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Congressman Barney Frank is the Chairman of the important and influential House Financial Services Committee and is the Author of Bill HR 2046 The Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act which proposes the regulation and good old American taxation of Internet gambling in the United States instead of making the practice illegal.
At least everyone can agree with the Internet experts that spoke out in support of this new regulation and the belief that the technology utilized in this industry provides a strong basis to help combat compulsive gambling. It adds more weight to the argument that legalized online gambling will provide a higher level of safeguards than an unregulated industry would.
"The graphical and interactive structure of the internet provides a revolutionary opportunity to create informed customers with access to a variety of information designed to encourage safe choices and discourage unsafe behavior," said Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, a leading U.S. advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers and their families. "Clearly gambling on the internet raises some difficult issues, but it provides theoretical opportunities for operators to deliver responsible gaming programs that meet or exceed current standards in the bricks-and-mortar gaming industry."
Existing technology and security controls have already proven to be effective in the matter of compulsive gambling. Available safeguards include the ability to control the amount of money wagered, setting limits on amounts deposited, restricting the duration that somebody can play, identifying and stopping players whose gambling patterns seem out of the ordinary and allow for consumers to be excluded from online gambling.
Experts around the world agree that a strict regulatory environment would help tackle compulsive gambling.
"The robust, regulatory framework proposed by Congressman Barney Frank presents a viable opportunity to protect American consumers and combat problematic gambling," said Andrew Poole, Head of Online Services for GamCare, a U.K. based charitable organization committed to addressing the social impact of gambling. "Across Europe and the rest of the world, experience has shown that regulated Internet gambling and the implementation of proven safeguards can ensure more responsible gambling operations and off-set increases in problematic gambling."
People in the Frank camp have said that if people who are interested in this Act could call their political representatives with expressions of support for the Frank Bill, this support might encourage politicians to re-think the implications of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
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Published October 24th by OpenPokerUSA Team |
