Published: June 22, 2006 12:18 pm      

Internet gaming ban is a rash move all in

The federal government has stepped up its effort to criminalize online poker, but some officials would rather see more moderate steps taken and instead regulate the industry.

The House Judiciary Committee passed the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act last month. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) proposed the bill as a way to control online gaming. Specifically, it would make online gambling illegal in the United States, ban the transfer of funds for such a purpose and give the police power to block transmissions, according to onlinecasino.org.

Another bill, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, also has received early support among House members. Among the powers of this measure, sponsored by Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), would be to ban credit card companies from accepting transactions at gaming Web sites, pokernews.com reported.

While these measures have their supporters — the Justice Department among them — it’s no surprise that many are against them, as well. The Poker Players Alliance, for one, thinks the bills unfairly intrude into Americans’ lives.

“Simply putting the word ‘Internet’ in front of poker should not criminalize this American tradition,” Michael Bolcerek, the alliance president, told pokernews.com.

He pointed out inequities in the law, such as exceptions that permit wagers on horse racing, fantasy sports betting and state lotteries.

Rather than an outright ban, the alliance and other groups support another bill (HR 5474) that calls for a study of the regulation and licensing of online gambling. Rep. Jon C. Porter (R-Nev.) proposed the bill earlier this month because he feels his colleagues may act in too rash a fashion without really understanding the issue.

Americans spend some $12 billion a year gambling online. While it’s noble for our representatives to want to protect us from overseas bookmakers (and ourselves), they shouldn’t be able to tell citizens what to do.

People can smoke tobacco, drink alcohol and pop Advil ad infinitum, venture down to their local casino to blow Friday’s paycheck or spend their kids’ food money on scratch-off tickets. So how is this so different that it warrants a ban?

If someone really wants to sit by themselves in the corner of their dank basement losing more money to some faceless foe with each click of the mouse, isn’t it their right to do so?

The new law banning online gaming in Washington state shows us that this law, like many others, has the potential to go too far. Officials there shut down a local man’s poker information site because it contained advertisements and links to poker rooms. Pokernews.com also reported that the Seattle Times was advised to quit running a regular poker column.

In essence, officials there have not only targeted online gaming, but even talking about online gaming. Last time I checked the First Amendment, that was a no-no.

People don’t seem to want Big Brother taking another freedom away. A recent Wall Street Journal poll showed that 85 percent of Americans are against an outright ban on Internet gambling .

The two anti-gambling bills are now on the House floor, still a long way from becoming law. Congress would do a lot more good regulating the Internet gambling industry than banning it (for proof, see Prohibition). Here’s hoping it takes the more moderate step.

Contact Paul Lane at 693-1000, Ext. 362, or lanep@gnnewspaper.com.