
Yeah, that was in bad taste. heh...but it was funny.
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The real sad joke is the US Congress and the junk they try to pass every week. Here, the republicans put in a rule in 1995 that as long as the politicians do not vote on their own pay raises, they're automatically raised! And republican Arlen Spector got a proposed law out of his judicial committee forgiving Bush in the future for any crimes he has committed during his eight years in office.
If you lived here, you'd be crying, not laughing.
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Why no comments on laws passed during the infamous Clinton years, uh ?
Whatever the Right Wing does is always wrong and whatever the Left Wing does is always right, uh?
What a pathetic attitude.
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...what ever else is going to be dictated to you before sence prevails over there.
lol
At least we know how to spell "sense."
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Yup.
C E N T S. ;)
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What gets me, is this is supposed to be pandering to conservative republicans? I want to know how conservatives became.. well.. so unconservative? When i wa a kid, i was taught that the conservative republicans stood for smaller governmentant more personal freedom.... what the heck happened?
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It was overtaken by conservative religion. Their morals must now be ours. Presonal freedom, free will, all of those things lead to Hell, ya know.
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it's got to do with the good of the people.
(the whole point of laws)
what good comes from gambling online?
it's too easy to extort
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lmao..
The government of the United States of America was put in place to protect our rights to Life, Liberty, and Happiness.
Not to tell us what makes us happy is not morally correct. That judgement we can make damn well for ourselves.
How does making such things illegal help the owner of the online business? His employees? The folks who use the service to no detriment?
It does not. It serves the the moral high-mindedness of the Religious Right.
Nothing else.
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so, in your little corner of america, prostitution is legal? (i know what makes me happy and liberal :-p)
or maybe you think it should be?
laws are there for the good of the people.
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Ever heard of Nevada?
I guess not...
FYI, prostitution is legal in Nevada, as is gambling...
Explain that one. if they're so against it everywhere else....why not there?
Perhaps it's not the "good" they're after....
The good of the people isn't going to cut it. It doesn't work that way. Anyone without blinders on can see it.
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didn't know prostitution was legal anywhere in the states.
anyway, i'm not against gambling of any kind, just online.
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Out of curiosity, why the distinction?
How is online gambling worse than Vegas? Or the Indian Casinos?
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It's not any different and the whole argument against it is extremely lame. If people don't "like it", they don't have to do it.
"Laws are there for the good of the people"...now THAT is funny - Laws should be used to protect an individuals pursuit of "life, liberty and happiness" (without infringing on anothers pursuit of course). Unfortunately they've become nothing more than a protection of, and to garner favors from, special interests (in this case the religious right).
How a person decides to spend (even waste) his/her money should be of no concern to the government.
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you can't regulate online gambling.
you physically have to be in the casino to play, and you need to use real money too.
why would you want to gamble online anyway?
quick grab on some free money?
you do know how casino's work don't you? online or otherwise.
atleast in vagas you can have a good time while they take your money.
:-p
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how is this religious?
it's about the governmant protecting it's citizens.
online gambling is a con.
if you can't see that, at least be glad your government does, and is willing to protect you from your own ignorance.
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You have to stop...you're making me laugh to much...
Who do you think runs the Republican Party? If you can't see that, then I truly feel sorry for you.
Online gambling may be a con, but that's beside the point. It's about choice and once again, the government sees fit (under the guise of "doing what’s best for its citizens") to remove another. I won't even go into the hypocrisy of it all - that would take days.
Just what I want, ignorant individuals protecting me from my own ignorance...love it.
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"you can't regulate online gambling."
Don't you mean:
"(they) can't get their hands around the cash-cow of online gambling."
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Those in charge of the Republican Party surely are much better than the Clinton and Kennedy clans leading the Left Wing which from democratic socialism turned into a neo-communist political party.
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Totally agree aredo...
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The first comment on this whole story I've completely agreed with...
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"The government of the United States of America was put in place to protect our rights to Life, Liberty, and Happiness.
Not to tell us what makes us happy is not morally correct. That judgement we can make damn well for ourselves."
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On top of that, most states prohibit smoking in businesses. One state prohibits smoking within 25 feet of any business essentially banning smoking within the city core. While I am a non smoker I do see this as an infringment on the rights of smokers. Is this no longer a right to be protected just as on line gamblng is?
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Way the hell Off-topic, but...
The right to injure one's self ends off of your personal property when it can begin to injure others who have little to no choice in the matter.
Just as you cannot go shooting bullets willy-nilly left and right on "public streets", niether should you be able to give your fellow pedestrians cancer for simply being unlucky enough to be near you. ;)
I used to get pissed off when told I couldn't smoke in certain areas.
But that's what happens when you actually start thinking with Logic instead of Emotion.
