Politicians Want to Protect us From the Evils of On-Line Gambling Part 1
This is part 1 of a multipart series of articles regarding proposed anti-gambling legislation. In this article I discuss the proposed legislation, what the politicians say it does, some facts about the current state of online gambling, and what the bills really propose. The legislators are trying to protect us from something, or are they? The whole thing seems a little confusing to say the least. The House, and the Senate, are once again considering the issue of “Online Gambling”. Bills have been submitted by Congressmen Goodlatte and Leach, and also by Senator Kyl. The bill being put forward by Rep. Goodlatte has the stated intention of updating the Wire Act to outlaw all forms of online gambling, to make it illegal for a gambling business to accept credit and electronic transfers, and to force ISPs and Common Carriers to block access to gambling related sites at the request of law enforcement. Just as does Rep. Goodlatte, Sen. Kyl, in his bill, Prohibition on Funding of Unlawful Internet Gambling, makes it illegal for gambling businesses to accept credit cards, electronic transfers, checks and other forms of payment, but his bill does not address the placement of bets. The bill submitted by Rep. Leach, The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, is basically a copy of the bill submitted by Sen. Kyl. It focuses on preventing gambling businesses from accepting credit cards, electronic transfers, checks, and other payments, and like the Kyl bill makes no changes to what is currently legal. According to Rep. Goodlatte “While gambling is currently illegal in the United States unless regulated by the states, the development of the Internet has made gambling easily accessible. It is common for illegal gambling businesses to operate freely until law enforcement finds and stops them.” In fact, American courts have determined that the Wire Act makes only Sports Betting illegal, and even then only across telephone lines. Very few states have laws that make online gambling illegal, some states and Tribes have taken steps to legalize online gambling, and even the Federal government recognizes some forms of online gambling as being legal. Goodlatte himself says his bill “cracks down on illegal gambling by updating the Wire Act to cover all forms of interstate gambling and account for new technologies. Under current federal law, it is unclear whether using the Internet to operate a gambling business is illegal”. Goodlatte’s bill however does not “cover all forms of interstate gambling” as he claims, but instead carves out exemptions for several forms of online gambling such as state lotteries, bets on horse racing, and fantasy sports. Even then, his modifications to the Wire Act do not make online gambling illegal, they make it illegal for a gambling business to accept online bets where a person risks something of value “upon the outcome of a contest of others, a sporting event, or a game predominantly subject to chance”, except of course if it is a state lottery, horse race, fantasy sports, or one of a few other situations. The truth of the matter is that most online gambling businesses have located in other countries specifically to avoid the gray area that is the current state of online gambling in the US. As a result, there is little that law enforcement can do to enforce these laws. Trying to make the laws tougher, and providing for stiffer penalties, will not make them easier to enforce. As well, most, if not all, banks and credit card companies refuse to transfer money to an online gambling business now, as a result of pressure from the federal government. As a result, alternative payment systems sprang up to fill the void. Senator Kyl is equally misleading in his statements. From his proposed bill, “Internet gambling is primarily funded through personal use of payment system instruments, credit cards, and wire transfers.” But as we already know, most credit cards in the U.S. refuse attempts to fund a gambling account. Also from the Kyl bill, “Internet gambling is a growing cause of debt collection problems for insured depository institutions and the consumer credit industry.” If the credit card companies and other financial institutions in the U.S are not allowing the funding of gambling, how can it be “a growing cause of debt collection problems”. And since when do we need legislation in order for the financial industry to protect itself from high risk debt. If the financial industry was accepting gambling debts and these gambling charges were a problem for them, wouldn’t they just stop accepting them? Like Rep. Gooddlatte, Rep. Leach and Senator Kyl carve out exemptions for betting on horse racing, for fantasy sports and for buying and selling securities. Unlike Rep. Goodlatte however, Rep. Leach and Sen. Kyl do not exempt state lotteries from their prohibition of online gambling. In the next article, I will begin to cover some of the issues raised by politicians who are against online gambling, and provide a different perspective to their rhetoric.
