Political campaigns are strictly forbidden from conducting any form of online gambling in order to raise funds. The candidate had earlier reversed promises and declined public financing and his campaign is now desperately trying to raise fund in any conceivable manner. However, in this zealous pursuit, the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama may have violated some laws regarding online gambling.
Minnesota Gambling Control Board has asked the state of Minnesota to look into a funding appeal posted on the campaign's national website. The website calls for donations of between $5 and $2300 and offers donors the chance of being one of 10 supporters selected to meet Barack backstage in Denver. The board asked that the Department of Public Safety should look into the appeal to see whether it has indeed violated laws regarding illegal online gambling. Minnesota allows for raffles done by non-profit organisations, payments in exchange of prizes awarded by a draw which benefit a charitable institute is legal and may not be when done in a political campaign fund raiser.
Minnesota Gambling Board expressly forbids political campaigns from conducting raffles or online gambling of any kind. A spokesman for the Obama campaign emphatically denied that the website is in any way online gambling, claiming that the 10 winners will be chosen based on the best individual history or story and is not online gambling, this was however not stated on the website. The offer could be made legal on the following premises: 1) that the offer excludes Minnesota, or; 2) removing of the contribution qualification and opening it to anyone who wishes to participate. Obama could be exonerated by having the wording on the website changed and publically admitting to oversight on his part.
|
