Another Former A.G. Attacks New U.S. Law

Published: Friday, October 06, 2006 Online-Casinos.com

ANOTHER FORMER A.G. ATTACKS NEW U.S. LAW

"I'd be surprised is this was still on the books in three year's time" says former attorney general

Earlier this week, a former US state attorney general, Frank Catania described the anti-online gambling legislation passed at the weekend by Congress as "a sham" that would be impossible to implement. His opinion is shared by another former AG it appears.

Associated Press carried a report saying New Jersey's former Attorney General, John J. Farmer, believes the new U.S. legislation aimed at limiting payment options to gaming sites could have dire consequences.

Farmer, who has studied the legality of online gambling relating to the mob, said that the new legislation will drive punters to turn to unregulated sites and that could lead to trouble.

"In 1999, there were operators taking bets and not paying when people won," said the former Attorney General. "What'll happen now is this bill will leave the field open to those very people who caused those problems in the first place - the fly-by-night operators."

Farmer doesn't see online gambling legislation lasting more than three years on the books.

"I'd be surprised if this law is still in the books in three or four year's time," he told the Associated Press. "But then again, I'm surprised that it exists at all."

Gaming companies were left reeling when the House of Representatives and the Senate unexpectedly approved a bill in the early hours of last Saturday morning that would make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

The bill was tagged on to a vital but totally unrelated port security bill late Friday and carried through on its skirts.

"It was like watching sausage getting made," Farmer told the e-comlaw Online Gambling conference in London, adding that he didn't believe Congressmen really knew what the bill entailed.