Is The NCGLS Getting With The Program?

Published: Sunday, June 04, 2006 Online-Casinos.com

IS THE NCGLS GETTING WITH THE PROGRAM?

Call to study online gambling before making policy statements.

The publication Blood-Horse reports that legislators from around the country have been urged to study existing regulations in the United States and around the world before they alter policy statements on Internet gambling.

The National Council of Legislators from Gaming States, during a meeting in Boston, took testimony during a two-hour hearing on Internet gambling. NCLGS, a pro-states' rights organisation, for almost seven years has been opposed to Internet gambling on the grounds it interferes with the ability of states to regulate gaming within their borders.

Florida Sen. Steven Geller, president of NCLGS, said emerging technology and other issues have led the organisation to consider reviewing its position on Internet gambling.

Testimony taken at the hearing varied from outright opposition to Internet gambling to a call for Congress to form a commission to study the issue before it passes any laws. The pari-mutuel horse racing industry, meanwhile, has the only legal form of Internet wagering thanks to a 2000 amendment of the Interstate Horseracing Act that legalised account wagering across state lines.

"This is not a question," said Greg Avioli, senior vice president of legislation and corporate planning for the NTRA. "It is in fact the law today. Don't be afraid of Internet gambling. The U.S. government will not be able to prohibit it or limit it to intrastate only. People would rather be legal than not be legal."

NCLGS members were particularly intrigued with testimony from Bill White of Global Cyber, a company that has developed a patented system to regulate Internet gambling. White said the protocol would establish where a gambler is located and deny access to online gaming if necessary, enable taxation of Internet gambling, help prevent problem gambling, and provide transparency for regulators.

"What's wrong with Internet gambling is the absence of regulation," White said. "What's wrong is you legislators and regulators can't get control of Internet gambling."

Judy Patterson, senior vice president and executive director of the American Gaming Association, a commercial casino trade group, said a study commissioned by the AGA suggested that a Congressional study commission is needed to tackle the issue. The AGA remains neutral on Internet gambling but does support the study, she said.

NCLGS will accept testimony on Internet gambling through Sept. 1. Geller said it's possible the organisation could adopt a revised policy during its winter meeting in early 2007.