[natty]

By Lisa Mascaro
Las Vegas Sun


WASHINGTON - Any hopes Las Vegas casinos had of the federal government gently starting to loosen prohibitions on Internet gambling are likely stalled now that U.S. House Republicans have decided to target online betting as a cornerstone of their election-year American Values Agenda.

The casinos have been watching on the sidelines as the online jackpot has become a lucrative $15 billion industry worldwide in just a few short years. Internet gambling is the fastest-growing segment of the industry, with 8 million Americans gambling - illegally - online.

Earlier this year, the American Gaming Association called for a congressional study to determine the feasibility of perhaps regulating online gambling, much as Nevada and other states oversee rules for brick-and-mortar casinos. Nevada Reps. Jon Porter, a Republican, and Shelley Berkley, a Democrat, joined forces this spring to introduce legislation establishing a study commission.

But that objective is essentially doomed now that House Republicans have made anti-gambling legislation part of their conservative agenda of 10 bills - including bans on gay marriage, flag burning and abortion - to be addressed in the run-up to the November elections.

As early as next week, legislation that would clamp down on Internet gambling could be headed for a floor vote in the House, where many believe it is likely to pass. Its prospects in the Senate remain less certain.

David Stewart, a Washington attorney who represents the American Gaming Association and companies interested in Internet gambling, said casinos intend to watch the election-year action unfold, then figure out their next move.

Congress has tried repeatedly to strengthen the prohibitions against online gambling over the next decade, but has yet to pass any new laws on the subject.

"We've been around this track a lot," Stewart said.

If Internet gambling legislation is not approved this year, Porter and Berkley would "be in fine shape to go forward" with their push for a study, Stewart said.

"If this does happen, it might not be very sensible to go after it next year," he added.

The casinos' quiet persistence is what motivates traditional values advocate James Dobson's efforts to make sure that 2006 is the year that online betting is banned for good.

Dobson's Colorado-based Focus on the Family group believes it's only a matter of time before the gaming industry pushes for legalization of online gambling. The organization believes that online gambling is even more problematic than casino action because it brings wagering into homes.

"This year is one of our last chances to get this legislation passed. It's going to be more and more difficult in the future just because of the momentum this thing's carrying with it," said Chad Hills, a gaming policy analyst at Focus on the Family. "The gambling industry is not going to remain neutral on this because they're starting to see the dollar signs flash."

House Republicans plan to roll out conservative-oriented bills as part of their American Values Agenda in the next several weeks. GOP leaders hope the debates - coupled with last month's Senate debates over gay marriage and flag burning - will motivate conservative voters on Election Day, helping fend off Democratic efforts to gain the majority in the lower chamber.

[BigDog]

Stupid Mother Fvcking Politicians!

[Bulldog]

Of course political arguments are always controversial but I say...

Democrats want your money!
Republicans want your soul!

Vote Libertarian!!!

[picantel]

I will never understand why anyone(besides rich old white people) votes for republicans. I will really never understand why Ohio who is mostly blue collar voted for Bush and cost the democrats the elections. They are slowly eroding all of our freedoms. Cameras at every street corner. Implanted Id chips. removal of all personal rights. Force feeding their own racist views and shoving their idea of 'religion' down everyones throats in all parts of the world. Ridiculous.

[LGBoots]

What is it with American Politicians that make them behave so stupid when it comes to Internet Gambling

One of the few decent things that Tony Blair has done for the UK was the scrapping of betting duty (Was 9% that the punter paid either on his stake or winnings)

By doing this the UK is now reaping the rewards as the UK Books are booming & paying a lot more in tax into Government coffers.

I can't understand why the US does not do the same & benefit in the same way, no doubt it is mostly all down to religion , what right have these people got to tell you guys that you can't bet on sports or play at on-line Casinos?

[Seattle Slew]

Regardless of what the House does, I don't think the Senate will even touch this legislation. The banking industry will be full force against this.

Remember, the House is also tackling a gay marriage ban even though the Senate has already rejected it, meaning anything they pass is worthless.

[Dark Horse]

I swear to God I'm leaving this country if this goes through.

Un-f*cking-believable.

[BigDog]

Originally Posted by Dark Horse

I swear to God I'm leaving this country if this goes through.

Un-f*cking-believable.

Amen to that! ....I have been in Costa Rica for the past 10 days and trust me,this is not a bad alternative....Just beware of traffic It amazes me everytime I go somehere.....stopsigns and stoplights may as well not even exist....people driving down the wrong side of the road and beggars standing in the middle of traffic.....f\*\*k,I'd be a nervous wreck if I had to drive in this country

[morocca]

SOB's

[DwightShrute]

it won't happen

[DwightShrute]

Originally Posted by BigDog

Amen to that! ....I have been in Costa Rica for the past 10 days and trust me,this is not a bad alternative....Just beware of traffic It amazes me everytime I go somehere.....stopsigns and stoplights may as well not even exist....people driving down the wrong side of the road and beggars standing in the middle of traffic.....f\*\*k,I'd be a nervous wreck if I had to drive in this country

soon as I got here I turned my license in.

If you don't like they way they drive, stay off the sidewalks (when there are sidewalks)

[BigdaddyQH]

You guys are a real piece of work. Instead of getting that dumb s**t Congressmean Barney Frank off of his dead ass, you just sit here and bitch and moan, get ripped off by offshore books, and threaten to leave the country (like someone would really care) or vote for the Democrats (like your 20 odd votes would matter). Do something instead of bitching and moaning. Get that fruitcup Barney Frank off of his dead tail and have him ram through the legislation he promised everyone in 2006. Not only did he promise to put a stop to all of this, but he promised to push a bill through to leaglize on line gaming. A lot of people depended on him to put the brakes to all of this government interference, and all that has happened since he said that is the fact that things have gotten a lot worse. He and his cronies run the Congress and the White House now.

