AGA Commends Barney Frank Initiative
Published: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 Online-Casinos.com
AGA COMMENDS BARNEY FRANK INITIATIVE
"Cautious backing" for Congressman's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007.
The attempt by influential US Congressman Barney Frank to introduce online gambling licensing and regulation in the United States has continued to receive widespread mainstream media coverage and comment both for and against by groups and individuals (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa reports)
Frank has kept the kettle boiling by making himself available for interviews explaining his objectives and urging US members of the gambling public to show support for his proposal by contacting their political representatives.
Most recent developments include a statement from the powerful American Gaming Association (AGA) following a board meeting held early this week.
The Association has given "cautious backing" to the Frank proposals on the regulation of internet gaming, saying it commends the Congressman's efforts to “examine the issue of internet gaming”. The Association's statement commented: “We believe hearings on (the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act of 2007) legislation will provide a valuable opportunity for gathering the facts about the many issues surrounding internet gaming, including the ability to prevent underage gambling and other regulatory safeguards.”
The AGA statement went on to add that throughout the “decade long debate in Congress over online gaming it [the AGA] has been consistent in putting any legislative proposal through “three tests”. These are the right of individual states to regulate, that the legislation should not create competitive advantages or disadvantages between and among commercial casinos, Native American casinos, state lotteries and pari-mutel wagering operations, and that no form of gaming that is currently legal should be made illegal.
The statement concluded: “...unlicensed, unregulated and untaxed offshore illegal internet gambling operations should not be allowed to operate in the US. Any legislation to license, legalise, and regulate internet gambling must, as a minimum, meet the stringent standards held by our members that protect against underage gambling, problem gambling, money laundering and fraud.”
The AGA came out in favour of an independent commission of enquiry into the whole question of Internet gambling last year. Its reaction to the Frank bill is in marked contrast to earlier reports this week that the UK-based Remote Gaming Association had declined to support the Congressman's initiative (see earlier Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa report).
Frank also spoke to eGaming Review, assuring the UK publication that his proposal did not envisage any bias in favour of American companies applying for licenses. In terms of his proposals, applicants would have to set up corporate offices in the USA, but there would be no discrimination against companies that originated from outside the US.
“As long as they meet the standards that we set for them regarding underage gambling etc, anybody who meets those standards we would consider”, Frank said.
He added that at present he felt his legislation would have at most 130 to 140 votes out of 435 in the House of Representatives. “We’re a long way from winning,” he cautioned, before adding: “I do think the momentum is with us as more and more people complain about being stiffed, but I couldn’t predict now.”
Frank reiterated that any progress would be a matter of “how many people care about this and push it”.