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"But that's what happens when you actually start thinking with Logic instead of Emotion."
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Not as far off topic as you might think. Actually the addicted smoker, just like the gambler and the drinker affects the lives of many others.
As for the logic part, sometimes it's useful for all of us to get in to a little emotion in our thinking instead of so much mature judgment.
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One is physically harmful, one is not.
Most folks can tell the distinction. Hell, most smokers can even do that. ;)
There may be time for emotions, but not during the creation of laws. That's how you get dumb c*nts like Hillary Clinton thinking they can outlaw video games....
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"One is physically harmful, one is not."
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They're all physically harmful, actually. Stop and think about it. Start with stress and then go from there. High blood pressure is just one.
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Sorry.
I should have added:
DIRECTLY.
I'll be more specific next time. Can we stop picking nits now, or would you like to argue some more?
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"I should have added:
DIRECTLY.
I'll be more specific next time. Can we stop picking nits now, or would you like to argue some more?"
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Actually, Tool, you can stop anytime you wish. No one is nor have they been holding you hostage to this bit of banter.
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Thank God the US government is going to protect me from the evils of internet gambling.
Next they are going to close Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Indian casinos, riverboat casinos, all other casinos, state run lotteries, all bingo games, the scratch tickets at convenience stores, office pools....
Stupid A$$h0l3$!!
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*gasp*
Shhhh.
We're supposed to focus on the emotional aspect here. Ya know, gambling addictions, and child porn.
Nevada we can tax, the gambling *and* prostitution. Lotteries we can tax. Geez. Use logic and you'll make them all look like hypocritical idiots.
Oh, wait....they are.
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In Washington it's already a felony - the same class of felony as kiddyporn. It's absolutely the most embarrassing thing I've ever seen. You can't even LINK to a gambling site, or you're aiding a felony.
http://cityofrain.com/wp/?p=623
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That's totally absurd. Why can't they do something useful instead, like....uhh...balance the friggin budget.
Just plain stupid.
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Because they think this is somehow a way to maintain their employment. I'm starting to think that there should never be a re-election of anyone. One-term term limits sound really good right now. Politicians looking to get re-elected are slimy.
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Politicians ... are slimy.
Fixed that for ya. ;)
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Nah, no fix needed. THIS year the re-election pandering is way out of hand.
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I wish the government would stick to running itself rather than trying to protect me from myself.
If I want to gamble, FU.
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...
Gambling is simply non-chemical drug peddling.
Internet gambling needs eradication.
The State has a vested interest in suppressing
socially destructive institutions like pornography
and gambling.
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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Socially destructive?
I gotta disagree with ya there. There are extremes of course, but the naked human body, and the odd wager are not in the least bit destructive. It is merely the United States negative social perceptions of it that depict it as such.
It is not the institutions fault that there are those (both purveyors and consumers) who abuse said institutions.
There is *nothing* inherently destructive of either.
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Next up in the Senate:
Banning stores of all kinds to help protect shopaholics from themselves. Under new law, everyone will get their alloted amount of cheese and bread every month, and selling or trading such items will be punishable by death.
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Is this standard PC Rat sarcasm?
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...
"Is this standard
PC Rat sarcasm?"
...
No.
Gambling is carcinogenic for society.
It represets the perverse hope of geting
something for nothing (or for little).
The State does well when it prosecutes
the people behind organized gambing.
Like burglars, and armed robbers, and
rapists... gambing repesets legalized
theft.
The Computer Rodent
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Thats a small minded approach. Competition and Risk are human nature; they are urges that need to be indulged just as much as love, sex, hate, and violence.
You say:
The State has a vested interest in suppressing
socially destructive institutions like pornography and gambling.
I say why?
The prohibition was supposed to protect people, but instead it pissed America off, and spawned a whole black market for alcohol. A police-state restricts a persons rights a movements, so people become violent.
The problem is that the United States government is trying to limit our freedoms and whittle the constitution down to one sentence "my way, or get the **** out!". Is this what the founding fathers had in mind so long ago. I'm sure Thomas Jefferson wouldn't be the least bit surprised that men with power are controlling those without.
You say "Internet gambling needs eradication."
I say, your a simpleton who likes being told what to do. You have no self control so you rely on others to lead you astray.
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Wow... you don't invest much, do you. Stock options are the biggest gambling operation on the planet.
Gambling is indeed a matter of scale. If you choose to wager based on perceived information or pure luck, you take the opportunity with risk and reward. If you gamble a few dollars for fun, your loss of money represents a cost for entertainment. If you bet your house, you're irresponsible.
But please do not take the high and mighty route. We gamble every single day, all of us. Whether it's a decision to drive your car to work, eat sushi, or take your presription, life is gambling.
