Internet Gambling - Victory Against H.R. 5767!
In 2006, Congress passed legislation to stop illegal Internet gambling in the U.S. But Representative Barney Frank recently introduced dangerous legislation that would repeal UIGEA (H.R. 5767) and legalize Internet gambling (H.R. 2046). The House Finance Committee defeated H.R. 5767, but Barney Frank and foreign gambling interests are not likely to give up.
H.R. 5767 was defeated in a House Finance Committee split vote 32-32. Thanks to pro-family Congress members for keeping UIGEA intact and for protecting families against predatory, illegal, foreign online gambling operations. Rep. Spencer Bachus was a key spokesperson for defending families against H.R. 5767 - be sure to send him your thanks. Many thanks to all citizens who contacted the House Financial Services Committee and urged their opposition to H.R. 5767. Without your action, the voice for families cannot be heard. Citizens, keep up the great work! We recommend calling and faxing before e-mailing, as e-mail is easily discarded and ignored. Please contact both the general Democrat and Republican phone lines and/or faxes below. Please view Committee membership and contact Representatives from your state, as well. House Financial Services Committee (Members Page) Democrats: Ph: Majority – (202) 225-4247 - FAX: (202) 225-6952 Republicans: Ph: Minority – (202) 225-7502 - FAX: (202) 226-4301 E-mail Form: http://financialservices.house.gov/contact.html _____________________________________________________ Rep. King will offer an amendment to H.R. 5767, renaming the UIGEA repeal legislation the "Payments System Protection Act of 2008." The bill is less conspicuous than Chairman Frank’s repeal bill, it would have the same effect in preventing UIGEA from ever taking effect. King's Amendment would kill or drag out UIGEA for years because: Regulations for UIGEA are already a year overdue. Illegal Internet gambling is not difficult to define, nor would a list of illegal online gambling operations be problematic to compile and maintain. But there are some in the banking industry and many involved with foreign online gambling operations that would like Congress to believe otherwise. Banks already comply with lists of illegal transactions, and online gambling operations operate in the open market to solicit business - not difficult to find and add to a list. UIGEA is a good policy that protects and empowers states, allowing them to draft their own legislation regarding Internet gambling. UIGEA will significantly reduce - possibly eliminate - the illegal, foreign online casino market in the U.S. and keep predatory online casinos from assaulting homes and families with Internet access. It's time to complete the regulations and let this legislation work to protect families. _____________________________________________________ BACKGROUND: H.R. 5767 - Removes Protection for Families Against Online Gambling Predators This Tuesday and/or Wednesday there will be a House Financial Services mark-up session for Rep. Barney Frank's bill, H.R. 5767, to prhibit the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve from completing regulations for the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). For nearly a decade, pro-family organizations and legislators have been fighting to get UIGEA passed in order to protect families from predatory, foreign, online gambling operations. Foreign gambling interests have even formed a U.S.-based lobbying group called the Poker Players Alliance to pressure Congress into repealing UIGEA and legalizing online gambling within the U.S. Congressmen need to realize that legalizing Internet gambling creates the perfect storm for gambling addiction: 24/7 availability, accessibility, highly addictive video-format of gambling, secrecy, anonymity, simultaneous play of multiple gambling venues and speed of play all create a toxic combination for addiction . Already, Gamblers Anonymous groups across our nation are seeing large increases in Internet-gambling addicts – particularly children – seeking help. If H.R. 5767 passes, 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. Understand that this vice-trade exists by deceiving people into believing they can win against the "house" or operator. The operators take a "rake" or percent of money off the top, exploit the weaknesses of individuals (human propensity to win or chase losses … from addictions) all to make a profit. Video gambling is called the "crack cocaine" of gambling because it's the most addictive form of gambling in history. Let's not allow this predatory commerce to pass into our homes. Imagine how many children and underage adolescents could become addicted to gambling if H.R. 5767 stops UIGEA from being enforced, and H.R 2046 legalizes and legitimizes online gambling in America. This goes without mentioning the millions of adults and seniors gambling away billions of dollars and thousands of hours with nobody around to keep them in check and no reason to stop and "cool down" to regain their rational thought. Internet gambling: the perfect storm for addiction. Lobbyist Pressure The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a front-group used by foreign gambling interests, continues to lobby Congress to accept Rep. Frank's efforts to legalize online gambling. They illegally took nearly $6 billion dollars