Christian right joins betting fight

[clevfan]

Christian right joins betting fight

By Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington
FT.com
Aug 13

The National Football League has enlisted the support of the Christian right to help drum up opposition to a proposal in Congress that would legalise sports betting and reverse sweeping prohibitions on online gambling that were passed last year.

The primary target of the lobbying campaign by the sports league and Focus on the Family, the evangelical group headed by James Dobson, is a proposal introduced this year by Barney Frank, the powerful Democratic lawmaker, that would undo the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

The law strengthened federal anti-gambling laws and wiped billions of dollars in value from foreign gaming companies that had operated in the US while the anti-gambling statutes were more ambiguous.

In a July 31 e-mail obtained by the Financial Times, Bill Wichterman – a Washington lobbyist for the NFL who served as a top adviser to former Republican majority leader Bill Frist – encouraged conservative groups to co-sign a letter to Congress that ostensibly was written by Focus on the Family. "The threat posed by the Frank legislation is very real, and we must actively work against it," Mr Wichterman wrote.

The letter was co-signed by the Christian Coalition and American Values, among others. It urged members of Congress to protect the integrity of the 2006 Act, and cautioned that lawmakers should be wary of "misinformation campaigns" by "foreign gambling interests".

The NFL said the sports league did not author the Focus on the Family letter and there was nothing unusual about its alliance with the Christian groups given their mutual opposition to gambling. Focus on the Family declined to comment.

The campaign underscores how much clout the NFL and its allies wield in the debate over online gaming and sports betting – and the reason why, some observers say, Mr Frank's proposal will not become law as long as it includes a provision that allows bets on sports.

While the NFL is active in the lucrative market for fantasy sports betting, which is legal and was not affected by the anti-gaming legislation, it says legalising sports bets would have a "corrosive" effect on football.

Mr Frank's proposal contains an "opt-out" for individual sports leagues such as the NFL, but the group says it nevertheless "threatens to undermine the integrity of American sports".

Former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato, who chairs the Poker Players' Alliance, a pro-gaming group, says the NFL's lobbying shows it believes Mr Frank's bill is gaining traction among lawmakers, who see the regulation of gambling as an attractive way to generate tax revenue.

But he says the NFL's influence in Washington is the "major issue" that could prevent the bill from gaining more support. "I don't believe the NFL can be defeated on this."

He added: "They aren't going to want anyone betting on their games unless they can control it."

[chris@thegreek]

Without Gambling would anyone even care about the NFL

[robin]

i barely care now with gambling, same for mlb and nba.

only sports worth a shit are cfb and cbb.

[biggame]

Originally Posted by robin

i barely care now with gambling, same for mlb and nba.

only sports worth a shit are cfb and cbb.

Totally agree. Either the people running pro leagues are complete morons to bite one of the hands that feeds them, or they are fantastic actors. I honestly have no idea which.

[jefff]

that same "christian right" leaders that's getting busted almost weekly for

a) drugs
b) propositioning prostitutes
c) accepting $20 to give men BJ's
d) being gay pastors

etc etc.

yeah, that's a good group to have on your side...

[stevo]

They should make a big fukin list of shit these RR assholes have been busted for and then compare that to betting on Jets.

Good post Jeff

[homedog]

Exactly who is the Christian right? I am as conservative as they come on most matters but the people that I perceive to be the Christian right, the Sunday morning church show people, are as corrupt and looney as they come. They will sacrifice every "Christian" belief as long as it puts money in their coffers.

I mean, look at the size of the churches these people build.

Tithe? Not to the church.

If you want to donate your money give it to someone or something that can make a difference and who is genuinely trying to make a difference. Finding such an honest person/group could take awhile.

[stevo]

Tithe? Not to the church.


Exactly. If only everyone thought that way alot more problems might get solved.

[skilled27]

If you listen to the poker and sports betting advocates, you would think the gambling effort has no chance at all. Thats all I've heard is negativity.

Homer, your sweeping post about every "christian right" on the planet who would do anything for a dollar really shows off your sheer ignorance and bigotry.

