NCPG COMMENTS ON MENENDEZ BILL (Update)
4 September 2009
Problem gambling body does not support
expansion of gambling but acknowledges provisions in
poker and skill gaming bill
Senator Robert Menendez's S 1597 Internet Poker and
Games of Skill Regulation, Consumer Protection, and
Enforcement Act has been acknowledged by the National
Council on Problem Gambling for its provisions on
funding problem gambling bodies. S. 1597 allocates $200
000 per year for awareness, $4 million per year for
research, and $10 million per year for treatment.
In his bid to legalise skill games like online
poker, Senator Menendez included a proposal that an
annual $14.2 million be set aside over a five-year
period for problem gambling awareness, treatment and
research, a provision which NCPG executive director
Keith Whyte acknowledged as "responsible." Whyte
emphasised that he was in no way supporting any
expansion of gambling.
The problem gambling
provision is a reflection of HR 2906, the Comprehensive
Problem Gambling Act of 2009 introduced by Congressmen
Jim Moran, Lee Terry, and Frank Wolf earlier this year
with the support of the NCPG. The bill has yet to be
debated on the floor.
Whyte explained, “We’re
pleased that there’s a responsibility to mitigate
problem gambling and we’re glad it’s the language from
HR 2906. However, this would still only be the first
ever federal funding for prevention and treatment
programs. There is a lot more language in our House bill
than what Menendez added. It’s not the entire bill.”
Whyte revealed that, although remaining opposed to
any expansion in gambling, his organisation had asked
Senator Menendez to introduce a companion bill to HR
2096, focused on problem gambling, in the Senate.
Online Casino News Courtesy of
Infopowa
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