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Congress bans internet gambling
Reuters/Washington Post ^ | 9/30/06 | Peter Kaplan

Posted on 09/30/2006 9:43:50 AM PDT by Alterboy1964

Congress approves Internet gambling ban bill

By Peter Kaplan Reuters Saturday, September 30, 2006; 12:52 AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most forms of Internet gambling would be banned under a bill that received final U.S. congressional approval early Saturday.

The House of Representatives and Senate approved the measure and sent it to President George W. Bush to sign into law.

The bill, a compromise between earlier versions passed by the two chambers, would make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

Democrats had accused Republicans of pushing the bill to placate its conservative base, particularly the religious right, before the November 7 congressional elections.

"It's been over 10 years in the making. The enforcement provisions provided by this bill will go a long way to stop these illegal online operations," said Sen. Jon Kyl, an Arizona Republican and a chief sponsor of the measure.

Negotiators from the Republican-led House and Senate reached a deal on the legislation Friday and attached it to unrelated legislation to bolster port security, which the Congress approved.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican and potential 2008 presidential candidate, recently appeared at a hearing in Iowa -- the state that holds the first presidential nominating contest for the 2008 election -- to listen to concerns about Internet gambling.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abuse; comingforyou; control; gambling; governmentcontrol; helpless; internet; lookout; responsibility; scary; trollbait; waste
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Finally. This was a last minute add-on to the Port Security bill that passed both the House and Senate late last night, just before adjournment.

I've had a couple of buddies lose a few grand on these Texas Hold'em poker websites. They are really awful. It's about time Congress took a stand against these websites that are preying on the most vulnerable members of our society.

Here are some comments from Bill Frist available on his website:

September 29th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., (R-Tenn.) made the following statement after the Senate passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act:

“Gambling is a serious addiction that undermines the family, dashes dreams, and frays the fabric of society. Congress has grappled with this issue for 10 years, and during that time we’ve watched this shadow industry explode. For me as majority leader, the bottom line is simple: Internet gambling is illegal. Although we can’t monitor every online gambler or regulate offshore gambling, we can police the financial institutions that disregard our laws.”

Good riddance.

1 posted on 09/30/2006 9:43:51 AM PDT by Alterboy1964
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To: Alterboy1964

Save me from myself! Oh thank heavens for our hard-working Congressmen! I guess I'll send money orders or lump-sum cash via courier service to gambling sites now to feed my addiction.


2 posted on 09/30/2006 9:45:58 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: Alterboy1964

I've never placed on an online bet, but I think this is stupid. You can't do in your own house what you can do in Nevada and a bunch of other casinos around the country.

Either gambling is legal or it's not.


3 posted on 09/30/2006 9:46:23 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Alterboy1964

All they had to do was give Congress their cut and they would have been happy with that.


4 posted on 09/30/2006 9:46:35 AM PDT by Andy from Beaverton (I'm so anti-pc, I use a Mac)
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To: Alterboy1964
I've had a couple of buddies lose a few grand on these Texas Hold'em poker websites. They are really awful. It's about time Congress took a stand against these websites that are preying on the most vulnerable members of our society.
5 posted on 09/30/2006 9:47:59 AM PDT by kenth (There are three kinds of people in the world. Those who can count, and those who can't.)
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To: Alterboy1964

"They are really awful."

Of course, 'personal responsiblity' has nothing to do with it, right?

Just one more 'nanny' government regulation.


6 posted on 09/30/2006 9:48:00 AM PDT by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
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To: Alterboy1964

It doesn't ban internet gambling. It becomes very inconvenient using accounts based in the US.


7 posted on 09/30/2006 9:49:34 AM PDT by RightWhale (Repeal the law of the excluded middle)
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To: Alterboy1964

The government doesn't need to -- and shouldn't -- play nanny to people who don't care about their money and decide to fritter it away on online gambling.

I don't support this legislation.


8 posted on 09/30/2006 9:50:10 AM PDT by Black Guy who is a Republican
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To: Dog Gone

Yep. This bill was aimed at powering Casinos and increasing their take.

Hmmmm. I wonder who allows those Casinos to be built in the first place??

Oh, that's right. POLITICIANS.

And many of the same ones that just passed this prohibition.


9 posted on 09/30/2006 9:50:13 AM PDT by Bigh4u2 (Denial is the first requirement to be a liberal)
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To: Alterboy1964
The precedent was set when they banned the sale of online cigarette sales by forbidding credit card companies from allowing the transaction.

(Perhaps forbidding is too strong a word, because the credit card companies agreed to this in exchange for some favor, but I can't remember what that favor was.)

10 posted on 09/30/2006 9:51:23 AM PDT by Semper911 ("We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it." -Marge Simpson)
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To: Alterboy1964
Now all they need to do is get busy to ban illegal entry to this country, make it illegal to make or posses certain drugs, child pronography and a few other things. After all when they ban something all of the problems are solved. Right?

