On Thursday 3 December we reported that the House Financial Services Committee was finally hearing the HR2267 Bill - the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act. Whilst the hearing does not have any impact on the current US laws on online internet gambling in itself, it is hopefully yet another step being taken in the direction of legalisation.
As was mentioned in the article on 2nd December on the online pokies club website (available to view here), the main opponent to the HR2267 Bill at the hearing would be Spencer Bachus, the Republican politician, who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1993.
Unsurprisingly, he vocalised his objections to the bill at the hearing. His main point of objection to the de-criminalisation of online gaming was the purpoprted “threat” to the “youth of America”. Both he and Barney Frank have taken diametrically opposite stances on the argument of legalisation of online gambling, which, let’s face it, can be equally well argued. Frank’s stance takes the view that Americans are able to look after themselves and shouldn’t be nannied by an over-zealous over-involved federal government. He questions the difference between liquor and online gambling - because under-age users of the internet can order alcohol on the internet, despite that being illegal. Whilst Bachus argues that that isn’t an argument at all, and that America’s youth should be protected by America’s laws and that all those who had given evidence at the hearing had been pro-legalisation because they were persons with a vested (financial) interest in online gambling.
If you are interested in reading Bachus’ speech that he gave, check out the article on the online pokies club website here.
The Poker Players Alliance is also hosting video footage from the hearings, which make interesting viewing during your lunch-break?!!
This entry was posted on Saturday, December 12th, 2009 at 4:23 am and is filed under News.
