Current laws pertaining to Internet gambling are ineffective, inconsistent and are an unnecessary government intrusion into the private lives of Americans. Traditional forms of gambling are legal in nearly every state and, despite attempts to prohibit the activity, millions of Americans continue to find a way to gamble online given the freedom of the Internet.

Rather than tell Americans what they can and cannot do online in the privacy of their homes, the government should regulate Internet gambling to ensure proper consumer protections are in place and in order to capture billions in new revenue to fund critical government programs.

Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 1174)

Rep. John Campbell (D-Calif.) introduced legislation on March 17, 2011 that would establish a regulatory and enforcement framework for licensed gambling operators to accept bets and wagers from individuals in the U.S. The bill would put in place practical and enforceable standards to bring transparency to Internet gambling and provide consumers the protections they expect and deserve. The bill is identical in language to what was overwhelmingly approved by the House Financial Services Committee in July 2010.

• House Financial Services Committee Press Release
• Bill Summary
• Bill Text

Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2011 (H.R. 2230)

On June 16, 2011, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) introduced a bill which would require taxes and fees to be collected from wagers placed over the Internet, providing much-needed revenue for federal and state budgets.  Rep. McDermott’s legislation is meant to serve as a companion to the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act (H.R. 1174), which was introduced earlier this year by Rep. John Campbell (R-CA).

• Bill Text

Internet Gambling Prohibition, Poker Consumer Protection, and Strengthening UIGEA Act of 2011 (H.R. 2366)

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) introduced legislation on June 24, 2011 that would regulate online poker and strengthen attempts to block unlawful Internet gambling activity.  Importantly, the bill would guarantee that online poker players would be protected from fraud, identity theft and money laundering. Rep. Barton indicated that strong grassroots support from his constituents was a leading influence in his decision to take on this issue.

• Rep. Joe Barton's Press Release

Resources

• Legislation Introduced During the 111th Congress
• Legislation Introduced During the 110th Congress
• The Case for Regulated Internet Gambling