Sunday, September 19, 2010

Post 9

Legalized Internet Gambling Approaching Reality?

Will internet gambling soon become legal in our country? Most recently, the U.S. House of Representatives Finance Committee has caused a stir of debate and discussion over this topic. Eventually, H.R.2267 - the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act - passed out of committee. Introducing this bill, Representative Barney Frank defended it as he argued that the federal government's purpose is not to prevent individuals from making foolish legal purchases.

Still, there were amendments added in effort to provide potentially safer curbs to internet gambling. These additions to the bill are the following:

  • a provision stating that persons behind on child support payments will be blocked from legalized internet gambling by the sites themselves;
  • any sites that disregard U.S. laws, with respect to internet gambling, will be blocked from obtaining a license;
  • a database of statistics will be created; such a base will not reveal private information with regard to gamblers' identities.
H.R. 2267 will now move to the House floor for consideration and debate.
With this immediately in mind, let us take a moment to review certain key aspects of internet gambling that wave several, significant red flags of impending danger:
  • accessibility to gambling will become a 24-7/ no-need for transportation/ no-need for leaving home activity;
  • therefore, internet gambling may, very well, encourage secret betting and increased personal isolation;
  • many children have access to their parents' credit cards and many parents are unaware of their children's PC activities
Keep ears and eyes upon this bill. Contact your U.S. Representative.
Learn more about the dangers of internet gambling at:
For more information on problem gambling and recovery issues,

Rev. Janet Jacobs
Director, Gambling Recovery Ministries