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Goodlatte's Bill Could Be Approved Today
Casino lobbying group backs Web gaming ban
By TONY BATT
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The casino industry's chief lobbying group abruptly switched course Tuesday and endorsed a Virginia congressman's bill to prohibit Internet gambling.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, said the group will support an Internet gambling ban proposed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., because of two changes the congressman made at the casinos' request.
For months, the group had leaned toward alternative legislation.
Fahrenkopf announced the decision after a board of directors' meeting Tuesday in Las Vegas.
"Fundamentally, he has met all our concerns," Fahrenkopf said.
Goodlatte's bill could be approved as early as today by the House Judiciary Committee.
The most significant change addresses the casinos' concern that Goodlatte's bill would infringe on state regulation of gambling.
Under the revised version, if a state ever legalizes Internet gambling, it would be allowed to take bets over the Web from residents in other states that also permit online wagering.
So far, no state has legalized Internet gambling, but Nevada's gaming commission is studying whether Web wagering can be effectively regulated.
The other change would allow Nevada sports books to continue taking bets on horse races in other states. Nevada sports books place the horse racing wagers in a common pool, which serves as the source to pay off winners.
Without this revision, Fahrenkopf said, casinos would be at a competitive disadvantage to the horse racing industry, which is exempt from Goodlatte's ban by the Interstate Horse Racing Act.
"Candidly, we prepared the language (in Goodlatte's revised bill) on common pool wagering," Fahrenkopf said. "On the states' rights issue, we think each state should have the right to determine what goes on within its borders. (Goodlatte) saw we were right on the law and came around."
Calls to Goodlatte on Tuesday were not returned
As recently as two months ago, Fahrenkopf had written to Goodlatte expressing the casinos' strong opposition to his Internet gambling ban proposal.
By TONY BATT
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The casino industry's chief lobbying group abruptly switched course Tuesday and endorsed a Virginia congressman's bill to prohibit Internet gambling.
Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association, said the group will support an Internet gambling ban proposed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., because of two changes the congressman made at the casinos' request.
For months, the group had leaned toward alternative legislation.
Fahrenkopf announced the decision after a board of directors' meeting Tuesday in Las Vegas.
"Fundamentally, he has met all our concerns," Fahrenkopf said.
Goodlatte's bill could be approved as early as today by the House Judiciary Committee.
The most significant change addresses the casinos' concern that Goodlatte's bill would infringe on state regulation of gambling.
Under the revised version, if a state ever legalizes Internet gambling, it would be allowed to take bets over the Web from residents in other states that also permit online wagering.
So far, no state has legalized Internet gambling, but Nevada's gaming commission is studying whether Web wagering can be effectively regulated.
The other change would allow Nevada sports books to continue taking bets on horse races in other states. Nevada sports books place the horse racing wagers in a common pool, which serves as the source to pay off winners.
Without this revision, Fahrenkopf said, casinos would be at a competitive disadvantage to the horse racing industry, which is exempt from Goodlatte's ban by the Interstate Horse Racing Act.
"Candidly, we prepared the language (in Goodlatte's revised bill) on common pool wagering," Fahrenkopf said. "On the states' rights issue, we think each state should have the right to determine what goes on within its borders. (Goodlatte) saw we were right on the law and came around."
Calls to Goodlatte on Tuesday were not returned
As recently as two months ago, Fahrenkopf had written to Goodlatte expressing the casinos' strong opposition to his Internet gambling ban proposal.