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The American government is not bluffing with their recent attempt to ban online gambling. The House has stepped up the fight against online poker by voting 317-93 to enforce newly drafted poker legislation that would prohibit credit card and banking companies from making any financial transaction with known online gambling companies. In addition, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be asked to block their clients from accessing gaming sites from their home computers. The bill is exempt from horse race betting and state-run lotteries.
The bill now sits in the agenda of the Senate, it has not been labeled as a top priority, but the force behind the bill - Senator Jon Kyl, R-Ariz, said he will do his best to push it through quickly. Sen. Jon Kyl argues that online poker makes gambling money too easy, which can cause gambling addictions and financial problems.
"It puts gambling in every living room, at every school desk and at every work station," said John Kindt, a business professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who has studied the issue and supports the bill.
People and groups against banning online poker explain the Internet gambling industry could generate more than $12 billion in American tax revenue and banning something like online poker creates a “Big Brother” type stance.
"Prohibition as a general principal is a bad principal, because it doesn't work," explained Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev. agreed with the bill against online gambling, but wanted to create an amendment to it. She felt that it was unfair to ban online poker if Internet betting on horse racing, sports betting, casino games and online lotteries were still allowed. The amendment was rejected by her peers.
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