PR: Congressional Hearing Scheduled on Internet Gambling

[Casinomeister]

Congressional Hearing Scheduled on Internet Gambling

Spokesperson for Initiative will be available to update media on developments

Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, will be available to update media and provide comment on the U.S. House of Representative Committee on the Judiciary hearing on Internet gambling entitled “Hearing on Establishing Consistent Enforcement Policies in the Context of Online Wagers.” The hearing is expected to examine U.S. policies related to Internet gambling, exploring the impact and enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, the ability to license and regulate Internet gambling and the possible impact and solutions to a World Trade Organization dispute around Internet gambling that could result in penalties in excess of $100 billion in U.S. trade compensation.

WHO: Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative

WHAT: Available to discuss outcome of Judiciary hearing on Internet gambling

WHERE: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. or by phone

WHEN: Wednesday, November 14, 2007

If you are interested in interviewing Jeffrey Sandman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, please contact Michael Waxman at (202) 872-4860, (310) 963-4847 cell or info@safeandsecureig.org. For more information on the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative, which promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online with the proper safeguards to protect consumers and ensure the integrity of financial transactions, please visit www.safeandsecureig.org.




###

Michael Waxman

(202) 872-4860 ext. 238

info@safeandsecureig.org

1718 M Street NW #376
Washington, D.C. 20036

[lots0]

For anyone that wants to...

politico.com has run a story about this... IMO the politico thread needs more comments.

Politico.com Thread

[jetset]

Casinomeister News four days ago:

U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO HOLD ONLINE POKER HEARING

PPA will submit opinions on November 14

Claimed by the Poker Players' Association as a by-product of the organisation's recent Washington Fly-In initiative (see previous InfoPowa reports) the U.S. Department of Justice is to hold a hearing on Internet gaming at 10 00am on November 14, says PPA executive director John Pappas.

Speaking to the online poker portal PocketFives.com, Pappas said this was a huge step for online poker’s future, and commented: “We talked with Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) along with some of our poker pros during the fly in. He pledged to hold a hearing and we’re pleased that it’s happening.”

Expected at the hearing is an expert on World Trade Organisation policy; a representative from the Department of the Treasury; a representative from the Department of Justice, and one Congressman on each side of the issue. Poker pro Annie Duke will also be in attendance as a witness.

Pappas expects hard-hitting questions: “Our goal is to have members of Congress ask tough questions of the Department of Justice representative about their inconsistent enforcement of internet gaming," he told PocketFives. "We also want them to point to the statute that they used to claim that playing internet poker is illegal.

"The WTO Expert is there to incite both free trade Republicans and Democrats to action in order to preserve our trading status and fulfill our WTO obligations. In addition, we want to demonstrate there is appropriate and viable age verification software out there.

"Finally, for Annie Duke, our goal is to distinguish poker as something different than other forms of gaming, show that it’s a skill game, and address the civil liberties issue.”

Chairman Conyers has been a supporter of internet gambling regulation, Pappas comments, saying: “Chairman Conyers believes UIGEA is a terrible bill and that regulation is a good approach. I wouldn’t be surprised if, somewhere down the road, he introduces his own legislation.”

Despite the short notice, the PPA is hoping for a good turnout of legislators at the hearing, and has been prepping members of Congress to ask the questions that will help clarify poker’s future. “A hearing is just one step in the process,” says Pappas. "A vote may still be quite some time away, but this is an important initial step to take."

The hearing is open to the general public on Wednesday, November 14th, at 10:00am at 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.

[lojo]

and...

[Mousey]

I'm having a devil of a time (actually lack of time for intense searches) trying to find out exactly which congressmen are going to show up at this hearing. We could hit the relevant reps from our respective states with our input/opinions if we knew who to email and phone.

