House to consider NCAA betting ban

Benjamin Grove

Monday, May 22, 2000 | 11:21 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The bill that would ban betting on college sports in Nevada casinos may be moving in the House, despite reports that the Republican leadership had little desire to act on the bill this year.

The bill is likely to be scheduled for a June hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, led by committee chairman Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill.

"Hyde said he is likely to bring it up, they have informed the minority party (Democrats) that this is something they are working on," said Michael O'Donovan, spokesman for Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev. "It's just not on the schedule yet."

A similar version of the bill already received approval from the Senate Commerce Committee, led by chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. McCain is leading a push to pass the bill in the Senate and hopes to debate the bill on the floor in June.

The bill's advocates say it will close the "Las Vegas loophole" that allows wagers on college sports in Nevada. Nevada is the only state that offers bets on college sports. Bill supporters say the legislation will help curb game-fixing by corrupted college athletes and also decrease rampant illegal betting on college campuses.

Nevada's congressional delegation and gaming officials say the bill will do nothing to decrease illegal betting.

Berkley and and Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., also sponsored a bill that would convene a panel to study illegal gambling.