Measures target casino ATMs, Internet gaming

Benjamin Grove

Wednesday, June 28, 2000 | 11:28 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- A leading gambling foe in the House planned today to introduce an amendment that would ban automated teller machines from casino floors.

Rep. John J. LaFalce, D-N.Y., said he wants to make it harder for gamblers to hastily spend their money.

"Put (ATMs) in the restaurants or in lobbies, but not where the gambling is taking place," he said in a meeting of the House Banking Committee.

LaFalce vowed to add his amendment to another gambling bill, one that effectively makes it impossible to gamble on the Internet.

Several bills in Congress seek to outlaw cybercasinos. This legislation would ban use of credit and debit cards, checks and electronic fund transfers in Internet gambling, rendering the gambler unable to pay for wagers.

The Nevada delegation in Congress opposes the LaFalce amendment.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., Tuesday sent a letter to banking committee members saying, "while around 1 percent of adults have a pathological gambling disorder and deserve our help, problem gambling experts have not said that an ATM ban is the answer."

The committee is likely to vote today on whether to send the bill to the House floor. The Senate already has passed a similar bill that would outlaw Internet gambling.

Bill supporters say Internet gambling is unregulated and preys on compulsive gamblers. The Nevada delegation supports the online gambling ban.