Capitol Hill focusing on internet gambling

Tuesday July 04, 2006

Lobbyists have been flocking to Capitol Hill recently to voice their concerns over the proposed U.S. regulation of Internet gambling.

The Justice Department has always deemed Internet gambling illegal, but its proliferation across the world and the number of lobbyists supporting the enterprise reveal that such a label is proving ineffective, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

In response, lawmakers have begun to push for Internet gambling regulation as part of the Republican "American Values Agenda," which may be voted on this summer, the newspaper said.

British government has remodeled its gambling laws numerous times, including adding a new tax-and-regulatory structure.

"Americans are already gaming in large numbers because it's entertainment," Betmaker Sportsbook spokesman, Mike McComb, said. "It's an extension of entertainment.

"In England, what they've found is that it's just something that needs to be regulated to protect consumers," he said. "And it's a great source of revenue."