Rep Jon Porter is the man with an investigative committee plan for online gambling

Despite the noise levels of US politicians of the "ban and be damned" persuasion when it comes to online gambling, most sensible folk share the view that it might be a good idea to actually carry out an unbiased study of the industry before lurching into ill-advised prohibition strategies.

Certainly the powerful American Gaming Association and the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) have expressed interest in an unbiased and bipartisan Congressional investigation such as has been proposed by Reps Jon Connors and more recently Rep. Jon Porter.

A visit to the Isle of Man as a serious online gambling regulatory jurisdiction is on the cards for Porter, it seems.

The Nevada politician told Isle of Man government delegates who recently spent three days in Washington DC that he is keen to learn more about internet gambling with a view to applying similar principles to Nevada.

The Republican Party member represents a state which has a heavy dependance on gaming, and is concerned about a bill aimed at banning US citizens from gambling on the internet which recently passed the House of Representatives but has run into opposition in the Senate this week.

Home Affairs Minister John Shimmin, whose department regulates online gaming, was one of the delegates to attend the meeting with the US legislator, and said that Porter was well aware of the Isle of Man and held it in high regard. "We talked through how we regulate here and he was very interested in visiting to learn more," Shimmin said.

Shimmin, Chief Minister Donald Gelling, Treasury Minister Allan Bell, chief secretary Mary Williams, director of external relations Della Fletcher and Attorney General John Corlett returned from the visit last week. They met senior politicians, including senators, and officers during the trip. Influential members of and advisors to the high-powered Ways and Means Committee were among those the delegates met.

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