Anyone who loses on internet gambling is going to find another way to lose his money. Maybe we should start a slogan "Don't gamble, play your State Lottery."

11 posted on 09/30/2006 9:52:09 AM PDT by FreePaul
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To: Alterboy1964

Gambling is a serious addiction that undermines the family, dashes dreams, and frays the fabric of society.



So, he's going to take on the casinos in his own state?


Bally's Saloon, Gambling Hall and Hotel
1450 Bally Boulevard, Casino Center Drive ,


Fitzgerald's Casino
711 Lucky Lane ,Memphis) , Memphis, TN


Gold Strike Casino
1010 Casino Center Dr Robinsonville , PO Box 459 , Robinsonville, TN

Grand Casino Tunica
13615 Old Highway 61 North , Memphis, TN


Harrah's Casino
1100 Casino Strip Boulevard , Robinsonville, TN


Hollywood Casino
1150 Casino Strip Boulevard , (Off Hwy 61, south of Memphis) , Tunica, TN


Horseshoe Tunica Casino and Hotel
1021 Casino Center Drive ,Memphis, TN

Isle of Capri Casino
1600 Isle of Capri Boulevard , Tunica, TN

Libertyland Amusement Park
940 Early Maxwell Road , (Memphis, TN

Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall
1477 Casino Strip Boulevard , (Off Hwy 61, 20 miles south of Memphis) , Robinsonville, TN

Sheraton Casino & Hotel
1107 Casino Center Drive , (Off Highway 55 south of Memphis) , Memphis, TN


12 posted on 09/30/2006 9:52:22 AM PDT by durasell (!)
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To: Alterboy1964
Congress took a stand against these websites that are preying on the most vulnerable members of our society.

Say what?????

13 posted on 09/30/2006 9:52:56 AM PDT by Drango (Born free, now expensive.)
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To: Alterboy1964
Good riddance

Unfortunately not. I suspect that the industry has already prepared a method to circumvent the law and is ready to implement its solution the minute that the President signs the bill into law. Online gamblers will continue to throw away their money and won't be able to rely on existing consumer protection statues to protect them from fraud and abuse.

I don't feel very sorry for those who will be bilked by this, but their innocent families will suffer as well.

14 posted on 09/30/2006 9:53:58 AM PDT by centurion316 (Democrats - Supporting Al Qaida Worldwide)
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To: Alterboy1964

Those state lotteries don't want the competition.

It's that simple.

And if you don't think people are addicted to that, ask the clerk at the next convenience store you go to.


15 posted on 09/30/2006 9:54:22 AM PDT by stands2reason (The map is not the territory - A. Korzybski)
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To: Alterboy1964

The free man owns himself. He can damage himself with either eating or drinking; he can ruin himself with gambling. If he does he is certainly a damn fool, and he might possibly be a damned soul; but if he may not, he is not a free man any more than a dog.
-- G.K. Chesterson


16 posted on 09/30/2006 9:55:10 AM PDT by Lexington Green (Are we as free as we used to be?)
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To: Alterboy1964; Just another Joe; CSM; lockjaw02; Publius6961; elkfersupper; nopardons; metesky; ...

NANNY STATE PING

How or where I spend my money is NOT anyone's business but mine.

BTW, I rarely gamble and have nevr done so online........

But this has nothing to do with "the religious right" it is protecting state lotteries and brick and mortar gambling establishments which have been losing money to online gaming interests.

These is just legalized government protection of monopoly corporations, no different than what has happened to online tobacco purchases.


17 posted on 09/30/2006 9:55:11 AM PDT by Gabz (Taxaholism, the disease you elect to have (TY xcamel))
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To: Alterboy1964
I've had a couple of buddies lose a few grand on these Texas Hold'em poker websites.

Uh-huh. Do your buddies appreciate you thinking of them as children who have to have their hands held by their Nannystate?

18 posted on 09/30/2006 9:56:06 AM PDT by Celtjew Libertarian ("Don't take life so seriously. You'll never get out of it alive." -- Bugs Bunny)
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To: Alterboy1964

Oh, thank heaven! The Government is here to protect us and keep us from making any bad decisions! What would we DO without the all-wise Government telling us what and what not to do?


19 posted on 09/30/2006 9:56:13 AM PDT by linda_22003
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To: Alterboy1964
This is but the second step toward regulating the internet.

If they can do this they can also ban banks and credit card companies from authorizing payment to ANY internet company.

Personal reponsibility? Self discipline? Naw, we can't have any of THAT, now can we?

I play internet poker. I have for a couple of years now.
I haven't lost several grand, because I KNOW it's for intertainment, not for money making.
The odds live and the odds on the internet sites are not even CLOSE to being the same.
The internet sites odds are set for excitement, to let the beginner win with crummy hands, NOT to let professional card players win.

This is BS legislation.

If your friends have lost several grand internet gambling it's because THEY chose the stakes they play, not because the internet sites seduced them into it.

20 posted on 09/30/2006 9:56:48 AM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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