[Casinomeister]

Ban on Internet Gaming Violates Americans’ Liberty and U.S. World Treaty Obligations Say Experts at House Judiciary Committee Hearing

Technology to Curb Compulsive Gambling Online Further Undermines Ban Rationale

(Washington, D.C. – November 14, 2007) Top experts testified before the House Committee on the Judiciary today and called for the U.S. to reverse it policies related to Internet gambling, arguing the prohibition of Internet gambling activities, the approach most recently undertaken in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), violates the American principles of personal freedom and individual liberty. The experts explained how the ban on Internet gambling violates U.S. treaty obligations with other countries and exposes U.S. businesses to potential criminal retaliation overseas. Additionally, Internet verification software technology was described that successfully protects against underage and compulsive gambling, further eliminating the rationale for banning online gambling activity.

“Today’s hearing made clear the arguments why Congress needs to reverse its current policies related to Internet gambling,” said Jeffrey Sandman, spokesman for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative.

Expert testimony at the hearing was provided by Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV), professional poker player Annie Duke, New York University Law School professor Joseph Weiler and Michael Colopy, a representative of Aristotle Inc., a leading provider of verification services for child protection online.

Reversing U.S. Policies on Internet Gambling

Representative Shelley Berkeley provided testimony on the need for Congress to change its policies related to Internet gambling and protect the million of Americans that continue to gamble online despite passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

“A combination of outdated laws, selective enforcement by the Justice Department, and an intentional lack of clarity by Congress resulted in a confusing environment for those law-abiding Americans who want to wager online, and that was before enactment of last year’s so-called Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act,” said Berkeley. “The UIGEA actually made things even more confusing by targeting the financial sector rather than gamblers, and further memorializing the carve-out for horseracing. Although some Internet gaming executives have been arrested and some of the more reputable operators have stopped doing business in the U.S., an estimated 10 million Americans are still wagering online on poker alone, and they are doing so without the benefit of the protections afforded by effective regulatory oversight. . . . I applaud this committee for attempting to lay the groundwork for a legislative solution that ideally would legalize online gaming, subject it to some sort of regulation, and protect underage and problem gamblers.”

Preserving American Freedoms

Professional poker player Annie Duke testified that Americans deserve the right to determine whether to gamble online without government intrusion.

“What’s at stake here is the right of individual Americans to do what they want in the privacy of their homes without the intrusion of the government,” said Duke. “This country was among the first to embrace the idea that there should be distinct limits on the ability of the government to control or direct the private affairs of its citizens. More than any other value, America is supposed to be about freedom. Except where one’s actions directly harm another person’s life, liberty or property, our government is supposed to leave citizenry alone. Examples of Congress straying from this principle are legion, but few are as egregious as The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.”

Answering questions from Committee members, Duke affirmed that the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, legislation introduced by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) would allow individual states to maintain full control over online gambling in their jurisdiction, including determining what kind of online gambling would be allowed, how online gambling operators would be taxed, and how the industry would be regulated.

Resolving the WTO Internet Gambling Dispute

Joseph Weiler, a professor of law at the New York University School of Law and an expert in the law of the WTO, provided testimony that the U.S. is in violation of its WTO trade agreements around Internet gambling and should seek to bring itself into compliance.

“The U.S. bans online gambling offered by overseas operators even though it made treaty commitments to allow it and even though it allows online wagering domestically, including for horse racing,” said Weiler. “We should bring our law and conduct into compliance with our international legal obligations. Our country is the trendsetter and leader in so many international arenas. Whether we like it or not, we lead by example. As our economy moves increasingly towards a high tech, knowledge based service oriented model and as we realize that our future prosperity will depend increasingly of tapping into export markets, notably the huge emerging markets such as China and India, is it really in our self interest to teach this particular example? How we would we feel if China prosecuted and imprisoned American businessman for engaging in commerce in China that the government there decided to ban despite its treaty obligations?”

Combating Compulsive and Underage Gambling

Michael Colopy, a representative of Aristotle Inc., a leading provider of verification services for child protection online, provided testimony on the opportunity to use technology and controls available on the Internet to combat compulsive and underage gambling.

“Online age and ID verification has matured as a needed solution such that any merchant may do online what is routinely done at stores every day across America,” said Colopy. “In fact, as ever more efficient technologies and databases have been developed, online transactions have become in many instances faster and less risky than the visual driver’s license scans that suffice for alcohol or cigarette purchases in America’s neighborhood convenience stores, restaurants and bars.”

