Federal gambling legislation was introduced by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman Jason Chaffetz last week in an effort to restore the ban on Internet gambling. The Justice Department, without notifying Congress, reversed the ban known as the “Wire Act” in 2011. New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada quickly jumped on the opportunity to create Internet gambling organizations and other states are considering following suit.
Sen. Graham and Rep. Chaffetz’s bill comes as a challenge to two other Republican-sponsored bills introduced earlier this year that would create an “Office of Internet Poker Oversight” or “Office of Internet Gambling Oversight” in the United States Treasury and regulate Internet gambling at the federal level. Not only would such legislation essentially put a casino in the pocket of every person with a smart phone, it would trample on states’ rights and give Big Brother control of policing the Internet.
PA Family Council is proud to be part of the national Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling. Other prominent individuals such as Governors Rick Perry (TX) and Nikki Haley (SC) have endorsed the ban and even wrote letters to Congress.
“Allowing Internet gaming to invade the homes of every American family, and to be piped into our dens, living rooms, workplaces, and even our kids’ bedrooms and dorm rooms, is a major decision. We must carefully examine the short and long-term social and economic consequences before Internet gambling spreads,” Haley stated in the letter.
Gov. Perry writes that the law enforcement community has identified the risks associated with Internet gambling and agrees with Gov. Haley that more investigation is needed before Internet gambling is opened up to the entire nation.
Join us and take time to voice support for this critical bill. Please go to www.stopinternetgambling.com/takeaction and let members of Congress know that you want to stop the spread of Internet gambling.