I am telling you guys right now. The Democrats are on the way out. Obama and his little band of Liberals have managed to lose the votes of the American people. It will be next to impossible to do anything to help the situation if nothing is done this year, because the Conservatives are going to make big gains next year. If they gain control of the House and Senate in 2012, they may ban online gaming all-together, and pass so many laws that it would make it worth while for the legitimate off shore books to just pull out of the American market. If you think you are being ripped off now, wait until then. Write, call, and e-mail Barney Frank and insist that he keep his 2006 campaign promise. This may be your last chance. If you think things are bad now, youhave no idea what awaits you. Now may be your last chance guys. Do something.

[Facepunch]

Man This is pretty indicative of the fact that Republicans Just don't get it.

You would think that the signs that say LIBERTY and FREEDOM at the Tea Parties that they supposedly support would be a wake up call to them, that people do not want their lives regulated by an over reaching government.

The same people that were with the Republicans during the Health Care fight will surely turn away once they show that they have not changed their stripes, and are not returning to their roots.

**** this religious zealotry, and moral hogwash.

I want my LIBERTY AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!!!!

[BigdaddyQH]

First of all, what ever makes you think that the vast majority of people could give a crap whether a few degenerates can gamble on line. You are making it sound like thousands will be driven away from the Conservative Cause because of this. Let me give you a little hint. The average voter could care less. As usual, you believe in everything you want to believe in, but have no clue how to get things done. This has to get done the way everything else gets done in Washington. Someone has to attach a bill legalizing on line gaming in the U.S. as a rider to a bill that has nothing to do with the subject. If you make it a gamblers vs non-gamblers thing, the gamblers get their asses kicked all over the nation. Barney Frank has to attach it to some bill, and get it passed as quietly as possible. No Congressman or Senator in his right mind is going to openly back a bunch of degenerates sending their money to mafia and cartell run offshore books who use it to launder their drug money. Yes, there are books like that, and yes, that would be thrown in the face of everyone who tries to back this bill if it becomes a public debate. That is why it has to be done quietly. I gamble in Vegas. As far as I am concerned, they can shut down every offshore book and it would not phase me at all. But it will put a lot of you guys out of business. Listen to what I am saying. In 2005, I warned a bunch of people on another site that the government was going to crack down on offshore wagering. No one believed me. Well guess what. It happened in 2006, forcing all the great books at the time (Pinny, VIP and others) out of the gaming business in the U.S. Then they busted some of the various companies that you could use to deposit and collect monies. Now they are going after the money sources of a lot of these books. Look what happened to BFC. Mikey gets busted for tax evasion, and the whole operation, which was in trouble going in, is teetering on the edge. If this does not stop, expect another round of arrests, and expect it to become much more difficult to deposit and withdraw funds. Look how long it takes people to get their money out now, if they ever do. Ask the guys in here who are in charge of complaints. What is the percentage of increase in complaints in the past 3 years. You have to get it done now. The Public is not going to back you on this. It must be done now, and quietly.

[BettingWizard]

bigdaddy supporting republicans putting restrictions on gambling?

need more proof that this guy is the biggest nut on the site?

[andywend]

Betting Wizard,
Is that the best response you can come up with?

BigDaddy highlights what is going to be a big problem for all of us and also includes suggestions to possibly solve the problem.

You decide to respond back with a stupid insult.

Its easy to see who is the conservative and who is the liberal.

Conservatives are always trying to get things done while liberals only want to sit on their lazy asses and complain/insult.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS ARE ABSOLUTELY USELESS.

[ericc]

Originally Posted by BettingWizard

bigdaddy supporting republicans putting restrictions on gambling? need more proof that this guy is the biggest nut on the site?

this type of reasoning lacks logic

[lebronjames0]

I thought they were going after gambling for years..

[BigdaddyQH]

Originally Posted by BettingWizard

bigdaddy supporting republicans putting restrictions on gambling?

need more proof that this guy is the biggest nut on the site?

I suggest you learn to read. Obviously you can't. What I am telling you is that time is running out for you guys. This bill may get nowheres, but next year, when there are more Conservatives in Congress, it will be reintroduced. It may gain more Democratic support because Democrats will be looking ahead to 2012 and trying to save their tails, especially if they are in districts that are not considered to be "safe".

The longer you wait, the more chance of having this bill passed. Like I said, Barney Frank made a big issue out of this in 2006. There was a deal cut. On line wagering was suppose to be opened up in this country. The casino books would have been allowed to go on line. It was suppose to be safer than trusting off shore books. It was suppose to generate millions in tax revinues. I was 100% behind it and still am. What happened?

Things are going from bad to worse in this industry. Have you bothered to read the massive number of complaints in this forum? There are hundreds of ways for the Feds to put pressue on off shore books. This is not going to stop. What I am saying is that on line gaming should be legalized in the U.S, and run by U.S. casinos and books. Where you come up with me being against on line wagering is totally beyond any type of rational comprehension.

[KingKolzig]

Originally Posted by ericc

this type of reasoning lacks logic

bettingwizard is a mental retard................and hey BW you know you saw my response about your "50-1" Butler odds . u know it

[Hotdiggity11]

Well, there's your party of small government and fiscal responsibility. Completely destroy an industry that could potentially give us 10s of billions of dollars in revenue for our government through proper regulation and taxation and prohibit what you can do in your own house with your own money.