[kel01720]

If the whole problem the government has with Internet gambling is that it is immoral, threatens American families and the economy, etc., then why the hell do we have brick and mortar casinos on American soil? Is it really a problem of ethics or is it a problem for the owners of Vegas, Foxwood's and the like not getting their own pockets padded as heavily as they used to (due to free competition)? And how much do their operations contribute to the government (since they are strictly taxed)? How about state-instituted lotteries? Multi-state Powerball?

The answer is not to ban online gambling. If kids are illegally gambling (on or off line) then their parents must take responsibility for it. If adults have gambling problems it's their responsibility to get help. Quit making the government have to protect American citizens from themselves. Excuse me if I'm mistaken, but wasn't America founded on freedom? We The People should be allowed to make our own decisions and deal with the consequences of those decisions. The government is once again meddling where they shouldn't because it contradicts this country's founding principle!

If the government is truly concerned about the scourge of gambling in American society, then why don't they attack the country's on-soil operations? Better yet, make a unilateral ban on gambling of all forms.

The U.S. Government does not have the testicular fortitude to pursue substantitive moral issues. Attacking offshore casinos, major search engines, and media outlets is a cop out and reaks of election year politics. It not only hurts our international free trade, but our American companies as well (see government lawsuits against Google, Yahoo and Discovery Channel on advertising Party Poker, Pacific Poker and Casino City advertising). Further, it perpetuates the "Big Bully" American persona that we've engendered abroad.