The government isn't interested in society's well-being. If they were, they'd outlaw ALL forms of gambling. Last I checked, there are lotteries and casinos and horse races in most states. No, friend, the only reason that the government wants to ban internet wagering is because they can't tax it.
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Actually, prohibition was instituted partly because the number of people dying from liver disease and alcoholism was becoming an epidemic.
Yes, there were bootleggers out there (Kennedy's anyone) who sold booze on the black market, but when all was said and done and the prohibition was lifted, the number of cases dropped and remained low.
The only people it p***ed off were the drunks who couldn't head out to the local saloon and buy a drink.
And YES the State and Federal government does have a vested interest in surpressing socially destructive institutions.
Why??
Because things like gambling and pornography are not only things that affect the individual. They can and do destroy families and relationships. When you tear down the families in society, the whole society will go.
Think about the gambler, first they use their own money, they lose (the house always wins!) what they earn and they borrow from family, friends, work, etc and soon they have lost that as well. So they get desparate, because they know that they'll make it big on the next one and pay it all back. They then start to steal, from work, home, friends, family, etc and get themselves into an even deeper hole.
Now - tell me this is something that has only affected the gambler.
Granted it's an extreme case, but I know several people who have gotten into this type of situation and having online gambling only makes it easier for them to feed this addiction and that's exactly what it becomes.
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Gotta agree with you there... the problem is not gambling or porn, the problem is a very small number of people have little or no self control. if you want to ban every possible outlet for those people... let's not limit to gambling and porn, what about vido games, bingo, alcohol, dungeons and dragons, collectable games, star trek... the list can go on...
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D&D? I'm in, but I get to be the wizard.
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Because things like gambling and pornography are not only things that affect the individual. They can and do destroy families and relationships. When you tear down the families in society, the whole society will go.
So can a car accident.
Should we ban driving?
So can eating and swallowing wrong.
Should we ban food in favor of nutrition pills?
People are the problem, not the institutions. Get over yourself.
No-one forces anyone to gamble or participate in pornography. (unless it's of the illegal variety, which is a *very* small percentage).
It's personal choice.
Otherwise known as free will.
Some say God granted sucha thing to us mortals so that our lives and our futures could be decided by *us* and *our* actions.
Perhaps free will is simply too much for you to handle?
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i cast magic missle.
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*clap, clap*
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That may be true, but that is not the reason the government wants internet gambling banned or else they would ban all gambling, including gambling that gives them tax revenue. Doesn't it seem a little odd that they are only banning the gambling they don't make money on?
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NO! NO! NO! NO!!!!
*jumps up and down*
*kicks the dice*
*Cat jumps to Red Alert - Hunt and Destroy mode active - must kill dice*
/screaming/
I GET TO BE THE WIZARD!!!!!!
/end screaming/
*dodges crazed Cat*
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"So can a car accident.
Should we ban driving?"
there are laws to the road too eh.
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People still get injured and killed. Apparently the laws aren't doing enough, eh?
It would be stupid to ban driving, of course. About as stupid as outlawing gambling and pornography.
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um, no. it was passed as a result of a movement spurred by the Women's Christian Temperance League in union with the women's rights movement. it was a deal: WCTL pushes for the right to vote for women, and their allies push for prohibition. there were enough pulpits and politicians embarrassed into prohibition positions to get it done.
needless to say, folks who saw the opportunity to make a buck when liquor was outlawed certainly didn't oppose the amendment, and may actually have pushed it. indeed, i wonder whether or not the "brick and mortar" casinos might not be pushing for these laws, seeing as they are exempted from them, although i have no evidence.
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I must say, I'm glad I don't live in America. It must suck to have people telling you what you can and can't do all the time.
I don't see how it hurts anyone for me to have $10 on the Heat. The point for those who oppose it is, you can't stop it anyway. If you try you will just force it underground where the less reputable operators lurk.
The only outcome that makes any sense is to legalize, regulate and tax it. It will then be much easier to make sure that there are controls in place to help problem gamblers and prevent minors having access. At the same time you can earn tax revenue and stop billions leaving the US for offshore operators. Last I checked, you had both a trade deficit and budget deficit problem.
Unfortunately though, common sense is not very common as there's too many interest groups out there pushing their own agendas.
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Wow... you don't invest much, do you. Stock options are the biggest gambling operation on the planet.
lol... apparently you don't invest ...at all.
Investing in the stock market is a calculated risk. Gambling... that's just a tax on stupid people.
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Dude.
Learn how to reply.
Thanks!
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Sports betting is not a slot machine. I get an advantage by carefully following teams, where others may just simply bet "to bet".
Options are the same. And yes, stock OPTIONS are a zero-sum investment. With stocks, hi-tide lifts all ships. Options are gambling and insurance. It's no different other than information gathered for decision-making.
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