out of the U.S. economy in 2006. The PPA "board" consists of mostly "professional" gamblers and a former senator-turned-lobbyist with possible mob and organized crime links. The PPA is a small, special-interest lobbying group that's run by gamblers for gamblers promoting more gambling expansion. The PPA purportedly has one million members (foreign and domestic combined). This number pales in comparison to the estimated 15 million problem and pathological gamblers in the United States. We already have more that 800 casinos, illegal Internet casinos mocking U.S. law and lotteries in 42 states (and the D.C. area) taking $91 billion away from gamblers in gross profits. Now casinos want to enter our homes through the Internet? Enough, already! Contact House Financial Services today! Listen to Live Webcast of House Finance Committee Hearing with Rep. Barney Frank and panels less than stellar. Read a letter signed by more than a dozen prominent family-advocacy organizations and sent to Members of the Financial Services Committee on April 1, 2008, just before their hearing on UIGEA. This letter urges the Committee to uphold UIGEA regulations as the Treasury Department works through the final details, implements this legislation and tests it. Now is not the time to abandon such great pro-family legislation that has taken nearly a decade to pass. But Rep. Barney Frank, along with foreign, online gambling interests, want Congress to repeal UIGEA and "regulate" or legalize Internet gambling with Rep. Frank's dangerous legislation H.R. 2046 (learn more this legislation in the News Flash below). Articles/Links: Congress to Take Testimony on Internet Gambling Ban [Matt Richtel, NY Times online, 1 April 2008] Feds Say Internet Gambling Law Ambiguous [Erica Werner, Associated Press, 2 April 2008]
[6-26-2008]
A Victory For Families: H.R. 5767 Defeated!
[6-20-2008 - Archive]
ALERT: HR 5767
House Financial Services Committee Mark-Up Session for Dangerous Bill (June 24/25)
Take Action:
BEWARE: King's Amendment To H.R. 5767 Is A Poison Pill for UIGEA
[4-2-2008 - Archived]
Financial Services Committee Hearing on the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) on April 2, 2008
Public Comments on Proposed Internet Gambling Regulations
December 12, 2007 was the deadline for the public to comment on the proposed regulations concerning the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). Read Focus on the Family's comments, see other individual comments and organizational comments on the proposed UIGEA regulations by clicking links below:
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Read Focus on the Family's Comments submitted to the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Board.
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View comments submitted to the Federal Reserve Board regarding proposed UIGEA regulations.
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Click here to view the recent Take Action supplement used to aid citizens in submitting comments to the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
Annenberg Public Policy Center:
UIGEA Study Finds Reduction of Online Gambling
A new study released by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found a significant reduction in youth- and college-aged Internet gambling after Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA).
Accessibility and availability are key components in creating gambling addiction. Online gambling operators have side-stepped U.S. law for nearly a decade, piping nearly 3,000 online casinos into 70 percent of the U.S. population 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This illegal industry took between $6 billion to $7 billion out of the U.S. economy in 2006, and online gambling addictions became an epidemic in the U.S.
Before the regulations for UIGEA have even been solidified in Congress, the positive impacts of UIGEA are evident.
Encouraging Findings:
- Weekly use of the Internet for gambling among all college-age students declined from 5.8 percent in 2006 to 1.5 percent in 2007 – a significant drop.
- Monthly Internet gambling dropped from 8.9 percent to 2.9 percent in college-age males, suggesting that restrictions on the use of these sites have cut into the practice.
- Monthly use of Internet gambling sites by younger males dropped from 4.2 percent to 2.0 percent.
Access the full Annenberg Study.
World Trade Organization Pushing Internet Gambling
Citizens are encouraged to write United States Trade Representatives (USTR) and urge them to uphold the law prohibiting illegal, foreign Internet gambling in the United States. Supported by 49 state Attorneys General and approved by overwhelming House and Senate approval, citizens and Congress clearly want illegal online gambling stopped.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 put teeth in existing laws that protect families from dangerous, foreign, illegal Internet gambling operations. The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Union are attempting to dictate U.S. policy concerning Internet gambling, opening millions of homes to thousands of online casinos. The USTR needs to hear from Americans that do not want 3,000-plus online casinos invading their homes.
Contact the USTR:
Phone: 202-395-7360
E-mail: contactustr<at>ustr.eop.gov
Think Internet Gambling Is Benign? Think Again.