Other Horse Racing Articles
Obstacles One thing is certain in life – you will meet obstacles. It is how you react to these obstacles that determine what progress you will make. You can see obstacles in one of two ways. They can be either hindrances put there by an enemy to trip you up or stepping stones placed there by a friend to help you move forward.So many people are ta ...Chasing Your Dreams! Friends, it is always a power of your dreams and a motive to move ahead, which is required to move ahead and to be successful in life. Does it sound, impractical; let me share with you, something practical and real.Some real time facts:1.Out of the first four stores F. W. Woolworth opened, three failed. When he died, he was worth m ...Handicapping the Pacers Trade of Ron Artest - Current Playoffs Chances At this point the Pacers playoff hopes are definitely in jeopardy. Jermaine O’Neal and Jamal Tinsley are perennially injured. So far their season has been unimpressive with losses to some rather mediocre teams, including a 30-pt loss to the Bobcats. The road loss in Atlanta, where there’s as much atmosphere as a funeral, was the final straw for ...What Attracts A Lot Of People To Horse Racing Anyone who has not experienced the thrill of horse racing with the sound of hooves thundering by, the jockeys with their colors urging their mounts on, the crowd on tenterhooks waiting for the outcome of the game and very often their fortunes, does not know what he is missing. Even more than the gambling, it’s the sheer excitement that grips spe ...Religion Defines Character Trait The outward signs of a weak character are commonly believed to be bribery, corruption and exploitation but they do not bring out the true significance of the word. It belongs to the realm of ethics, which defines character in terms not easily intelligible to the common man. Here are a few definitions given by Western writers on ethics.Mor ...Don't Panic Just Yet Met Fans The last few days have featured some of the Mets worst baseball of the season. With Pedro likely headed to the DL for the 2nd time this season, joining Cliff Floyd, the Mets have dropped their first two games at Philadelphia by a combined score of 24-4. Pedro only lasted one inning before being removed with an injured calf and El Duque set a Met ...Snorkeling Tours The Hawaiian Islands in the North Pacific Ocean, the Galapagos in the Pacific and the Caribbean in the West Indies are among the most popular locations for snorkeling. Many tours are offered in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia with a price tag starting at $60.Snorkeling tours include tropical fruits, snacks and juices and sodas. Some ...Come Boldly! “Come boldly to the throne of grace”! (Hebrews 4:16) Why? In the Old Testament the High Priest sacrificed an unblemished lamb for the atonement of the sins of the people. This sacrifice, which was always performed in the outer court of the temple, had been ordained by God.Jesus Christ is our High Priest. He became Himself the Lamb (Rev. 5 ...Choosing Our Parents There's a Native American belief that before we are born, we choose our parents. It actually ties in pretty nicely with the reincarnation idea that we prearrange certain circumstances before each life so as to learn different lessons. Either way, our parents teach us so much more than they ever mean to. Through their choices, circumstances, f ...Two Party Madness Mathematics suggests that a two party political system should be twice as good as a one party system. The reality is multiplication. One times one = two. A couple, dancing as one. Republicrats and Democans in a blurring identity crisis.The disenfranchised sit out this dance and pray for miracles. We ignore a simple and obvious political s ...Stephenville, Texas! Cowboy Capital of the World, and a Whole Lot More Besides Stephenville, Texas, there are several cities across the nation that refer to themselves as the "Cowboy Capital of the World." Whoa! Now, wait a minute! How can Dodge City, Kansas, Banderas, Texas and Oakdale, California ALL claim the same title as Stephenville? Somebody ain't tellin' the truth.Git a rope.True, Oakdale, Cal ...Romantic Hideaways - Great Wall to the Alhambra Still looking for that once in a lifetime romantic hideaway spot? Maybe one of these will strike your fancy and fire off some sparks of romance!Near Beijing - Luxury at The Great Wall. For a truly unusual experience and if money is no object, then run away together to China... The Commune by the Wall is an exclusive resort about 25 mil ...Sports Halls of Fame To any sports fan, a hall of fame is the quintessential celebration of a sport and tribute to the athletes who participate in that sport. Many a sports fan will make pilgrimages to the hall of fame of their favorite sport to "soak up" the history and traditions of that sport.In North America there are over thirty halls of fame to vari ...Steve Hawking, Carl Sagan, Einstein, Neils Bohr, Newton; Enlightened? Recently in a Think Tank Forum Online, one, which can get a little way out there sometimes, a gentleman added to the excitement when he asked the group to entertain a very abstract around the concept of enlightenment. Indeed there is a lot of talk these days about the subject but this gentleman preceded to really rock reality when he stated: ...Why You Should Pray First Thing Every Morning The very first thing you should do, every morning, is pray for Jesus to be right by your side. In the Bible, Jesus said that "without