Even Conservatives Think Internet Gambling Should Not Be Banned
It must be a slow week on Capitol Hill, where the House voted Tuesday to prevent gamblers from using credit cards to bet online and possibly block access to gambling Web sites except for horse racing and state lotteries.
Forget about North Korea or many of the real problems facing our country. It's time to crack down on the Internet and gamblers.
Now, readers of this column know our editorials rarely support any gambling initiative, including allowing casinos to bring more crime and problems our way.
We've also written editorials opposing the expansion of gambling through the Ohio Lottery, which we fear balances the state budget on the backs of the poor who play more often.
And we don't necessarily support online gambling. In fact, we think it's pretty risky to hand over your credit card number to an invisible offshore casino not regulated by any government. That's a wager some people will lose.
But we despise the thought of Congress stepping in and declaring a portion of the Internet off limits to anyone in the United States.
As wild as it can be at times, the Internet offers all of us a marvelous place to explore the world in every imaginable way. When the federal government artificially begins shutting down a free place, it's not likely to stop anytime soon.
If this issue needs addressed, which very well may be the case, Congress instead should look to just regulate Internet gambling. At the very least, offshore gambling could be required to pay taxes on earnings generated from American consumers and be held accountable for any charges applied to credit cards. Toss in a measure to help gambling addicts, and you may have a winner.
We also find it hypocritical for Congress to rule out most private business ventures while protecting state government lotteries at the same time. If it's good enough for government, why not allow everyone?
What's next? Online poker sponsored by the Ohio Lottery Commission?
No thanks.
July 12, 2006
Posted By Susan Torres
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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