WASHINGTON " It's time to regulate gambling on the Internet rather than outlaw it, says Rep. Barney Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
The Massachusetts Democrat introduced a bill Wednesday that is sure to please poker and blackjack players as well as those who like to wager on keno, roulette and other games of chance. But the opposition is formidable and includes conservative groups that view gambling as exploiting the vulnerable, particularly the poor.
Frank's bill would require Internet gambling providers to be licensed by the Treasury Department and regulated to protect children and to ensure the games are fair, the bill states. The department would review criminal and credit histories as well as financial statements as part of the application process.
No similar bill has been proposed in the Senate, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said that he opposes Internet gambling, dimming prospects for Frank's legislation.
Rep. Shelley Berkely, D-Nev., whose district includes Las Vegas, voiced support for Frank's bill. She previously sponsored legislation that would require a study of online gambling.
"What we have now is an unworkable law passed by those opposed to all gaming, whether it's done by adults in Las Vegas or on the Internet," Berkely said. "So there is no question we must act to correct the problems caused by this failed crusade to ban Internet gaming."
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