More Opposition To Internet Gambling Bill
Published: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
MORE OPPOSITION TO GOODLATTE INTERNET GAMBLING BILL
Fervent anti-gambling Utah representative will "vigorously oppose"
banning Bill if it again surfaces
Reports in various Utah media indicate that Rep. Goodlatte can expect
more opposition from a surprising source to his proposed Bill banning Internet
gambling if it again surfaces after last week's drubbing in the Judiciary
Committee sub-committee hearing.
Fervent anti-gambling politician Rep. Chris Cannon said he would once
again vigorously oppose a bill to ban Internet gambling, fearing it could be
a "back door" to legalise some online wagering in Utah. Speculation
is that Cannon is concerned at the horse racing, fantasy sports and lottery
carve-outs maintained in the proposed legislation.
"While I am an ardent opponent of gambling, one of the things I don't want
to see is an opportunity for gambling because we pre-empt state law," Cannon
said. "I don't want Utah to get bombarded with gambling if it becomes legal."
Utah is one of only two states that outlaws all forms of gambling. Hawaii is
the other.
However, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said opponents' claims
that the bill would give special treatment expanding horse betting or any gambling
enterprise, are absurd.
"I strongly disagree with anybody that says this legislation adds a carve-out
for the horse racing industry," Goodlatte said. He said horse racing is
already regulated by another federal law, and his bill wouldn't change that.
In the five years that various versions of the legislation have been debated,
Goodlatte said the scope of Internet gambling has quadrupled. Today there are
more than 2,300 gambling sites and $12 billion a year bet online, he said.
Despite repeatedly calling gambling a "pernicious vice," and "abhorrent,"
Cannon has opposed the Internet gambling ban each time it has been offered.
Several times he has tried to amend the bill to take out the horse racing language,
although backers of the legislation said Cannon's change would cost the bill
the support it needs to pass.
The National Center Against Legalized Gambling also opposes the horseracing
provisions.