Colopy added that a self-exclusion list program is an example of a solution to keep compulsive gamblers from wagering online. “A central self-exclusion list program (SEL) has been under development over the last several months and is now deployed. Through the SEL, individuals will be able to put their own names on a confidential list of those who do not wish to be solicited or allowed to open an account with a casino.”

Jeffery Sandman added, “Instead of prohibiting Internet gambling, which is futile and denies Americans the freedom to decide whether to gamble online, the government should regulate and tax Internet gambling. Regulated Internet gambling would ensure proven and effective security controls are available to protect consumers and capture billions in revenue that is needed for critical government programs.”

About Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative

The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative promotes the freedom of individuals to gamble online with the proper safeguards to protect consumers and ensure the integrity of financial transactions. For more information on the Initiative, please visit www.safeandsecureig.org. The Web site provides a means by which individuals can register support for regulated Internet gambling with their elected representatives.

###

Michael Waxman
(202) 872-4860 ext. 238
info@safeandsecureig.org
1718 M Street NW #376
Washington, D.C. 20036

[sdaddy]

A recorded video webcast of today's hearing is now available for download from the Judiciary Committee's web site. Total playing time is about 4 hours.

link

[dominique]

Everyone needs to watch this, it had me sitting here talking back at my computer, lol!

Notably the DOJ rep Hanaway said: Gambling online is NOT illegal in the US, accepting money for it is.

Then she says: The DOJ "operates under the belief" that all online gambling is illegal.

Now what is it?

Next she goes on to say that betting on horses online is illegal and is part of the case against BOS. When asked if online lotteries were illegal she says yes, and when asked if there was a case of prosecution she can't recall.

Yeah, right, let's see the DOJ go after US state lotteries!

When Annie asked Goodlatte about Fantasy sports he kept saying he never heard of a problem with it. And he thought it fine that underage players could bet on it. Helllloooo, it's online betting!

The long and short of it, no one knows what is and isn't legal, everyone contradicts each other, and the WTO is hovering like a sword above the whole thing.

Makes a good plot for a comedy.

[Mousey]

Everyone needs to watch this, it had me sitting here talking back at my computer, lol!

Notably the DOJ rep Hanaway said: Gambling online is NOT illegal in the US, accepting money for it is.

Then she says: The DOJ "operates under the belief" that all online gambling is illegal.

Now what is it?

Next she goes on to say that betting on horses online is illegal and is part of the case against BOS. When asked if online lotteries were illegal she says yes, and when asked if there was a case of prosecution she can't recall.

Yeah, right, let's see the DOJ go after US state lotteries!

When Annie asked Goodlatte about Fantasy sports he kept saying he never heard of a problem with it. And he thought it fine that underage players could bet on it. Helllloooo, it's online betting!

The long and short of it, no one knows what is and isn't legal, everyone contradicts each other, and the WTO is hovering like a sword above the whole thing.

Makes a good plot for a comedy.

How can they enforce laws that they don't even understand? My stars... If betting on horses online is illegal, someone better contact Youbetdotcom right quick before the DoJ shuts them down, too! From their website...

Youbet.com America's #1 horse racing and online wagering site

FAQ:Is Youbet.com® operating legally in the United States?
Youbet.com® is in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws.

[Mousey]

Woohoo! Reuters has picked up on this story.

Lawmaker raps Internet-gambling enforcement
By Peter Kaplan
1 hour, 29 minutes ago


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Democratic head of the House Judiciary Committee voiced frustration on Wednesday about what he said are disparities in the enforcement of U.S. Internet gambling laws.

Chairman John Conyers questioned "the selective nature" of Internet gambling enforcement and said a ban enacted by lawmakers last year could end up hurting U.S. relations overseas.

"Continuing with the same old failed policies for ...

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Edit: And another thing... If "DOJ "operates under the belief" that all online gambling is illegal", what happens if I 'operate as if' I'm the Queen of England? Does that make me Queen Elizabeth? -- or does that make me eligible for the next available padded room at the nearest psych ward?