Internet Gambling, Analysis / Discussion Essay
<b>Overview of topic and issues discussed</b>
Gambling in any form has been controversial since before history could document it. There are sections of the Bible that forbid gambling in any form. Gambling is legal in parts of the United States such as in Las Vegas Nevada, Atlantic City on the East coast and on various Indian Tribal grounds spread widely across the rest of the United States. The establishments in these areas are well regulated. With the creation of the Internet, gambling has found a way to permeate all parts of the globe. Any computer with internet access can gamble regardless of local laws. Internet gambling was one of the first websites created as the internet became more popular in the early 1990’s. Since then it has grown in popularity at an explosive rate. Most of the Internet gambling websites are hosted and based in foreign countries in order to evade the laws of the United States. Since most websites are not based in the United States the laws used to govern each site vary greatly. This lack of regulation is where the main arguments concerning Internet Gambling reside.
There are four pending pieces of legislation relating to Internet Gambling in the House of Representatives and Congress. The potential laws vary in their aims from cutting off the financial United States banking and credit resources to creating a regulatory commission that would oversee it all. The website http://www.arentfox.com/quickGuide/businessLines/sweeps/contestsSweepstakes/sweepsRelatedArticles/sweeps2003-06-10.html lays out a summary of the Pending Legislation:
“A number of bills concerning Internet gambling are currently pending in Congress. Three of these bills, two in the House and one in the Senate, seek to prevent funding of Internet gambling through the use of bank instruments. There is significant disagreement in the House, however, over the specific language and scope of the legislation. A fourth bill, currently pending in the House, would create an Internet gambling licensing and regulation commission.
HR 21, also known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act, was introduced in the House in January 2003. The bill seeks to prohibit the use of credit, electronic funds transfers, instruments payable through a financial institution, or any financial transaction involving a financial institution to fund Internet gambling activities. The bill also encourages communication with foreign countries to root out Internet gambling operations connected with money laundering, and to ensure international cooperation with the Act. Additionally, HR 21 requires the Secretary of...