Net gambling foes cry ‘terrorism’

Internet gambling foes have long argued that its efficiency poses an unacceptable threat to youth and gambling addicts – a position best articulated in Sen. Jon Kyl’s memorable catch-phrase, “Click the mouse, lose the house.” But in 2004, congressional opponents summoned up a new villain – terrorism.

Rep. Michael Oxley, R-Ohio, played the terror card during hearings in September. Online betting, he said, has created “a dangerous loophole in our anti-terror finance and anti-money-laundering machines that can easily be exploited.”

Oxley later attached a provision to bar the use of credit cards, checking accounts, money orders, etc., to bet online to the intelligence reform bill, but it was stripped before Congress approved the bill on Dec. 8

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

It was the eighth straight year in which Congress has failed to pass legislation aimed at strangling Internet gambling. Nonetheless, Oxley is expected to try again in 2005.

Despite the legal uncertainties, millions of Americans took the Net betting plunge in 2004. Most of the newbies visited Internet poker sites, which rode the unexpected surge in popularity of the Old West card game to success. Best guesses are that poker now generates more than $1 billion a year in revenue in an overall Internet gambling market of $6.5 billion.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

In the meantime, the United States’ staunchest ally in the war on terror, Great Britain, continues to move ahead with plans to become “the hub of the global gambling industry” as part of an update of what the government says are antiquated gambling laws.

U.S. efforts to deter Net betting also took a hit from the World Trade Organization. The WTO in November upheld a complaint by Antigua stating that United States attacking online gambling to proect its legal gambling industry. The U.S. Trade Office called the decision "deeply flawed" and said it would appeal.