CONNECTICUT CONTROVERSY OVER ONLINE GAMBLING
3 February 2012
Governor faces some tough opposition as
internet gambling debate continues
Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy may see the
inevitability of legalised online gambling (see previous
InfoPowa reports) but he is facing some tough opposition
to the concept from Republican politicians in the state.
Chief among these is Senator John McKinney, who held
a press conference on Wednesday in which he directly
attacked the governor's assessment of the issue and
pledged to oppose any legalisation initiative every step
of the way.
In advance of a Public Safety and
Security Committee informational meeting on Internet
gambling scheduled for today (Thursday), McKinney, who
is the state Senate Minority Leader, accused the
governor of "widespread misinformation and
misrepresentation" on the prospect of intrastate
legalisation of online gambling.
McKinney
revealed that he had sent a seven-page memo to Gov.
Malloy, Attorney General George Jepsen, legislative
leaders and the chairmen and ranking members of the
Public Safety and Security Committee, in which he
detailed why the governor's assessment of the situation
is wrong.
The Justice Department's recent change
of policy on the Wire Act (see previous InfoPowa
reports) does not make the legalisation of online
gambling inevitable, McKinney said.
"Connecticut
law already prohibits Internet gambling. That
Connecticut law is a good law and does not change given
the Department of Justice's decision," he claimed. "It
is prohibited now, and it will always be."
"Internet gambling is not coming to Connecticut," the
senator concluded, threatening to introduce legislation
with more draconian penalties for persons engaged in
illegal internet gambling in Connecticut.
The
senator said that under current law engaging in online
gambling is a Class B misdemeanour for both the gambler
and the operator that provides the service,
Responding to McKinney's attack, the governor's office
said: "The Justice Department decision makes clear that
online gaming will eventually reach Connecticut. Gov.
Malloy is concerned about protecting jobs and revenue
that are tied to the gaming industry, and looks forward
to having a public dialogue on the issue in the coming
weeks and months."
Online Casino News Courtesy of
Infopowa
More news here.
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