me ye can do nothing".If we are going to be successful in life, it is Jesus that we need. We need His light, His life, His Spirit--and we need it continually. We need Him every hour.That's why eve ...Churchill Downs: A Legacy Any horse racing lover worth his or her weight knows about Churchill Downs. This legendary track is rich with memorable horse racing moments. The track was and is home to top horses from all over the country—even the world. To say that the horse racing action at Churchill Downs is loved by all would be a grave understatement. In the world of hor ...Examining International Relations In The Realm Of Sports Through History Although the precise origins of the connection between sports and international relations remain obscure, all cultures have participated over the course of history in different physical contests that fostered cultural exchange and contributed to their citizens' political discourse. The ancient Egyptians swam, raced, wrestled, and played games wi ...The Majestic Arabian Horse Bedouins believed that the horse was a gift from Allah. It was to be cherished, revered, almost worshipped. The Arabian horse has been bred for centuries, with its beginnings in the oases around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the countries known in our modern history as Iran, Iraq, and Syria, as well as other parts of the Arabian Peninsula ...Vegas Odds & Ends (Jan. 20) Folks aren't necessarily talking baseball when they say World Series these days.They might mean golf's old World Series, the long-running World Series of Poker or the relatively new Orleans Annual Horseplayer World Series, which begins Thursday, Jan. 21, and runs through Saturday, Jan. 23.The event costs $1,000 to enter and players ...Omens Superstition or Reality As soon as we hear this so-called word 'Omen' we squeeze our nose and feel like the people of this modern age. The people who are living in the 'Scientific era' and this appears to be a matter of great shame if they believe upon this seemingly trash. But I ask you one question and please give me your answer right straight to your heart. Have you ...Internet Sportsbooks Betting on sports has certainly come a long way since the days of placing bets with back alley bookies. Now you can place bets from the safety and comfort of your own home by betting with internet sportsbooks. These websites provide you with the opportunity to bet on many different sporting events from football to horse racing. Of course not all ...Tips On Gambling On Greyhounds Do you like to gamble on the greyhounds? Do you enjoy a night out at the dogs but are not really sure how to read the form? Are you looking for some advice about how to bet on the greyhounds? In this article I give advice on how I go about successfully betting at the greyhounds and about what some of the form quotes mean.I have been enjoy ...Betting Horse Racing So you don’t live anywhere near a racetrack. No problem! Today, betting horse racing online at tracks around the world has never been easier. The sites we’ll talk about are well-established, legal, secure, and can provide much of the same experience you would get if you were at the track…without leaving home!The basics of betting horse ra ...To Relinquish The word: relinquish means to “let go of, yield, cede, withdraw or retreat from” (Webster’s Dictionary). I bring up this word to explain something I’ve learned in my life with the hope that what I explain here will help you in some way, in your life.You see, I am a fighter. That’s the way I was raised. I never quit, never give up. ...How To Be Included In The Grace of God Are you included in the Grace of God? Are you protected by the Universal Spiritual Laws?If you’re like most people, how you answer will depend on what events are taking place in your life at the time. If you are blessed in family, abundant in health, or have enough monetary resources to enjoy life, you will be much more likely to answ ...Gambler Loses Twice - Thanks To Tax Court Jimmie Clemons, retired, received a Form W-2G reporting $44,800.00 in winnings from a casino. As his gambling losses for the year were more than $44,800.00, he did not report any winnings or losses on his 1040.The Tax Court, in Jimmie L Clemons T.C. Summary Opinion 2005-109, upheld the IRS position that gross gambling winnings must be re ...Horse Racing 101: What You Absolutely Need to Know Horse racing is perhaps one of the oldest sports in America. The charisma and aura of the game is such that it refreshes and revitalizes your spirits. If taken in the right sense i.e. not as a gamble with your limited money, horse racing is one of the best and conspicuous sports to play.Before taking on to this game, one needs to have a v ...So You Want to Be a Cowboy So you want to be a cowboy. If you’re not born and raised on a ranch, weaned on horses and cattle, exactly how do you go about achieving that all-American dream? I always wanted to be a cowgirl but by some strange accident I was born in Philly and lived the better part of my adult life in Jersey. Not exactly the Wild West, but I did it- I fou ...Want to know the Top Tips for Cheltenham? The four-day Cheltenham Festival dominates the March programme, but there’s also a busy programme of racing throughout the month including the ever-popular Imperial Cup day at Sandown plus the thrills and spills of the Midlands Grand National day at Uttoxeter. Flat fans, meanwhile, will need no reminding that the new turf season kicks off with t ...
|
