Politics Of US Gambling Makes For Odd Bedfellows
Of the 50 states in the US, in only two - Utah and Hawaii - is it impossible to find a place to gamble legally. Casinos dot America's landscape, from the neon palaces of Las Vegas to some 400 more modest facilities on Indian reservations.
In 2004, Americans paid more than 300m visits to them - nearly twice the figure of just five years previously. And that figure takes no account of the public's enthusiasm for the government-sponsored lotteries in every state, or gambling on sporting events.
Despite the extraordinary popularity of legal gambling, for the past decade a determined band of Republican conservatives has tried to ban Americans from participating in the fastest-growing segment of the market - online gambling. The House judiciary committee on Thursday approved legislation that would in effect outlaw most forms of internet gambling by barring US banks from processing financial transactions involving online gaming.
It was the latest in an effort dating back to 1995, when the first online gambling site was launched. So far it has come up short, but that has failed to deter its supporters. The legislation is likely to be passed by the House of Representatives next month, though so far there is no movement on a companion Senate bill and the prospects for approval this year appear slim.
June 1, 2006
Posted By Michelle Johnson
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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