State Senate moves against Internet gambling

Friday, June 1, 2001 | 10:43 a.m.

SALEM, Ore. -- A Senate-passed bill intended to curb illegal Internet gambling by making it more difficult to collect debts was handily approved by the House on Thursday.

The measure, SB755, passed 57-2 without debate and was returned to the Senate for action on amendments.

The bill is aimed at stifling online gambling run by offshore websites, by prohibiting the collection of gambling debts through credit card payments, checks or electronic fund transfers.

Under the proposal, credit card providers would not be held liable for debts incurred by Internet gamblers.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Rick Metsger, D-Welches, said Thursday that while most gambling generally has flattened, Internet gambling has greatly expanded. He said there are an estimated 700 gaming sites run by offshore enterprises, outside the reach of state or federal law.

Efforts to withhold their source of income is the best way to attempt to shut down such illegal sites, Metsger said.

"A goal is to get them to stop targeting states where we have these laws," he said. The bill says the state "is not going to assist you in collecting debts" by allowing lawsuits seeking to force payments, for example, he said.