Pro-Family Coalitions and Sports Associations Write Congress to Uphold Intergrity of UIGEA
Read letters faxed to Congress Members concerning recent bills that would legalize Internet gambling and reverse the Unlawful Internet Gamblnig Enforcement Act of 2006.
We encourage citizens to contact their Members of Congress by phone, fax or e-mail and share why the Unlawful Internet Gamblnig Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is so important for families and homeland security. Recent bills have been introduced that threaten to reverse UIGEA (bill mentioned specifically in above letters).
When Congressmen promote the interests and profits of foreign lobbyists at the expense of American families and our national security, we've got a problem on our hands. People must be the common denominator in any decision.
Desperate Foreign, Online Casino Lobby Travels to D.C. (Trip Cancelled)
This past July, a Canadian-based organization called Casino Gambling Web planned to march on Washington, D.C. and flood Congressmen's desks with reasons to "regulate Internet gambling for the benefit of society," or at least for the benefit of their foreign online casino operations.1 But the trip was cancelled, possibly due to Congress' increasing awareness regarding foreign casino operators' peppered agenda.
The foreign online gambling lobby collected nearly 5,000 American signatures on their Repeal the Internet Gambling Ban petition, a relatively small number of citizens when compared to an estimated 15 million or more people afflicted with a problem or pathological gambling addictions in the U.S. This is
The loudest and most desperate voices are coming from abroad: the
During the past three consecutive days, Focus on the Family has received a "list fax" from Vega Promotions encouraging investors to sink money into their sharply declining online gambling market. Other citizens and organizations have received the same fax. See fax and hi-lighted areas (PDF). This is but one more sign that the U.S. can limit online transactions with foreign gambling entities.
Back in
"We will show them the tax revenue that can be realized," say the voices. This "revenue" will come from the losses of millions of people by deceiving them and exploiting their weaknesses. Is Congress elected to protect special foreign interests or to represent and defend the people of
Congress passed legislation to protect American families from online gambling predators and to prevent potential threats to our national security. Congress intentionally chose not to legalize or "regulate" online gambling, b
More Information
· Internet Gambling Legislation Passed: A Victory For Families
· SAFE Port Act text (Article VIII contains the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement - or UIGEA - text)
· H.R. 4411 Vote Record (Prohibit online gambling in U.S.)
· H.R. 4954 Vote Record (Prohibit online gambling in U.S.)
· H.R. 2046 Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act (Barney Frank bill to legalize online gambling in the U.S.)
· H.R. 2610 Skill Game Protection Act (Rep. Wexler's bill, claiming that poker is a game of "skill" and should be legalized online)
· H.R. 2140 Internet Gambling Study Bill (Rep. Berkley, D-NV, sponsored a bill to study tax model and various economic aspects of Internet gambling)
· H.R. 2607 Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2007 (Rep. McDermott, D-WA, sponsored a bill to "regulate" or legalize online gambling)
· Gambling interests ($$$) lobbying Congress 2006 (See Internet interests like YouBet.com, SportingBet, Interactive ... international, etc)
· International Interactive Alliance ($1,780,000 lobbying in 2006)
· Link to the entire SAFE Port Act of 2006 (see Title VIII for Internet gambling legislation)
- CRS Report for Congress - Internet Gambling: Two Approaches in the 109th Congress; RS22418 [Updated July 31, 2006]
- Internet Gambling: The 'Perfect Storm' of Harm
- Facts compiled by Senator Jon Kyl's office
- John W. Kindt, Gambling With Terrorism: Gambling’s Strategic Socio-Economic Threat To National Security
- Testimony and Statement of Professor John Warren Kindt, Univ. Ill., Internet Gambling Prohibition Act of 2006: Hearing on H.R. 4777 Before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcomm. On Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
- ohn W. Kindt & Stephen W. Joy, Internet Gambling and the Destabilization of National and International Economies: Time for a Comprehensive Ban on Gambling Over the World Wide Web
- 'Clean' NCAA Playoff Games Sought [USA Today, March 27, 2007]
“We all know how hours can slip by when we’re in front of the computer,” one internet gambler writes, “but online gambling can feel like a total timeslip – especially as the tables are open 24 hours. And I know it sounds ridiculous, but the ‘virtual’ experience makes you somehow forget that you’re playing for hard cash.”
[Rhodri Marsden, "Cyberclinic: 'Is it too easy to run up gambling debts online?'"
Return to the Gambling Information homepage.
Paid for by Focus on the Family Action.
Source:
1. "Casino Gambling Web Representatives Headed to
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