The proposal by a couple of Congressmen of Virginia in the United States House of Representatives to ban online casinos represents the most recent attempt by anti-online gambling forces in the U.S. to push their agenda. The bill would replace the Wire Act of 1961, itself an unenforceable act of legislation when it comes to online casino gambling as it bans certain forms of sports betting over phone lines in an age when more Americans connect to the internet via a cable connection rather than their phone line. There is no word yet as to how much support the measure will have in the end, though reports indicate that at least 100 members of Congress currently support it.
The proposal would raise the penalty of jail time for violators from two years - enshrined in the Wire Act of over forty years ago - to five years should the new anti-online casino law pass both in the House and in the Senate and then get signed into law by the President, none of which is guaranteed to occur. There are a lot of Americans who stand opposed to online gambling out of religious sentiment or special interests. But the opponents of online casino gambling might run into an obstacle in the form of supporters of online casinos.
You see, online casino usage is widespread throughout the U.S. despite a de facto ban by the Justice Department. Americans make up the largest percentage of gamblers at a great many online casino websites. This is for many reasons, but without a doubt it has a lot to do with the fact that American culture encourages game playing and, more importantly, winning! Americans like to win, whether it is at football or baseball or online casino gambling. They know a good opportunity when they see it, and that is what online casino sites represent. If they are organized enough, they can make a big difference in the fight not only against online gambling but for it as well. |
