The U.S. House Committee on Financial Services this week will consider a bill that would repeal a federal ban on Internet gambling.
In 2006, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) to strengthen existing laws to protect families from dangerous, foreign, illegal Internet gambling operations. However, Committee Chair Barney Frank, D-Mass., recently introduced dangerous legislation — H.R. 5767 — to repeal UIGEA.
“There have been studies that show that Internet gambling is the most addictive form of gambling,” said Dr. Guy Clark, chairman of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. “It’s a very scary proposition — anyone who has a computer with Internet would have basically a slot machine in their house.”
Pro-family groups, including Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council, sent a letter today to the Committee on Financial Services urging members to oppose the legislation.
Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy at Focus on the Family Action, said legalizing Internet gambling would have far-reaching consequences.
“If H.R. 5767 passes, thousands of online casinos will have instant access to more than 230 million U.S. homes through the Internet,” he said. “It could lead to the largest expansion of gambling ever seen — expanding gambling beyond brick-and-mortar casinos, transcending state and foreign borders and, worst of all, invading all private homes with Internet access.”
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If your representative serves on the House Financial Services Committee, please call and ask him or her to oppose H.R. 5767. You can find more information in our Action Center.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Learn more about the dangers of gambling.
