Online gambling bill heads for House

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 10:59 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The House Judiciary Committee today approved a bill aimed at restricting Internet gambling websites.

The full House will now consider the bill, which the Senate passed in November. The legislation is supported by Nevada's four-member delegation in Congress, although it is not clear whether online gambling would cut into casino profits. The House bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev.

"I want to protect not only states' rights but I want to protect citizens, whether it's in Nevada or D.C. or Georgia or wherever," Gibbons said today. "The Internet does not respect state borders. It's just totally unregulated."

Gibbons said he hopes that the final bill can have some impact on offshore-based websites.

"We're going to work with the Senate. We want the bill to be fair, equitable and do what we want it to do," Gibbons said.

The bill targets gambling website operators by empowering law-enforcement officials to get court orders directing Internet service providers to shut down online casinos. Gambling operators would be subject to $20,000 fines and up to four years in prison.

Bettors who use the websites are not directly targeted in the bill, but are subject to state laws that ban betting via computer.

The bill would still allow a few forms of Internet betting in certain states such as horse and dog racing in states where it already is legal.

Gambling analysts have said that as many as 650 online gambling sites are available, many off shore and not subject U.S. laws.

Judiciary Committee members, led by Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., during the last two days found themselves wading into sticky new territory as they tried to legislate the no-boundaries, fast-moving world of the Internet.

"It calls into question whether we are entering a field that we have a handle on," Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said at one point Wednesday during committee debate.

Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., lamented that Congress was too late in trying to regulate Internet gambling.

"The horse is already out of the barn and this bill will not have much effect in closing the barn door," Scott said Wednesday.

Committee members considered a number of amendments, one that would guarantee fair hearings to website operators who law enforcement officials believe are operating gambling sites.

"It's simple due process," Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said today.

That amendment failed, but members said the bill already protects the rights of website operators.

Benjamin Grove covers Washington D.C. for the Sun. He can be reached at (202) 628-3100, ext. 269 or by e-mail at benjamingrove@yahoo.com.