What’s true in gambling is true in politics; there’s no such thing as a certain outcome.
Despite the burgeoning growth of regulated online gambling in the U.S. (particularly in the three markets of New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada), some in Congress are still calling for a federal ban on all forms of online gambling. And we could see a bill banning said gaming up for consideration in the nation’s capitol this spring.
U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, is preparing to introduce a bill that would restore a pre-2011 federal ban on gambling over the Internet, a spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday. It would join a similar bill to be sponsored in the Senate by GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
“The bills might be introduced when Congress returns to session next week,” The Las Vegas Review Journal reports.
Although a proposed ban on online gambling appears to be gaining momentum, the chances of such a bill’s passage remains unlikely, political pundits suggest.
According to Geoff Freeman, CEO of the American Gaming Association, the time has come for the government to comprehensively regulate, not prohibit online gambling.
“Congress has the chance to enact strong regulatory standards that provide a uniform set of protections for consumers while respecting states’ rights to choose what is in their best interests,” Freeman penned in a January 2014 op-ed. “The technology exists now to allow regulated online gaming that can preserve the integrity of the games to protect consumers, prevent underage play, promote responsible gaming, and provide law enforcement officials the tools they need to identify fraudulent and criminal activity.”
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