[chris@thegreek]

These are same people who want Horse Racing eliminated

[homedog]

Homer, your sweeping post about every "christian right" on the planet who would do anything for a dollar really shows off your sheer ignorance and bigotry.

Read my post again dipshit. I defined exactly who I was referring to and it was not "sweeping".

the people that I perceive to be the Christian right, the Sunday morning church show people

[skilled27]

So every christian preacher who has a church show on sunday morning is currupt? That is a sweeping statement and its inaccurate.

[homedog]

Originally Posted by skilled27

So every christian preacher who has a church show on sunday morning is currupt? That is a sweeping statement and its inaccurate.

You can argue it is inaccurate all you want.

You claimed I stated

every "christian right" on the planet who would do anything for a dollar

and I actually stated

the Sunday morning church show people

I stand by what I stated. Haven't seen anything to prove me wrong.

Look at the bright side skilly, jj might stick his 2" pecker in your ear while your giving luke a reach around.

[StarnetGypsy]

Originally Posted by jefff

that same "christian right" leaders that's getting busted almost weekly for

a) drugs
b) propositioning prostitutes
c) accepting $20 to give men BJ's
d) being gay pastors etc etc

yeah, that's a good group to have on your side...

yes, good thoughts Jeff, and the same as mine.

it never ceases to amaze me how the morons & cocksuckers (read greedy/selfish) somehow always have all the clout.

well, it shouldn't amaze me actually, because they're the ones who band together to form one voice ...

[skilled27]

Originally Posted by homedog

Look at the bright side skilly, jj might stick his 2" pecker in your ear while your giving luke a reach around.

Yuk yuk

Homer, true enough every person that walks the earth is a sinner and not perfect. However I know that you know it to be fact that there are preachers with good intentions out there who have sunday morning shows.

There are corrupt/greedy people in all walks of life. The ministry profession is no different. However there are some very good ones who would do anything to help you even after reading your statements.

[Rookies]

that same "christian right" leaders that's getting busted almost weekly for

a) drugs
b) propositioning prostitutes
c) accepting $20 to give men BJ's
d) being gay pastors

etc etc.

yeah, that's a good group to have on your side...

BRAVO !

Couldn't have said it better.

A gaggle of self righteous, hypocritical morons, hucksters, charlatans, quacks, snake oil salesmen and crooks who drag the name of Jesus through their muck & mire. When push comes to shove, most are literally caught with their pants down. Their next effort on behalf of the dispossessed will be their first !

The only thing they have the slightest interest in is the collection of dead Presidents... as many & as quickly as possible... fleecing the dumb rubes who buy their whacked out quasi spiritual cocktail.

[Minnow]

I don't suppose any church offers reduced juice tithing? 10% with no bonus or losses back seems a bit steep, even for redemption!

[count zero]

A boycott of NFL sponsors by bettors would be the quickest way to get both publicity and a fair hearing. How long could you last without shitty cars and shitty beer?

[daddydollars]

Wow... let's lay off the Christian right, because we really shouldn't expect anything else from them. Why is the NFL so opposed to this?

I understand the concerns about the game not being "tainted," but realistically, Joe Sportsfan sitting at his computer and betting $50 on the Colts (or, hell, a grand) isn't going to affect the outcome of the game one way or the other. The NFL doesn't seem to understand that without gambling, the league wouldn't be half as popular as it is today. You can say the same for the NBA and the college sports. I don't know about baseball since there don't seem to be a ton of people betting baseball.

However, I don't see how the NFL and ESPN both can pimp fantasy football -- which is little different from actually betting on the game when you think about it; if you're playing in a money league, you're essentially betting money that your players are going to put up better stats than the other players. And that's different from directly betting on the outcome of the game how?

And let's not forget the major newspapers. I dare you to name a daily newspaper that doesn't publish the lines for football and basketball games on gameday, if not all week in the case of football. Unless you happen to be catching a flight to Vegas that day, the paper's essentially encouraging you to do something that's currently illegal in 49 states.

This country's so hypocritical when it comes to gambling, and the major sports leagues (and particularly the NCAA) are the worst hypocrites when it comes to this. They know who's buttering their bread.