A US bill, which is intended to ban most forms of internet
gambling, was heavily criticised last week in a House sub-committee
hearing as being ineffective because it creates a number of
exceptions to the general ban. These would include horse racing,
dog racing, jai alai (a game popular in Florida), fantasy sports
and others.
The bill is a response to fears in the US over the rapid growth
of gambling on the internet. The River City Group, an on-line
gambling industry consultancy, forecasts that this market will
reach an estimated value of $3 billion by 2002. Arguments in favour
of the law have included putting more safeguards on the internet to
protect children and families from financial ruin.
However, other responses to the proposal have highlighted the
problems associated with legislation restricting internet use.
Congress Representative Anna Eshoo argues that “The blocking
provisions in the legislation intrude on individual privacy. They
attempt to put artificial boundaries on the internet, when the
internet is designed specifically to transcend boundaries.”
The U.K. government is expected to update gaming legislation in
response to the internet and other technological advances in 2001.
Current measures limit on-line gambling by prohibiting the sale of
lottery tickets on-line and restricting casino gambling to licensed
premises on which the gambler must be physically present.
