Congress receives online gambling ban

Republican Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, does not seem to understand the philosophy of any economic power like the United States. The gambling industry in the US had been enjoying a moment of relief after the battle against the America’s Wire Act, a bill from 1961 that criminalized any forms of gambling in the United States. What really is unbelievable is that any politician would prefer to forbid a legal way of entertainment for citizens, as well as a legal way for the country to collect great sums on taxes from the gambling activities. In the last years, the online gambling markets of New Jersey, Delaware and Nevada, are showing that the online industry must continue with its development. States have been able to tax these forms of games whereas gaming firms are creating jobs. However, personages such as Republican Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, backed up by Sheldon Adelson and his ludicrous group ‘Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling’. The Restoration of America’s Wire Act from 1961 represents another bill that will criminalize any internet gambling activity. The decision that the US Department of Justice took on 2011 to allow states to regulate online gambling, would be overridden by the obsolete 1961’s ban.

Republican Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, has nothing to say about this new ‘going-back to the prohibition age’ by using a ban dated from 1961 to eradicate a productive market. However, Executive Director of Poker Players Alliance, John Pappas, has made some declarations: "Every Congress to consider internet gaming legislation has preserved the right of states to protect its citizens through a system that is accountable to regulators and the government. Attempting to re-write history through a piece of legislation that prohibits states from enacting these safeguards represents the worst kind of crony capitalism that favors a mega political campaign donor over what's in the best interest of the states and their consumers. To date, there has not been a single documented case of a minor playing on any of these state-regulated sites. Claims that regulated internet gaming is a conduit for money laundering and terrorist financing, are completely false and have no backing in the real world. At best, these claims are fear mongering; at worst, they are outright deception. As the states are proving they can effectively regulate internet poker and contribute to the economy by doing so, one might question the motives behind stopping such success. Americans are going to continue playing poker online, and with absolutely no consumer protections under a prohibition. If Congress is serious about protecting consumers, prohibiting states from implementing a sound regulatory framework is certainly not the answer."