Internet gambling bill faces delays

[clevfan]

Internet gambling bill faces delays

Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:14 PM ET



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill to ban Internet gambling is facing some opposition in the U.S. Senate and will not come up for a vote before the chamber takes its August recess, an aide to the U.S. Senate majority leader said on Thursday.

Backers of the legislation had hoped to push it through the Senate quickly this month following the arrest in the United States of David Carruthers, the chief executive of BETonSPORTS <BSS.L>, on charges of racketeering and conspiracy.

Carruthers is scheduled to appear at a hearing in U.S. district court in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday to determine if he must remain in jail until his trial.

However, an aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said that lawmakers were still working on the bill and would not be able to hold a floor vote before the Senate recesses for its August vacation.

The Senate bill is virtually identical to legislation overwhelmingly approved earlier in July by the U.S. House of Representatives. It would prohibit most forms of Internet gambling and make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

The Republican-backed bill has been criticized by some as an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base.

Supporters of a crackdown on Internet gambling say legislation is needed to clarify that a 1961 federal law banning sports betting also covers an array of online gambling.

[clevfan]

Frist seeks swift action on gambling bill

Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:50 PM ET



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill to ban Internet gambling faces opposition in the U.S. Senate, but backers still hope to win passage of it within a few weeks, a top aide to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said on Thursday.

"We are trying to get something done before the August recess," set to begin on August 4, said Eric Ueland, Frist's chief of staff.

Earlier on Thursday, another Frist aide said lawmakers were still working on the bill, but would not be able to vote on it before the Senate heads off for its month-long vacation.

Ueland rejected that characterization, saying Frist had not given up on getting a vote before the August recess.

Backers of the legislation have hoped to push it through the Senate this month following the arrest in the United States of David Carruthers, the chief executive of BETonSPORTS Plc, on charges of racketeering and conspiracy.

Carruthers is scheduled to appear at a hearing in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday to determine if he must remain in jail until his trial.

The Senate bill is virtually identical to legislation overwhelmingly approved earlier in July by the U.S. House of Representatives. It would prohibit most forms of Internet gambling and make it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

The Republican-backed bill has been criticized by some as an election-year appeal to the party's conservative base.

Supporters of a crackdown on Internet gambling say legislation is needed to clarify that a 1961 federal law banning sports betting also covers an array of online gambling.

[Bluto]

The legistlation makes note of payment from banks to online gambling sites and the restriction on credit card deposits. Where does that leave Neteller? As far as I know Neteller is more than a deposit method for gambling sites. They do other types of transactions that have nothing to do with gambling.

[Bostongambler]

Bluto I am curious myself to see how they could actually stop it.

What about W.U...Can't you just send the $$$$ to someone in a country just like now. How do they know what party the recipient belongs to.