Thursday, Sept. 9, 1999 | 11:04 a.m.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON -- A New York congressman introduced legislation Wednesday that would ban all electronic cash machines from casino floors, a measure suggested several months ago by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.
Called the "Gambling ATM and Credit/Debit Reform Act," the bill was presented by Rep. John LaFalce as a key step in the fight to control compulsive gambling. The ban would include ATMs, credit card terminals and debit card point-of-sale machines. LaFalce is the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Banking and Financial Services.
The NGISC suggested states ban ATMs from casino floors, LaFalce's bill would impose a nationwide ban.
"Allowing gamblers to use ATMs, credit and debit cards directly for gambling removes one of the last remaining checks on compulsive gambling -- the need to walk away to find more cash to gamble," LaFalce said.
The bill would still allow hotel-casinos to have electronic cash machines, but would require them to segregate the machines from the casino floor.
The proposal drew swift condemnation from Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., who said the bill "should promptly be steam-rolled into the ground."
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