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A USAToday article asks: "Is it time to legalize online gambling?" Respondents to the article - a total of 504 people - overwhelmingly voted "Yes", 98 percent in fact.
"At a time when most economic news is bleak, maybe we can take a tip from England, and the British Open bets that will be placed this week with that nation's legal bookmakers. There, winnings are easily taxed, writes Reid Cherner & Tom Weir of USA Today.
Rep. Jim A. McDermott, D-Wash., is trying to change that, in legislation introduced this week that would legalize, regulate and tax online gambling.
"We gamble billions of dollars in this country, and the Internal Revenue Service doesn't get a dime," Lee Trevino tells ESPN.com's Bob Harig in a story from the Open at Southport. "Instead, they spend millions of dollars trying to catch these people."
"We gamble billions of dollars in this country, and the Internal Revenue Service doesn't get a dime," Lee Trevino tells ESPN.com's Bob Harig in a story from the Open at Southport. "Instead, they spend millions of dollars trying to catch these people."
"We have an ideal opportunity to invest billions of dollars in American workers and our struggling economy without increasing the federal deficit," said Rep. McDermott in speaking about the Investing in our Human Resources Act (IHRA). "IHRA would utilize a funding stream that would become available should Congress decide to legalize and regulate internet gambling, which would protect consumers and collect tax revenue that is currently offshore."
A provision in the legislation also encourages responsible Internet gambling behavior and an awareness of unsafe practices, something which has been praised by problem gambling advocates.
McDermott believes that the current environment surrounding online gambling is actually helping to fuel criminal activity. He likens it to the time of prohibition.
Says McDermott: "We have gambling on horses. All of a sudden we say you can't gamble online. What's that about? If we can take revenue from horse racing we certainly can take revenue from online."
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Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com
Originally published July 17, 2008 11:58 am EST
