July 7 - Senators Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) and Jim Leach (R-Iowa), undoubtedly
the largest opponents of online gambling in the United States, have merged
anti-online gambling legislation into a single bill.
Called the 'Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act', the bill is
designed to amend the Interstate Wire Act, which prohibits gambling over
telephone wires, to specifically ban online gambling as well as via other new
technologies.
It also calls for increased criminal penalties for online gambling businesses
that settle online wagers using various financial methods such as checks, fund
transfers and credit cards.
It requires these methods of payment to implement
procedures to block online gambling-related transactions.
Strangely enough though, the bill includes a clause that exempts horse race
betting. Apparently betting on the ponies is not really gambling.
The bill is expected to be debated next week on the House floor. Leach's
legislation passed the Financial Services Committee on March 15 and Judiciary
Committee on May 25. Goodlatte's legislation passed the Judiciary Committee on
May 25.
July 7 - Senators Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) and Jim Leach (R-Iowa), undoubtedly
the largest opponents of online gambling in the United States, have merged
anti-online gambling legislation into a single bill.
