In a victory for family advocates, two pro-gambling bills were defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The Committee on Financial Services voted down H.R. 5767, which would have legalized Internet gambling. And the full House rejected an expansion of off-reservation gambling, 121-298.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., authored H.R. 5767 and is expected to continue to fight the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 that strengthened laws to protect families from dangerous, foreign, illegal Internet gambling operations.
Chad Hills, analyst for gambling research and policy at Focus on the Family Action, said: “Frank's push is to legalize online gambling, promote it and tax it, with little or no regard for its destructive implications on children, families, crime and our nation's stability.”
For now, American families can breathe a sigh of relief.
“Internet gambling is poised as one of the most dangerous, far-reaching threats to American families,” Hills said. “We owe much thanks to the House members who stood firm on pro-family principles and integrity and defended American families in the face of audacious opponents and dangerous policies.”
