State lawmakers urge congress to eschew online gambling ban

The US National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) has joined the fight against the Graham-Chaffetz federal bills seeking to ban all online gambling (see previous reports), writing to members of Congress to urge them to oppose the Sheldon Adelson-funded and driven proposed legislation.

A prime concern expressed by the Council is that this sort of legislation undermines the rights of each and every state to determine what will “best reflect and serve the needs of its residents.”

The letter is addressed to Senators Patrick Leahy and Chuck Grassley, and Representatives Bob Goodlatte and John Conyers, and claims that the Graham-Chaffetz proposal would “effectively preempt the states’ historical ability to properly regulate gaming.”

The letter to the ranking members of the Committees on the Judiciary in both the Senate and the House reads:

“As leaders of the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) and as fellow elected officials, we urge you to oppose recently introduced House Bill 4301/Senate Bill 2159, “The Restoration of America’s Wire Act.”

“This legislation, proposing to amend the Wire Act to prohibit transmission of wagering information for
all types of gambling activities, including Internet gambling, would effectively preempt the states’ historical ability to properly regulate gaming.

“It is our strong conviction, as legislators who chair and are members of the legislative committees that work diligently to develop sound public gaming policy, that states are the most appropriate entity to decide upon, and oversee, what kind of gaming should exist and what should not within their borders.

“States have the expertise, developed over many years of experience, to oversee gaming for the best outcomes to the states and their consumers. Recognizing this, Congress in the Interstate Horse Racing Act found that ‘the States should have the primary responsibility for determining what forms of gambling may legally take place within their borders,’ not only terrestrially, but via ‘electronic media’.

“To be clear, NCLGS does not support or oppose legalization of Internet gaming and realizes that technological advances in gaming – Internet or otherwise – present multiple social and economic policy issues to be considered. NCLGS is currently working on a State Internet Gaming Policy Framework to safeguard both states that wish to participate in Internet gaming and those that do not.

“States like Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey, Utah, and Maine have recently passed bills to expand, legalize, or prohibit Internet gaming, and many others are currently considering measures. We assert that each state can and should determine what will best reflect and serve the needs of its residents.

“Thank you for the consideration of our perspective, which we ask that you bear in mind as Congress
deliberates upon this issue.”